Filed to story: When His Wife Can’t Forgive
Her face was peaceful, untouched by the agony of her final moments. Her hands were folded neatly, and her body was arranged with care, as though she had simply gone to sleep.
But the machines around her were silent. Gemma wasn’t breathing anymore. Her suffering had ended.
“Gemma,” Corey whispered, as reality began to sink in. He took a shaky step forward, but before he could reach her, he collapsed to his knees with a heavy thud.
“Gemma!” Corey’s voice cracked, growing more desperate with each call. “Gemma!”
Corey trembled, cradling Gemma’s lifeless form in his arms, unwilling to accept the truth. He pressed his fingers to her throat, but there was no pulse. Holding her close, he felt her warmth slowly fading, realizing she would never hug him back again.
The floodgates opened, and a dam of sorrow that Corey had buried deep inside for so long burst free. His body shook with sobs, his voice broken and raw. “Gemma, please, open your eyes. Look at me.” Alicia turned away, tears streaming down her face.
Caden gently wrapped his arms around Alicia, shielding her ears from Corey’s grief-stricken cries.
“We should leave him be.” Caden’s voice was deep and calm, though it carried unmistakable sadness. “Let Corey say his goodbye.”
In June, Corey laid Gemma to rest beside Pierre. Her grave was surrounded by seeds of the flowers she had always loved.
Corey stood silently before the fresh mound of earth, staring at the photo of Gemma smiling brightly, lost in his memories. A soft breeze stirred the air, scattering delicate petals from the flowers around her grave.
Corey turned to Alicia, his voice quiet but heavy with pain. “If I die, don’t bury me here. Just scatter my ashes somewhere far away.” He felt unworthy of being Gemma’s brother. He hoped their paths wouldn’t cross again in the next life.
Alicia could barely recognize the man before her. The light had gone out of him, and she felt an overwhelming pang of regret. She grasped his hand gently, trying to pull him back from the edge. “Corey, Gemma loved flowers so much. You have to plant them for her every year.”
Corey said nothing, his eyes still fixed on the photo of Gemma, his expression hollow with sorrow.
After the funeral, life seemed to settle into a quiet routine.
Alicia never saw Corey again.
Autumn came, and with it, a shift in Warrington’s weather. The once vibrant leaves fell, blanketing the earth in shades of brown and gold. They were quickly soaked by the cold rain, their delicate forms beginning to decay.
Scarlette, just eight months old, was already full of mischief. With her four tiny teeth, she gnawed on everything within reach.
Alicia clicked her tongue playfully, and Scarlette immediately crawled away on all fours, her giggles filling the room as she avoided her mother’s gentle pursuit.
Alicia watched, smiling fondly at the little rascal. “She must be just like Caden was when he was a baby-so naughty!”
Scarlette paused, sitting on the floor like a tiny conqueror, grinning up at her mother with a look of triumph.
At that moment, the sound of a key turning in the door echoed through the room. Scarlette’s eyes brightened, and she immediately began crawling toward the door, knowing her father was home. Caden entered and scooped Scarlette up with a smile.
Alicia walked over, pretending to complain. “Scarlette’s become a little rascal. Look at the mess she’s made of the house.”
Caden chuckled, pressing a kiss to Scarlette’s cheek. “I’ll take the afternoon off to stay home with both of you.”
He went to wash his hands, but Alicia noticed something was off. He seemed distracted, using the wrong towel to dry his hands.
“Hey, what’s going on?” Alicia asked, concern creeping into her voice. “Why do you look so upset?”
Caden hesitated, meeting her gaze before responding slowly, “I got a call from Corey’s lawyer today. Apparently, Corey made a will last month. All of his clean assets… They’re for you.”
The word “will” caused Alicia’s heart to skip a beat. She looked closely at Caden, trying to read his face. “Corey’s always been impulsive. You shouldn’t read too much into it,” she said, trying to ease the tension.
But Caden’s gaze darkened, and he sighed deeply. “There’s more.” He paused for a moment before finally speaking, his voice barely above a whisper. “Alicia… Corey’s dead.”
On the day of Gemma’s funeral, Corey had entrusted Alicia with a simple yet somber request: to bury him quietly after his death.
Corey acknowledged that he had committed countless wrongs in his life, and a grand funeral felt undeserved. His only wish was for his ashes to be scattered somewhere after cremation. At the time, Alicia had brushed off his words as an emotional outburst, a fleeting moment of grief. He was only in his thirties-how could a man who had worked so hard to build his career suddenly let it all go?
But when Alicia saw Corey’s lifeless body, she realized he had longed for death for some time. He looked like a shadow of the man he once was. His body was gaunt, his face hollow and sunken, almost unrecognizable. The once-dignified man, who had cared so deeply about appearances, now lay in wrinkled clothes, his face unshaven and rugged. Needle marks marred his arms, darkened by bruises from severe malnutrition.
Corey’s fists were tightly clenched, stiff with rigor mortis. It took some effort to pry them open, and when they did, a small photograph was found crumpled in his palm. It was a two-inch picture of a younger Corey and Gemma, their faces shy but hopeful, their bright eyes radiating joy and dreams of a better future.
It was taken the year they left the orphanage-the year Corey had made a promise to himself: to rise above their circumstances, to cure Gemma’s illness, and to make her the happiest woman in the world. Now, Alicia wondered if Corey had ever received the forgiveness he sought from Gemma.
Alicia’s eyelashes fluttered as she fought back the bitterness swelling in her chest. She whispered, “Let Corey keep it. Let him take it with him.” Corey had always blamed himself for not being a good brother, saying he didn’t want to meet Gemma in the next life. But Alicia knew better. Corey could never let go of Gemma, not even in death.
The room was heavy with quiet grief as people moved carefully, packing away Corey’s belongings and preparing his body.
Just then, Corey’s secretary approached Alicia, handing her a crisp, sealed envelope. “Mrs. Ward, Mr. Hampton left this for you,” he said.
Alicia blinked in surprise. Corey was not a man of sentimentality. A letter from him felt out of character. Her hands trembled as she opened the envelope. Inside was a single sheet of paper, marked with his handwriting. “Alicia, thank you for giving…”
Gemma and I had the happiest years of our lives. Please don’t be sad for me. Live happily. Live a long life.”
Tears streamed down Alicia’s face, soaking the thin paper and blurring the ink. The ache in her heart was unbearable.
Caden stood nearby, watching Alicia in silence. He knew how deeply Corey’s death weighed on her. Gemma’s loss had already left her broken, and now this…
But Alicia was not alone. Unlike Corey, she had the support of a loving family and a husband who adored her. Corey, on the other hand, had endured five agonizing months after Gemma’s death, consumed by pain and regret until the day he ended his own life.
After what felt like hours of crying, Alicia finally let her emotions settle. Caden, his heart aching for her, gently wiped her tears. “Hey, your eyes will hurt if you keep crying.”
Her swollen eyes met his, and she gave him a faint, tearful smile. Caden kissed away her tears.
That evening, Alicia arranged for Corey’s cremation. She left the remaining funeral preparations in Caden’s hands, trusting him to honor Corey’s wishes.
Caden carried out everything meticulously. Deep down, he hoped Corey would finally find peace and reunite with Gemma in the afterlife. As autumn gave way to winter, the snow blanketed the city of Warrington in its quiet stillness.
From that moment on, Corey Hampton was gone, leaving only memories behind.
Caden, now a dominant force in the tech industry, found little satisfaction in his success. Without Corey, his only worthy rival, victory felt hollow.
Alicia donated Corey’s entire inheritance to orphanages across the country. The substantial sum gave countless children like Corey and Gemma a chance at a better life.
Though Alicia believed she was doing the right thing, the gesture left her with a lingering emptiness. She couldn’t fill the void left by their passing, and the winter that followed felt cold and lifeless.
Caden, ever understanding, stood by Alicia’s side, patient and unwavering. He spent long hours comforting her, staying close through her quiet grief.
As the new year came and went, the weight of the memories began to lift.
By summer, the world felt bright again. Alicia and Caden lounged by the pool, basking in the warmth of the sun and the cheerful days that had returned.
Caden, ever protective, applied sunscreen to Alicia’s arms and shoulders after pulling her close.
Nearby, their little daughter, Scarlette, ran over in an adorable swimsuit, her tiny feet pattering against the floor. She looked up at Caden with her big, innocent eyes and asked him to apply sunscreen to her too.
Caden chuckled and reached for the baby lotion instead.
But Scarlette frowned, pouting. “No! I want Mommy’s one!” she protested, pointing insistently at the sunscreen.
Caden shook his head, his expression firm. He was concerned the additives in the sunscreen might not be good for her delicate skin.
Scarlette, stubborn as ever, refused to back down. She clung to Alicia, her big eyes welling with tears as she whimpered.
Alicia laughed softly, unable to resist her daughter’s antics. “Caden, even baby lotion has additives. Why make such a fuss?”
But Caden frowned deeply, standing his ground. “I said no, and that’s final.”
His firm stance only made Scarlette burst into louder tears, burying her face in Alicia’s arms.
Scarlette’s cries tugged at Caden’s heart. He sighed, his resolve crumbling. “Hey, are you really crying?”
That only made her cries intensify.
“Alright, alright, I was wrong. Come here,” Caden said, reaching for her. Scarlette sniffled but didn’t resist, wrapping her chubby little arms around his neck.
For a moment, it seemed like a tender father-daughter reconciliation. Then, without warning, Scarlette leaned in and bit Caden on the cheek. Caden winced, letting out a startled cry. Scarlette’s sharp little teeth had left a clear mark on his face.
That evening, Alicia laughed as she dabbed ointment on the bite mark, still visible on his cheek.
Caden, though unbothered by the mark, couldn’t resist teasing Alicia. “Forget the ointment. Saliva heals wounds faster.”
Alicia raised an eyebrow, bemused. He leaned closer, his grin widening. “A kiss will do.”
Alicia’s lips curled into a smile. “Isn’t it your face that hurts? Why are you bringing your lips over here?”
Caden’s eyes were intense, his desire evident. “I want to kiss you.”
But his longing went beyond just a kiss. He desired more. Since Corey’s and Gemma’s passing, they had rarely been intimate, and it was driving him crazy.
Alicia felt a pang of unease. Since their marriage, Caden had shouldered the burdens, managing everything. Despite her full role as a mom, Caden never failed to spend quality time with Scarlette, actively engaging in her upbringing.
Alicia leaned in, biting her lip. “If you want it, just do it. You’ve never asked before.” Typically, Caden would just take what he wanted, wooing and coaxing her along. Only after he was content would he offer sweet nothings.
Caden caressed her waist. “I prefer it when you initiate.”
Alicia blushed, taken aback by his directness.
The moment was intimate, and Caden prepared for a passionate night.
Suddenly, a familiar sound echoed from outside the door. “Mommy!”
Alicia pushed Caden away, alarmed. “It’s Scarlette.”
At this late hour, Scarlette should have been asleep. If she was knocking, she must need something urgently. Alicia quickly dressed and hurried to the door.
Caden, frustration written all over his face, held onto Alicia’s wrist. “I’ve already put on the condom.”
Alicia, flustered and annoyed, replied, “Take it off the same way you put it on. Hurry up and get dressed!”
Caden, filled with frustration but unable to ignore his daughter’s cries, worried she might be frightened by a nightmare.