Filed to story: When His Wife Can’t Forgive
Soon, news spread that hospitals were seeing recoveries. Patients were responding well to treatment.
Kenji exhaled deeply, feeling relieved, and walked over to Caden’s bed, ready to share the good news. But Caden was already asleep, his face relaxed in rest. Kenji chose not to wake him.
Sitting down, Kenji finally allowed himself to acknowledge his exhaustion. As soon as he shut his eyes, he drifted off to sleep, slumping against the wall. The door opened quietly. Roscoe stepped inside, moving toward Kenji with the intention of waking him.
“Let him rest for a while,” Caden murmured. Roscoe hesitated but then nodded. Stepping closer, he leaned in. “Mr. Ward, your wife and daughter are here.”
Caden looked around and asked, “Where are my wife and daughter?”
“They’re in the waiting room. Do you want me to bring them here?” Roscoe asked.
Caden’s eyes landed on Kenji.
Kenji hadn’t slept or groomed himself for days, looking utterly disheveled. When had he ever neglected himself to such an extent? It was clear that he had been deeply concerned about Caden over the past few days.
Pointing at Kenji, Caden instructed Roscoe, “First, let’s get him to the bed in the next room to rest.” Sleeping in a chair would only leave Kenji sore all over.
Once Kenji had settled comfortably, Roscoe returned.
Caden stood up and stretched. Roscoe handed him a glass of water and whispered, “Mr. Ward, are you going to drop the act now?”
“It’s all over. What’s the point?” Caden responded, sipping the water and clicking his tongue. “Where did this water come from?”
“I just got it for you.”
Caden placed the glass down, showing little emotion. “When Kenji looked after me, he always put a slice of lemon in the water. This tastes bland without it.”
Roscoe laughed softly at his comment. “It seems he has passed your test,” he said, exhaling a sigh of relief. “I’m concerned that if you stop pretending now, Kenji might catch on to our charade.”
Caden replied, “Even if he does figure it out, it’s fine.”
Caden was confident that Kenji would simply be relieved that the test was straightforward.
Roscoe felt a genuine sense of joy for Kenji. “Since Scarlette has arrived, I’ll head back now.”
Caden said, “Thanks for everything you’ve done recently.” Roscoe smiled and left the room.
Shortly afterward, Alicia and Scarlette walked in.
With the virus under control, there was no need for protective gear anymore, and the room felt fresh, as if the crisis had never occurred.
Having been separated for so long, the family of three chattered endlessly upon reuniting.
Scarlette wiped away her tears and looked around the room. She asked, “Wasn’t Kenji supposed to be looking after you? Where has he gone?”
“He’s resting in the next room,” Caden replied. “Go see how he’s doing. I need a moment to speak with your mother.”
Scarlette skipped away, her steps light and full of energy.
Alicia sat in her chair, offering a resigned smile. “You’re all grown men, and yet you still play these games.”
Caden remained composed. “As long as he’s here, why not put him to the test?”
“Did he do well on it?”
“He just barely passed.”
Alicia chuckled. “Even if he hadn’t passed, it wouldn’t change a thing. Scarlette is already head over heels for him.”
Speaking of Scarlette, Alicia realized Scarlette had been quiet since she left for the next room. Concerned, Alicia stood up and went to check, discovering Scarlette asleep in Kenji’s embrace, her eyes swollen from tears. Kenji looked completely exhausted with his eyes closed, but he held on to Scarlette tightly. Lying together on the hospital bed, they created a scene that was both bittersweet and beautiful.
Returning to Caden, Alicia tenderly stroked his face. “You’ve lost a lot of weight,” she commented with a concerned look. “Was your serious fever real?”
“Yes. Kenji is clever. He wouldn’t have believed it if I hadn’t been truly sick.”
A mix of pain and anger washed over Alicia.
Caden grasped her hand, his voice raspy as he said with a pitiful face, “The discomfort almost killed me, darling.” Alicia bent down to kiss him.
A quick peck was not enough for Caden. He cradled the back of her head, intensifying the kiss.
In the dead of night, Kenji awoke. He had dreamed that Scarlette had come to visit, and to his amazement, she was indeed cradled in his arms when he opened his eyes.
Scarlette, being a light sleeper, woke up the moment he moved. After being apart for so long, Kenji was almost in disbelief. He embraced her tenderly, his touch confirming her presence.
Scarlette scolded him playfully, “What are you doing? Is this your way of saying hello?”
Kenji leaned in to kiss her but quickly pulled back, realizing he hadn’t taken care of his hygiene in days. He merely brushed her lips. Scarlette, anticipating the kiss, was disappointed by his abrupt retreat.
“What’s the matter?”
“I need a shower,” Kenji said, leaping out of bed, full of energy. As he made his way to the bathroom, he looked back and asked, “Did you bring condoms?”
Scarlette frowned. “We haven’t seen each other in ages. Can’t we just sit and have a nice chat? Your mind is always somewhere else.”
“Then I’ll pick some up later.”
Scarlette was speechless.
While showering, a thought struck Kenji. Was Caden still asleep outside? Had he woken up? Could he have overheard what he had just said?
After cleaning up, Kenji got dressed and peeked outside. Caden slept deeply, the soft glow of a bedside lamp the only light in the room. Relieved, Kenji shut the door and turned to embrace Scarlette.
“Your dad’s asleep,” he said.
Reflecting on his recent care for her father, Scarlette whispered, “Thank you for looking after my father so well.”
Now freshly shaven, Kenji looked dashing again.
Scarlette moved closer for a kiss.
Their kiss stretched on longer than expected. Kenji had planned to keep it brief with Caden nearby, but his longing grew too intense after being apart for so long.
Scarlette felt his erection, blushing as she looked down. “We should go to a hotel,” she whispered. “This room is too small, and we need to be quiet. It’s not really a suitable place for us to fully enjoy ourselves.”
Kenji, overwhelmed by his feelings and Scarlette’s suggestion, picked her up without hesitation.
Scarlette exclaimed, “Hey, why the rush? I haven’t even put my shoes on yet.”
“Forget the shoes. I’ll carry you all the way there,” he assured her.
His hurried steps soon faded into the distance as the hospital room door closed behind them.
Meanwhile, the “sleeping” Caden had heard their entire conversation, his face twisting with anger as he listened.
In July, Scarlette was enjoying her summer break, and Kenji took her back to Banta to meet the Reed family.
After Caden’s approval, Kenji and Scarlette had officially become an item. They had been inseparable at school for months, and even now, they remained close at all times, embodying the typical young couple deeply in love.
Upon seeing Kenji, Iker immediately inspected him from head to toe.
Once Iker confirmed Kenji was alright, he let out a sigh of relief and said, “Warrington was a mess back then. Why didn’t you ask us to come over?”
Kenji offered a smile. “It was nothing to worry about.”
“Numerous people died, and you think that’s not a big deal?”
“The media exaggerated the numbers,” Kenji replied, glancing at Scarlette, who was joyfully playing with Cathleen and the other women, paying no heed to their discussion.
Kenji pulled Iker aside and said, “The virus was a challenge then, but Mr. Ward had an antidote ready early on.”
Iker paused, confused. “Then why hurry on those medical researches?”
“He was testing me.”
“But I heard he was indeed infected at the time.”
Kenji didn’t respond verbally but gave his brother a significant look.
Iker’s face gradually eased. “He’s quite sophisticated.”
Kenji raised an eyebrow. “He thought I was too young to see the subtle clues, but I had already reviewed the clinical cases and knew about the patients who had recovered.”
“How could Mr. Ward overlook that?”
“He staged it well. At first, I didn’t suspect it, but he’s never failed to develop an antidote for decades. Yet this time, the antidote seemed nowhere around the corner despite all the invested efforts. It struck me as odd, so I dug deeper.”
Iker was rendered speechless momentarily. “So, how do you really feel about Scarlette?”
Kenji’s face grew serious. “We’ll marry after her graduation. I might have cheated a bit during the test her father set for me, but if he had truly been sick, I would have made the same choice.”
Upon their arrival in Banta, Scarlette said to Kenji, “You promised I could caress some handsome male escorts to settle the score.”
Kenji frowned, slightly annoyed. “I’ll dress up. Take me as one of them and caress me instead.”
Scarlette refused. “You really think highly of yourself, don’t you?”
“I’m serious. And remember, not every handsome man is as charming as I am.”
“I still want to touch them.”
Kenji said nothing.
Grabbing a pillow, Scarlette declared, “Then I’m going to stay with Cathleen tonight.”
She reached Cathleen’s room before Kenji could react.
Scarlette knocked on the door but received no answer. She was confused. “Are they asleep?”
Leaning casually against the wall, Kenji replied, “They’re making out and don’t want to be bothered right now.”
Scarlette said, “If you don’t let me caress those handsome male escorts, I’ll keep nagging you.”
Left with no other option, Kenji reluctantly picked up the car keys and took her outside. His plan was to find someone less appealing to satisfy her request, but unexpectedly, they encountered Ryder in another vehicle along the way.
Kenji acted as if he hadn’t noticed Ryder, but Scarlette shouted, “Mr. Boyd! Mr. Boyd!”
Ryder rolled down his car window. Recognizing Scarlette as Kenji’s girlfriend, he extinguished his cigarette and asked with a grin, “Where are you two off to so late?”
Leaning against Kenji, Scarlette peeked out. “We came to find you. Kenji promised to introduce me to some male escorts.”
Ryder lifted his eyebrows as he stared at the expressionless Kenji.
Though puzzled by Kenji’s intentions, Ryder couldn’t turn down the lively Scarlette. “Talk about timing. I have some new faces tonight. They’re at your service.”
Kenji shot Ryder a flat look. Was Ryder actually being serious?
Ryder pretended not to understand. “What’s the matter, Kenji? Are you interested as well? Sorry, but my partner doesn’t let me hire female staff.”
Scarlette’s eyes sparkled at the sight of Ryder’s recruits.
Though Kenji had an impressive build, Scarlette found herself drawn to the charm of a handsome stranger from a foreign land. She caressed the man’s face and muscles, even daring to slip her hand inside his trousers.
Kenji, seated on a couch with a drink, didn’t intervene, yet his gaze remained fixed on her.
In the end, Scarlette withdrew her hand, her face showing clear disappointment.
Ryder laughed and asked Kenji, “You’re okay with this?”
Kenji’s hand tightened around his glass until his knuckles whitened. “I’m clenching my teeth here.”
Ryder said, “If I were in your shoes, I would have charged over as soon as she laid a hand on him.”
Kenji silently agreed but knew he lacked the moral high ground. “I shouldn’t have touched someone else in front of her. That was my mistake.”
Soon after, Scarlette came back to Kenji, feeling unsatisfied.
To provoke Kenji even more, Ryder playfully asked Scarlette, “Are you thinking of bringing that dashing guy home?”
Silently, Kenji led Scarlette away to wash her hands.
Trying to reassure him, Scarlette said, “It wasn’t enjoyable. He doesn’t feel as good as you do.”
Kenji understood her motive. “If he wasn’t pleasant to touch, why didn’t you stop?”
Scarlette flinched as he washed her hands. “Ouch, that’s too rough! It hurts. I only touched him through his clothes. I didn’t actually touch him!”
Kenji turned off the faucet and noticed her hands were red. He softly kissed them. Looking into her eyes, he asked seriously, “Are you still upset?”
Scarlette responded truthfully, “I wasn’t really upset anymore. I just wanted to touch a handsome man.”
Kenji was speechless.
Despite his serious expression, Scarlette felt bold. She wrapped her arms around his neck, smiling cheekily. “I just felt it was unfair and wanted you to feel what I felt back then. You really hurt me.”
Kenji understood she meant every word. The more he loved her, the more his heart ached for her. His past words and actions had caused her pain and tears many times.
Kenji held her close, resting his face against her neck to breathe in her scent. “Do you want to head home?”
Scarlette nodded. “There’s no fun here. I sleep best in your arms.” Kenji held her hand as they left.
Even late into the night, the streets of Banta were bustling with life. The vibrant atmosphere was captivating, and as they navigated through the crowd, a sense of happiness filled them.
Scarlette skipped along, suggesting, “Let’s walk back. It’s not far anyway.”
“Sure,” Kenji agreed, coiling his fingers with hers and gazing at her lovingly.
Scarlette beamed. “Kenji, would you like to hear my parents’ story?”
“I would. Whatever you tell me, I want to listen.”
They faced a long journey ahead, filled with shared meals and endless casual conversations, just like their parents had-supporting each other through life’s challenges and aging together, forever in love.
The end.