Filed to story: When His Wife Can’t Forgive
Alicia could not find a response.
She had intended to apply some ointment, but now all she wanted was to leave as soon as possible. Any more of this, and she was certain her face would ignite.
The moment Alicia moved aside, Caden’s eyes fell on the noticeable stain on his pants.
Raising an eyebrow, he remarked, “Miss Bennett, did you happen to walk through a storm?”
Alicia adjusted her clothing, responding smoothly, “No, I did not.”
“Then explain this.” Caden gestured to the damp spot, his grin teasing but knowing.
Alicia’s breath faltered as she shifted her gaze, clearly uneasy. “Must have been the rain.”
Caden’s smile widened. He casually pulled out a tissue, wiping his fingers as though it was routine. “Quite the downpour, wasn’t it? Even managed to drench my fingers.”
Once he was done, Caden’s gaze flicked back to Alicia. “Miss Bennett, you might be feeling rather content right now, but what about me?”
Alicia stiffened, her eyes instinctively lowering. It had been… intense. He probably had every reason to feel dissatisfied. Twice now, he had been cut off before even getting a real taste of what he was after.
Her tone softened. “So, what do you want to do?”
Caden’s eyes darkened, noticing just how cooperative Alicia seemed. “But how many men can actually resist? The more submissive a woman is, the more enticing it becomes to push her further,” he thought.
“Next time, if the opportunity presents itself, I will decide then.” Caden’s voice, low and gravelly, carried a seductive edge. “Whatever I want, will you let me have it, Miss Bennett?”
Alicia’s heart pounded uncontrollably.
“Absolutely not.” Unsure of what Caden was scheming, Alicia hesitated. “A little should be more than enough.”
Caden let out a quiet laugh. “Are you all about keeping things fair?”
His eyes wandered pointedly to her slender fingers. “Very well.”
Alicia’s cheeks burned as she quickly tucked her hands away and rushed out of the car.
The rain had lightened outside. Like her mood, the lingering tension gave way to a sense of calm.
After Caden drove off, Alicia walked ahead under her umbrella, soon spotting Joshua’s car approaching. He stepped out, his eyes immediately scanning Alicia. His gaze felt penetrating, as though he was seeing straight through her, leaving nothing unnoticed.
Having tidied up earlier, Alicia stood tall, meeting his inspection with quiet confidence.
It didn’t take long for Joshua to notice the bloodstain on her pants. “What’s going on?” he asked, his brow furrowing in confusion.
Alicia pressed her hand to her stomach, her expression downcast. “It’s that time of the month.”
Joshua’s frown deepened. “Then why are you out? Don’t we have medicine at home?”
Alicia explained, “We don’t have any pads at home.”
“You could have had the maid pick some up for you.”
“You’re talking about Georgia?” Alicia murmured quietly. “She’s not fond of me. I didn’t want to trouble her.” Her words were carefully chosen, and Joshua accepted them without question.
“Get in. I’ll take you back.”
After he dropped her off at the Yates family home, Joshua remained in the car.
Alicia asked, “Are you going out again?”
“Yes.”
Joshua considered that with Alicia on her period, there wasn’t much for him to accomplish here. It made more sense to spend time with Lilliana and ensure his presence was felt.
Before he left, Joshua handed Alicia a card.
“There’s $500,000 in here. Just tell me when you need more, and I’ll transfer it,” he said, brushing his fingers gently along her cheek. “Be good. I’ll give you whatever you want.”
Alicia grasped the card, a wave of cynicism washing over her. The money in that account had originally belonged to her. Joshua truly had the audacity to use her own money to control her.
After accepting the card, Alicia nodded in compliance.
“Make sure to drive carefully,” she said quietly.
Joshua studied her closely. She appeared exactly as she always had.
Unable to hold back, he lifted her chin and pressed his lips against hers.
Alicia pushed down her discomfort and tried to sidestep the situation. “I haven’t had a chance to put on a pad yet, and it could get messy. I don’t want to leave a stain on you.”
Joshua hesitated, then shifted to give her space. Coming from a privileged background, he found anything untidy unsettling. Not to mention, he was a hypocrite.
Once Joshua drove away, Alicia masked her expression and retreated to her bedroom. She picked up her phone and called Monica.
“Have you made any progress?” Monica inquired.
Alicia paused to think. “Sort of. Joshua didn’t seem suspicious.”
With that in mind, she felt confident she could proceed at a steady pace. She was determined to execute her plan flawlessly.
Alicia then rolled over and sighed. “I used my period as an excuse today, but what about a week from now? What am I supposed to do then?”
In this area, she was truly inexperienced. Joshua kept her at the Yates Mansion for his own enjoyment, and sooner or later, he would expect to sleep with her.
The thought disgusted her. But after her period, what excuse could she use to avoid his touch?
Monica’s voice lit up with excitement. “This is my specialty! Let me guide you on what to do.”
Alicia listened intently, but soon, she couldn’t help but laugh. “Is there really such a thing? You’re quite the character, Monica.”
Monica laughed lightly. “You know what I do, right? I didn’t spend all those years in college for nothing.”
Alicia curled up in the blanket, feeling shy. “Thank you, darling.”
Monica picked up on the shift in Alicia’s tone. “Why does your voice sound so different? You’ve been with someone, haven’t you? It’s never been this soft before.”
Alicia was momentarily speechless.
Although she knew Monica couldn’t see her, she instinctively covered her face with the blanket and asked, her voice muffled, “Do I still sound soft now?”
“Hmm?” Monica’s voice rose playfully. “Why are you dodging the question? I must be right on the mark, huh?”
“Absolutely not!” Alicia replied, feeling a pang of guilt. She quickly shifted the topic. “What’s keeping you awake at this hour?”
“It’s still quite early! You’re flustered, aren’t you?” Monica pressed, determined to get to the truth. “Who are you with? Who is it? You’re even keeping it a secret from me!”
Alicia brushed her off. “If you’re not going to sleep, I am. Goodnight.”
Without another word, she swiftly hung up the phone. Staring at the ceiling, she tried to quiet her racing thoughts and concentrate on her next steps.
Since she was on her period, she wasn’t in a rush to confront Monica about anything. She had other priorities to focus on during this time.
During their marriage, Alicia had entrusted all her savings to Joshua. He had transferred various amounts from her account for investments and startups. He made money, but hardly any of it went toward household expenses. Most of it had been funneled to Lilliana.
Concerned about appearances, Joshua likely took measures to hide any evidence of transferring money from her. However, no matter how adept he was, he couldn’t eliminate every trace.
If she started with the bank, Alicia was certain she could uncover some transaction records.
With this in mind, she felt a renewed sense of determination and set out on her investigation.
Not particularly skilled at this, her progress was slow. Additionally, she needed to remain discreet, which meant it took her three days to uncover a lead.
The individual closest to Joshua was Randolph Gray, the deputy manager of the bank she was researching. While Randolph’s position wasn’t the most prestigious, his family background was substantial, and he wielded considerable influence. He could assist Joshua with numerous questionable transactions.
The issue she wanted to investigate likely involved Randolph as well.
Alicia meticulously mapped out her plan and then deleted all investigative information from her phone. After a heavy rain at the end of September, the weather suddenly turned chilly.
Alicia discovered which beauty salon Randolph’s wife frequented and decided to take her chances there today. As she opened the door to leave, she spotted Sheila entering with a package.
Sheila’s expression froze momentarily when she saw Alicia. “Can you at least make some noise when you walk?” Sheila retorted. “Are you trying to startle someone into a heart attack?”
Alicia instinctively glanced at the package in Sheila’s hand. Sheila’s hand twitched as she attempted to conceal it, but after a second’s thought, she figured Alicia hadn’t seen much of the world, so what was there to be afraid of? She decided to let Alicia take a look.
“It’s medication from the hospital. Haven’t you seen it before?” Sheila said impatiently.
Alicia recognized it. After Jerald had been admitted to the hospital, he started taking imported medication that was difficult to obtain. The brand was correct. However, the logo appeared slightly different from what she remembered. It was a lighter color.
Alicia instinctively considered the possibility of cheap counterfeit drugs but couldn’t be certain, so she kept silent.
“I’m heading out for a bit, Sheila. No need to prepare dinner for me tonight.”
Sheila looked at her suspiciously. “Where are you off to?”
“I’m going to the beauty salon for some pampering,” Alicia replied casually.
Sheila frowned. “Do you have any idea how much a visit to the beauty salon costs?”
“I truly have no idea,” Alicia said with a smile. “Why not ask Joshua about it?”
With that, she decided not to waste any more time and left.
The more Sheila mulled it over, the angrier she became. She couldn’t keep it in any longer and called Joshua to vent her frustrations. “Why are you spending so much money on her?”