Filed to story: When His Wife Can’t Forgive
Last time, even though she had been drunk, she hadn’t held back. If he had truly crossed a line with her, she wouldn’t claim he was forcing her.
As for just now, she had refused him verbally, but her body had told a different story.
What could she have done if he had been more assertive? From a man’s perspective, she reasoned that Caden had no need to pretend to be a gentleman.
Caden stated bluntly, “We can continue now if you want.”
She shook her head vigorously.
There was no need for that at all.
As she was holding the envelope, she hesitated to leave.
“If you have something on your mind, just speak up,” he said.
Alicia leaned in slightly and whispered, “Caden, do you have some kind of secret illness?”
Caden was momentarily speechless.
Then he pressed his lips together and replied casually, “You’re right.”
Alicia was shocked.
“What the hell?” she exclaimed inwardly.
“What is it?” she asked.
Caden let out a snort as he glanced at his “cure.” “Why don’t you take a wild guess?”
Alicia’s mind raced with all sorts of wild ideas. The more she thought about it, the more outrageous those thoughts became.
“Well, just take care of yourself,” she said.
Alicia could feel the intensity of his gaze. It was as if he wanted to eat her alive. Deciding it was best to leave quickly, she turned to go.
Caden watched her retreating figure, slowly leaning back in his chair.
Would he really give up the chance to sleep with her again?
No, he definitely wouldn’t.
However, he wasn’t in a rush. He could wait for the right moment.
By then, his prey would be even more enticing.
As Alicia opened the door to leave, a thought crossed her mind, and she turned back to him.
“Do you need me to take out the kitchen trash?” she asked.
Caden was momentarily taken aback.
“No?” Alicia responded casually.
Caden found himself at a loss for words.
Meanwhile, Jerald was at the Yates Mansion. He now required several meals throughout the day, including one at four in the afternoon. When he was awake, Shelia personally attended to his daily needs, eager to win his favor.
Upon carrying the food to the study, she said, “Take a break, Jerald. You’ve just recovered. Don’t wear yourself out. Let Joshua handle these tasks.”
Jerald let out a snort.
He didn’t want Joshua taking on too much responsibility, which was why he insisted on working even while unwell.
“Set it down and leave,” he said, irritated by her nagging.
Shelia understood his temperament. He was accustomed to being a chauvinist and carried insecurities from his past as a live-in son-in-law, making him quite patriarchal.
She knew that saying too much would only provoke his anger.
With that in mind, she opened the door and stepped out.
As Shelia stepped out, she recalled Jerald’s medication schedule. Worry gnawed at her, prompting her to open the medical kit and rattle the bottle.
To her dismay, only a small quantity of medicine remained.
This particular medication was effective but not easily obtainable by ordinary means; only Caden had the resources to acquire it.
Jerald always assumed it was Joshua who had been supplying him with the medicine.
Shelia preferred to let Joshua receive the credit for such a thoughtful act. She had no intention of revealing Caden’s capabilities to Jerald.
In her effort to maintain the facade, she resorted to buying counterfeit medicine, passing it off as the genuine article.
Since the effects were similar, she believed Jerald wouldn’t notice any discrepancies.
At worst, he might experience a slightly slower recovery.
Just as Shelia was in the process of mixing the real medication with the counterfeit, she heard Joshua’s voice suddenly call out from behind her.
“Mom, what are you doing?”
Sheila’s heart skipped a beat, startled by the sudden noise behind her.
Instinctively, she spun around, clutching the medicine bottle tightly against her back. When her eyes landed on Joshua, her shoulders sagged in relief. After a quick glance to confirm they were alone, she murmured, “I’m just getting medicine for Jerald.”
Joshua’s gaze landed on the bottle she tried to hide.
Then he glanced at her uneasy, tense expression.
Something clearly wasn’t right.
His brow furrowed. “Then what’s with all the secrecy?” Without hesitation, he reached for the bottle, turning it in his hands to examine it closely.
Sheila’s voice dropped to a whisper. “Actually, I was going to ask if you had any connections to get more of this medicine.”
Joshua squinted at the label. He wasn’t exactly well-versed in pharmaceuticals, but the name of the drug rang a faint bell.
Was it rare? He couldn’t be sure.
What he did know was that it cost a small fortune-and it certainly wasn’t covered by insurance.
His interest waned. “Didn’t Caden buy this already?”
“Exactly.” Sheila nodded, her eyes narrowing. “And that’s the point. Why let him take all the credit if we can get it ourselves? Also, this stuff works well, but we’re running low.”
Joshua arched an eyebrow. “Aren’t there still plenty left in the box?”
Sheila hesitated, then leaned in closer. “They’re fake.”
Lowering her voice even more, she continued, “I was worried we might run out, so I bought some counterfeit ones as a backup.”
“What?!” Joshua felt his stomach churn. “Do you realize how dangerous that could be? What if something goes wrong?”
It wasn’t Jerald’s possible death that troubled him-it was the thought of being held responsible.
As he reached to dispose of the fake meds, Sheila grabbed his arm. “You’re overreacting,” she protested. “I know people who work at the factory where these are made. They replicate big-name drugs all the time. Sure, the fakes might not be as effective, but no one’s ever died from them. They’re not dirt cheap either-I paid a good sum for them. Throwing them away would be such a waste.”
But Joshua shook his head firmly. “No. They have to go.”
Sheila’s lips tightened in frustration. “And if Jerald doesn’t take these, what then? You’re just going to let Caden swoop in with the real stuff and play the hero?”
“He’s the eldest. Isn’t that his responsibility?”
“Sure, but who was by Jerald’s side when he needed help? You were. And everyone remembers that. Do you really want to let Caden steal your thunder this late in the game?”
Joshua paused, her words working their way into his mind.
He hadn’t stayed by Jerald’s hospital bed out of concern – he had been calculating.
If Jerald died, he wanted to be sure the will left him in a secure position.
If Jerald lived, then playing the loyal son might just leave a lasting impression.
And with Caden at odds with Jerald, this was his opportunity to step ahead.
“Fine. I’ll figure something out. But don’t give him the fake meds just yet.” Joshua snapped a quick photo of the bottle for future reference.
“By the way, where’s Alicia? I didn’t see her when I got back.”
Sheila huffed, her irritation flaring. “She’s out getting a facial or something. How much money did you even give her?”
Joshua wasn’t in the mood for a discussion.
“Stay out of our business,” he hissed. “If Lilliana gets wind of this, you know what’ll happen.”
With that, he pulled out his phone and walked away, dialing Alicia’s number.
Alicia had just stepped out of Monica’s place, where she had safely stashed the photos Caden had slipped to her. When she picked up, her voice was light and casual.
“What’s up?”
“Why aren’t you home yet?” Joshua’s tone was impatient.