The unwanted wife’s unexpected comeback
Chapter 216

Chapter 216:

Alicia was surprised by the intensity of her own reaction.

Ever since she saw Yolanda, she had been deeply upset, acutely aware of her lingering feelings for Caden and the presence of another woman.

She tried to comfort herself, to distance herself, to convince herself that it didn't matter.

However, when Caden touched her, her facade crumbled.

She pursed her lips, looking away as she said, "I'm sure you don't want others to get the wrong idea, Mr.

Ward.

"

Caden responded with a grimace.

"What misconception?" he replied coldly.

Alicia was speechless, her lips still pressed together.

She was tormented by the memory of his concern for Yolanda and how he had dismissed her gift as if it meant nothing.

Now, before him, she felt completely humiliated.

Trying to leave, Alicia turned to get into the car, but Caden grabbed her wrist and roughly pulled her back.

“Are you that hypocritical, Alice?” His dark, disapproving eyes locked with hers.

“You act like a stranger when we’re not in bed,” he accused her.

His grip was painful, but her heart felt nothing.

Not wishing to confront him, she replied softly, “We have made our position clear.

What is it that you don’t understand?”

“I understand.

But do you understand?” he replied.

“If you wanted to end things, why did you come to me afterwards?”

Alice paused, surprised by the question, and then realized her mistake.

Avoiding his gaze, she confessed, “I wanted to apologize.

”

Caden's grimace deepened, his disbelief evident.

His smile sent a chill down her spine.

It was clear that he doubted her sincerity.

Anger and confusion had filled Alice that night.

So she had apologized.

Why would he believe her sincerity? In his eyes, she was nothing more than a source of pleasure, and any interaction between them was inevitably tied to sexual encounters.

She was not Yolanda, and that difference weighed heavily between them.

Caden considered Yolanda his equal in status and ability, and in his moments of sincerity he called marriage to her a “bargaining chip.

”

Alice's eyes filled with tears as she spoke softly.

"I was wrong.

Making that call was a mistake.

I shouldn't have hesitated and spoken so irrationally to you for so long.

"

Caden's face remained expressionless, his emotions carefully hidden.

The air between them grew heavy with tension.

She gathered her courage and faced him.

“What are we going to do?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

“Do you want another intimate encounter? I’ll accept this time and you decide what happens.

But after that, each of us will do our own thing.

Is that okay with you?”

A flash of anger flickered in Caden's eyes, not desire, but rage.

He abruptly released her hand, his voice cold as ice.

"Are you really that scared of me? To get rid of me, would you propose something like that to me?"

Alice stood frozen, her vision blurred by tears.

Ashamed that he was pitying her, she turned away, unable to stop the tears that fell, betraying her anguish.

Panicked, she ran to her car.

Caden, unfazed, returned to his own vehicle and lit a cigarette.

The nicotine briefly numbed his senses.

Alicia's car roared off into the neon-lit night.

A smirk curled on Caden's lips as he wondered if he was ridiculing Alicia or loathing himself.

His phone lit up with a new message.

Yolanda's message read: "Sorry Caden, I stained your scarf.

I bought a spare.

Can I bring it to you tomorrow?"

Caden read her thoughtful words.

Her message highlighted her compliance and thoughtfulness, a sharp contrast to the turmoil Alicia had left behind.

Caden wondered why Alice couldn't take on the traits everyone else seemed to have.

Wouldn't they be happier if Alice were more submissive, more typical?

Just as this thought was beginning to settle, he shook it again.

He grimaced, started the car, and drove off.

The next day, Yolanda arrived early at the company, wearing a scarf identical to the original.

Caden, preoccupied with his own thoughts, did not meet her.

Instead, Hank greeted her at the door.

"Miss Moss, you'd better get home for today.

Mr.

Ward will be busy and won't be able to meet with you," Hank said.

Yolanda, who always knew when to move forward and when to back off, smiled politely.

“Please convey to him that he is welcome to dine at Joy Mansion tonight if he is available.

Ciara misses him.

”

Hank nodded in acknowledgement and relayed the message to Caden.

Caden replied nonchalantly, “We’ll see.

”

Hank noticed the tension in Caden's demeanor and suspected it had something to do with Alicia.

He made a quiet observation.

“Miss Moss is quite polite and kind,” Hank commented, placing the handkerchief next to Caden.

“It’s a shame it’s not to your taste.

”

“Do you know for sure?” Caden replied coldly.

“Do you have feelings for Miss Moss?” Hank asked, a hint of curiosity in his voice.

Caden frowned in response, his mood darkening.

Uneasiness took hold of him and he tossed the document in his hand aside.

The scarf lay beside her hand, a harsh reminder of the one she had discarded the night before.

Her mind began to flood with memories, scattered images from the past resurfacing.

Suddenly he remembered the day he had argued with Alice.

“Hank.

” Caden’s voice broke the silence.

“Did Alicia ever give me a scarf like this?”

Hank was momentarily taken aback.

He examined the scarf closely, trying to remember.

“I think so… it’s been a while.

It was the last day Mrs.

Bennett was here.

”

Caden fell silent, realization dawning.

The connection became clear.

The conflict between them had quickly escalated, and they had parted ways under tense circumstances.

Caden had carelessly tossed the handkerchief aside, not knowing where it might end up.

However, Yolanda had found it and displayed it in front of Alicia before he ended up throwing it into the trash can.

If his memory served him right, that handkerchief had been the first important gift Alice had given him.

He turned to Hank and asked, "Do you remember the face Alice made the last time she visited us?"

Hank recalled the moment vividly.

“She was ecstatic.

Her eyes were shining like stars.

I even joked about whether she was planning a date with you after work.

”