The unwanted wife’s unexpected comeback
Chapter 74

Chapter 74:

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Caden despaired of drinking hot water, but his throat was too uncomfortable to care for. It quickly became dry again.

He signaled to a waiter, asking for another glass of water.

Meanwhile, Alicia hadn't found a chance to get close to Rachel, so she stood off to the side, idly passing the time. When Caden approached, she didn't move. Instead, she gave him a polite smile. “Mr. Ward.”

Caden, just as insincerely, replied, “Miss Bennett.” An awkward silence followed.

Alice glanced at him.

The room was packed with people, but Caden's striking appearance still caught everyone's attention. His face looked pale due to his illness, but that didn't make him look weak. If anything, it made him even more captivating.

Their eyes met briefly, and their expression was distant. They weren't too close, nor too far, but his gaze lacked warmth, as if they were nothing more than strangers.

It was totally different from the passion he had shown the night before.

Alice felt a wave of uneasiness wash over her. She glanced around the room to calm herself and decided to go to a nearby table to have some dessert.

At that moment, a familiar figure appeared beside her. Before she could reach for the cake, Caden's hand quickly intervened and grabbed it instead.

She paused for a moment, turned to him and asked, “Why do you eat sweets when you have a cold?” Her tone was more annoyed than concerned.

Her irritation only seemed to encourage Caden. He calmly took a bite of the cake and said, “Why shouldn't I eat it?”

She instinctively replied, “Eating sweets when you're sick can cause inflammation. “You don’t want to end up with a high fever.”

Caden stared at her.

Feeling uncomfortable under her gaze, she added, "I'm not showing concern. I'm just making an observation."

Caden didn't respond. Instead, he tossed the untouched cake into the trash can.

His unexpected action made Alice feel uncomfortable. She didn't understand why he was suddenly so nice. Something didn't fit.

After wiping his hands, Caden commented coldly, “It looked horrible.”

The dessert had been excessively sweet, and Alice was left speechless.

She knew that his behavior was not due to her following his advice: she had never listened to it in the past.

Caden took a sip of water to wash the sugary taste from his mouth, then turned to her and asked, “Since sweets are off the table, what should I eat instead?”

Alice picked up a biscuit and looked at him curiously. “Do you really need to eat something?”

“I can't taste anything,” Caden complained. “Why can’t you think of something I can eat?”

Alice looked at him in surprise. “And why should I?”

After all, she wasn't his caregiver.

“Miss Bennett, have you forgotten that it was your fault that I caught this cold?” Caden replied.

Alice was momentarily speechless, then, determined not to fall into her trap, she muttered defensively, "You were the one who kissed me first that day."

She looked around nervously, worried that someone might hear them. People passed by from time to time and looked at them curiously.

Still, he made sure that his conversation was not loud enough for others to hear.

Caden, however, seemed unfazed. In a firm voice, he said, “I doubt one kiss could make me that sick.”

He moved closer to her, reaching out to take the cookie from her plate. Their clothes brushed gently against each other.

To anyone watching, everything seemed normal. But Alicia knew that Caden was taking advantage of the moment to make fun of her.

“Only a deep kiss could make me catch a cold like that, right?” Caden played with the cookie in his hand, his eyes fixed on her increasingly flushed face. “And it must have lasted quite a while. Miss Bennett, do you remember how soft you were when I kissed you? How much of your sweet saliva have I tasted?”

Alice's heart raced, fearing he would say something even more provocative.

Alice quickly cut him off. “Please be quiet.”

She didn't dare raise her voice, so her protest came out more like a plea.

Caden smiled with satisfaction, like a cat playing with a cornered mouse.

Just then, a man approached them.

“Mr. Ward,” the man greeted politely. “It really is you! I thought I was mistaken. I am…”

After introducing themselves, the man clinked glasses with Caden. Caden effortlessly switched to a serious demeanor, engaging in brief conversation.

Watching from the side, Alice couldn't help but admire the ease with which he has switched roles. He was an exceptional expert.

After exchanging pleasantries, the man gave Caden his business card and left with a polite bow.

Taking the opportunity to escape, Alice tried to go unnoticed.

But Caden stood in her way, blocking her exit with his tall frame. “Are you leaving without taking responsibility?” I have asked.

She looked at him, feeling frustrated.

Knowing that he was difficult to deal with, she realized that confronting him directly would not work. She needed a different approach.

“Okay,” I finally agreed. “I’ll get you something to eat.”

Glancing around the table, he intentionally chose some mild appetizers.

He smiled with satisfaction. “It's too dry. “I can’t swallow it.”

Irritated, she searched for something more suitable.

“Try this,” he said, handing her a different option.

Caden looked at the plate and explained, "Eating fried food will only make my condition worse."

“How about this one?” she asked, frustrated but trying.

I examined it briefly before replying, “It doesn't look very appetizing.”

Unfazed, I have presented another option. “What about this one?”

Caden shook his head and asked, “Does this sound appetizing?”

Alice was struck dumb by his continued refusals. As her excuses became more and more irrational, she finally gave up trying to please him and asked firmly, “Are you going to eat or not?”

Without hesitation, Caden simply replied, “No.”

Alice chose not to give in to her requests. Frustrated, she deliberately stepped on her toe to show her displeasure.

It was well known that people, like vending machines, responded predictably to certain stimuli. If the right measures were taken, individuals would react accordingly.

However, Alice had met someone different.

Caden remained completely calm, showing no signs of being bothered by his actions.

In a moment of sudden realization, Alice spoke up, changing her tone. “Caden, you have a cold and can't taste anything, so what you really want isn't snacks at all, right?”

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