The unwanted wife’s unexpected comeback

Chapter 15:

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The next morning, Lilliana saw Alicia's message, and fury boiled inside her. She stormed into the room, her voice sharp and cutting as she confronted Joshua.

“Explain yourself. What did you want me to ‘think carefully’ about?” His words dripped with accusation. “What kind of shady business have you gotten yourself into this time?”

Joshua, who had spent the entire night preparing his excuse, remained calmly calm. He knew she would attack him like this.

"She's impulsive, you know. After what happened, I was worried she might cause a scandal on the Internet, so I paid her to keep quiet."

Lilliana’s eyes narrowed, skepticism etched on her face. “And why didn't you think to talk to me about this first?”

Joshua used his usual charm, pulling her close, wrapping his arms around her like a comforting blanket.

“Don't make a big deal out of it, my love. If I was interested in her, do you think I would have gone to all this trouble?” His voice was soft, almost pleading, as he gave her a tender kiss on her lips.

His explanation seemed reasonable, and despite her doubts, Lilliana was inclined to believe him.

Little by little, the tension in her shoulders dissipated and she let herself be carried away by the warmth of his embrace.

“It's okay,” she whispered after a moment, resting her head on her chest. “But don't contact her again.”

“Of course.” Joshua, sensing victory, reassured her with a quick nod. “Besides, I paid Caden a fortune to keep him out of our way. “This is all… for us.” His words worked like a charm.

Pouting like a spoiled child, Lilliana snuggled into him and murmured, “It's okay, I forgive you.”

But in her mind, Alice was far from forgiven. She would give that bitch a piece of her mind in due time.

Those two slaps, satisfying as they were, had nearly given Lilliana a concussion.

Alicia knew Lilliana wouldn't let it go, and to avoid dragging Monica into the inevitable storm, she quietly rented a new apartment. As she packed her bags, Monica hovered nearby, looking worried.

“Are you sure you have enough money?” Monica asked, looking at Alicia with concern.

He knew full well that Alice had left her marriage with nothing, so he pulled out his phone and started typing. “Here, let me transfer you some money.”

Alicia quickly squeezed Monica's hand, stopping her. “I’m fine,” she assured her friend with a soft smile. “Remember, I did some side hustle work before all this.”

Monica's expression softened with sudden recollection. "Oh, yes, I had completely forgotten. Ugh."

Her face lit up like she remembered something else. “Guess what? Yesterday, Gerry Hopkins announced his new movie, and Lilliana is writing the title song!”

Alicia smiled slyly, though her eyes were shining with a mixture of amusement and disbelief. “Well, considering how famous she is, it’s no wonder she works with Gerry.”

Monica scoffed. “I mean, how dare she? She's way over her head. Doesn’t she know she’s a terrible songwriter?”

Alicia raised an eyebrow, a hint of mischief on her face. “That's their problem, not ours.”

Then he gently squeezed Monica's hand and offered her a reassuring smile. “I have to go. Try not to miss me too much while I'm gone, okay?”

After settling into her new apartment, Alicia quickly sent her polished resume to Gerry's inbox.

It didn't take long for her phone to ring and Gerry's name lit up on the screen.

“Alice,” Gerry’s voice was relaxed and amused. “Are you really trying to challenge Lilliana about the music? Did you lose a bet or something?”

Alicia laughed softly, her lips curling into a smile. “There's still a long way to go until the release date. By then, you'll have to choose between the two of us. Treat it like a fun game.”

Gerry chuckled amusedly. “You haven't changed, Alice: you're still competing with everyone, just like in the old days.”

Alice shrugged lightly. “I’m just here to make money, nothing more.”

“I have more money than I can spend,” Gerry replied with a hint of mockery. “But I don't have enough time to indulge in your little games. What’s a married woman like you doing in the entertainment industry anyway?”

Alicia exhaled softly, lowering her voice as she said something that made Gerry stop.

After a moment of silence, he spoke again, this time a little more seriously. “Okay, I’ll look into it and get back to you.”

"I'll be waiting," Alice replied softly, with a slight smile at the corner of her lips.

The first person Gerry called was Caden, the playful glint in his eyes evident in his tone. “Guess what? “He’s going to confront Lilliana.”

Caden scoffed in disbelief. “Has she gone completely crazy?”

Gerry smiled, but then his tone changed, surprising even Caden.

"I'm thinking of hiring her."

Caden scoffed again, rolling his eyes as he leaned back in his chair. “You've got to be kidding me. Have you lost your mind too?”

"I have my reasons."

Gerry was about to burst out laughing, a mischievous glint in his eyes as he continued, “You'll never guess what he said to me.”

But by this point, Caden's patience had run out. Not wanting to waste time with Gerry's trivial games, I abruptly hung up.

Seconds later, Gerry's number flashed on his screen again.

This time, Gerry's voice was full of defiance, of daring. “How about this, Caden? Let's make a bet. I'll bet on Alicia, you'll bet on Lilliana. “The loser gives up a piece of land.”

Gerry's confidence practically oozed through the phone, making Caden pause.

I have leaned back, considering for a moment before finally agreeing. “Fine,” he said, his tone firm. “Your turn. Have you told him yet?”

"Not yet. I was just about to."

Caden’s eyes flickered mischievously. “Don't bother. “Send it to me.”

Gerry and Lilliana had finalized and signed their contract a few days ago. But now, with Alicia entering the mix, Caden's approval was required.

She knew how these things worked, so without hesitation, Alice headed there as soon as she was called.

She soon arrived at the elegant glass doors of the building. Thinking it would be a quick visit, she headed for the elevators, intending to go straight to see Caden. However, the receptionist on the first floor stopped her on her tracks.

"Excuse me, miss, do you have an appointment?"

Alice offered a polite smile and explained why she was there.

The receptionist, a stickler for protocol, smiled apologetically. “I'm sorry, but Mr. Ward is very busy. You will need an appointment. Please fill out this form first.”

Alice's polite smile faltered slightly, but she agreed and filled out the form.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDrâ/ma.O(r)g!

Then the wait began. Half an hour passed. Then an hour.

Uneasy, Alicia turned to the receptionist again, only to hear the same disdainful response: that Caden was still too busy to help her and that she should wait a little longer.

Alice's instincts stirred with suspicion. Something was not right.

I have decided not to insist any further and left.

“Miss Bennett, aren’t you going to see Mr. Ward?” The receptionist's confused voice followed her.

Without breaking stride, Alice glanced over her shoulder. “I’ll wait for him somewhere else.”

The receptionist, perplexed, quickly relayed the message to Hank.

Moments later, the news reached Caden.

“Did he say he’d wait somewhere else?” Caden raised an eyebrow, slightly surprised, as he leaned back in his chair, taking his time.

Hank, sensing the unspoken order, snuck away to investigate.

When he returned, his expression was a little nervous. Caden looked at him suspiciously, and his tone sharpened. “Well? Where did he go?”

Hank hesitated for a moment before answering, his voice awkward. “He’s… he’s at the café across the street.”

"SW?" Caden snapped impatiently, not understanding what was so strange about that. “What about that face? Did the coffee fly or something?”

“No, not exactly,” Hank began, “but let’s just say she’s made herself comfortable.” After a brief pause, he added, “Mr. “Ward, Miss Bennett is playing cards in the cafeteria.”

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