The unwanted wife’s unexpected comeback

Chapter 4:

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Alicia's only concern now was leaving Joshua, so she ignored his question and asked flatly, "Are the divorce papers ready yet?"

That word again: “divorce.” Irritation flashed in Joshua’s eyes.

“Why the rush?” she snapped, her voice cold and cutting. “My father is finalizing his will, and if word of my divorce gets out, it will ruin my position. Now, gather your things, we will dine at the Yates mansion this evening.”

With Caden's return, the family was organizing a welcome dinner for him.

They also hoped that by doing so, it would lift the spirits of Jerald Yates, Joshua's father.

However, maintaining the farce of a happy marriage was the last thing on Alice's mind.

"I'm not going," he announced curtly. "Just finalize the divorce and stop wasting my time."

Joshua laughed, a sound that held no warmth.

“Oh, come on, Alice. Stop pretending. You hid the ring because you don't really want to leave me, do you? “You can’t stand the thought of being without me.”

He leaned toward me, smiling, and added, “You've worked hard these past two years. Even if we get divorced, I'll still take care of you, as long as you make me happy.”

Alice's eyes widened, disbelief turning to anger.

Did he hide the ring?

Couldn't stand being without him?

His arrogant words sounded like nails on a blackboard to Alice's ears. With a sharp sneer, she replied,

“Oh, Mr. Yates, how could I make you happy? Don't worry, I'll give you back the ring; you wouldn't want this plain Jane bothering you, would you? Once you have it, we’ll finalize the divorce immediately.”

But Joshua was unfazed by her venom.

He thought he knew her too well, convinced that it was just another ploy to get her attention.

Without thinking twice, he threw a bag at her.

"We have guests today. Dress appropriately and don't embarrass me."

Alicia looked down at the bag and remembered the countless times she had visited the mansion dressed in modest and discreet clothing, doing her best to go unnoticed, to please him and his family.

But now, with divorce on the horizon, Alice no longer cared about playing the role of obedient wife. After putting on her suit, she carefully applied just enough makeup to enhance the glow of her already flawless complexion.

The subtle touches accentuated the softness of her skin and the delicacy of her features, giving her a certain glow.

When Joshua saw her coming down the stairs, he stood still for a moment.

Maybe it was the way the dress clung to Alicia's graceful curves, making her look more seductive than usual. Or maybe it was the color of her cheeks, as if she had just experienced the most passionate sex of her life.

Passion? Sex?

Joshua's heart tightened in his chest.

Alice was still his wife. Who else could have slept with her? He must have thought too much about it.

At the entrance of the Yates mansion, the two slipped into their usual roles, easily disguising the tension between them.

Alicia put her arm through Joshua's, their movements synchronized as they walked towards the patio.

Although Jerald was too ill to receive anyone, the great hall was bustling with life, relatives filling the space with chatter.

The noise hummed all around her, but for some reason, as soon as Alice crossed the threshold, a sharp chill prickled her skin.

She looked up instinctively, her gaze immediately drawn to the figure lounging casually at the other end of the room. With his legs crossed and his dark shirt unbuttoned to reveal a sliver of collarbone, the man exuded arrogance and his presence was imposing.

When Alice's eyes finally met hers, a familiar, commanding gaze pinned her to the spot. Her mind raced and her emotions emerged unchecked.

Joshua noticed the change in her attitude and, frowning, asked, “What’s wrong?”

Alice's breath caught. One word escaped her lips, barely audible. "Caden?"

The mere mention of his name sent a chill down his spine. To her, Caden was the embodiment of her nightmares.

Due to their families' friendship, their paths had crossed for the first time when they were both barely ten years old.

Caden, who had taken a sabbatical year, moved to her school and, from that moment on, Alicia's perfect world began to fall apart.

She couldn't claim first place anymore. No matter how hard she tried, no matter how late she stayed up studying, Caden was always one step ahead. He edged her out by the smallest of margins—a point, maybe two—leaving her perpetually stranded in second place.

Anyone else would have accepted defeat, settling into the role of runner-up.

But not Alice.

Born into the once-prestigious Bennett family, she grew up under the suffocating weight of living up to her name. Excellence wasn't just a goal, it was the currency with which she could win her parents' affection. Failure wasn't an option, and yet Caden had the audacity to take everything she'd worked away from her with what seemed like effortless ease.

It was as if he had his eye on her from the very beginning, and Alice, stubborn to the core, refused to back down.

Their rivalry lasted for more than a decade, a relentless battle waged both openly and in the shadows. Their final showdown took place at university, just before graduation, in the national competition.

Alicia threw herself into that moment, her sights set on perfection. And she achieved it, getting a perfect score. But Caden, ever the snake, had bribed the judges, twisting the results in his favor. Alicia was forced, once again, to come in second place.

The sting of injustice was deep, but the hardest blow came from her father, Phil Bennett. Over the phone, his voice dripped with disappointment at his ranking. Alicia, accustomed to his tirades, said nothing. She waited for his anger to subside and asked quietly, “I'll be graduating soon. “Will you be back?” Her mother, Donna, had always been her gentlest comfort. She comforted Alicia that day, promising that they would be there for her graduation.

But life had other plans. Phil and Donna, who were rushing back from Itrubisite to attend the graduation, perished in a tragic plane crash.

Overnight, Alice's world fell apart, leaving her an orphan in this cruel world.

Since that day, he had not challenged Caden again. Caden then left Warrington to build his career abroad.

"He's back for the inheritance," Joshua muttered, his voice barely audible.

Alice gave him a sidelong glance as she continued, “With a family empire as large as ours, an eldest son like him wouldn't give up so easily.”

His brow furrowed slightly.

It was true: the Yates empire was vast, a legacy most would kill for. But Caden had amassed his own fortune, surpassing even the family's vast wealth.

Did he really care about inheritance?

Then again, this was Caden. Competing was in his blood. Even if he didn't care about the fortune itself, he would fight tooth and nail just to win, to play with everyone else. The man had a knack for causing chaos just for his own amusement.

Alicia had been his rival for as long as he could remember, and even now, the thought of giving her a single glance seemed like a waste of energy. He turned to walk away.

But Joshua grabbed her wrist, firm and tight.

“I know you two don't get along,” she said. “But he's still my big brother. “We have to keep up appearances.”

Her body stiffened at the contact and she immediately tried to pull her hand away, her skin prickling under his grip.

Joshua frowned.

“Alice, behave,” he hissed.

Irritation flared in his chest.

"I don't refuse to come in. First let me go. I don't want your filthy hands touching me."

A flash of something dark passed across Joshua's face and instead of letting go, he laced their fingers together, squeezing tightly.

Alice bit her tongue, smoking silently.

As they got closer, Caden's gaze slowly rose, his eyes narrowed in a lazy, almost bored assessment of them.

“Caden,” Joshua greeted, his tone tense, meeting his brother’s gaze with forced cordiality.

Caden's eyes drifted to their intertwined hands, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

“Your girlfriend?” he asked indifferently, as if he didn't recognize Alicia.

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