The unwanted wife’s unexpected comeback

Chapter 22:

? ? ? ? ?

As soon as Caden finished speaking, Gerry's eyes snapped open. It took him a few seconds to process that Caden was standing next to him.

Eyes wide, Gerry removed his headphones and asked, confused, “When did you get here?”

"Right now, actually."

Caden had arrived late, so Alicia had already finished recording the song. There was no way she was going to perform it again just because he had walked in. Not that it mattered, Caden wasn't particularly interested in music. He was there to have fun, nothing more.

But Gerry's reaction was something else entirely. "It's exactly what I imagined; in fact, more than I expected. No wonder he can compete with you for the top spot. He's very talented, Caden."

Caden studied him, intrigued. Gerry, a man rarely impressed, especially when he came to other artists, seemed unusually enthusiastic.

“Oh, yeah?” Caden replied, his tone deliberately nonchalant. “I guess I’m going to lose our bet.”

“You better get that groundwork ready for the handover,” Gerry joked with a smirk as he handed the lyric sheet to Caden. “Don't feel too bad about missing the recording session. Here, check out his lyrics instead. Maybe you can learn a thing or two from his lyrics.”

Caden picked up the piece of paper and scanned the page silently. He let out a sigh, raising an eyebrow. “I thought your movie was about Transformers fighting zombies. Why are the lyrics so… heartfelt?”

“What?” Gerry's mood changed instantly. His bright eyes narrowed, irritation creeping into his tone. “Zombies”? Really? It's a heartwarming sci-fi movie. Didn't I send you a copy? Haven’t you seen it?”

“Oh, I don't watch cartoons,” Caden replied nonchalantly.

It's not a cartoon. “I spent a

the door creaked

light from the recording booth spilled into the room, casting

pain in her back, her voice calm but tired. “Mr. Hopkins, let's wrap things up

Gerry looked

an exclusive rooftop restaurant downtown. Would

features. But declining the invitation would not sit well with her business relationship with Gerry,

Gerry settled into the passenger seat, while Alicia and Caden shared the backseat. Without saying anything to each other, they gravitated toward their respective windows, the space between them just wide enough to park a

was looking for photos of expensive and hard-to-find

“Why don't you go get the White House while

get it, I'll take it,” Gerry joked

of these,” Gerry said, completely at

“Careful. You don’t

quickly stiffened, pretending to be absorbed in the

anything, but his gaze lingered for a moment before returning to

at the restaurant, Caden and Gerry quickly left. Alicia, however, remained in her seat. “Mr. Hopkins,” she called with an apologetic smile, “come in.

their appearance, simply agreed. “There's no hurry. When you're ready,

"Thank you."

entrance. Beside him, Gerry strolled casually, recounting the latest showbiz gossip as if nothing

of nowhere, Caden stopped dead in

in the car.

raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced, and cast a suspicious glance at