Married with the Broken Hearted CEO novel Chapter 45

Adira’s POV 
My husband is taking so long outside. I was told by his secretary that Chadwick will come back as soon as possible. But it’s been past 30 minutes since he went out of the event venue with his dearly Isa. Worried it might cause misunderstanding to the guests, which already happened, I went out to find him. 
I am so damn sure there will be an article or rumor after this. But if Chadwick and I came in together, we might find away to somehow lessen the problem.
‘If we can explain to everyone that Isa is a friend of us, then the rumor will be light.’ 
I hated to consider that dumb woman as my friend, though. No matter how special they are to each other, they should know how to differentiate things they can and cannot do. 
‘What came to Chadwick’s mind that he invited his woman in this event?’ 
I wanted to curse his foolishness. But at the back of my head, I wonder if this might be my punishment for kissing him inside the limo. The reasons why I kissed him are very simple. First, it is to know if he would feel disgusted again. Second, to seduce him. Third, he just look handsome that I got curious how his lips will taste on mine. 
‘Yes. I am a crazy one.’ 
 I admitted that. He did get his revenge by marking my neck, which gave me hard time to explain this towards the guests who saw the mark. However, bringing Isa in the event is below the belt. 
‘But what if I am only assuming? What if my husband did not bring Isa but that b*tch came by herself?’ 
Remembering my husband’s surprise expression, it seems he also got shocked when he saw her before. 
‘There’s a possibility, knowing the b*tch’s odd behaviors.’ 
“Wait a minute,” I murmured then stopped my feet. 
I blinked my eyes and looked at the free dim place here in the parking lot. 
‘Something is weird.’ 
“When did I consider Chadwick’s feelings?” 
‘Is it because we got close? He suddenly became extra cute in my eyes? Or…?’ 
“His bite might be infectious,” I concluded, tracing the aching spot in my neck.
After shaking my head, I continued my pace around the parking lot, searching for him. Soon, my eyes saw my husband’s car from afar.
Then I saw it. 
Under the picturesque sky with full moon glowing yellowy white, Isa and my husband is kissing, 
As clear as the sky where I could almost see every crated and the million stars sprinkled above, I witnessed my husband’s affair right in front of my eyes. 
There’s no “why” in my head. Like: why they are kissing? Or why do I have to see this? There’s none. All I know is that my husband is too crazily in love that he dared do this when there are many eyes around the place. 
If I am a normal wife, I wonder what will I feel if I saw this scene right before my sight? 
Will I go and beat the two just like what wives do in the novels I read or TV series about cheating husbands which I watched before? 
Right now, I don’t feel anything. It feels like I seeing the sun rising from the East, or watching the river water flows back to the sea. 
I knew someday like this will happen, and I am ready enough. 
With a tired sigh, I set my eyes downcast and readied myself to just walk away. However, as I was about to turn, a great force pulled me. Two hands held my shoulder and led me to stand up against from the sight of my husband and his woman. 
‘Who is this?’ 
A tall man who suddenly came to make me turn around, who is he? 
Perhaps, did he also see my husband kissing other woman? 
“Don’t look,” a solemn voice resonated. 
My back is leaning against his chest, and so his breathing, the vibration of his chest when he spoke and his warmth, I could feel all of those. 
“Please don’t look,” he added. 
What is this? Is he warning me to stop looking at my husband’s affair? 
Very funny. 
I was about to go. Really. And I don’t even care whether Chadwick is kissing Isa or not. So why is this man cares so much? 
“Who are you?” I asked without looking back at his face. 
The man did not speak and instead tightened his clutch on my shoulders. 
“If you are a concern citizen, I will thank you,” I said. “If you are a reporter, then I won’t let you go. Either way, I am ready to pay money just to make you shut up. So name it.” 
“...” 
Again, he didn’t talk. That made him more mysterious. Thus, I tried to turn my head around to see his face but he did not let me to. He held my shoulders so firmly, not giving me a chance to take a look on his face. 
“I don’t need your money. And I will promise that I will keep my mouth shut,” he answered. 
“Why? Why would you that?” 
“Because I am that person.” 
“What person?” 
“Someone who just wanted you to be happy.” 
A person who wanted me to be happy. 
The first person I thought is my mom. She was the only person who made me feel that it is important to choose a path where I can be happy and contented. When she died, I have no one to make me feel that way anymore. So like leaf, I let myself sweep along the wave. Do what the situation allow me to do. Think what the current happenings tell me what to think. 
Happiness is not a choice. It is an ending that no one was able to achieve. 
So who is him to decide whether I will be happy or not? 
I have many chances to ask him about his name. But weirdly, I stayed in my place without opening my lips. I rooted on the spot, letting the breeze blow my hair. It was chilly, but his warmth made me forget the cold. 
Footsteps were heard. 
I looked forward at the person who is walking towards mine. As the silhouette appeared from the distance, I felt the emptiness from my back. 
‘He’s gone.’ 
Like a wind, he came and left. 
“Ma’am Adira!” Hansel called me. 
I can’t let her see my husband and Isa so I walked towards her and stopped her from stepping at the parking lot. 
“What is it?” I asked smiling. 
I turned her shoulder around and we walked back to the together. 
“It j-just that I got worried because you’ve been away for long minutes,” she said. 
“Well, I just went out to look for my husband.” 
But what I found is his affair and a strange man who wished for my happiness. 
What a strange night before the stormy morning will come. 
-----
Third Person’s POV 
Morning came. 
When Chadwick woke up from his bed, the scene from last night still intact in his mind. 
Isa kissed him. 
As her lips touched his, his mind went blank. It took him seconds to realize what the hell was going on.
For a long time, he once dreamed of claiming his first’ love kiss. He thought it would feel like riding on the clouds or eating a melting ice cream. But it didn’t feel that way. It wasn’t as thrilling as Adira’s kiss. And instead of feeling giddy, he was devoured by guilt; that something like this shouldn’t happen. 
So he placed his hands between them and pushed Isa away. Then, he saw her teary eyes; eyes which were shaking in confusion. 
Recalling the scene, Chadwick shut his eyes and placed his arm to his throbbing forehead. 
He clearly told Isa that he now loves his wife. But he couldn’t believe he let her do something as outrageous as that. 
“I deserve to die,” Chadwick whispered, as if asking the grim reaper to lay down a judgement on his sinful body. 
Although he doesn’t that to happen, he cannot change the fact anymore. 
Later on, he sat up on his bed and grabbed his cellphone. 
The event last night was successful. But he knew there will be an aftermath of his actions. And he’s right. As soon as he opened the latest news on his phone, he saw articles and rumors about him and an unknown lady whom he helped during the special event. 
Adira and Chadwick’s popularity went up because of Jaymee’s help. Many adored their relationship, thinking it is like a novel-story that is worth reading. So they became celebrity in instant. But being famous has backlash. Because of his actions last night, rumors that he is having an affair came out. 
“Damn it,” he cursed. 
This is a major problem, not only because they just released the newly launch wine, but he’s also worried what will Adira think after seeing this article. 
He got up from his bed and dashed outside his room. As soon as he came out, he saw his wife standing near his room, as if waiting for him. 
Adira, who usually has no expression, is gloomy. It is as if she has murderous black aura revolving around her body. 
“So you are awake,” she greeted her troublemaker husband. 
“Y-Yeah,” Chadwick answered, fixing his messy hair. 
“I guess you also read the articles about us. Did you?” 
“Y-Yeah. Last night, I made a mistake,” he admitted. 
“Good thing you know.” 
“Are you angry?” 
“No matter how cool I am, I can feel different emotions too. Like wanting to throw you in large tank full of sharks.” 
Chadwick flinched. 
He imagined the horrible scene in his head and gulped hardly. 
He knew that Adira is getting angry, not because she’s jealous, but because it will affect their newly launch project. They both worked so hard for that. 
Chadwick wanted to say that he had no choice but to help Isa, however, he cannot bring himself to say that. The guilt of letting the drunk Isa kiss him made him feel so small in front of his wife. If Adira wanted to throw him to the sharks, he would devotedly offer his body. At least in that way, he will receive his punishment and died peacefully. 
“I knew you couldn’t help it. And that you are too kind to ignore a poor woman like Isa,” Adira added, crossing her arms. “But you disappointed me, Mr. McElroy.” 
Chadwick keeps his head down, listening quietly. 
“You failed showing professionalism. I hate people like that.” 
“...” 
“I am so angry, you know.”
“...” 
Adira squinted her eyes to her silent husband. No matter how wrong Chadwick is, she still expected to hear him explain his side.
‘But he’s being too obedient,’ Adira wondered before she remembered the rendezvous secret she saw last night in the parking lot.  ‘Is it because he felt back for kissing Isa last night?’ 
Their points of views are really differed from each other. Chadwick feels guilty for doing something he doesn’t intend to do. While Adira thinks he’s guilty for doing something he wanted to do. 
“Well, the past is past,” Adira murmured, brushing her red hair upward. She blew a sigh and added, “All we had to do is to fix this. Don’t you agree?” 
The silent man finally spoke. 
“Yes.” 
“So what to do? What do you think will help us eradicate the rumors?” 
Slowly, Chadwick lifted his head up and met his wife’s eyes. Actually, he has no idea how the hell they can fix this. Not until he recalled the suggestions of both companies’ advertising directors during their meeting weeks ago. 
“The advertising,” Chadwick murmured. 
“What?” Adira answered. 
“Modelling for the magazine and poster of the wine, we can do it together.” 
Last night, before Adira fell asleep, she also thought that modelling for the wine together with her husband would help. She felt so thankful that they shared both the same idea. 
On that exact day, Chadwick and Adira went to the studio to fix the mess of their promiscuous story.