Married with the Broken Hearted CEO novel Chapter 61

Bodyguards with black suits and earpieces entered the building, lining up into two groups. Employees looked at their direction with curiosity and whispered guesses at each other. 
“Who’s coming?” 
“The chairman?” 
They all waited until an old man entered the building. He walked in the path between the lined-up guards with his secretary on his tail. The man has hawk eye, royalty nose, thin lips, and mushy brows. Despite the wrinkles on his skin, the freckles on his chest and the bending of his pose caused by long years, he is still a man who oozes dignity and authority. An old man which let people think: ‘He probably so handsome during his youthful days’, but they won’t approach him. 
He has that cold and unapproachable aura that hinder others from talking to him, or even just looking at his eyes. He never smiles, and when he does, the creep always comes next. This stern man known for his serious and unsympathetic personalities is the chairman of Crimson Meadow, Falcon. 
With cold eyes which can compete the glaze at the Antarctic, Falcon walked forward the Crimson Meadow building. What is the reason why the chairman of Crimson Meadow came to visit all of a sudden? 
Falcon stopped at the customer service and looked down at the female employee who recognized him right away. Bit by bit, the woman stood up from her seat and welcomed him with an awkward smile. 
“G-Good day, sir.” 
“Where is the CEO?” Falcon asked in a voice as hard as the blade of a shovel.
Gulping thousands of thorns, the employee informed, “CEO is at his office right now, sir.” 
“Then tell them that the chairman of Crimson Meadow came to visit.” 
“A-Alright, sir. I will inf…” 
“No,” Falcon said as he raised his hand. “Better tell him that his father-in-law came to visit.” 
A tension spread at the first floor of the building. 
Meanwhile, inside the office, Chadwick is sitting in front of his desk. He makes himself busier than usual as he wanted to divert his mind to something else besides thinking of his wife. 
At the corner, Neil is standing at the corner while observing his boss. 
‘He’s been quiet since he entered his office.’ 
Neil is used of hearing Chadwick’s nags early in the morning. But nowadays, he’s being more wordless. Neil did not know the reason why at first. But last night, he found out that Chadwick is probably harboring feelings to his wife which caused this dilemma. 
This worried and curious secretary has no experience in dating. But he wanted to help Chadwick by giving some useful tips. 
‘But I don’t know how to start,’ Neil sighed inwardly. 
“Neil.” 
Finally, Chadwick spoke without staring back at him. 
“Y-Yeah?” Neil answered. 
“I heard that you lightened up the billboard at 11pm in the Yk branch.” Chadwick put his ballpen down and looked at his secretary. 
Neil expected this so he already prepared an excuse. However, he had a change of mind. 
‘Lying won’t never be the answer to all things,’ Neil thought. And he wanted to teach this to his boss. 
“I saw a friend last night. She’s crying inside her car. So, I asked the panel team to lighten the billboard earlier than schedule,” Neil answered with chin up. 
“Woah,” Chadwick gasped in plain tone. “It does not look like you’re lying. I thought you are going to give me a ridiculous excuse. This made me feel way better.” 
“R-Right,” Neil agreed. “Being honest is way better than lying. Don’t you think, Sir?” 
“Yes. It is bett…” Chadwick stopped in the middle of the sentence. Somehow, that words stuck in his mind like a speedy arrow. 
‘Why does it feel like he’s purposely saying this to me?’ Chadwick said in his mind. 
Scowling, Chadwick stared at Neil and opened his mouth. However, he shut his lips again as he does not want to get hype up with that topic. So, Chadwick bowed his head and waved his hand. “You finished your report so go out.” 
Neil thought its mission failed. Pouting his mouth, Neil exited the office. 
Chadwick sighed sharply. He stared up the ceiling for seconds, then get back to work again. But just a minute later, Neil entered his office again. 
“What, what, what is it?” irritated, Chadwick asked. 
“S-Sir,” Neil spoke with trembling voice. 
When Chadwick saw his pale face, he knew he’ll hear a surprising news. 
“Your father-in-law is here.” 
The day when he had to meet Adira’s  father came. 
*********** ***********
Sitting across from each other, Neil looked at his Chadwick and Falcon. They are just staring without saying anything, which weighted the atmosphere inside the office. 
Neil took a deep breath. Then slowly, he placed down the teacup in front of Falcon. When Falcon took a glimpse on Neil, the cup and the saucer clattered. 
Krrkkkls…
“Oh my! I am sorry!” Neil apologized even though he spilled nothing aside from making unnecessary noise. 
Well, even without saying anything, Adira’s father has an aura that can kill a bug. It feels like everyone around him should not make any mistake and must move perfect 24/7. 
‘Adira’s father is so different from her,’ Neil whimpered inwardly. 
“You can go out,” Chadwick told to his secretary which lightened up Neil’s expression. 
Neil looked at his savior and enthusiastically answered, “Yes, sir.” As if he’s hopping like a rabbit, Neil exited the office. 
The door closed. 
When he got out, Neil caressed his chest and breathed, “This is the reason why I don’t want to get married. Having in-laws are scary.” 
He looked back at the close door and silently cheered for his boss. 
“You can do it, sir,” Neil cheered then ran towards his own desk. 
Now inside, there are only Falcon and Chadwick inside, and the hot teas on the table. 
Seated, the two did not make any noise. There is an ominous silence swept in the space, just like the quietness before the long war starts. Two kingdoms stood in front of each other with bows, arrows, spears, cannons, and swords. Then, after the sound for the horns, the battle will begin. 
“Good day,” Chadwick was the first one who blown his horn. 
“There is nothing good today,” Falcon responded in cold manner. 
“I see. So that’s the reason why father visited me. It is to talk about what made you feel bad, today. Am I right, father?” 
“Father?” Falcon raised his brows and held a contempt sneer on his lips. “You dared called me dad after you cheated on my daughter?” 
Chadwick expected that soon, the rumor will reach to him. But the rumors disappeared right now so there must be another reason why Falcon believed it. 
“Is it because of the rumor?” Chadwick asked. 
“No. Adira said it to me.” 
Chadwick was unable to speak for seconds. 
For Adira’s point of view, he is really a bastard who cheated on him. She saw Isa kissing Chadwick, and it is easy to get misunderstanding from something you just saw. So, he can’t blame his wife. 
“Why can’t you answer? Because you’re guilty?” 
“It’s not true,” Chadwick said.
A moment ago, Neil told him that the best excuse is to be honest, and he could not believe he’s applying it right away. 
“Then, if it is not true, why can’t you touch my daughter?” 
“Because I love her.” 
The four words came like a lightning. They went inside Falcon’s ears, stayed in his mind, and electrocuted all parts of his body. He stiffened on his seat as he stared at Chadwick with widened eyes. 
‘Did I hear him right?’ Falcon doubted his hearing capability. 
“W-What did you say again?” he asked. 
“I fell in love with Adira,” Chadwick answered in clear voice. 
Falcon’s jaw almost dropped on the floor. He was stunned at the information that Chadwick is cheating. But this is more shocking. 
“That is why, I can’t touch her when Adira does not feel the same,” Chadwick added and had his downcast eyes stared at the tea. 
His stunned father-in-law grabbed the teacup with his trembling hand and took a sip. When he placed the cup back on the saucer, he replied, “If you really like her, then why does my daughter think that you are cheating?” 
“I think father knows the reason why,” Chadwick said before he gradually met Falcon’s eyes. “Aren’t you and I are the same?” 
At his question, Falcon hardly finds his response. 
“You acted as if you don’t care about Adira. But as soon as your heard the rumor, you came here with murderous eyes, as if you will going to kill me. Father does really care about her. However, Adira thinks different. Why does she think like that?” 
It is true. 
Unknown from Adira, Falcon really does care about her. He treasures her more than any gold, diamond or silver the world can offer. But since when did Adira thinks that Falcon hates her? 
It started when the doctor told him why Adira suddenly stopped eating and sleeping. 
One day, the young Adira declined eating and never slept. Worried about his daughter, Falcon got a doctor to diagnose her problem. The doctor said that Adira is still blaming herself over her mom’s death. The one who triggers the trauma is him, her father. So, the doctor asked Falcon what did he do to Adira when his wife died. 
Falcon remembered his mistake. 
When he’s mourning for his wife, his daughter came to him for a comfort. But Falcon wasn’t on his right mind at that time. He does not want to blame his daughter for his wife’s death but when he saw Adira coming to him, he felt so low. He pushed her and looked at her with loth, as if he’s seeing his dead wife over his daughter. But after that, he regretted doing it. He wanted to apologize to his daughter, but Adira started behaving oddly.
The bright kid who used to call him “Dad!” and the lovable daughter who said “I love you” to him every night is gone. Adira stopped eating and she locked herself inside her room without talking to anyone. 
Blaming himself, Falcon decided to stay away from her daughter. 
When he sent her away, Adira began to eat and sleep again. Thus, fearing that he will trigger’s the weak heart of his daughter, Falcon avoided her for a long time. 
Although Adira grew up like a normal people, he turned like a doll. She excelled in academic, and she gained friends during college. She smiles and talks softly but all of these looks artificial. She seems like doll with manual; smiling if she needs to and talking if she has to. But Falcon thinks it is too late to mend the wound he caused to her heart.
If he really cares for his daughter, then why did he let her married Chadwick? 
At first, Falcon only talked about marriage proposal to his 31-year-old bachelorette daughter. He did not want to force Adira to take the deal but when he asked her about this, he saw a spark on her eyes, as if she found a purpose in her life. 
Then, Falcon found out that Adira’s wish is to get pregnant. Besides, Adira accepted the deal right away, so Falcon thought that maybe, this is the way to give her the happiness she wanted. So, he will support her from the shadow. 
“You probably have reason why you are acting like that, father,” Chadwick said after a long silence. 
Falcon looked at him, wordless.
“Just like me, I know you have a reason. However, I declined continuing like this.” 
“So, what will you do?” Falcon inquired. 
“After the project between Crimson Meadow and Wine&Vibe, we will get a divorce.”
“What?!” Falcon gasped. “Y-You said that you love her but why…!?”
“The two of us, Adira and I, we started at the wrong way and deceived people. That’s one of the reasons why Adira won’t open her heart to me. So, after the divorce, I will sincerely show my heart to her and get her back.” 
Falcon fell in silence. 
He wanted to call him crazy and dumb but at the back of his head, he was convinced that maybe, this is the only answer for her daughter to learn how to love. 
‘It might be okay to take the risk,’ Falcon thought. 
After that, Falcon did not say more and left Chadwick’s office. He entered the car and became quiet for a long time. Then, he called his secretary, “Gab.” 
“Yes, sir,” his secretary answered while sitting on the driver’s seat.
“We should hold a congratulatory party both of the companies. Take me to the chairman of TreasureW. And prepare a huge resort we can use.” 
This time, Falcon decided to help his daughter and Chadwick to be together. 
‘I failed to make you happy, my daughter. But I hope you’ll find happiness at him,’ Falcon prayed with a sad smile.