Married with the Broken Hearted CEO novel Chapter 79

Geoffrey felt his body aching here and there. He slept for almost half a day after cooking burritos for everyone. 
When he imagined the smell and the texture of the burritos, chills ran up to his spine. He shook his head and went out to visit the beach. 
As he walked towards the shore, the sun is readying itself to set in the West. He could hear the sound of the waves pushing and pulling on the shore and the echoes of the laughter. He sniffed that salty smell of the ocean; he could taste the strong taste on his buds. Geoffrey stopped for a moment and enjoyed staring at the enormous water that is exceptionally blue today. 
The sands look like diamonds crashing with the waves. 
12 years ago, he remembered the fond memories he shared in this place together with his mother and his loving stepfather. Even if he is not his stepfather’s real son, he felt the genuine love and affection he gave to him. 
Those days could not have felt more perfect. 
Being in this place gives him feeling that he’s running through a montage of his life like in all movies. Everything was passing by in a blur yet so vivid. Like time has stopped yet moving so fast. The sounds he heard felt unreal and the steps he took felt non-existent. 
Geoffrey looked ahead of him and all he could see was the white sand and the beautiful ocean rubbing up against it. Not too long after, his eyes caught the glimpse of the beautiful red-haired woman sitting on the beach chair and relaxing under the shade of a huge rainbow-colored parasol. 
Adira. For Geoffrey, it is a name tinged with awe, and the perfect name for the most attention-stealer woman he had ever seen. Just seeing her from afar tugged a string in his beating heart, as if his mouth was punched hard and he got rapt and speechless. It was always like this when he’s adoring her secretly 12 years ago. 
He regretted his cowardice for the rest of his life. 
‘And for letting you marry that bastard,’ Geoffrey said inwardly while watching the woman who instantly became the center of his world. 
Even so despite of those regrets, he thinks it is wonderful that they are here in this place. Feeling the strong wind brushing against their shoulders together. He imagined walking hand in hand with her, slowly and uniformly as they left trail of footprints behind them on the soft white sand, which were quickly washed away by the waves. 
Geoffrey clenched his fists as he realized that’s he’s been daydreaming for a long time and he did nothing but to stand there under the soft flare of the setting sun and imagining sweet moments with a married woman. 
‘Until now, they are married. So, I can’t be like this,’ Geoffrey told to himself before he remembered the conversation he had with Chadwick before. 
Chadwick asked him if he has feelings for Adira. And what did he answer? Nothing. He gave nothing which made him look guilty. 
How can he say yes after threatening Isa not to interfere between the couple’s life? 
But in the back of his head, he has no regrets even if Chadwick found out what his heart desires. 
‘They will divorce soon anyway. And Adira does not deserve a bastard like him.’ 
Speaking of bastard, some bastard bumped onto Geoffrey’s shoulder that almost made him fall on the sand, first with his face. 
Successfully balancing himself, Geoffrey looked at the back of the man who purposely bumped onto him. When he recognized who the man is, he gritted his teeth and murmured, “He’s so childish.”
It was Chadwick, who is now sitting on the chair beside Adira. 
Glaring at Chadwick, Geoffrey walked forward. He stopped and stood at the other side of the red-haired woman. 
Although Adira can notice the presence of the two, she pretended clueless and kept her eyes away from them. 
Chadwick threw a spiteful gaze towards Geoffrey. 
Geoffrey did the same thing. 
After battling against each other’s glaring eyes, they tended to the woman between them. In unison, their intense gazes turned soft. 
It is hard to find a topic to talk to Adira, especially in Chadwick’s case. 
On the other side, Geoffrey followed where Adira’s gaze at. He, then, saw the employees from afar, playing volleyball on the white sand with a huge net between two groups. 
Loud chatters and laughter echoed from the players. 
Watching volleyball, Geoffrey remembered that Adira was once part of the volleyball club. Not until she suddenly quit from the club before the graduation. 
Geoffrey traced Adira’s eyes again which were filled with jealousy. He knew it right then that Adira might want to play right now. And so…
“Wait a minute!” Geoffrey shouted at the employees who are playing. 
All stopped and looked at his side, including Adira and Chadwick. 
“Can we play volleyball too?!” Geoffrey asked with a huge smile on his handsome face. 
In wonder, both Chadwick and Adira said in their minds, ‘I don’t remember him playing volleyball before. 
Chadwick was with Ju Geoffrey n during high school. While Adira met Geoffrey during college. If Geoffrey was a player in volleyball, Adira can tell because she’s at the women volleyball club. But she cannot remember seeing him in the gym with volleyball uniform. 
“Sure bro! Come and play with us!” the male employees answered Geoffrey. 
Suddenly, Geoffrey pointed Adira and responded, “Ma’am Adira said she wanted to play too!” 
Both Adira and Chadwick had their eyes wide open. 
‘This freak,’ Adira said to her head while staring at Geoffrey. 
The male employees looked at each other, wondering if they heard Geoffrey right. 
Adira? 
A female?
A boss? 
Someone like her wanted to play volleyball with them? 
They couldn’t believe this.
“Are you crazy?” Adira asked Geoffrey
Geoffrey stared at Adira, not pulling the smile on his lips. 
“I did not say that I wanted to play,” she added. 
“But your eyes say so,” Geoffrey replied with confidence. 
At his remark, Adira found a way to defend herself. Even though she keeps on saying to herself that she does not want to play, deep inside, she knew there’s part of her which is curious if she can still play like before; the time when she’s reaching a dream she cannot reach. 
“You missed playing volleyball just like before, right?” Geoffrey added. 
Feeling shy, Adira turned her head in the other side. She wanted to lie but she feared she will look more like a dumb if she denies the true accusation. 
Seeing her act like this, Chadwick got stunned. He doesn’t know that his wife has interest in volleyball. It is a game out of her character. 
‘Well then, she knocked out the ghost in the amusement park with a single punch,’ Chadwick remembered and now was slightly convinced. 
Then again, Chadwick felt so pitiful that he does not know anything about this, when Geoffrey does. 
He hates it. 
“Don’t pretend anymore. It’s a vacation after all,” Geoffrey said to Adira before he walked towards the confused players. 
After sighing, Adira stood up from her seat and followed Geoffrey. 
‘S-She will really play with those men?!’ Chadwick gasped inside his head. 
Geoffrey is wearing a shirt and short, not the bikini. However, Chadwick still hates that she will go and play with men, especially with Geoffrey. Therefore, Chadwick also stood up from his seat. 
He ran to follow them while raising his hand and shouting, “Me too! I’ll play!” 
With this, another team will be formed. 
The employees suggested dividing the team into their designated company, Wine&Vibe vs. Crimson Meadow. Since Chadwick and Adira are playing, then they will be the captains for each group. 
When other employees that the two CEOs, a.k.a the married couple, will compete through volleyball, a lot come to watch the game. 
Chadwick’s side think that they will win in this match, given that Adira is a woman. She is an elegant CEO who people won’t think she has an athletic side on her. But Geoffrey and Chadwick doubted that. 
The stake on this game is to know who will prepare the dinner later. And so, no team is willing to lose. 
“Since I am not an employee,” Geoffrey said. “I can choose which team will I go, right?” 
Geoffrey looked at the two teams, left and right. It is obvious which team he will choose; everyone thinks. They guess that Geoffrey will choose a team that has more potential to win. And that is Chadwick’s team. However…
“I am with Crimson Meadow,” Geoffrey said as he walked towards Adira. 
When Adira saw him walking to her side, she sarcastically chuckled. 
‘I guess he does not want to cook again,’ Adira said to her mind. 
From the other net, Chadwick glared at the sight of his wife and Geoffrey together in one team. He cannot complain right now, even if he wanted to wreck a havoc. So instead of protesting, he vowed to win this game against Geoffrey. 
‘You tricky assh*le. I will definitely crush you,’ Chadwick promised while staring at Geoffrey. 
“Wait a minute,” one of the employees of Wine&Vibe called everyone’s attention. “We still need one more person.” 
They started counting the players and found out that they lack one more. 
Team Adira began to suggest, “Then get another female player! So, it will be fair!” 
Adira frowned at the words she heard. They need to get female player to make the match fair? Somehow, it got on her nerves. How dare they look down on her abilities? 
Adira clenched her hands, promising that they will bite their own tongues later.*
(*regret what they said) 
“If you need another female player, then I will go!” 
At the sweet voice, all turned their heads to the woman who volunteered to participate. It is no other than Isa. 
Geoffrey and Chadwick frowned while staring at Isa. They both remembered that during their high school days, Isa also played a little volleyball. 
“That’s good!” employee of Crimson Meadow agreed. 
“You can join the Wine&Vibe team, miss.” 
Smiling with her wet and wrinkled hands, (because she’s been washing dishes for hours), behind her back, Isa joined Chadwick’s team. 
Standing at the opposite side, Isa looked at her stepbrother and the woman who left her while washing the dishes. 
‘I will defeat you, Adira,’ Isa promised. 
Employees then negotiate about the rules. 
“Before we start, we should remember that we should take lightly to the women players.” 
“Yes. We cannot play hard with…” 
Before they could continue, he negotiation, Adira and Isa both disagreed. 
“No!” the two female players said at the same time. 
“You should play just like usual,” Adira said. 
“There’s no need to look over us just because we are women,” Isa added. 
The two females looked at each other. 
“There is no gender in games,” Adira murmured that made Isa smirk. 
“That’s right!” Geoffrey agreed. “We are all equal in this game. No gender discrimination. No one is boss and no one is allowed to play like a kid.” 
Adira is serious about winning, especially now that Isa and her husband are on the other side. But she’s worried about her long hair. She does not have a hair ponytail on her.
“Ma’am!” 
Adira looked at the woman who called her from the side. It’s Hansel. 
Hansel took off her ponytail bond and threw it to her boss. 
Adira caught the bond and then stared at her secretary. 
“You can do this!” Hansel cheered that made her smile. 
With that, Adira tied her long red hair up. 
Everyone watched the CEO of Crimson Meadow tie her hair, and when she finished, they saw the shifting of Adira’s eyes. They became heavy and serious. 
When Geoffrey saw that gaze in her eyes, he knew it right then that the result of this game is already decided. 
‘You are all dead,’ Geoffrey said inwardly while staring at Chadwick’s team.