Married with the Broken Hearted CEO novel Chapter 82

Chadwick ran towards the direction of the cave where he and Adira got stranded in last night. Adira said that she wanted to take revenge on Isa by locking her inside the cave. 
He could not believe it. 
Even though Isa crossed the line, Adira won’t put someone in danger just because she’s mad. However, he could not stop himself from checking whether it was true or not. 
He wanted to trust Adira, to prove himself wrong but at the back of his mind, he feels guilty for running. Chadwick just… in mess.
Two women are trying to play with him, using themselves as his weakness. He always says to himself that focusing on his feelings will answer everything. But no. He thinks he needs to do more than just confess to Adira.
‘There’s more that I need to do,’ he realized. 
Catching his breath, Chadwick looked at the back of the woman under the light post in front of the cave. It is Isa, who’s peeking at the cave from afar. 
He sighed in relief. If Isa is outside the cave, that means Adira is only pranking him, telling that she put Isa in danger. 
‘I knew she wouldn’t do that,’ Chadwick said to himself. 
But he also knows that Adira did not say this just to prank him. There’s a message behind this situation, and Chadwick found out what it is. 
Didn’t Geoffrey tell him the truth last night? 
Chadwick said that he will confront Isa once the vacation is over but it looks he does not need to wait for more days. 
He walked briskly to her, clenching his fists as their gap shortened. 
When Isa heard the footsteps from behind, she swiftly turned around to check who’s coming. Her eyes widened at the sight of the man, whom she thought is inside the cave. 
“C-Chadwick? W-Why are you…” 
As soon as he stood in front of Isa, Chadwick grabbed her shoulder and held her tight. He took a deep breath before he lifted his head to meet her eyes. 
After he found everything from Geoffrey, Chadwick had a gnawing grief that kept him awake all night. And now, while looking at Isa, a friend of his for years, he felt a sting of melancholy and confusion. 
“What are you doing here?” Chadwick asked her with a voice that is as shallow as the well, where there is pit of darkness and freezing unavoidable coldness. 
‘What am I doing here?’ Isa asked herself in panic. 
She only went there because she overheard from the two secretaries that they would set Chadwick and Adira inside the cave. And so, they followed them so she can mess the plan. But when she arrived near the entrance of the cave, she saw a warning that says: “Don’t come in the cave during 6-10 pm. There’s a high tide.” 
And it’s real. Isa tried to go to the cave but the water in the river was so high, she could not cross. Pathetically, she waited outside in the cold, wondering if Chadwick and Adira were locked inside together. She does not want it to happen. 
But now, Chadwick is here with her? 
Isa looked at the cave then back at Chadwick. 
“I t-thought you were inside the cave with Adira,” Isa answered with heavy breaths. “I overheard from those secretaries that they are planning to lock you in that cave so you can date alone. Therefore, I secretly went here to… I mean, I can’t…” 
“To what?” Chadwick inquired. “If my wife and I are there to spend our night together, what it with you?”
Heart beating and aching, Isa met his cold gaze. “C-Chadwick. I just…” 
“WHY DO YOU NEED TO BUTT INTO MY BUSINESS?!” 
Isa’s shoulder turned stiff, and she forgot to breathe for seconds.
This is the first time. 
The first time Chadwick shouted at her with a great grimace. 
“What do you really want, Isa?” Chadwick asked in a lower tone as if he was losing his strength. 
Isa tried to calm herself. Surely, there must be a way to get out of this and convince Chadwick that she’s just acting out of goodwill. 
“Chadwick, please calm down and listen. I only came here because I am worried about the two of you and…”
“DON’T GIVE ME A BULLSH*T.” 
The coldest remark dropped like a bomb. 
Isa freezes on her spot, unable to move while watching the bloodshot in his blueish eyes. 
“I told you already that I love my wife,” Chadwick said in husky tone, breathing heavily as he’s trying to suppress his anger. “But what did you do? Even when you knew that Adira is watching, you kissed me.” 
“N-No,” she tried to defend. “I did not see her when that…”
“See that? You’re lying again,” he said, followed by sarcastic laugh.
“H-Huh?” she stuttered. 
“You told me that you could not remember anything because you were drunk. But now you remembered not seeing Adira when you kissed me?” 
Her face crumpled like a used tissue; she turned gray. 
“Coming here isn’t coincidence. I really don’t want to believe that you will do something to harm me but…” 
Chadwick bit his lower lip. 
He looked upward, licked the corner of his lips and then stared at her again with a glare. 
“But all evidence says that you did tell everything to Nocturne. Didn’t you?” 
Tears prickled at the corner of her eyes. 
She was so sure she won’t regret teaming up with that man. But now, regrets came. She only focused on ruining Adira, that’s why she made a mistake. 
“And drowning in the pool?” he chuckled in annoyance. “Isa, you know how to swim! Even if I told you that I love my wife, you keep on doing things that make me the bad guy!” 
Tears fell from her eyes. She sobbed hardly while hearing all her mistakes from him. She’s in dismay and her heart feels twisted. 
“I can’t believe you will be like this, Isa,” Chadwick murmured. “Does using me to make Geoffrey jealous isn’t enough?” 
Isa covered her face and sobbed. But Chadwick did not stop there. He knows there’s no room for pity towards this woman. 
“I endured all the pain because you are my friend,” Chadwick added. “You were alone and desolated. So, I stayed. Even if you rejected me, and I felt like an idiot waiting until you can turn to my side, I endured.”
“So why?” Isa murmured. She put her hands down and shouted, “Why do you have to let me go?! You keep on doing things that isn’t you, so I became like this.” 
Slowly, Chadwick dropped his hands from her shoulders. Dumbfounded, he shook his head. 
“Then? Do you want me to keep hanging at you till the end?” he asked. 
“Chadwick loved me. You are the only one who gave me affection and I…” She sobbed then wiped her tears. “I can’t bear seeing you looking at another woman!” 
It’s insane. 
Chadwick thought how insane he was to think that Isa wouldn’t stoop into this. 
“You aren’t the Isa I knew,” he said, moving one step backward. “The Isa I knew won’t harm other people for yourself.” 
“What about Adira?” she replied. “I am trying to save the two of you from her. You guys are only feeling this because you were getting spelled by that w*tch. That girl has no emotions! You will only get hurt by her!” 
“Stop,” Chadwick threatened. “Stop saying bad things about her.” 
“Bad things? It wasn’t me who said bad things to her first. It was you, Chadwick. You told me before how selfish she was, and you cannot stand being with her under the same roof. That’s why, I am getting you out of the b*tch’s clasp.” 
“I know!” Chadwick responded, nodding his head. “I judged her, I hated her, I… rejected her rudely. But, unlike you, Adira is honest. She won’t do anything to hurt the people around her. And she deserves to get love more than anyone else.” 
“What about me?” Isa cried. “Don’t I deserve love and attention?” 
“Isa. This is not about you. This is me telling you that no matter what you said, I will continue loving her.” 
Isa bit her lower lip until it bled. She cannot stand to hear more of this. It is so painful that her heart felt like getting grounded by a huge machine. 
“So, please,” Chadwick whispered, as if begging. “If you hold dearly in our friendship, please stop.” 
This is what Chadwick wanted to do for the last time. He knew this was the missing task he had to do so he could let go of the past and move forward. 
Chadwick stepped away from her, but Isa held his wrist. 
He stopped walking with an apathetic gaze in his eyes. 
“What if,” she sobbed. “What if I say that I can love you, will you stay by my side?” 
Love who? 
Scowling, Chadwick slowly looked back at Isa. 
“What d-did you say?” he uttered in disbelief. 
“A-Actually, when you told me that you love Adira, I was so hurt. So, I think perhaps… perhaps I realized that I love you a bit late. So, I regretted not holding your hand when I had the chance.” 
“...” 
Not saying anything, Chadwick’s eyes fell at the hand that was holding his. It is the hand that he longed to hold for years.
With a faint smile on his lips, Chadwick removed her grip from his. 
“There is a reason why the words ‘regret’ and ‘late’ are called that way.” 
After saying that, Chadwick turned around and left her crying without any regrets. 
He went back to the cottage, expecting to see his wife at the same place. But the bonfire is gone, either Adira. 
Chadwick looked back and forth, left to right, trying to see her, to finally tell his feelings without holding back. Yet Adira has nowhere to be found. 
‘Where is she?’ 
At the cottage, even Geoffrey isn’t there. 
‘Don’t tell me, they are together?’  he guessed. 
Chadwick was about to run to look for the two but Neil blocked his way. 
“Sir,” Neil called him in nonchalant way. 
“Oh, Neil. You came at the right time,” Chadwick murmured, catching his breath. “Where is Adira? Did she come inside the villa? Where did she go?” 
Neil heaved a sigh. He stared at his boss, and disappointments were written on his face. 
“Did you go the cave for that woman again?” Neil asked. 
“What?” 
“Actually, it is the madam who asked me and Hansel to do that to Miss Isa,” he confessed. “I am not sure about her reason, but I think, she wanted to give you one last chance to prove her something.” 
Chadwick was stunned. He thought she only did this to make him realize Isa’s true color and that he should believe in her. 
“I am so disappointed in you, sir,” Neil added. “You should not leave the woman you truly love.” 
Chadwick’s mouth gaped. He tried so hard to hide his feelings so he’s in wonder how Neil found this out. 
“Y-You,” Chadwick stuttered. “How did you know that?” 
“It’s not important how,” Neil answered with another sigh. “But if you keep on doing this, I don’t think ma’am Adira will open her heart for you.” 
It is hard to admit it, but Chadwick will agree with his words. Yes. It’s his fault. He confessed that he’s the coward man who cannot even be true to himself. 
“I will tell this to you since we’re out from work and I have an excuse since I drank some alcohol,” Neil continued. “But sir, stop being coward. If you really wanted madam, be a man before it’s too late.” 
Neil yawned hardly before he sat on the sand.  
“I hope you won’t fire me after this,” he whispered before closing his eyes while sitting down. 
“How can I fire someone who said sensible things?” Chadwick laughed at himself as he also feels drunk by his own emotions.