Married with the Broken Hearted CEO novel Chapter 90

Early in the morning, Adira went to the winery together with her secretary. She and Hansel checked on the quality of the materials even though the quality department has sent them the documents regarding. 
As the CEO of the luxurious and infamous wine brand, Adira meticulously makes sure that the wines were well-prepared to be entered into the consumer market. What made her a plausible boss is that she always looks over critical and calculated work practices throughout the year in the cellar to ensure the wine is in peak condition when it comes time for bottling. 
Therefore, Adira frequently does quality checks throughout the bottling operations to allow her to catch any potential error that may otherwise be difficult to detect, such as improper vacuums, air bubbles in the like, a leak in bottle line equipment, etc. 
“We should replace this with another new machine,” Adira said to the head of the winery factory.
“Yes, ma’am. We will take note of that.” 
“And also, the Skolor San++ will be our partner starting today.  They will give us CFA (Continuous Flow Analyzer. It is important to tell everyone that they need to be familiar with this device. It is an automatic wine analysis with automation of time-consuming sample pre-treatment steps resulting in extensive operator time-savings and high sample throughput.”
“Noted ma’am.” 
“Then…” 
“Ma’am Adira!” 
Adira, Hansel and the head of the wine factory looked at the woman who’s rushing towards their side. The head of the wine factory recognized the excited woman as the daughter of Mr. Canor. Fearing that she would disturb the CEO at work, he was about to stop her from coming but Adira raised her hand. 
“No need,” Adira halted. “I know her.” 
A person in a higher up position rarely gives time to normal citizens, especially around the workplace. It was the same in medieval times where nobles wouldn’t waste time talking or even looking at the commoners. However, Adira, who seems like royalty, has this sweet beam on her lips while welcoming Mr. Canor’s daughter, Ash. 
Secretary Hansel watched her boss step aside to greet Ash. 
“How are you, ma’am?” Ash energetically asked the CEO.
“I’m fine,” Adira answered. “I didn’t see your father in the winery before.” 
“Ahhh yes,” Ash replied, her high voice faded. “Father is sick. He accidentally slipped on the floor and he felt bad. Now he cannot even move up.” 
“Oh, really? I heard from the workers that Mr. Canor is sick, but they did not tell me about the accident. Did you bring him in the hospital?” 
Ash faintly smiled at her. Although they wanted to, they don’t have enough money to pay the bill. 
“Anyway, mom is taking care of him,” Ash answered. 
Adira nodded her head before her eyes glanced at Hansel. 
At her glance, Hansel received the command well. She understands that Adira wanted Hansel to look over this and handle Mr. Canor’s hospitalization. 
As far as Adira can remember, all workers in the winery must have health insurance in case an accident happens.
“Ahhh, I know that you are busy, so I won’t stay longer, “Ash added. 
Adira just smiled at her as she could not disagree with her statement. She is indeed busy. But oddly, she has this special time and affection for the cheerful kid. Isn’t it because she can see the father and daughter love from Mr. Canor and Ash? 
Somehow, Adira can’t seem to forget the day when Ash cried while thanking Adira for keeping her father in the winery. 
“I just wanted to ask if you and Sir Chadwick are doing good,” said Ash. 
Adira and Hansel flinched on their position. 
Oh right. 
Ash is one of Chadwick and Adira’s loveteam fans. 
For sure, Ash will be sad once she finds out that the couple had divorce already. Withal, Adira decided to keep this secret for five months until the end of the project between the two companies. 
“We are doing good. Thanks to Ash,” Adira responded. 
“I knew it!” Ash cheered. She, then, leaned closer to Adira and whispered, “The sleepwear helped, right?” 
Although Ash whispered the word, Hansel and the head of the winery factory accidentally heard it. Hansel forged a cough while the head of the winery factory tilted his head, as if playing ignorant. 
Adira looked at Ash’s face and the excitement she had in her expression. 
Talking about the sleepwear, Adira thought at first that it did not work in her grumpy and cold husband. She wore the sexy lingerie but nothing happened between her and Chadwick besides giving him nosebleed.
However recently, Chadwick confessed his hidden feelings to Adira. She believed right then that maybe, the lingerie had this especial magic just like what Ash told him. 
‘Ahhh. I am really turning like an idiot,’ Adira laughed at herself inwardly. 
She isn’t a fan of believing superstitious beliefs but now, she’s considering them plausible. 
“Yes. It worked well. I was amazed,” Adira chuckled in a low tone. 
“Great! Actually, we have a new collection of the sleepwear. Do you want to buy again? I am now reseller of the products so you can directly buy from me.” 
Hansel, who heard Ash’s offer, is about to stop her since it does not make sense for Adira to buy again when she and Chadwick just divorced recently. But before she could stop Ash, Hansel saw Adira’s hand ceasing her from interfering.
“How many you have in you?” Adira asked Ash. 
Hansel stopped then stared at the side profile of her boss. 
Many in the company thought that Adira is too intimidating and even though she’s smiling, it is still hard to approach her. But little did everyone, Adira is a kind woman who has heart for poor and in need. 
“I have 30 in me,” Ash said.
“Then, I will buy everything,” Adira said. 
“Really?! Oh my gosh, thank you so much, ma’am! I will bring it here right now!” 
“Sure. Just come back.” 
Thirty sexy lingerie.  
When will Adira wear all of that? 
Hansel wanted to laugh at her boss. 
-- --- ----- ---- ----- --- -- -- 
After spending hours in the winery, Adira and Hansel finished their work. 
Inside the car, Adira was sitting in the back seat while leaning her forehead on the windowsill. Today’s work was so tiring since she had to walk all day around the large factory. 
Who says that the work as the CEO is easy? 
Perhaps it is because Adira is so dedicated to her work. Or, she’s purposely trying to be busy so she can forget things that keep on bugging in her head. 
Hansel glanced at her boss through the front mirror while she was driving. Before she diverted her eyes back to the road, she took a glimpse at the paper bags of lingerie which Adira bought from Ash. 
“Ma’am, can I ask something?” Hansel said. 
“Hmmm,” the tired Adira murmured. 
“Why did you buy so many lingerie? Will you…use it?” 
Adira burst into small laughs. “Secretary Hansel is teasing me~”
Hansel laughed too. Adira is right. Hansel is teasing Adira if she has the plan of wearing those while living with an ex-husband who has feelings for her. 
For a moment there is boisterous laughter inside the car. The sound subsided and there came silent. 
“The kid is desperate to sell them,” Adira uttered. 
Hansel listened quietly. 
“Her father is sick and so she’s looking for a way to help him. That’s all. I don’t have any intention to wear any of these.” 
If Adira is still the married woman who wanted to seduce her husband, she might wear all that every night. But the situation changed. If Adira wears one tonight, her ex-husband might not have just a nosebleed. 
Instead of answering, Hansel just nodded her head. She told Adira before that experiencing love at her age is not too late. But she won’t interrupt her decision on whom to choose between the two. 
“How’s Nocturne?” Adira asked. 
“He is quiet right now. The scandal is still on the news. He’s probably scared that we will leak out another information about his affairs so he’s laying low.” 
Adira snorted and smirked.
Nocturne is blackmailing Chadwick and Adira, so she does not have the choice but to resort to the same technique. The news about Adira and Chadwick must be surprising but compared to Nocturne’s scandals in the past, this is nothing. 
Adira does not want to be childish around Nocturne because it’s a waste of time.
‘But he’s pissing me off,’ Adira said to herself. 
Speaking of people who pissed her, Adira suddenly thought if Isa. 
What happened when Chadwick went to her during the last night of the vacation? 
What did the two conversed for Chadwick to suddenly decide of signing the divorce paper and confessing to Adira right after?
Adira has no affection for Isa, even if she remembered her as the female student she helped before. In fact, after recalling the past, Adira was more convinced that Isa is a selfish attention seeker.
‘I am just… curious,’ Adira thought. 
“Ma’am, where do you want to go now?” Hansel asked. “Back to the office or…” 
When Hansel stopped from talking, Adira settled her eyes to the front mirror of the car. There, their gaze met for a moment. 
Adira knew what Hansel wanted to ask. 
“Take me back home,” Adira answered and smiled. 
Before Chadwick confessed to Adira, she told him that she’s fine living with him under the same roof. It will stomp her pride if she breaks her promise just because she got the confession. What if Chadwick thinks that she’s trying to avoid him? Adira does not want to appear weak. 
‘There’s nothing to be scared of,’ Adira reminded herself. 
    
But when she arrived in front of their house, Adira doubted her past words. 
Standing in front of the door, she felt the sweat settling on her hands. Her knees feel a bit wobbly and every little creak suddenly sounds thousands of times louder.
Time is crawling to slow down when her hand turns the doorknob. She pushed the door open. 
Creak. 
Entering the quiet room, Adira peeked inside within the small space between the door and the wall. 
Chadwick’s car isn’t in the garage, which means he’s still not home. Yet, Adira wanted to make sure that there won’t be Chadwick McElroy inside so she can walk at ease. 
‘Wait a minute. Why am I getting nervous? This is my house too. Besides, it’s not like I can avoid seeing him for the five months,’ Adira told herself, as if boosting her moral. 
With head held up, she entered the house. 
Silence.
It is deafening that when she gulped, her throat felt dry as if there was a barb stuck inside. 
From the door, Adira tiptoed inside without making any unnecessary sounds. 
Like feathers, her feet glided towards the direction of her room. Every time the gap between her and her room shortens, she feels more at ease. 
‘Just a little bit. Just a little bit,’ she said while quietly walking. 
Finally, she arrived in front of her room. A bright smile slipped into her lips as she raised her hand, she’ll hold the doorknob. 
“What are you doing?” 
A man’s voice cut through the silence. Adira’s shoulders moved up and down in surprise. 
That voice. 
She’s so puzzled why she heard that voice when she saw no one inside the place before she walked in. 
As if time really slowed down, Adira looked back. 
Behind her, he saw her husband crossing his arms like a mom who caught her daughter returning home in the middle of the deep night. 
Chadwick is standing behind her, scowling his brows. 
“Why are you tiptoeing before?” 
Adira does not want to stomp her pride by letting Chadwick think that she’s avoiding him, that’s why she went back home. But if Chadwick caught her tiptoeing like that, then her mission to protect her pride has failed.