Chapter 5

Adira was sitting in front of her office desk while reminiscing about the scene that unfolded in her new home this early morning: "You have feelings for this lady." Adira stared down at Isa as she whispered, "Right, Honey?" At Adira's remark, Chadwick and Isa held their breaths momentarily. They did not expect to hear this answer directly from Adira. As no one from the two could answer her, Adira pulled her hand away from Chadwick's. Then, she glanced at the woman sitting pathetically on the floor. "Miss Isa. You don't need to pick those up because I will ask someone else to clean them. After all, YOU ARE MY HUSBAND'S DEAREST GUEST." Adira smiled at Isa, an eerie and haunting beam like an image in a broken mirror. Isa felt the chill creeping out on her skin. "And honey," Adira called the unmovable and stunned Chadwick. She leaned towards him, placing her leg between his thighs before she fixed the collar of his shirt. Chadwick's eyes dilated in front of the gorgeous woman before him. A scowl marred on his face. Even Adira's cloying scents are enticing, and he detests such smell. "I had to go to work. Have a great time with your guest." She moved two steps backward away from him and did not forget to wear the sneer on her lips. When she turned around, her red hair fluttered in the air. Adira left the two without looking back as if seeing them again would waste her time. "Ma'am?" Waking up from recollecting the vivid memory, Adira stared at her secretary. "Is there a problem?" asked Miss Hansel. Secretary Hansel noticed that Adira kept looking afar, and she thought it odd because her boss does not usually lose her focus, especially while working. Carefully opening her mouth, Adira responded, "Secretary Hansel." The secretary quickly responded, "Yes, Ma'am? "How long has it been already since you married your husband?" Not only is Adira spaced out, but she's also asking a personal question to her employee. Hansel peeked out of the window, ensuring the sun would set to the West. Adira seems friendly and approachable at first glance. However, people who socialized with her could tell that Adira built a wall between her and the others. She smiled, but at the same time, she hated getting attached to someone or something. Therefore, when Adira asked Hansel about her personal life, Hansel thought it would be a good sign. "Well, my husband and I have been married for four years," Hansel said. Adira rested her chin on her clutched hands. Humming, she responded, "Ahhhh." Then she looked back at her again with another question to ask. "What would you do if you found out your husband likes someone else?" "P-Pardon?" "Then, the woman he likes can freely come in and out of your house. What will you do?" Hansel felt the flicker of irritation that flooded her vein. Even just imagining the situation, she felt like she'd burst into madness! Turning red, Hansel opened her mouth, and she subconsciously shouted, "I will beat them to death!" Death. Death. Death. The loud shout echoed inside the office. It took Hansel seconds to realize her grave mistake. Did she shout at the CEO of the company? Not. She only did that unconsciously to release her anger about the imaginary situation. Gasping, Hansel lowered her head and apologized. "Sorry, Ma'am! I did not mean to shout like that." Adira only chuckled. Then she uttered, "It's okay." She checked the documents before her and signed what needed to be signed. Hansel glanced at the CEO's pretty face. She's dying to know why Adira suddenly asked that question. Anxiousness followed. 'What if she asked me this because her husband brought another woman into their house?' she wondered. Hansel is one of the people who knows that Adira and Chadwick's marriage is just for convenience. Withal, that is not enough reason for Chadwick to bring his woman into their newly built house! The worried secretary clenched her fists out of deep rage for her boss. Nevertheless, if Hansel gets so mad like this, even when she's not involved, she imagines how hard it is for Adira. 'I hope, Ma'am, can stay strong,' Hansel wished. However, Adira does not feel pathetic. She asks the question to Haimee because she's only curious about what an ordinary wife would think in this situation. Adira is not an ordinary woman. Thus, she cannot understand this. "You don't need to drive me home, Secretary Hansel." "Yes?" She stopped signing the documents as Adira looked back at Haimee. "I will go to my favorite place and will drink some." Hansel nodded, "Noted, Ma'am." Adira bowed her head so she did not see Hansel's empathetic expression for her. Hansel thought Adira would drink alcohol because she had difficulty with her arranged marriage. But actually, Adira just wanted to drink. Nothing more. Nothing less. ------ ------------------------------------------ ------------------------- Adira went to her favorite luxury bar at 6 pm. She always comes to this place whenever she's tired from work. And today, she came here not because of her husband or her husband's woman. Although she plans on seducing Chadwick, she does not intend to make him fall in love. Thus, Adira won't care even if Chadwick spends his sweet days with her woman. 'I am too old to waste my time and play like a villain for those idiots,' Adira thought, shaking her head. With an elated heart, Adira wanted to drink alone after a long day of work. If there's one thing she's praying for, that is to have a cute child she'll spend her days with while her hair turns gray. Adira focused on her career. She did not experience feeling attracted to or interested in dating men or women. She thought love would only be a hindrance, so she reached 31 without dating. Moreover, Adira knew that trying was futile since she'll only marry the husband her father would choose. Why bother wasting her time crying and fighting over a stupid romance and pretending to be like a character in a tragic novel? "I suddenly wanted to read tragic romance novels like Romeo and Juliet," she murmured at the bar counter. Adira looked around. All of a sudden, a man sprung below the counter. He's wearing a bartender uniform and wiping his name tag, which he picked up from the ground. The man's appearance caught Adira's attention. She watched him pin his name tag on his uniform with the name ["Geoffrey"] Adira is a regular customer of this place. But this was the first time she saw this man. The guy has brushed-up blonde hair. His brows are arched up. He has eagle-like eyes, which are sharp but have heavy lids. His nose is tall, very majestic. He has heart-shaped lips with a small mole near his upper lip. He is also tall with a great build. To make it short, he is very handsome and will be a scene-stealer anywhere he goes. 'The bar's advertising skills are no joke,' Adira praised the bar's management inside her head. At last, the man focused on the woman sitting at the counter. As soon as he saw her face, he froze like a statue, as if he saw something shocking. Well, Adia is too used to this kind of reaction. She's pretty, that's why. Yet there's something odd about the way the bartender looks at her. It was as if he knew her already. The bartender, Geoffrey, closed his partly opened lips after a moment. After staring at Adira's face, he focused on her finger. And when he saw that she was not wearing any ring, a satisfied grin drew on his face.