Married with the Brokenhearted CEO

Chapter 10 "Accidents"

When Adira received the news about her husband, panic surged through her body. Cold sweat beaded on her forehead, and although her limbs were unharmed, they felt as if they might collapse from the shock she had just endured.

Her chest felt constricted, squeezing her heart, which was racing wildly, making it hard for her to breathe with each beat.

As her thoughts became muddled, she grabbed her car keys and rushed out of the house. With shaking hands, she started the engine and quickly maneuvered the car out of the garage, first in reverse and then forward.

While driving, she overtook car after car, constantly honking the horn to signal her urgency.

Beep! Beep! Beep!

Cars swerved aside at the loud alert.

Beep! Beep! Beep!

The cacophony heightened her agitation and impatience. She stole glances at the clock in the car, then back at the road. With each passing minute, Adira felt increasingly unsettled.

Her hands trembled, and her stomach churned with acidity.

It had been a long time since she felt such despair and heartbreak. The sensation of losing someone she had just seen moments ago, believing he would always be there, was overwhelming.

Is this how much she cares for her husband to feel this way?

Does she love him enough to endure such intense pain?

No.

He has never been a good husband or friend to Adira. Even after six months of living together under one roof, they treated each other like strangers or business partners, merely coexisting for mutual benefit.

So why did Adira respond this way?

"Madam!" the secretary exclaimed as he spotted the CEO of Crimson Meadow rushing towards him. Secretary Neil stood outside the VIP hospital room, waiting for his boss's wife.

It had been less than an hour since he spoke with Adira, so Neil was taken aback to see her approaching with a pale complexion.

"Where is my husband?" Adira inquired, trying to catch her breath.

Her red hair was tousled, and she wore no makeup, yet she remained stunning from head to toe, even in her delicate silk sleepwear and indoor slippers.

‘Indoor slippers?’ Neil thought in disbelief.

Given that Adira had abruptly ended their call earlier, Neil had anticipated her swift arrival at the hospital. But honestly, not like this.

‘Not like this, with Madam running out dressed like that,’ Neil thought, his eyes wide.

"So, what happened to him?! What did the doctor say?!" Adira yelled.

Not only did she arrive in a rush wearing those clothes, but she was also shouting at the top of her lungs.

Where was the composed madam Neil had encountered before? Their meetings were infrequent, but during those rare occasions, Adira always maintained her calm demeanor.

But was it really necessary to stay calm in this situation? No wife could remain composed upon hearing that her husband was hospitalized due to a car accident.

Yet, Chadwick and Adira's relationship was anything but typical. There was no love between them, and Neil sensed that they hardly cared for one another.

So why did Adira appear as if she might crumble while waiting for Neil's response?

Despite his confusion, Chadwick's secretary opened his mouth to respond to the distressed madam.

"He’s doing fine now and resting. It was merely a minor incident, but the doctor advised not to worry any longer."

When Adira heard this, she let out a sigh while still displaying her worried expression.

"Is he in there?" she inquired, her voice now softer.

"Y-Yes, ma'am. And..."

Neil couldn't complete his sentence as Adira walked into the room without hesitation.

Neil gazed at the closed door for an extended period. He blinked, then blinked again until he remembered to breathe.

‘That was intense.’

He was referring to seeing Adira in that condition. Neil felt more anxious dealing with Adira than he did when he witnessed his boss with a bloody arm and heavy eyelids.

Not that he doesn’t care about Chadwick. He does care, even if Chadwick can be difficult at times. But Adira overwhelmed the startled Neil.

Whatever the reason, Neil hoped it was a positive sign.

Meanwhile, as Adira entered the spacious VIP room, she spotted her husband lying on the hospital bed.

She moved closer, step by step, until she reached the bedside.

Along with the sound of the IV fluid dripping, Adira could hear the loud thumping of her heart.

She closed her eyes and attempted to calm herself. But when Chadwick's sleeping face in her mind merged with her mother’s dying image, Adira trembled even more.

It’s been years.

It’s been many years since she witnessed her deceased mother, covered in blood, lying on the hospital bed. Her eyes were shut, and her hand rested limply. Everyone around her was crying and mourning, but she, as a small child, looked at her mother with no emotion.

She was unable to grasp what was happening.

Just early in the morning, her mother assured Adira that she would buy her favorite cookies from a distant place. Adira waited for her mother until midnight. However, news broke that her mother had been in a car accident. Consequently, she and her father hurried to the hospital.

Adira found it hard to accept her mother’s death. Even on the final day of the funeral, she remained in denial. She shed no tears and didn’t express her sorrow over losing her mother at such a young age. Adira… simply closed herself off from everyone.

As the days went by, the reality began to sink in.

Her mother had died while getting her favorite cookies.

‘It’s my fault. She died because of me.’

When Adira truly felt her mother’s absence, the emotions finally overwhelmed her. She blamed herself, crying silently because she believed she had no right to display her pain to others. To her, it wasn’t the car accident that took her mother’s life, but rather her own actions.

Following that tragedy, her father stopped communicating with her and became increasingly absorbed in work. This was his way of coping with the devastating loss of his wife. During that time, Adira, feeling distant from her father, felt as though she had become an orphan. She felt incredibly isolated and chose to remain alone.

Perhaps this is what caused Adira’s heart to shut off from any form of affection. She despises both receiving and giving love. And if there’s anything that could mend this, it might be her aspiration to become a nurturing mother, just like her own.

"Huh..." Adira wept.

Standing next to the bed and gazing at her husband who was asleep, she couldn't hold back the tears streaming down her face.

The car accident involving Chadwick brought back memories from the past, causing all the emotions she had kept bottled up for so long to surface.

She cried like a child, sobbing and occasionally wiping her tears away. It wasn't overly loud, but it was enough to rouse the sleeping patient.

Gradually, Chadwick opened his eyes from a deep slumber. It took him a few moments to comprehend where he was and who was beside him.

‘Adira?’ Chadwick questioned his own eyes for a moment.

He recognized the figure of his wife, but the sight filled him with uncertainty.

‘It can't be. It can't be my wife,’ he thought as he observed the weeping woman.

As far back as he could remember, Adira never showed any emotion, even when she saw him embracing another woman. So why was she crying so desperately now?

‘Ahhh. I was in a car accident,’ Chadwick recalled, letting out a sigh.

He recalled calling Neil to come pick him up after he got injured. Fortunately, it wasn’t anything life-threatening. Perhaps, before entering, Adira had already learned that he was okay and just needed some time to rest.

‘So why cry?’

Chadwick fixed his gaze on Adira until she finally looked back at him.

“...”

“...”

The moment she realized he had caught her crying, Adira turned away.

Was she embarrassed? Awkward? Proud?

She couldn’t pinpoint why she felt the need to hide her tears, but she knew she had to.

Adira quickly wiped her eyes and stood firm against Chadwick until she regained her composure.

As she stood there, Chadwick began to sit up with a groan. “Ahhhh.”

When Adira heard him groan, she flinched noticeably. Yet, that wasn’t enough to make her face him.

After managing to sit up despite the pain in his shoulder and arm, Chadwick glanced at his wife’s back. He noticed her tousled red hair, the thick sleepwear she used to entice him, and those purple slippers she wore indoors.

Not only did he see her tears, but it was clear she had rushed over, given her current state.

Chadwick couldn’t pinpoint why, but he felt a stirring in his heart.

Earlier that morning, when he noticed her sorrowful look towards the orphans, he saw her in a different light; Adira was capable of deep emotions too. And tonight, he felt that stir once more.

How many times will she make him feel so strange?

"Adi..." he called out, his voice trailing off.

This was due to someone bursting into the room, leaving him no opportunity to call for his wife.

"Chadwick!" Isa yelled.

With tears in her eyes, Adira gazed at the girl who had intruded, as if a zombie were trailing behind her.

"Oh my god!" Isa exclaimed, rushing towards Chadwick. She even pushed Adira aside, whether on purpose or not, before sitting next to Chadwick. "W-What happened? Are you alright?! We were just chatting on the phone when I heard the crash! Oh my gosh! I was terrified!"

Isa grasped Chadwick's hands, gently stroking them while observing his pale complexion. As she did, she noticed Chadwick's eyes tracking something. So, Isa turned to see Adira standing behind her.

"Oh! Adira!" Isa gasped.

At her exclamation, Adira finally turned to face the two of them.

"I’m sorry!" Isa quickly said, retracting her hands from Chadwick's. "I was just so shocked that I... I mean, Chadwick is... Well."

"Now that Isa is here," Adira whispered, her gaze locking with Chadwick's. "I don’t think I’m needed here anymore." She offered a faint smile, as if her earlier tears had been a mere illusion.

Chadwick tightened his fists in the bed sheets. He despised how she pretended not to care when her actions tonight contradicted her words.

"I’ll be leaving now," Adira murmured. She lifted her feet off the ground and walked away casually. But...

"Stay here."

Two simple words halted her. She turned back once more, ensuring she hadn’t misheard him.

"Stay here and let’s talk," Chadwick urged.

Adira blinked rapidly, while Isa’s eyes widened in surprise.

Did the sun set in the East?

"Isa, I appreciate you coming," Chadwick addressed Isa. "But could you step outside for a moment? I need to speak with my wife."

Isa was speechless.

Not only had Chadwick sided with Adira earlier that day during their discussion about the orphanage, but now he was asking Isa to leave. He preferred to be with his wife instead of her!

‘But Chadwick said that… he despises his wife,’ Isa pondered internally. She was also aware of Chadwick’s feelings for her, so… why? Why was this happening? Why was he pushing her away too?

"I’m sorry," Adira replied. "But this time, I’ll be the one to decline. I’ll see you when you’re better." Then she stepped forward and exited the room.

As before, Adira left them, as if she had no time to interfere with the two.

Isa slowly turned to Chadwick. She noticed him gazing at the closed door with a sorrowful expression. In that moment, Isa sensed the impending danger.

She could feel that Chadwick was beginning to rekindle his feelings for his wife. And that was not good for Isa.

If this keeps up, she might lose Chadwick’s affection! She needed to take action to prevent it.

Isa couldn’t allow Chadwick to abandon her. She simply couldn’t. Her stepbrother, whom she loved dearly, had abandoned her multiple times. Therefore, this other person shouldn’t do the same.

‘Never.’