The CEO’s Ex-Wife Can’t Escape

To Love You Again, My Husband

Chapter 17: Perturbed

Airina sighed. She had been hearing nonsense ever since he kept pestering him – as if he really wanted her. But it had been a long time, ten months. Ten months were enough to feel that derailed thoughts of her. Because of his cheating issue with Nicole, she promised to prove to herself that she couldn’t be belittled anymore. She had also tried to make sure her heart wouldn’t sway by the same person again.

This man just doesn’t know when to stop. If he wanted something, he’d definitely do every means to have it. But would he succeed in having her?

She smirked, exhaling deeply.

“I see”, she placed her sling bag on the cushion, “You must have a lot of free time in your hands to usually visit me.”

“No. Rather, I wanted to do so. I make time for you.”

Airina let out a mocking laugh. “You do? What a good plan you’re having.” She then headed to the kitchen, reheating the food she had cooked early in the morning. It was a simple stir-fried pork. She didn’t get to eat well earlier since she wasn’t comfortable around Jackson and Elisa.

After setting up a certain time, she remembered her stepmother Linda. When Airina had secured her position in the Halton group, she sent support over to her father, who never sent a message about what had happened to him or the family. Linda, however, reached out to her once. She questioned where she had got that amount of money. As Airina didn’t know if her stepfamily was aware of her career now, her resolve had been shattered.

Seeing Linda, the same person who soothed her whenever she missed her biological mother saying that it’d be alright, and she’d be there for her. Were they all pretentious actions just to gain from her?

Even Jackson didn’t take her hint and visited her whenever he wanted.

Absorbed in her thoughts, she didn’t even hear that the oven was already beeping. It was Jackson who hurriedly took care of her food with a hiss and turned to her.

“You should have asked me to cook you food. This was your breakfast and had been untouched for a long time”, he then put his hand over her forehead, feeling it. “You don’t have a fever. But I advise that you take the necessary rest. How about this? Let me cook you some porridge and take medicine?”

Airina slowly looked up at his concerned eyes, slapping his hand away.

“I’m tired of pretending I was fine when you’re around. If you’re that foolish, you wouldn’t take my words seriously and visit me. You’re thinking that what you were doing was fine and eventually, I’d fall for your schemes”, she poked his chest, “You guys are the same. You used me for your benefit.”

“…”

As such, she walked past by him. She didn’t even bother eating the reheated food and closed the door to her bedroom.

***

Jackson, in his study room, leaned deeply on his swivel chair and exhaled loudly. He was bothered by Airina’s worries but she kept her problems within her.

“Jackson… I didn’t know you’d be here.” Suddenly, a faint voice from the door resonated in the silence of his room. Unhurriedly, he turned to look at Nicole and scoffed. She hadn’t backed down despite him telling her off.

Nicole made her way to him, “I missed you so much”, she wrapped her hands around his neck. She was deliberately making him aroused yet he didn’t react. To be frank, he sized her hands and then pushed her away from him.

“Jackson…  you, why did you push me? Do you know how long I have been waiting for you?”

Jackson sighed in frustration. “Right, you’re waiting for me. Did you wait long?”

If he couldn’t have Airina, there was always Nicole. She was always ready to give herself to him. On a whim, he pulled Nicole on his lap, intensely looking at her. Nicole got embarrassed but she didn’t avert her eyes, instead, she stared right into his eyes as if challenging him.

His hand traveled from her legs to her waist, causing her to flinch as he closed his eyes. However, rather than savoring this exact moment, Airina’s emotionless face popped into his mind and his hand halted. Growling in annoyance, he again pushed Nicole away.

He remarked, “Don’t make me see you again.” As he ran his hand through his hair, Nicole realized that it must be because of Airina.

Although Airina isn’t that known to the media, there were a few news about her accomplishments. Was Jackson chasing Airina now that she had been successful? But he had always disliked her, how come? Nicole clenched her fists, upset at this absurdity.

Upon returning to her house, Nicole threw her phone on the ground and its screen crashed on it aggressively. She was so mad she wanted to tear up Airina’s arrogant expression.

“After you had made my mother suffer from not marrying father for the longest time?!”

Nicole assumed that it was Airina’s fault for being born that her father couldn’t marry Linda that fast. Since Nicole, while Airina’s parents haven’t been divorced, Nicole blamed Airina for taking everything for granted. After the successful divorce, Nicole thought that her father would instantly feel love and shower her with all the gifts, but Airina kept getting more and more.

If it hadn’t for her persistent persuasion, her father wouldn’t have agreed to her studying in a private university which Airina previously liked to study.

“It’s all because of you! Because of you, selfish woman!”

And a horrifying scream erupted in the stillness of her house where everything was distraught.

***

Airina folded her arms at the chosen assistant Matthew had given to her. She cast him a glance at Matthew.

“You know that I don’t like having an assistant.”

“Wouldn’t you think someone might laugh at you even to my company? I only wanted to make things easy and balanced.”

The assistant, Jena, lowered her gaze with worry. The boss she would serve was no one but the newly appointed exclusive shareholder of Halton Group. Many said she was an icy queen and Jena did everything to win this position as she really wanted to work in Halton Company.

Airina scanned Jena from head to toe and sighed.

“Her shift is…?”

Matthew nodded at Jena, “Well, depends on you. I recommend eight hours a day, though.”

“Eight hours a day… but I usually don’t work that much.”

Matthew shrugged, “It’s not like you can always work solo. If everything is busy, an assistant will make things easier.”

Airina understood her intentions, “I understand. You called for me for Jena?”

“Yes, if not?”

Airina smiled, “What about you treat me to a meal, good Sir?”

Jena looked alternately at the two, feeling giddy that the rumors she had heard while making her way up here weren’t baseless at all. These two seemed to be making things official between them and Jena was thrilled about the turn of events.

Matthew scoffed at her, “Shouldn’t you be the one treating me to a meal after pulling me through that supposedly date between Jacks….” In haste, he stopped his words as he felt Jena’s presence inside the room. Airina, who was undisturbed, shook her head.

“I know right, it was suffocating. Then, a dinner tonight?”

Matthew clapped his hands in victory. “That sounds better.”

Airina with Jena headed out after having decided which place and what time they’d eat dinner tonight. It was only Jena who was overthinking things and was thinking improperly.

Jena settled beside the driver’s seat with Airina sat at the back, looking outside the window.

The driver curtly asked, “Where is your destination now, Ma’am?”

Airina breathed in, “Balkan City.”

The driver gasped. It was a two-hour ride to go to Balkan since it was far from the Capital. In the Balkan, there were fresh, good views of the high mountains. If it was Balkan, who could she be visiting?

“Are you single Jena?”

Jena jolted from her thoughts, “Pardon? Uh, I am…”

“No one is wooing you?”

“N-No one, Ma’am.”

Jena checked her boss using the mirror and then faintly asked, “W-why… did you ask me that question, Ma’am?”

“To see if you’re inclined to your career or your personal affairs.”

“Oh…?”