The CEO’s Ex-Wife Can’t Escape

To Love You Again, My Husband

Chapter 20: Leave, and Sorry

Evan linked his hands looking at Jackson weirdly. He wasn’t comfortable being alone with him but all he could do was roll his eyes in correspondence of his emotion. In a nutshell, Airina was outside making a call to Matthew, so the three men were left in that seemingly big room.

Kevin, their father, looked over at Jackson.

“Thank you for your visit. I couldn’t be more joyful to see your face again. It had been quite a long time…”

Jackson faintly smiled, “It’s fine. It is the most I can do for what you did to me and… Airina.”

Kevin quirked his brows and chuckled softly. When he had been informed that his daughter and Jackson divorced due to his cheating affair, he had a mental breakdown since he thought Jackson was a good man. However, seeing him taking care of him the whole night while Airina rested, was odd. It wouldn’t come off strange if they hadn’t gotten through a divorce but their ties had ended the moment Jackson decided to give the files to Airina. He was the very person who handed the divorce to her. And it appeared as if he was regretting it.

That wasn’t shocking, nevertheless, the fact that he had cheated on his second daughter didn’t sit right with him. Kevin looked at Evan.

“Evan, could you give us a moment please?”

Evan nodded to wash up the awkwardness sitting on him so he went out without hesitation. Now, the previous father and son-in-law faced each other. Kevin took a deep sigh, debating whether he should tell his story and his regrets about it.

“I’m sure you knew that me and Linda saved you from the accident. Linda is an amazing person, she was my first girlfriend, so I had my attachments to her even after I got married”, Jackson looked at him in confusion, as if he had heard something off. Kevin merely smiled in return, “I admired Linda for almost three years, and before college ended, I confessed to her. In short, we got into a relationship. I truly loved her. However, as our arguments became frequent, we resolved to break up. I was heartbroken and assumed I wouldn’t love someone else the same I did to Linda.”

Jackson, unlike Kevin’s expectation, remained silent and listened thoroughly.

Hence, Kevin resumed. “Then, I met Wendy only after two years of our breakup. At first, I was wondering if my feelings were genuine, and when I had confirmed it was, I took her seriously then we got married. During our love, we had Airina and Evan but then… while we raised them up, I met Linda once again. She was gorgeous and that was when my life took a dark turn of events. I got entangled with her more often and even had affairs that Wendy didn’t know about. As our relationship came to a ruin, we decided to divorce, and Linda and I went back as we were. We even remarried, and a few months after, we had Nicole.”

Jackson was surprised since he had never known that Airina had an initial experience of a cheating issue regarding her father. Was it why she was crying last night?

“I didn’t tell you this for you to mock me, but you know I regret my decision a lot. I dated Wendy with marriage in mind, but I cheated on her, had affairs with someone else, and remarried without thinking what she felt. It felt terrible and it didn’t take long for me to realize that what I did was outright wrong.”

Jackson carefully asked, “Your previous wife, how is she now?”

Kevin worriedly sighed, “Better… better than when she was with me. It took a toll on me that the woman I divorced was the right woman for me, but it was too late since I had already left her.”

Jackson looked at his intertwined hands, frowning. “What do you want to say to me, Sir?”

Kevin dejectedly smiled at her. Through his eyes conveyed that he was serious and was advising him not to make the same mistake.

“I am older than you but we’re the same foolish men. Jackson, you were my son-in-law. But you decided to cheat on my daughter for my other daughter. Don’t you feel guilty and sad about it?”

“I…”

Kevin placed his hand over Jackson’s. “Leave my Airina alone.”

“P-pardon?”

“What you feel now is nothing but guilt and not true affection.”

“But I…” he defended, but Kevin shook his head. Kevin wasn’t like this before. While they were discussing the marriage between the two families, he was the most enthusiastic about it. He always had wide grins on his face – evident that he was happy and proud that he had granted Airina’s wish.

Until her heart was broken.

Kevin let go of his hand and closed his eyes, saying.

“I granted her wish of marrying you but that decision left her heartbroken so I should also be the one to stop this since I wouldn’t give you my blessing for the second time.”

Jackson rose from sitting, “But, Sir, I… I… Airina is different. From what you have said, I found out that I… I have been missing her-”

“Jackson… I want my daughter to be happy again. If you constantly show up in front of her, would that make her happier? I bet her hatred had increased over the time she saw your face”, he opened his eyes, “Airina is the gift between me and her mother, I wouldn’t afford it if her heart breaks again.”

“… Please just give me one more time.”

Kevin slightly smirked, “I’ve given Airina to you once, and I won’t do it for the second time.”

“Sir, I-”

“Please leave us here. Linda and Nicole will come so seeing your face might make this situation worse. Thank you for the concern, I will place it in my heart and won’t forget about your small kindness.”

Jackson wanted to say more but Kevin’s persistence prevented him from doing so.

***

Airina blinked his eyes at Jackson who scratched his cheek awkwardly. He looked into her eyes and wore a smile. He wanted to bid farewell to her despite she didn’t want to.

“… I’m sorry for everything I put you through.”

Bewildered, she asked, “You recognized that only now?”

Jackson smirked, “Maybe your father actually hit me with his words.”

“Papa… he did what he should have done.” Airina sadly looked back to her father’s room and smiled at Jackson. “If ever, thank you for staying with me last night. That much was enough to repay your so-called debt. I prefer if I wouldn’t see you again.”

Jackson looked at her hands, “Can I… hold your hand?”

“Pardon me but I am not someone you can touch whenever you want.”

He gritted his teeth and ran his hand through his hair in frustration. He hadn’t done anything correct ever since he had seen Airina at that Founding Anniversary. Just why can’t he do something small like this? Was he really stupid all along or did he never realize that what he did was just right at that impulse of time?

Jackson lifted his chin, thinking of everything he had gone through with Airina. But there was nothing that stood out other than when she said she hated him and she didn’t want to see him again. Maybe giving her that wish would make her happier.

“… I’m sorry.”

“Ok.” she nodded her head.

“Do you forgive me?”

“No.”

“… I see”, he exhaled, “I understand…”

And just like that, he turned away from her and approached the car he used to come here last night. On the other hand, Airina shrugged her shoulders as though what she had gone through was nothing. When she returned to her father’s room, she was reminded of the care he had in his eyes.

No, she can’t keep thinking about him lest her life would turn out similarly. If he was a good man, she would have known it but he was never. He had never shown that kind of thoughtfulness and care before – it was probably his façade he was trying hard to cover up.

Indeed, everything needs time.