The CEO’S Orphan Wife

He was even more determined to visit the island due to my behavior. Perhaps he genuinely believed I had a suitor or a boyfriend there. He had persistently questioned me about my suitor from that island, and even this early in the morning, he was getting on my nerves.

“Can’t you hear yourself? And please, stop talking nonsense in front of my child.”

“Nonsense? And she’s my child too.”

I sighed heavily and closed my eyes, thoroughly irritated and annoyed.

“Who are you hiding there? I know when you are lying, Myla.”

“There’s none! Tsk!” I got off the bed and went to the bathroom to pee and brush my teeth, but he followed right away.

“Ivan!”

He grinned, crossing his arms over his chest as he leaned against the door. Glancing at Heather, who was seated on the carpet, engrossed in the toys and gifts her daddy had given her, she appeared to be in her own world, oblivious to our conversation.

“I need to use the bathroom,” I announced, shooting him a glare. He simply turned around but didn’t budge from the door.

After completing my bathroom routine, which included washing my face and brushing my teeth, I noticed that Ivan’s food order had arrived. He was busy setting the table, and Heather joined in, expressing her hunger with enthusiasm.

“I apologize; your mommy woke up late,” I muttered.

Heather smiled. “It’s okay, mommy.”

We started eating, and since Ivan had ordered a substantial amount of food, and I was also famished, I didn’t hold back. After finishing, Ivan efficiently arranged our dining things, placing them back on the tray by the door, and then called for the staff to clean up.

Heather and I decided to bathe first, and after we were done, it was Ivan’s time. While I was styling our daughter’s hair, he appeared in board shorts, bare-chested.

“Wow! Look at Daddy, Mommy! He’s got abs!” Heather’s compliment was adorable as if she greatly admired her father. There was excitement in her voice and face as she looked at his abs.

Ivan chuckled, seemingly pleased with his daughter’s praise. After regaining his composure, he smirked.

“You’re so handsome, Daddy!”

Ivan laughed.

“Of course, baby. That’s why your mommy fell for me,” he grinned.

I cleared my throat and raised an eyebrow.

“You’re quite the macho man too,” she added.Belonging © NôvelDram/a.Org.

I couldn’t help but roll my eyes at Heather’s incessant praise for her father, who seemed thoroughly pleased with himself.

“That’s why your mommy is head over heels for me,” he said, grinning and redirecting his gaze toward me. Sensing my irritation, he continued, “Back then.”

“Huh?” Heather looked at me innocently. “Why back then?”

“Come on, baby. Let’s step outside for a bit,” he suggested, attempting to shift the conversation.

“I want to go swimming, Daddy.”

“It’s still hot, baby. Let’s do it in the afternoon.”

“Can we build a castle? I want to construct the prince’s castle from the Cinderella movie.”

“Okay,” he agreed, glancing out the window, searching for a spot that could still be shielded from the sun where they could set up.

“Are you not joining us?” he inquired, glancing at my phone on the side. I frowned in confusion, but as I understood his motives, I gave him a displeased glance.

Why does it seem as if everything has been flipped on its head? Why does it appear that he’s unexpectedly wary of me?

I got up from the bed, wearing a racerback tank top and shorts, choosing not to change outfits. Instead of using my own sunscreen, I decided to borrow some from him. I first applied it to Heather’s skin and then to mine.

“Daddy too, Mommy! Daddy, you need to use sunscreen to protect your skin from the sun’s rays.”

“Oh, okay…” he grinned.

“Mommy, put some on Daddy too.”

A frown crept across my face. Was my daughter giving me orders now? Had her anger towards him dissipated?

Ivan came closer, seemingly expecting me to follow through with our child’s request. I passed him the sunscreen, and he reacted with a pout like a child. Eventually, a smile spread across his face, and he gently squeezed my arm.

“What?” I looked at him in annoyance. He shook his head and smiled. Perhaps he’s going a bit crazy!

***

“Why did you need to bring your phone?”

Is there a restriction against it?

He sighed, irritation clearly etched on his face.

“Why are you keeping tabs on my actions?” I inquired, a hint of annoyance in my tone that I struggled to contain.

“Alright, but can you set it aside for now? We won’t be outdoors for long.”

“I just wanted to capture some moments with Heather. Is that a problem?”

“Oh…” He nodded. What was he thinking?

I collected seashells while they, father and daughter, constructed a sandcastle. My daughter had given me explicit instructions to pick shells. While their ongoing argument, Heather’s voice carried even to where I stood.

“Not like that, Daddy! The castle in the movie has a big door!”

“Okay, sorry…” Ivan conceded, sitting down as he became the subject of our child’s critiques, prompting a shake of my head.

I came back to help them finish constructing the castle amidst the blistering sun. The urge to seek shelter in the villa was palpable. Our goal was simply to complete the task, enticing Heather to come inside.

As we applied the final touches to the sandcastle, I captured multiple shots with my camera.

“Ready to go?” I invited my daughter, who was captivated by the castle.

“Mommy, let’s write something in the sand. Beside our castle.”

“Hmm… What are we going to write?”

“I love my family!” she exclaimed. Ivan and I exchanged glances.

“Daddy, write in the sand!”

“Okay. I. Love. My. Family.”

“I love my family too,” Ivan murmured. “I love you and your mom.”

His gaze softened as it met mine. I bit my lip as if a warm hand had gently touched my heart. The corners of my eyes warmed, prompting me to look away.

I resumed taking more pictures, including solo shots that Heather captured. There are also photos of me with her daddy since she desired images to adorn our wall.

***

We showered and had lunch before Heather settled in for her afternoon nap. I sat on the sofa, my laptop beside me, and Ivan joined me.

“Are you not going to take a nap?” I inquired. He shook his head.

“I can’t sleep because I’m so happy.”

“Oh… I thought you couldn’t sleep because you were thinking about…” I paused, deciding not to finish my sentence. It seemed too bitter.

“You have no reason to be jealous, Myla. Whatever existed between Maureen and me was long over.”

“What happened?” I inquired, peering into his eyes. “I thought you were going to break up with me, as you mentioned earlier.”

He shook his head. “I thought you wanted to break up with me so I could marry her back then.”

“Two days before the incident, my mind was preoccupied. Throughout the workday, thoughts of you consumed me. At first, I resisted acknowledging it, convincing myself it was mere confusion. Despite my mistreatment of you, you remained kind to me. ”

His eyes welled with tears. “I’ve harbored feelings for you for quite some time. My emotions were overshadowed by my anger, and…”

“Due to your love for Maureen at that time?”

He gasped.

“I didn’t seek you out. Even though it pained me when you left, I refrained from searching for you. Since your parents’ passing, you’ve been confined in our world. In our family. I want you to pursue your desires, to explore the world-whether it’s without us or away from us. But had I only known that you were carrying my child, I would have crossed the sea just to be with you.”

We both lapsed into silence, gazing at our peacefully sleeping child.

“That night… I wasn’t the one who kissed Maureen.”

“But you allowed her…” I asked with a weakened voice.

“I wanted to understand something. But all I felt was disgust and guilt. Guilt because I let another woman’s lips touch mine instead of my wife’s. I’m sorry for kissing her.”

I managed to put on a gentle smile. “For that… I forgive you.”

“Does that mean you can’t forgive my other mistake?” he inquired, a touch of sadness in his tone.

I shook my head, struggling to contain a smile. “You had a phone s(e)x with her?”

I no longer dwell on that. I refuse to be superficial. During that time, Maureen was the one he loved. I was just a woman who seemed to take away his freedom. He didn’t love me, and there was nothing between us back then.

“I-I’m s-sorry,” he stammered with a broken voice, guilt evident in his tone.

I smiled. “I’ve forgiven you for that.”

“Really?”

“Yes. I had forgiven you even before we met.”

“But why does it seem like you’re still very angry with me?”

“I’ve forgiven you, but I haven’t forgotten, Ivan. And who wouldn’t be angry? You didn’t annul our marriage!”

“I love you. Why would I consider annulling our marriage?”

“What was it, we’re separated and yet still connected to each other?”

“I’ll look for you. I intended to search for you and come to you.”

We shared a few moments of silence. I reclined, nearly drifting into sleep when Ivan placed his hand on top of my thigh.

“I love you so much, Myla.”

“I don’t know, Ivan. I’m not even sure when I’ll fully accept you, but okay, I’ll give you a chance because it seems I have no other option. ”

He chuckled.

“File a restraining order against Maureen. I don’t want her coming near you anymore,” I instructed.

“Okay. I’ll file it. She can’t go near my family… to our family ever again.”

***

In the afternoon, the three of us went swimming. Heather grew tired and fell asleep early in the evening without having dinner. Ivan, unable to resist his drowsiness, joined her on the bed. I worked for two hours before deciding to go to the house to retrieve some items.

As I strolled along the shore, the sea’s calm and peaceful demeanor helped soothe my emotions. However, this tranquility was disrupted by the arrival of a small vessel, presumably carrying guests for the resort.

Approaching the end where Rachelle’s house was situated, another vessel arrived. Initially planning to ignore it, I heard footsteps behind me, prompting me to turn around. It was then that I noticed the occupants of the first vessel were not tourists but men. With no security in this area, I had no one to turn to for help. I attempted to run, but they caught up with me.

“Aaa-Hmmmmm!” My mouth was swiftly covered. After a few moments of struggling, I began to sense the darkness enveloping my surroundings.

***

In a room with a lone window, I woke up to the disconcerting realization that my hands and feet were tightly bound. Confined to an office chair, I couldn’t move. Several men occupied seats beside me.

“Mmmm!” My mouth was sealed with tape. As the surroundings shifted, the realization dawned on me – we weren’t on solid ground. We were at sea! Questions flooded my mind. Who are they? Where are they taking me? What do they want from me?

Attempting to free my hands proved futile, resulting only in pain. The distant hum of a machine reached my ears but eventually subsided. One of the men fetched an additional chair and positioned it before me.

Ten minutes later, the door creaked open, and my gaze instinctively shifted in that direction. Recognition struck me as a woman entered.

Maureen!

Now the reason for my captivity became clear. She appeared desperate. Grinning, she uttered, “Don’t be sad. Someone came here to see you.”

Ivan walked in, a gun aimed at him, and visible bruises on his face. “Myla!”

Maureen rolled her eyes. “Don’t worry, I didn’t hurt her.”

They seated Ivan on the chair opposite me. They secured his feet, and his hands were tied behind his back.

“Ah!” I hissed as Maureen removed the tape from my mouth.

“Maureen, what is this again?!” My chest heaved as I shouted at her.

She chuckled. “Because you’re once again stirring up trouble in my life with Ivan, I want to silence you for good. Don’t worry, I’ve pledged to be a good mother to your child. Also, I will take care of Ivan, my soon-to-be husband.”

I gave her a piercing glare. In response, she swiftly slapped me on both sides, delivering more slaps and even pulling my hair.

Ivan had been shouting in anger, but he was helpless due to being tied up.

“Stop it, Maureen! Please, stop it!”

Maureen was panting. She wiped her hand, which had a slight bloodstain. My lips were split, my cheeks stung, and I felt blood on them too.

“Hmmm. I have a great idea!”

She grinned, casting a glance at Ivan before shifting her focus back to me.

“Before I could finally kill you, I’ll give you a little entertainment first.”

I didn’t know what she had planned, but I felt uneasy. Despite being tightly bound, Ivan struggled in vain.

Maureen directed the two men to hold Ivan by the shoulders. I couldn’t fathom what the woman had in mind, but I was certain I wouldn’t like it.

“Sit back, relax, and enjoy!” She laughed loudly. As she shifted to a more serious demeanor, her focus became fixed on Ivan’s body.

Simultaneously, my husband and I widened our eyes.

“Maureen!” Ivan sternly protested, trying to shift away from Maureen, who knelt in front of him. However, Ivan was held by the two men while his feet were tied, as he struggled.

Maureen unbuttoned the khaki shorts Ivan was wearing, and my tears began to flow. I couldn’t bear to watch this. I’d rather be killed than endure it.

Ivan continued cursing incessantly. His body attempted to evade, but he was helpless, his zipper down.

He cried, “Myla, I love you. I’m sorry.”

“How dare you?!” Maureen shouted. When Ivan resisted, she ordered her men to punch him in the face.

They forced my husband to stand so Maureen could pull down his shorts and briefs completely.

I screamed, cried, and struggled, but I couldn’t do anything. I felt embarrassed, pleading, and seemingly anxious as Ivan looked at me.

Maureen grasped his manhood, kneading it, moving it up and down.

“Your husband can’t resist me. He said that I’m really, really good in bed.”

“Stop it, Maureen!” Ivan shouted in frustration. I could sense his exasperation with the woman, but Maureen seemed unfazed by it.

“Don’t be mad. I’ll make it good.”

“Damn it!” Ivan glared at her in disgust as the woman persisted in toying with his hardness.

I was panting heavily, my chest throbbing with pain, tears streaming down my face. I couldn’t bring myself to watch.

God, please, send us assistance. Rachelle, help us.