CEO's Contract Marriage Worthy To Keep

★★Prologue★★

"I believe I have the mandate to behave whatever stupidly I like!" his eyes became larger as he yelled, "Are you going to control me against the damn truth?" Melinda disregarded his absurd outrage as she veered around to face him and laughed.

"No... Cody, you are free to behave as oddly you choose, but not in front of my clients!" she continued wiping the counter and muttered, "Let's talk about it in private, like two adult creatures..." She had long apprehended when his tantrum reached a breaking point during their relationship, particularly when he began to rake his fingers through his hair.

"If that daughter is my child, I am authorized to see her, spend time with her, provide for her, and most notably, be her father, you know that Mel... Even the law permits that precisely..." his voice quivered as he murmured. He shoved the front counter's bars while balling up his palms into fists.

"I'm sorry, Cody, I'm not allowed to answer that. Besides, I am entitled to custody of my daughter, whom I raised alone for over one and a half years. I at least don't fear people like you do! When you realized everything, do you recall how you flew out of the city?" she questioned, tears stinging her eyes. To prevent her tears from getting widespread among her clients, she wisely swept them away.

"I need you to tell me, Mel! It's a mess to hear something essential from others like rumours... Do you know I possess the... if that is undoubtedly my daughter? Trust me, if I'm the biological father, I should have known straight after you realized you were pregnant with my child!" he roared back, grabbing the diners' full attention.

"Mr. CEO, for now, you have no authority over my daughter. As soon as you disregarded me and fled the city, your rights vanished along with you! Have I not just reminded you of that?" she muttered, unflinchingly, trying to divert the engagement of her clients, "How was I supposed to let you know I was pregnant when you cowardly feared the obligations?"

★★One and a half years earlier★★

Chapter 1. The CEO's Hatred!

It was damn frigid when Cody came home from his grazing grounds. He pursued his mind disturbing sheep that had dispersed over the ranch. Chicago was always frosty at this time of year in the winter. His cheeks were icy–telling the anecdote of the chill breeze. The fact that three lambs perished during one night due to the cold didn't stun him, as it did when he was fresh to grazing.

That it would be below zero this winter was not something that anyone had anticipated. For the most part, Cody's body was unlively due to numbness. The world was blanketed with snow, which made it distasteful and illogical, especially to solitary guys like him.

The more he cherished the coldness, the more others lamented it. It held immense significance for him. His frozen brain cells guaranteed that his mind was always occupied on the farm. It also made him numb to not be able to mind the anguish he had tolerated back home. His home was something he could never recall!

What transpired at home? For what substantial intention could a proficient CEO flee to another country? Never, the anguish within him elucidated that dwelling with his family wasn't satisfactory!

It seems he would rather not deem his ludicrous enthusiast, Melinda Horton, back in Chicago. He could feel her when he gave attention to her name or thought of her. Memories of how she had betrayed him with his best confidante–Brian, always awakened his frozen grief.

Years had passed before he could finally let go of her picture being embraced in Brian's chest. His heart broke again as he thought about her, a cloud of dreadful memories hunting him down.

After his herd had been safely herded up for the night with the subsidy of another cowboy, he made his way to his small–cabin like hut. Although the dust accepted its place on the earth, it was unable to cease the despair he went through in this cruel world.

Cody had implored his boss to let him reside in the small cabin next to the animals to keep himself from having more confrontations with humans–as though he was a wild animal. Reasonably he contended that in the cabin, he was closer to his obligation-the livestock and would take care of them at night. He would periodically assert that if the livestock were not patrolled, they could be raided by crooks. Bandit that never existed! Perhaps, he cherished being by himself!

It wasn't a leisurely preference for a well-known man like him back in Chicago city to perish in loneliness! The uneasy loneliness made him ponder of how women in the city were tempted to his good–looking impression–making him a famed flirt. He had made a self-promised ambition to keep away the agonizing women and their hypocritical love. Cody approximated every gorgeous woman to the guile Melinda every time one approached him. His heart wasn't ready to undergo another heartbreak!

Dr. Treethorn-Cody's supervisor, was always there to lend him support. Working on his father's farms from an early age, he was not as obnoxious as his peers. In terms of his work, he was highly impressed by his diligent characteristics. Before hiring him for his farm, he was widely regarded as the greatest CEO of all time for his astute management of his father's enormously successful enterprises in the city.

"He nourished everything he touched," they praised him. He had never made a phone call home and had no intention of doing so after being forced to flee his beloved fatherland. He'd asked his supervisor to never give out his contact information, so he wouldn't have to deal with anything family related.

Between them, there was an agreement that his phone number would be private and be used exclusively in the event of an emergency at work. They appreciated one other-which kept things moving forward. Treethorn invited him to join him for dinner, which he hardly heeded most of the time, especially when he was exhausted from being around people.

He could feel the snow on his coat, which was beginning to melt, as he stepped inside the little space. Gathering firewood and hiding inside his fictitious shelter was the best he could do. The cold numbness on his toes could tell him that his boots had not been fortunate enough to avoid the snow stones. After slamming his door shut behind him, he could hardly feel his toes. He braced himself, his fists shaking violently.

For minutes that he couldn't even count, Cody stood in front to enjoy the flames. Thankfully, his body's ice melted, revealing his warm, cosy interior. He had horrific memories and agony during his time there, which sadly could not be obliterated by fire.

A letter was laying on a tiny table next to his bed as his eyes drifted back to the memories he had generally regarded as, "Unworthy." His bed was too small to fit someone larger than him in the small, single, cabin-like room. A big piece of cake with a chocolate scent was next to the letters. Before the cake, his gaze was fixed on the letter. Opening the letter with his shaking fingers, he smiled brightly. He was certain that Jacinta Treethorn had dropped by again...

Ever since he started working for Treethorn, his seventeen-year-old daughter had harboured a secret admiration for him. He had the ideal experience with some stunning girls who were after his excellent looks, so it didn't surprise him. Thank heaven for her tremendous shyness.

Cody remembered seeing her in his room one summer night, snooping on him. She tried to bite her fingers in an attempt to make up for her faults; which made it the worst night of her life. She ran away before he could say anything further. Jacinta told herself not to drop when he was in his room because of that unforgettable episode. She would sometimes carefully drop by and leave him his favourite chocolate cake. To avoid getting into any more confrontations with him, she always made sure he wasn't around.

He snatched up his pocket little knife, sliced off a small bit, and devoured it, overwhelmed with joy. Its taste did not disappoint his expectations. Her recipes had always been his favourites, especially when it came to making black forest chocolate cakes.

"Dear, Cody... Being a part of your life brings me joy. I long to see you! Enjoy your favourite delicious cake!" he read the brief note, silently smiling broadly. She truly missed him, and Cody knew exactly what she meant to say.

His thoughts replayed the letter, emphasizing each word. Her shy eyes would not leave his face. Examining each letter she had left for him, a brown envelope that was lying between hers drew his attention. Upon close inspection, he was able to identify his brother's handwriting.

Cody was constantly afraid of letters from his family. Occasionally, he was concerned that something terrible could happen to one of his family members and force him to return home. Jordan–his brother, sent him a tonne of letters every week to keep him informed. When he stared at it, his unblinking eyes discerned this one was different from his normal greeting cards...

Chapter 2: The CEO's Haven!

He was not curious about anything from home and was adamantly against reciprocating there. He felt sorry for Jordan since he was so tenacious to get him back to where he belonged. Cody had vowed as a grown-up man with his values to never plunge into his traps. A week would not go by since Jordan's marriage without him penning rumours about his kin. His heart wounds were gradually getting better, and he thought more apparently about his fate.

Cody turned the letter over, his eyes growing more concerned about what might be within. He felt strangely overwhelmed as he opened the letter, ruining his intense appetite. Hurling the letter aside, he concentrated on the scrumptious slice first. He kept picking up big chunks of cake, smashing them, and gulping them down his craving oesophagus. Ecstatic with his sudden hunger solace, he collapsed onto the little rocker and focused on the letter. In the distance, his chilly feet delighted in the fire.

A feeling of icy water seeped into his stomach when he finally opened it. Grasping the package with quivering fingers, he tore it open. On his thighs, a tiny fragment of paper fell out of the envelope. It was unmistakable to him why he was being clumsy. He followed it with his fingers and pinched it in the direction of his scared eyes.

A tiny image of a charming toddler caught the apprehensive gaze. He understood exactly what the picture indicated because of the countless emails Jordan's wife, Kelly, had written to him about her pregnancy.

Ultimately, Jordan was to be a father of two. He believed that his excessive jealousy was wearing his nerves down. His thoughts would always return to his girlfriend's false promises whenever he encountered anything family-related. Melinda had made a vow to have children with him and have the most amazing family on the planet. The day she cheated on him with his best buddy was the day when all her vows became meaningless. Cody could see how Kelly's labour and delivery of their first child had caused his brother's defenceless anxiety to knock him down.

He closed his eyes, a crushing wave of humiliation and rage washing over him. He was so stung by Melinda's betrayal that he let tears stream down his icy cheeks. Cody pronounced a strong curse on her, his mood soured by his wrath. He was never able to let her go for good. It took more than just missing his unexciting sibling for him to succumb to pressure.

Kelly insisted on Cody's stubbornness every time he acted weird. Jordan's little child brought back memories of their first child, Dan, who loved going with him to the ranch back in the city. He pulled out his tiny toolbox from under his bed and put the toddler's picture inside.

Cody avoided looking at whatsoever that had to do with home. He looked at the photo again and grinned before shoving the toolbox back to its forgotten place-under his bed. Furthermore, he was most likely bidding farewell. Repeating the toddler's name written, "James" on the paper, he sounded like someone learning a valuable lesson to remember.

With a whisper, he read, "We can't wait to see you, big brother!" and shoved it out of his sight. He was used to turning down everyone's pleas to return home. If he could only realize that his blood was rendered with someone in the city, he could return with all his might to the place he hated!

The envelope made him remember the days when Jordan's wife used to gripe that his brother was too sensitive to hear her infant cry. The envelope made him remember the days when Jordan's wife used to gripe that his brother was too sensitive to hear her infant cry. He would occasionally cover his ears with pillows, especially at midnight, to keep Dani's quiet cries from disturbing him while he slept.

Cody had known since they were kids that his brother wasn't ready to be a father. Jordan detested having obligations or anything that disturbed his freedom. Cody eventually lost any comprehension of his older brother's marital prospects. Thank goodness Kelly always accepted him for who he was!

Jordan was persuaded that his brother would make up some absurd reason for not showing up, even though he had made such a tremendous endeavour to write to him. Even when his closest relatives extended invites to him, Cody hardly accepted them. Additionally, he had an almost nought number of friends. After his closest friend violated his confidence, he detested all of his buddies!

His heart hurt every time someone mentioned Chicago City. Even though he oversaw his father's business and lived a lavish lifestyle, he detested everything that pleased him. He felt like taking his life at times when he was angry with himself. For someone with so much triumph and leverage, it was not a comfortable choice. All the joy of life was lost from him because of the sorrow he had endured from a woman! He would rather eat dust than delicious meals in the company of the foolish Melinda.

Cody was vividly feeling the misery she caused now. Time heals all wounds, but in his case; it didn't work. He was in excruciating pain, and it got worse the more he thought about her. His heart was like newly opened wounds and pain kept recurring. He missed her sometimes, particularly on cold winter nights when he was unable to control himself. In his dream, he imagined himself caressing her silky, black hair. He was mostly able to smell her lovely perfumes, but when he awoke, he was in bed.

Just as it had been the day he finally left Chicago, lusty memories of her alluring figure were escorted by a harsh heart attack. Occasionally, he felt remorseful for not paying attention to her and inferred he was accountable for their sundering. He was! Perhaps, she would have turned against Brian and fallen in love with him. That would remain a dream if he hadn't declared his love for her.

Presumably, he could have counted her again if he had allowed her to explain herself. He was the fool! Now, they were exactly equal after he had behaved irresponsibly, and she had cheated. He could only focus on how content she was with her new marriage with Brian–his closest friend.

Cody did not even acknowledge what he was doing until his legs were almost on fire. Slapdash, he withdrew his legs from the fire, letting out a deep, sorrowful sigh. His firm decision to run from his family remained intact.

As he contemplated his options, a tense, pregnant quiet stretched between his introspections and emotions. "Never!" was his standard retort when it came to returning home. Cody's voice trailed off as his phone rang. He swiftly seized it, positive that it was for work.

Chapter 3: The CEO's Return

"Good day, Treethorn. Hey, what's popping, sir?" he greeted. Cody's greetings were voiced as part of his everyday ritual. He was very confident he sounded as formal as he could, being a man of few words. Treethorn hesitated and cleared his throat on the opposite side of the line. Cody's cake-filled belly tingled from his stillness.

There was something awry, as the pregnant reluctance implied. Treethorn was a trustworthy grown-up who was a father of three children. Heeding parenting his children, Cody esteemed his diligence and obligation. It was challenging for an elderly man like him to raise two daughters who were in the perilous adolescent stage. While Jacinta was only seventeen, Cody discreetly admired her.

Though neither one told anybody else about their sentiments, she was tempted by him, and he was seduced by her. When they first met, their eyes could tell they had something worthy. Jane, his firstborn–who never said anything while she was around him, was the one he feared.

"This weather is freezing, sir. The ranch is thriving fantastically, except for the three sheep we lost to the cold today..." he protested, "The other employees are doing..." His employer didn't appear to be paying attention to his work update. Why had he called if it wasn't for work?

"I didn't call for work, but thank you for your concern, Cody," he said, stuttering. Not for the job? His heart became curious as his mind raced. Shivers ran down his back as alarms triggered through his voice.

He said, presumably anticipating an answer about his boss's family, "Is everything alright or are the girls bothering you again?" The notion that one of his family members had suffered harm was unfathomable to him. He was in no mood to return home! Treethorn hesitated once more, sighing and shuddering in his voice.

"Naturally, everything is in the right place, Cody. The girls are very enthusiastic to see you. We would like to invite you to supper this evening. Aside from that, you received a call this morning from your brother's residence. It's inevitable and essential; your brother said, so you should call back," he said. His words of concern almost took him out.

"All right, my brother called...?" he questioned, in a ridiculous tone. Only his brother had received Cody's boss's phone number, and Cody had sworn to call through it in case of an inevitable emergency. The eagerly anticipated time appeared to have finally arrived. Based on his brother's confidence, Cody was absolute he couldn't call it without receiving some incredible, horrible news. His heart rate went up as he waited for his brother to deliver the dreadful news. Undoubtedly, the news was awful!

"Cody, reach out to your brother, as fast as feasible. He said he needed to talk to you instantly. In reality, he requested instantaneous feedback..." he emphasized more on Cody's thoughts by adding, "It would be wise if you used the mobile installed in your room to reach him..." Treethorn had to emphasize more for him to provide feedback. He was aware of Cody's hatred for his house and everything related to it; hence he could disregard, his brother's call.

Cody yelled, "Never!" He was bewildered as to why his supervisor appeared more curious about his relationships with his family. Not only that, but he never called home to greet them, despite Treethorn's constant insistence that he do so. Cody had never visualized that calling them would be as simple as writing to them. It was time for him to visit his home after a year and a half in exile. He was still on the phone, considering how pleasant his boss was to him. Everybody was eager to collaborate with him, especially when work was concerned. To honour his oath, his supervisor must have been incapable of keeping the call confidential.

"Boss, please excuse my brother's bother. I'll see you for supper shortly..." he apologized, yearning for the opportunity to visit his gorgeous daughter, Jessica. "Pass my greetings to your lovely daughters." To his feelings, her looks made sense. Like any other typical man with sentiments, he was enticed by women but was spooked to put more assurance in them. Once bitten twice shy!

"Cody, it's me who owes you an apology. I apologize for breaching my word to keep your contact information private. I hope the best for you, my brother..." Feeling remorse for not keeping his promise, he murmured, "Please let me know how I can help..." Despite being one of his employees, Treethorn preferred to refer to him as his brother.

"Treethorn, thanks." Thinking of the little photo from his brother, Cody Slapdash hung up. Although his eyes were unable to see it, his mind was able to vividly capture it from beneath his bed. Had Jordan's toddler or his wife Kelly suffered any harm? Or had Adams–his father, confronted any sort of tragedy? Heeding his brother's call over his boss's phone, he was at a loss for reasonable thoughts. Cody detested having to flee and subject his family to hardships because of a mere lady!

His mind cautioned him, "Stop the nasty thoughts and pick up your phone." When Cody could think no more, he coerced himself to recollect his brother's far-forgotten phone number and punched it in. He felt a thin layer of sweat build on his forehead.

It was complicated for him to accept that a single call would obliterate the long-standing obstacle he had built between himself and his family. His brother answered the phone before it rang again. His tone was one of weariness and anxiety.

"Hey, brother? How have you been?" He inquired, his remorse more apparent in his quivering tone.

"Hi there, big brother! Thank heaven for your response this time. I was concerned that you wouldn't call home. We're all fantastic here..." he replied in a sardonic voice. Cody sensed there was something dreadful lurking beneath his words. Jordan was always a calm man, and the only thing that could tremble his voice was horrendous news.

"Is everything in order?" With a tone reminiscent of Treethorn, Cody inquired. Jordan held back, clearing his throat. He appeared to be disturbed about what he should say. Resuming his seat in his little rocker, Cody settled down to attend to the worst. When their last child passed away in a horrific ranch accident, it was the last time he had heard his brother's voice waver. According to the reports, after a fire reduced him to ashes, they had nothing to gather for his funeral.

"I apologize, brother. I'm sorry you have to attend to this one. Indeed, dreadful news..." Jordan exclaimed, tears welling up in his puffy eyes, "It's bad, bad news..." In his mind, his father could have passed away!