Clifford noticed Ingrid"s eyes struggling just to keep her pace. Without his wife"s notice, Clifford scooped her up and carried her in his arms. She screamed and her heart raced. The people who saw Clifford"s act went speechless and some shriek out of giddiness.Ingrid squeezed in her face to her husband"s chest and immediately dozes off. Snoring. To which Clifford is left amuse and then he laughs, kissing his wife"s hair. He asked for a.s.sistance to open their suite and immediately dismissed the staff.
He gently placed her on the bed, took off her sandals, rubs her legs and feet with a damp cloth to wipe off dusts. He tucked her in, stared at her peaceful sleeping state. He smiled when he noticed that she"s wearing the bracelet he gave her.
Then, his phone suddenly rings. John Howard is calling.
"Yes, father…"
"Where"s Ingrid?" Clifford then glanced at his wife.
"Uhh, she"s sleeping soundly as of the moment, sir."
"Is that so? Okay, come down to my office, son, I want to discuss something with you before I tell it to your wife." Clifford"s brow knitted.
"Ok, sir, I"ll be there in a bit after I secure the suite."
"Sure, I"ll wait." The call ended. Clifford feels heavy leaving his wife sleeping alone so he decided to be back immediately after they talk.
True to his word, he checked every corner of the suite and when he"s satisfied he silently closed the door and again made sure that it is locked. He looked for CCTV cameras and sighed in relief when he saw three of it and the other one is hidden.
He confidently walked out and went straight to his father-in-law"s office. He knocked at the door before he opened it.
John Howard was leaning on his chair when he entered. His expression looked serious and it seems like he"s thinking deeply.
"Father…" he called John"s attention.
"Oh… come, sit down, son…"
Upon sitting, Clifford heard a deep sigh coming from the old man that seems odd for him since the opening of the resort is way better than expected. Everyone loved it and had some of the guests booked in advance.
"Father, is there something wrong?" his gaze glued to the old man"s face, checking out for something.
The old man shifted his body; both his arms leaned on the wood table and rubbed his face then his lips before he spoke. He looked so bothered and preoccupied over something which weighing and wearying him down.
"Clifford, what I"m going to tell you may be one of the crucial decisions you must do in your life." The young man is surprise at John"s opening words.
Clifford gulped when suddenly a thought hit him. "I"m listening, sir."
It took several seconds before John continued talking while Clifford could already hear the loud thumping of his heart which vibrates to his ears.
"Do you still remember what my daughter and I agreed before we do the DNA test?" Clifford paused and then he nodded. "…which I won and then eventually she married you, of her own free will." John smiled when he remembered it and reminisced how confident his daughter was at that time.
However, he could not afford to see that his only daughter will have no one to spend her lifetime. He won"t allow it, so he gambled and made an agreement with her.
Clifford also smiled at the thought of it. "I perfectly remember, that was the time that both of you shut me off."
Both men chuckled. Yet, the seriousness in John"s eyes persists.
"Clifford, I want to reveal a secret with you." The man again paused thinking how to start.
"My daughter has no idea that I was already planning to entrust all our business to her. I"ve fought hard with the elders just to get their permission–" Clifford interrupted
"So, did you lie to her all along?" Clifford narrowed his eyes. His heart beats erratically and he"s disheartened at just the thought of Ingrid separating with him.
"Nope. The elders just recently gave their permission to entrust the businesses to Ingrid. Just days after you and Ingrid were married. I contemplated if it"s right that I should give it to her but when I realized it isn"t, I withdraw my plan, but…" John shakes off his head.
"But what, father?" John stared hard and long to his son-in-law.
"But when I learned that you"ve met an accident I was almost tempted by my wife"s suggestion to get Ingrid and bring her back here and to make her stay here and her son by giving her what she has long been asking of me. However, when I saw how she loves you and seems like wouldn"t want to separate from you, I hesitated, again. I couldn"t bear give it to her when I foresee it to be the cause of your separation."
"Separation?" he frowned at the word.
"Yes, physical separation. She must stay here to manage the businesses. And if she so decides to do it, I"m afraid that she"ll be absent from your company, from your presence, and… from her wife"s duties. That is one of the reasons why I wanted her to marry Lance before. Regardless of I was thankful that it was you whom she married."
Clifford could not speak.