All Chapters of The CEO's Forbidden Wife: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

88 Chapters

Chapter 21: The Words Meant for You

When the meeting adjourned, the board members stood, gathering their folders and exchanging polite farewells. Kathalina rose gracefully, tucking her papers neatly into her bag. Thirdie stood at the same time.Fate or perhaps cruel design pulled them toward the same direction.Thirdie’s voice cut through the lingering chatter of the conference room.“Come to my office. We need to talk.”Kathalina froze, weighing the request. For a heartbeat, she thought of refusing. But reality was sharper, there was no point in running if they were bound to work together. Sooner or later, she would have to face him.Her gaze slid to Attorney Jun. Calm, steady. “Go on ahead without me. I’ll follow later.”Attorney Jun’s brows drew together, his sharp eyes flicking toward Thirdie before settling back on her. The silence stretched before he finally gave a short nod.“Alright. I’ll wait downstairs.” With that, he gathered his files and left the room, though not without one last lingering look at Thirdie.

Chapter 22: The Road to Baguio

The sharp, continuous knock jolted Kathalina out of her sleep. Groggy and annoyed, she rolled over, squinting at the red glow of the wall clock. Three in the morning. Who in the world would dare disturb her at this ungodly hour?Dragging her feet, she shuffled toward the door and pulled it open.Jeff stood there, sheepish but smiling, while beside him expression carved in stone was Thirdie.Her irritation deepened. “Seriously? It’s three a.m.!”Thirdie didn’t even bother greeting her. He brushed past her and made himself at home on the living room couch. Jeff followed quietly, clearly used to his boss’s coldness.Kathalina rubbed her eyes, still half-asleep.“Why are you two in my room this early?”Thirdie’s answer was blunt. “We’re leaving now. Better to be on the road before the traffic catches us.”“Leaving?” she echoed, confused.Jeff stepped in gently, trying to soften the tension.“To Baguio, remember?”Kathalina blinked, realization dawning. The trip. Of course. She sighed, wi

Chapter 23: Homecoming at the Farm

“Kathalina,” she said quietly, stepping forward. “I didn’t expect… I’m glad you’re here.”Kathalina smiled warmly and hugged her. “I’m finally here, Nana Maring. I’ve always wanted to see this place… and I missed you.”Nana Maring nodded, her expression calm but pleased.“It’s good to have you,” Nana Maring said softly, her voice carrying a quiet weight. She looked at Kathalina for a long moment, her eyes gentle but tinged with sadness, as if she were seeing her mother all over again. “You’ll see… this farm has been my life since your mother passed.”She paused, taking a slow breath, her hands tightening slightly. “I’ve tried to keep it going… for her, and now, for you.”Kathalina felt a pang in her chest hearing this. Her mother’s absence, Nana Maring’s long struggle, it all hit her at once. She swallowed hard and forced a small smile.“I know… I can feel how much you’ve cared for this place, Nana Maring. Thank you for everything.”“I’ve watched over this place all these years, hopin

Chapter 24: First Day in the Fields

Before noon, the ringing call of Nana Maring carried across the wide fields.“Hey, everyone! Come now, it’s time to eat. Bring your families too…...the food is ready under the big trees!”At once, the farmers set down their tools and called for their children. Mothers brushed dirt from their skirts as they carried baskets. Fathers lifted their little ones onto their shoulders, laughter mixing with the clatter of voices. The air smelled of grilled fish, steaming rice, and ripe fruits. Under the shade of giant trees, long wooden tables stood ready, heavy with plates of vegetables and fresh harvest.The sun shone brightly, though it was softened by the cool breeze drifting from the hills. It was Kathalina’s first visit to the farm her mother owned, and as she walked down the path, her dress swayed gently. The chatter stilled. One by one, the farmers turned to look at her, and soon, smiles bloomed across their tired faces.“Good noon, Madam Kathalina!” they chorused.“Good noon,” she retu

Chapter 25: Unbroken Ties

A ripple of laughter spread among the farmers, good-natured and teasing. Kathalina lowered her gaze to hide her embarrassment, wishing the ground would swallow her whole.Beside her, Thridie didn’t laugh, didn’t even flinch. He only lowered his eyes for a moment, the corner of his mouth tightening, as though holding back words he wouldn’t allow himself to say. Without missing a beat, he continued passing out the envelopes, his voice was steady as he thanked each farmer in turn as if the question had never been asked.It wasn’t until a small boy tugged at his sleeve that he paused. The child tilted his head curiously and asked in all innocence,“If you’re not Madam’s husband……are you her boyfriend then?”A few chuckles rose from the crowd. Thridie crouched down to meet the boy’s small height, his expression softening. He shook his head gently.“No, little one. I’m not her boyfriend.”The boy’s face fell in disappointment.“But… why not? You two match each other.”Thridie’s lips curved f

Chapter 26: Roots Beneath the Soil

The sincerity in his tone caught her off guard. She lowered her gaze, lashes veiling her eyes, and quietly slipped into her room. The wooden door closed softly behind her, but her chest still stirred with unsteady rhythm. A moment later, she heard another door across the hallway open and then shut again with a muted thud.Now only a wall stood between them, thin enough that if Kathalina pressed her ear against it, she might have caught the faint sound of his breathing or perhaps nothing but silence. Thridie had always carried silence with him, not empty but heavy, like a stone settled in a river.Kathalina sat on the edge of her bed, her hands pressed tightly in her lap. Her gaze wandered up to the wooden ceiling. Sleep should have been easy, her body was tired from walking the farm all afternoon, yet her mind refused to rest.It was strange. Unnerving, even.Thridie had once been cold. Distant. A man of few words and fewer gestures, so unreachable she had convinced herself long ago s

Chapter 27: Between Silence and Sunset

The sun was already lowering, its golden light spilling over the rows of fields as Kathalina and Thirdie started their walk back to the villa. The air smelled of fresh soil and strawberries. Behind them, Jeff had stayed at the strawberry farm, laughing with the farmers as he promised to bring some baskets back with him when they returned to the city.Thirdie walked quietly beside Kathalina, his hands tucked into his pockets, his gaze occasionally dropping to the path but always drifting back to her when she wasn’t looking. The sky above them was painted with hues of orange and pink, and the breeze carried a soft chill that made the moment feel delicate, like it could shatter if someone spoke too loudly.They passed farmers still bent over their work, and Kathalina greeted them with a warm smile, waving occasionally. Thirdie gave polite nods, his usual stoic aura softening in her presence. Every so often, their shoulders brushed lightly as they walked close together on the narrow path.

Chapter 28: No Matter What It Takes

Kathalina's breath hitched, her chest tightening as his words sank into her. For so long, she had convinced herself that he had never loved her.... that all those cold silences, all those lonely nights, were proof that she had been nothing to him. And now... he stood before her, confessing everything she had once begged to hear.Her eyes stung with unshed tears. She shook her head, her voice unsteadily, almost breaking."How... how can you be so sure, Thirdie?" she whispered. "How can you say you'll stay by my side now, after everything? You thought I'd moved on, that I was still single, and you left me with nothing but questions and pain. How do I know you won't walk away again?"The words trembled out of her, sharp and fragile at once. She hugged her arms around herself, as if to shield the storm inside her.Inside, though, her thoughts whispered what her lips could not I never moved on. I never loved anyone else. I'm still alone. Still waiting, even when I swore I wouldn't.Her eye

Chapter 29: Unraveled Thoughts

When they entered the villa, the tension between them didn’t fade. If anything, it thickened like heavy air pressing down on both of them. Neither spoke at first. Kathalina walked into the living room and sat down, trying to keep her face calm. Thirdie followed quietly, his eyes on her, but he didn’t sit too close.For a moment, silence stretched between them just the ticking of the old clock on the wall and the faint hum of the evening outside.Then Nana Maring passed by, her warm smile breaking the stillness.“How was the tour to the farm, Kathalina?” she asked kindly.Kathalina forced a small smile, her voice steady though her heart was still restless.“It was okay, Nana. The farmers were so kind and welcoming. I also paid the bills for the fertilizer and the workers’ salaries. I’ll settle the tax for the farm tomorrow.”Before Nana could reply, Thirdie’s deep voice cut in. “No need. I already asked Finn to handle it as soon as possible.”Kathalina turned her head slightly, surpris

Chapter 30: The Key from the Past

Kathalina rolled onto her side, hugging the pillow tightly against her chest as though it could protect her from the storm of emotions swirling inside. Her heart was restless. Thirdie’s words from earlier kept echoing, pulling her between anger, confusion, and a longing she hated to admit.After a while, she sat up with a sigh. I need to clear my head. She dragged herself to the bathroom and turned on the shower. The warm water cascaded down her skin, soothing her body but not her thoughts. She pressed her palms against the cold tiles and closed her eyes.When she stepped out of the bath, drying her hair with a towel, she heard a voice from outside her room.“Kath… are you asleep?”Thirdie.Her heart skipped, and for a second, she thought of staying quiet, pretending she was sleeping. She didn’t want to face him. Not yet. But she also knew she couldn’t keep running from this. With a deep breath, she opened the door.Thirdie was standing there, tall and composed, but his eyes searched

1 2 3 4 5 6

...

SCAN CODE TO READ ON APP