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...