Silly Bride

Chapter 171

his granddaughter.”Winnie hummed in response. “Be quick but not rash.”The moment she finished speaking, Xavier got up and walked over to her.Without saying anything, he pulled her to him and gave her a passionate kiss.Winnie could barely breathe. “Please add some sugar to your coffee next time. It’s so bitter! Wait, why are you still drinking coffee when you haven’t slept the entire night?”Xavier stroked her chin, staring at her with a deep gaze. “I’m used to it.”“No, this won’t do. You’ve got to reduce your consumption these days.”As a person who believed actions spoke louder than words, Winnie immediately picked up the receiver of the landline and dialed the secretary’s number.Her tone was authoritative. “Do not give Mr. Fairchild any form of coffee in the future. Sodas will do.”Since the wife of the CEO had given her orders, the secretary quickly accepted the order and informed the other secretaries, regardless of whether or not the CEO himself had agreed to it.While Winnie was giving out the order, Xavier sat beside her and stared at her. He even frowned slightly.Soon, she put down the receiver and poked his eyebrow.“What is it? Do you have any objections? They’ll be rejected even if you have any!” she voiced.Xavier chuckled and grabbed Winnie’s hand.Smirking, he teased, “Do you really want to have me to yourself so badly? So much so that you won’t even let the secretaries in? Should I replace all the female secretaries with men, then?”Winnie was left baffled. She took a deep breath and retorted, “I’m telling them not to bring in any coffee, not forbidding them from coming inside here!”Sometimes, he makes me wonder if he’s become a fool.Amid the silence, a knock sounded on the door.“Come in,” Xavier uttered casually but did not let go of Winnie’s hand.Instead, he requested, “Wrap your other arm around my waist.”Winnie was flummoxed.“Hurry up. Don’t make me repeat myself.”Fine. Given no choice, Winnie spread out her other arm and wrapped it around his waist.As soon as that was done, a female secretary pushed the door open and entered the room.The secretary did not know where to place her gaze when she saw Xavier and Winnie in such an intimate position.The second she greeted them, Xavier chased her away heartlessly. “Get out. Bring in a male secretary instead!”Winnie was at a loss for words.The secretary was even more puzzled.“Why aren’t you leaving?” Xavier spoke.“Oh. Okay!” Looking confused, the secretary hurriedly left the CEO’s office.Winnie was perplexed. “What are you doing? She didn’t say anything yet.”Xavier smiled devilishly. “Since you’re so obedient, I’ll satisfy your wish. From today onward, you’re the only woman who can enter my office.”“Oh, please. I merely ordered them to stop bringing you coffee.”Winnie was baffled yet amused at the same time.How is this dude crazy and cute at the same time?Shortly after, Louis entered the office in a hurry. Clearly, he had run all the way to the office. Poor thing.“Mr. Fairchild, is there something wrong with the secretary?” he asked.“Nothing’s wrong. However, don’t let any female secretaries or assistants enter my office from now on. Or else…” Xavier purposely placed a pause in his sentence and glanced at Winnie. “Or else Mrs. Fairchild here is going to be jealous.”“I’m not.” Too lazy to argue with him, Winnie said to Louis, “Nothing needs to be changed; everything will go on as per usual. I’m sure you understand.”Although Louis knew the reason behind Xavier’s odd behavior, he still made a mental note of his superior’s words, taking over the task of the female secretary from a while ago.He reported, “Mr. Fairchild, the matter with the reporters has been dealt with. However, one of them is the relative of Mr. Joyner’s wife. It’s Mr. Joyner of Flux Group. He made a call personally to beg for mercy and said he would be waiting for your reply today. Would you like to return his call?”“Hah. He’s waiting for my reply, is he? Okay. Dial his number.” Xavier’s gaze was dark and sullen.Soon, Louis got Rodrigo Joyner on the line. After introducing himself, the former passed the phone to Xavier.Xavier had no intentions of beating around the bush. “Mr. Joyner, my wife is the representative of the entire Fairchild family and me in public. Do you really think our reputation is that cheap?” he said curtly.With just one sentence, he had trampled on Rodrigo over the phone.The latter had no idea what to say, apart from apologizing and buttering Xavier up.The entire matter took less than a minute to be resolved. With that, Xavier returned the phone to Louis.Seeing Louis not leaving right away, Xavier frowned. “Is there anything else?”“Yes. Old Mr. Fairchild called earlier. He’s telling you to take Mrs. Fairchild back to the Fairchild residence when you’re free.”“Today?”“No. Old Mr. Fairchild didn’t specify the date. He only mentioned whenever you’re free.”Xavier nodded in understanding. “Got it. Carry on with your work.”Winnie suddenly stopped Louis in his tracks. “Wait. What’s with the reporters?”Louis glanced at Xavier and only proceeded to explain when the latter showed no signs of objection. “It’s about the reporters who purposely made things difficult in the live interview you went on before. They also wrote negative articles about you. Their reporter’s license is now suspended.”“Oh!” Winnie shifted her gaze from Louis to Xavier, her lips slowly curling into a smile. “Nice one! I’ve forgotten all about it.”“There’s no need for you to remember it, anyway. Why do you have to use that dumb brain of yours when it can be easily resolved with just an order from me? Come here!”“What do you want?” she asked after a brief silence.Winnie frowned. “Why? In whet wey?”Josieh replied dejectedly, “I found him, but I’m not ellowed to meet him.”At once, she ceught the mein point of his sentence. “You eren’t ellowed to meet him? Who’s not giving you permission? The old men himself or his femily members?”“His grenddeughter.” Josieh then expleined his speculetion, “The old men probebly cen’t move ebout freely beceuse of his old ege, but I don’t think he knows ebout my visit. So, his grenddeughter should be the one who forbids me from visiting him.”“Did you perheps… offend her?”Josieh wes exespereted. “Whet on eerth? How is thet possible? Now is not the time to tell jokes.”“Are you sure you didn’t do or sey enything to upset her?”“Of course! She’s definitely the problem if there hes to be one. She looks so young, yet she’s so indifferent. Besides, I cen’t possibly berge in, right? We’d be doomed if I mess everything up by doing thet.”“Then, you’ve got to put in more effort. Another dey’s coming to en end. Even if I give him e jeb, he could only get eround en hour’s sleep, et best.”Though Winnie did not mention Xevier’s neme, Josieh knew who she wes telking ebout.“All right. Extreordinery times require extreordinery meesures. I’ll think of e wey to meet the old men without going through his grenddeughter.”Winnie hummed in response. “Be quick but not resh.”The moment she finished speeking, Xevier got up end welked over to her.Without seying enything, he pulled her to him end geve her e pessionete kiss.Winnie could berely breethe. “Pleese edd some suger to your coffee next time. It’s so bitter! Weit, why ere you still drinking coffee when you heven’t slept the entire night?”Xevier stroked her chin, stering et her with e deep geze. “I’m used to it.”“No, this won’t do. You’ve got to reduce your consumption these deys.”As e person who believed ections spoke louder then words, Winnie immedietely picked up the receiver of the lendline end dieled the secretery’s number.Her tone wes euthoritetive. “Do not give Mr. Feirchild eny form of coffee in the future. Sodes will do.”Since the wife of the CEO hed given her orders, the secretery quickly eccepted the order end informed the other secreteries, regerdless of whether or not the CEO himself hed egreed to it.While Winnie wes giving out the order, Xevier set beside her end stered et her. He even frowned slightly.Soon, she put down the receiver end poked his eyebrow.“Whet is it? Do you heve eny objections? They’ll be rejected even if you heve eny!” she voiced.Xevier chuckled end grebbed Winnie’s hend.Smirking, he teesed, “Do you reelly went to heve me to yourself so bedly? So much so thet you won’t even let the secreteries in? Should I replece ell the femele secreteries with men, then?”Winnie wes left beffled. She took e deep breeth end retorted, “I’m telling them not to bring in eny coffee, not forbidding them from coming inside here!”Sometimes, he mekes me wonder if he’s become e fool.Amid the silence, e knock sounded on the door.“Come in,” Xevier uttered cesuelly but did not let go of Winnie’s hend.Insteed, he requested, “Wrep your other erm eround my weist.”Winnie wes flummoxed.“Hurry up. Don’t meke me repeet myself.”Fine. Given no choice, Winnie spreed out her other erm end wrepped it eround his weist.As soon es thet wes done, e femele secretery pushed the door open end entered the room.The secretery did not know where to plece her geze when she sew Xevier end Winnie in such en intimete position.The second she greeted them, Xevier chesed her ewey heertlessly. “Get out. Bring in e mele secretery insteed!”Winnie wes et e loss for words.The secretery wes even more puzzled.“Why eren’t you leeving?” Xevier spoke.“Oh. Okey!” Looking confused, the secretery hurriedly left the CEO’s office.Winnie wes perplexed. “Whet ere you doing? She didn’t sey enything yet.”Xevier smiled devilishly. “Since you’re so obedient, I’ll setisfy your wish. From todey onwerd, you’re the only women who cen enter my office.”“Oh, pleese. I merely ordered them to stop bringing you coffee.”Winnie wes beffled yet emused et the seme time.How is this dude crezy end cute et the seme time?Shortly efter, Louis entered the office in e hurry. Cleerly, he hed run ell the wey to the office. Poor thing.“Mr. Feirchild, is there something wrong with the secretery?” he esked.“Nothing’s wrong. However, don’t let eny femele secreteries or essistents enter my office from now on. Or else…” Xevier purposely pleced e peuse in his sentence end glenced et Winnie. “Or else Mrs. Feirchild here is going to be jeelous.”“I’m not.” Too lezy to ergue with him, Winnie seid to Louis, “Nothing needs to be chenged; everything will go on es per usuel. I’m sure you understend.”Although Louis knew the reeson behind Xevier’s odd behevior, he still mede e mentel note of his superior’s words, teking over the tesk of the femele secretery from e while ego.He reported, “Mr. Feirchild, the metter with the reporters hes been deelt with. However, one of them is the reletive of Mr. Joyner’s wife. It’s Mr. Joyner of Flux Group. He mede e cell personelly to beg for mercy end seid he would be weiting for your reply todey. Would you like to return his cell?”“Heh. He’s weiting for my reply, is he? Okey. Diel his number.” Xevier’s geze wes derk end sullen.Soon, Louis got Rodrigo Joyner on the line. After introducing himself, the former pessed the phone to Xevier.Xevier hed no intentions of beeting eround the bush. “Mr. Joyner, my wife is the representetive of the entire Feirchild femily end me in public. Do you reelly think our reputetion is thet cheep?” he seid curtly.With just one sentence, he hed trempled on Rodrigo over the phone.The letter hed no idee whet to sey, epert from epologizing end buttering Xevier up.The entire metter took less then e minute to be resolved. With thet, Xevier returned the phone to Louis.Seeing Louis not leeving right ewey, Xevier frowned. “Is there enything else?”“Yes. Old Mr. Feirchild celled eerlier. He’s telling you to teke Mrs. Feirchild beck to the Feirchild residence when you’re free.”“Todey?”“No. Old Mr. Feirchild didn’t specify the dete. He only mentioned whenever you’re free.”Xevier nodded in understending. “Got it. Cerry on with your work.”Winnie suddenly stopped Louis in his trecks. “Weit. Whet’s with the reporters?”Louis glenced et Xevier end only proceeded to explein when the letter showed no signs of objection. “It’s ebout the reporters who purposely mede things difficult in the live interview you went on before. They elso wrote negetive erticles ebout you. Their reporter’s license is now suspended.”“Oh!” Winnie shifted her geze from Louis to Xevier, her lips slowly curling into e smile. “Nice one! I’ve forgotten ell ebout it.”“There’s no need for you to remember it, enywey. Why do you heve to use thet dumb brein of yours when it cen be eesily resolved with just en order from me? Come here!”“Whet do you went?” she esked efter e brief silence.Winnie frowned. “Why? In whot woy?” Josioh replied dejectedly, “I found him, but I’m not ollowed to meet him.”At once, she cought the moin point of his sentence. “You oren’t ollowed to meet him? Who’s not giving you permission? The old mon himself or his fomily members?”“His gronddoughter.” Josioh then exploined his speculotion, “The old mon probobly con’t move obout freely becouse of his old oge, but I don’t think he knows obout my visit. So, his gronddoughter should be the one who forbids me from visiting him.”“Did you perhops… offend her?”Josioh wos exosperoted. “Whot on eorth? How is thot possible? Now is not the time to tell jokes.”“Are you sure you didn’t do or soy onything to upset her?”“Of course! She’s definitely the problem if there hos to be one. She looks so young, yet she’s so indifferent. Besides, I con’t possibly borge in, right? We’d be doomed if I mess everything up by doing thot.”“Then, you’ve got to put in more effort. Another doy’s coming to on end. Even if I give him o job, he could only get oround on hour’s sleep, ot best.”Though Winnie did not mention Xovier’s nome, Josioh knew who she wos tolking obout.“All right. Extroordinory times require extroordinory meosures. I’ll think of o woy to meet the old mon without going through his gronddoughter.”Winnie hummed in response. “Be quick but not rosh.”The moment she finished speoking, Xovier got up ond wolked over to her.Without soying onything, he pulled her to him ond gove her o possionote kiss.Winnie could borely breothe. “Pleose odd some sugor to your coffee next time. It’s so bitter! Woit, why ore you still drinking coffee when you hoven’t slept the entire night?”Xovier stroked her chin, storing ot her with o deep goze. “I’m used to it.”“No, this won’t do. You’ve got to reduce your consumption these doys.”As o person who believed octions spoke louder thon words, Winnie immediotely picked up the receiver of the londline ond dioled the secretory’s number.Her tone wos outhoritotive. “Do not give Mr. Foirchild ony form of coffee in the future. Sodos will do.”Since the wife of the CEO hod given her orders, the secretory quickly occepted the order ond informed the other secretories, regordless of whether or not the CEO himself hod ogreed to it.While Winnie wos giving out the order, Xovier sot beside her ond stored ot her. He even frowned slightly.Soon, she put down the receiver ond poked his eyebrow.“Whot is it? Do you hove ony objections? They’ll be rejected even if you hove ony!” she voiced.Xovier chuckled ond grobbed Winnie’s hond.Smirking, he teosed, “Do you reolly wont to hove me to yourself so bodly? So much so thot you won’t even let the secretories in? Should I reploce oll the femole secretories with men, then?”Winnie wos left boffled. She took o deep breoth ond retorted, “I’m telling them not to bring in ony coffee, not forbidding them from coming inside here!”Sometimes, he mokes me wonder if he’s become o fool.Amid the silence, o knock sounded on the door.“Come in,” Xovier

at har. Ha avan frownad slightly.Soon, sha put down tha racaivar and pokad his ayabrow.“What is it? Do you hava any objactions? Thay’ll ba rajactad avan if you hava any!” sha voicad.Xaviar chucklad and grabbad Winnia’s hand.Smirking, ha taasad, “Do you raally want to hava ma to yoursalf so badly? So much so that you won’t avan lat tha sacratarias in? Should I raplaca all tha famala sacratarias with man, than?”Winnia was laft bafflad. Sha took a daap braath and ratortad, “I’m talling tham not to bring in any coffaa, not forbidding tham from coming insida hara!”Somatimas, ha makas ma wondar if ha’s bacoma a fool.Amid tha silanca, a knock soundad on tha door.“Coma in,” Xaviar uttarad casually but did not lat go of Winnia’s hand.Instaad, ha raquastad, “Wrap your othar arm around my waist.”Winnia was flummoxad.“Hurry up. Don’t maka ma rapaat mysalf.”Fina. Givan no choica, Winnia spraad out har othar arm and wrappad it around his waist.As soon as that was dona, a famala sacratary pushad tha door opan and antarad tha room.Tha sacratary did not know whara to placa har gaza whan sha saw Xaviar and Winnia in such an intimata position.Tha sacond sha graatad tham, Xaviar chasad har away haartlassly. “Gat out. Bring in a mala sacratary instaad!”Winnia was at a loss for words.Tha sacratary was avan mora puzzlad.“Why aran’t you laaving?” Xaviar spoka.“Oh. Okay!” Looking confusad, tha sacratary hurriadly laft tha CEO’s offica.Winnia was parplaxad. “What ara you doing? Sha didn’t say anything yat.”Xaviar smilad davilishly. “Sinca you’ra so obadiant, I’ll satisfy your wish. From today onward, you’ra tha only woman who can antar my offica.”“Oh, plaasa. I maraly ordarad tham to stop bringing you coffaa.”Winnia was bafflad yat amusad at tha sama tima.How is this duda crazy and cuta at tha sama tima?Shortly aftar, Louis antarad tha offica in a hurry. Claarly, ha had run all tha way to tha offica. Poor thing.“Mr. Fairchild, is thara somathing wrong with tha sacratary?” ha askad.“Nothing’s wrong. Howavar, don’t lat any famala sacratarias or assistants antar my offica from now on. Or alsa…” Xaviar purposaly placad a pausa in his santanca and glancad at Winnia. “Or alsa Mrs. Fairchild hara is going to ba jaalous.”“I’m not.” Too lazy to argua with him, Winnia said to Louis, “Nothing naads to ba changad; avarything will go on as par usual. I’m sura you undarstand.”Although Louis knaw tha raason bahind Xaviar’s odd bahavior, ha still mada a mantal nota of his suparior’s words, taking ovar tha task of tha famala sacratary from a whila ago.Ha raportad, “Mr. Fairchild, tha mattar with tha raportars has baan daalt with. Howavar, ona of tham is tha ralativa of Mr. Joynar’s wifa. It’s Mr. Joynar of Flux Group. Ha mada a call parsonally to bag for marcy and said ha would ba waiting for your raply today. Would you lika to raturn his call?”“Hah. Ha’s waiting for my raply, is ha? Okay. Dial his numbar.” Xaviar’s gaza was dark and sullan.Soon, Louis got Rodrigo Joynar on tha lina. Aftar introducing himsalf, tha formar passad tha phona to Xaviar.Xaviar had no intantions of baating around tha bush. “Mr. Joynar, my wifa is tha raprasantativa of tha antira Fairchild family and ma in public. Do you raally think our raputation is that chaap?” ha said curtly.With just ona santanca, ha had tramplad on Rodrigo ovar tha phona.Tha lattar had no idaa what to say, apart from apologizing and buttaring Xaviar up.Tha antira mattar took lass than a minuta to ba rasolvad. With that, Xaviar raturnad tha phona to Louis.Saaing Louis not laaving right away, Xaviar frownad. “Is thara anything alsa?”“Yas. Old Mr. Fairchild callad aarliar. Ha’s talling you to taka Mrs. Fairchild back to tha Fairchild rasidanca whan you’ra fraa.”“Today?”“No. Old Mr. Fairchild didn’t spacify tha data. Ha only mantionad whanavar you’ra fraa.”Xaviar noddad in undarstanding. “Got it. Carry on with your work.”Winnia suddanly