Married a Secret Billionaire
Chapter 571

Rowan froze on the spot, not knowing which leg to move first.

"Mr. Harris, your manager's waiting for you at the door," Mr. Smith said with a smile. "There are a few shots to add to Ms. Lulham's film!" "Mm, got it." Neil patted his clothes and put on his sunglasses before walking out. Before he left, he mouthed a "You got this" to Rowan. Rowan looked at the elevator and then at Mr. Smith with a troubled expression.

Mr. Smith chuckled. "Mr. Irwin, Madam Baker said that you've been monkeying here these two days to meet Mrs. Hamerton!" "Well..." How could Janine describe him to be monkeying around!?

"Don't worry." Mr. Smith saw through him. "Madam Baker returned to Chaiseland on an early flight today. She's not around."

It was only then Rowan looked better, but he could not let others notice that he was wary of Janine. Hence, he coughed and straightened up his back, huffing audibly. "It doesn't matter if she's around or not! I'm not scared!"

Mr. Smith watched Rowan's back with a shake of his head. He took him to Cordelia's office shortly.

"Mrs. Hamerton, Mr. Irwin's here."

Cordelia's hands holding a document paused slightly, and she could not help biting her lips.

"Cor-" Rowan stepped forward, but before he could address her, he was worried about upsetting her and changed it to "Madam Cordelia".

Madam Cordelia? Even Mr. Smith could not help giggling.

Rowan stood rooted. Cordelia did not ask him to sit, so he kept standing.

Mr. Smith said softly, "Mrs. Hamerton, there's not much to do today. There are two artist schedules. I'll take them. Have a good talk with Mr. Irwin."

"Mm." Cordelia nodded. "Thank you."

Mr. Smith left politely.

The office was then filled with silence. Cordelia could hear her anxious heartbeats. Her thoughts were all over the place. She was the one who had asked to meet him, but she was also the one staying quiet

now.

She took a glance at Rowan. The middle-aged man, who was put on the pedestal in Southeast Aciatic, was sweating nervously in front of her.

She suddenly recalled how Zephyr had made a table full of dishes despite his limited culinary skills after his identity was exposed, and he, too, had stood helplessly in front of her just like that. Cordelia chuckled wryly. Was she that scary?

"Don't just stand there." She looked at him. "Have a seat."

"Oh... oh!" Rowan looked delightfully surprised, but he sprang right up once he touched the couch.

"I think I'd feel better speaking while I stand!" He bit his lips and said seriously, "I... I just want to tell you that I've mistreated you all. A thought gone stray back then cost yours and your mom and Carter's happiness.

Rowan's lips were trembling. "Cordelia, I'm not a good father. I'm not asking for your forgiveness... but please give me a chance to make it up, okay?"

"Make it up?" Cordelia clenched her hands, nails digging into her palms. "With what?"

"Cordelia-"

"It's too late!"

Tears dropped with what she said.

Rowan's voice was hoarse as he called her name almost pleadingly, "Cordelia-"

"Do you know how we've spent these years?"

Cordelia maintained eye contact. Her gaze was deep, like an abyss-it was no longer bright.

Rowan's lips moved, but he could not get a word out.

"I've been treated as William Jenner's illegitimate daughter, and Joanne and Yelena would constantly bully us...

"Mom wasn't lucid sometimes, and Carter was so young. I began doing house chores and taking care of mom and him when I was eight! I learned how to spend each penny every month so we wouldn't starve, so I could pay my own tuition!

"When I married in place of Yelena, they didn't even give me anything! I'm lucky I met Zephyr. If that man were really Marcus Grist, you might not even be able to see me now!" "Sorry, I'm sorry..."

Rowan's heart felt like it was being sliced but sorry felt cheap at this moment. No matter how many times he repeated it, it did nothing.

"I'm sorry." Cordelia wiped her tears and sobbed, "I'm sorry. I am not prepared to call you dad now..."

Rowan kept shaking his head.

He had been on the battlefield as a military doctor, witnessing life and death in that ruthless environment every day, but he had never shed a tear. Right now, however, his will crumbled as he cried like a baby in front of his daughter.

...

Zephyr was on his way to Imperial Media.

He had received Mr. Smith's call just now, saying that Cordelia had a private talk with Rowan and was in a bad mood. He dropped everything he was doing and rushed over. While he was waiting for the red light, he recalled what Carter had said.

He had been chatting with Carter the other day, and Rowan had been brought up. He had asked Carter what he felt about this father who had popped up out of the blue.

Carter answered honestly, "I... I kind of want to call him dad.

"But Cordelia's upset, so I won't.

"Zephyr, Cordelia just can't get it over herself. She keeps thinking that dad's been absent for too many years... Actually, I think that there are several more 20-something years if we can live until 80! He missed the first 20 years, so he can make it up in the subsequent ones.

"Life's long, but it's also short." Carter sighed. "Mom's always telling us not to waste time over nitpicking. She's a living example! She doesn't want us to follow her path."

That was the first time Zephyr felt that the boy who was once bullied in school had already grown into a wise and responsible man.

Cordelia would definitely be able to figure these things out, too, if Carter could do it.

Zephyr arrived at Imperial Media and headed upstairs as soon as he parked the car.

Sᴇarch the FindNovel.net website on G𝘰𝘰gle to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.