Breaking Free, Loving Again -The Flash Marriage with Mr. CEO

As Idris entered the hall, his eyes swept the place as though searching for someone. But no matter how long he looked, he couldn't find her. His brows furrowed with concern when he caught sight of Lia, who stood near the centre of the room.

He didn't ask aloud. He simply stared at her, his gaze carrying a strange yet familiar fear. He wanted to know one thing —and Lia knew exactly what it was.

Her chest tightened. She looked at him with a heavy heart and slowly shook her head.

The moment Idris saw her do that; his knees nearly gave out. He staggered back a step, the weight of her silent answer crashing down on him.

Robin, his secretary, immediately stepped forward to steady him, but Idris lifted a hand to stop him.

He didn't want anyone's support. Not now.

He needed a moment —just a moment —to drown in the truth and the regret clawing at him.

This was his fault.

Only if he had realized it sooner, none of this would have happened.

His mistakes ran too deep, and he knew no apology could ever erase them.

But until today, he had held onto a shred of hope. Now even that was gone.

The most precious one in his life —his daughter —was gone.

And the cruel truth was, he couldn't blame anyone but himself for it.

He hadn't been the father he should have been.

His daughter deserved a world, but he could not even give her a fraction of it. How did he become such an incapable father in this world?

"Dad, thank god, you are here!"

The voice jolted him from his thoughts, slicing through the heavy silence like an unwelcome blade. His frown deepened as he turned toward it.

The face that greeted him wasn't Arwen's. It was Emily's.

"Dad, I —"

Before Emily could speak again, Idris pinned her with a look so cold it was as if invisible hands wrapped around her throat.

"What did you call me?"

Emily blinked, startled by the sharpness in his voice. She shivered, not expecting him to talk to her so coldly. "I … I mean to say that thank God you are here. With you, we can finally proceed with the procedure."

Idris's gaze didn't ease. Without caring that guests were witnessing it, he coldly asked, "Procedure?"

Emily nodded. "Yes, the procedure of my adoption. The evening was all about it, and the lawyer had brought the papers prepared. But he is simply not agreeing to take it out. But now, …" she paused, only flicking a small glance at the lawyer, "that you are here, you can tell him and we can proceed with it."

Her heart beat within her chest, making her anxious. But she held onto the little calm she had remaining in her.

This all would soon be over.

Just a signature, and then it will be sealed.

But what she didn't know was that the signature itself was the difficult part of all.

Idris's gaze only hardened at her as he slowly but clearly said, "There is no adoption going to happen." His words rang in the air, the weight of them settling over everyone present there, most devastatingly over Emily.

The colour drained from her face as she stared at the uncle, not helping but ask, "Wh–What does that mean, Uncle?"

Idris didn't mind the tremble in her tone. Unempathetic, he simply explained in more clearer words so that everyone there came to understand his intent.

"I meant exactly what I said," he began, continuing in a steady but firm voice. "There is no adoption going to happen. Idris Quinn would only have one daughter for life —and that's Arwen Quinn. No one can replace her or take her place."

Whispers started spreading through the room. People are already humming as if they have long seen this coming.

However, Emily was still struck to the same square point as if she simply couldn't move from there. "But Uncle, how could you say that now? Wasn't this already decided?"

"Decided?" Idris darkly scoffed as if trying his best not to make it sound like a joke. "By whom? Because, as far as I know, there was no such decision made in my presence."

Emily felt the floor shift beneath her feet. Her mind raced, but she could think of nothing that could make everything go the way she had envisioned it.

"Arwen is the only heiress the Quinn family will have in this generation," Idris spoke again. "I repeat it all over again. No one could replace her or her position in the family."

Emily shook her head, not ready to accept it. But she could bring herself to defy Idris as well —not when he looked like this —angry and threatening. Thinking for a moment, her gaze flickered with a hope, and she immediately said. "Arwen could no longer be the heiress. She can't."

When Idris looked at her, she didn't read the warning in his gaze and simply nodded to continue.

"Yes, I am saying it right. You came late, Uncle, so you might not know. But Arwen could no longer be the heiress of the Quinn family. She signed the letter of severance."

Before she could complete, Catrin's voice cut in.

"No!"

Everyone turned to look at her, only to see her frantic. They couldn't understand, but they saw her turning to look at Idris with hope-filled in her gaze.

"Idris," she called out before walking to the man and holding his arms with urgency. "Idris, thank God, you are here. Come on, go and call, Arwen. Tell her that she can't sign those papers. Stop her."

She stared up at him, asking him to make haste. But Idris simply stood there, staring down at her, not moving an inch.

"What? Why are you not going? Go, fast and —"

"Catrin," he called her name, cutting her off sharply. "I will ask you only once. Did you make Arwen sign the letter of severance?" His words not just held a question, but the last ounce of patience he had remaining in him.

And that patience was just a second away from getting exhausted … completely. He knew it and he was waiting for it.