The CEO's Painted Skin

John and Ramon arrived at the Serenity Cafe at 6:15 PM. Ramon as usual positioned himself near the entrance, while John went inside and walked to the secluded area passing several tables on his way to the last table on the right side. His blind date was already sitting there waiting for his presence.

John sat down on the chair across the woman and they began talking.

...

Catherine saw John and Ramon entered the cafe's entrance a few seconds ago, her heart was beating faster in her rib cage! She had difficulty breathing! So, Phantom was telling the truth. John even passed by on her table and proceeds to the last table on the right side.

She saw that woman entered the cafe thirty minutes earlier, she was wearing black slacks pants and a white long sleeve blouse adorned with exquisite floral design, that woman is pretty!

She can see John clearly from where she was sitting. She tried hard not to stare at him, she hides behind her travel magazine and would sneak a glances on his face from time to time. She was itching to get closer to where they were sitting so that she can hear what they were talking, too bad she can't 'coz the table next to them was already occupied! Her heart wanting to explode because of too much jealousy! She was jealous of the girl because she saw John smiling at her, he seems to be enjoying their conversation! Damn! Aarghhhh! It's so damn painful seeing him smiling at another woman!

She never felt this kind of pain before!

Fresh tears began to fall from her eyes. She immediately fished out a handkerchief from her shoulder bag to cover her eyes. She must stop crying! For God's sake stop crying, Catherine! She scolded herself. She counted 1 up to 100, after finished counting, she numbed herself.

I must be strong!

I must not cry!

I will survive this!

She exhaled and inhaled air into her lungs to calm her shattered nerves.

Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw John calling for a waiter...

...

"Alice, you can order anything you like in the menu my treat!" he said smiling at her.

Alice picked up the menu and began perusing the list of beverages, coffee, and desserts. She ordered a Cold Coffee with Ice Cream and two orders of Roasted Chicken Salad. John ordered Coffee Mocha for himself. They gave their orders to the waiter.

Alice smiled at John.

"You should try their Roasted Chicken Salad here, John, it's their specialty! It's so delicious!" blurted Alice. She has this nice feeling around John the moment she saw his face as if she had known him for a long time. He got this charming smile that she likes very much. Holy Christ! she felt an instant crush on him! He already got her at one hello! She smiled sweetly at him. She was hoping that before the night is over, he will ask her out for a second date. She wanted to get to know him on a deeper level.

"Really, in that case, we shall see later if you are saying the truth," he laughed. "So, Alice, what is your occupation if any?" he began conversing with her to get to know her a little bit and to show her a little bit of politeness.

"I'm selling properties such as condominiums, apartments, house and lots and many more related to the real estate business industry. In short, I'm a real estate agent," she said smiling radiantly at John.

"Nice, how many properties you already sold out?" he asked.

"About 100 properties already ranging from condominiums, house and lots, apartments, lands and some office spaces as well," she said, proud of herself.

"You're great!" he said giving her a thumb up sign.

Alice smiled boldly at John. She was already fantasizing over him, it was easy to fall for him. To say it precisely she already got this huge crush on him on the first fifteen minutes of their conversation.

...

Catherine was already throwing daggers at the woman's back, her boyfriend was talking to the woman animatedly. She picked up her phone from her shoulder bag and swipes it open. She began calling John, his phone just keeps ringing but he wasn't answering it! Dammit! At 30th call she already stopped because it's useless 'coz he won't answer her call, but he was willing to talk with the woman and the hell he was enjoying talking to this woman because he won't even check his phone unless he muted it on purpose!

Dang! So, the meeting he was telling her earlier was all a lie!

He was just meeting a woman in a cafe!

Liar!

This is so painful watching them talking and smiling at each other.

Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw the waiter deliver the order on John's table. She watches them intently while they were eating...

And her hearts just turn cold when she saw the woman's next action...

....

When the waiter put down their orders in their table, Alice immediately picked up the spoon and scooped a spoonful of salad and brought it to John's mouth. "Here it is John, taste it now!" she said excitedly.

John was hesitating to eat the salad that she was intentionally feeding to his mouth. She was literally feeding him!

"Pleaseeee...," she begged as she noticed that he was hesitating to allow her to feed him.

John decided to humor her and eat the salad from her spoon. A speck of salad mar John's mouth, Alice picked up the tissue and wipes it from John's mouth then she smiled sweetly at him.

"Wow, it's indeed delicious!" said John smiling.

"I told you so!" said Alice beaming at him brightly.

When she was about to feed him again, he declined politely. They continue eating in silence.

...

Catherine saw the painful spectacle! How sweet! The woman fed John the salad and wiped his mouth with a tissue, he just smiled at her in response to her sweet gesture. How sweet indeed! She was feeling furious inside!

Then...

She died.

Her heart died.

It's no longer beating right now, surprisingly she was still alive but her emotions and feelings died today.

Her beloved boyfriend was getting sweet and intimate with another woman! He is not even answering her calls! He was outright lying to her, saying he will attend a meeting with his staff but the truth is he was just meeting a woman in the cafe!

How painful can that be?

Ouchhhhhhhh! It's so damn painful!

She wondered why she was still sitting in this cafe at this moment while her heart was being tortured every minute every second that she saw John spending time with another woman.

Why oh why?

Was she being sadistic to herself?

How long she can endure this terrible torture that she was witnessing right now?

How long Catherine?

She will wait until they get out...

She will hold on as long as she can...