The CEO's Painted Skin

~Sunday~

Catherine already informed John earlier that she would go home to Cavite City to visit her family and she would return home during night time.

She missed her family so much!

The thoughts of seeing her family again brought excitement in her tormented heart. She plans to bring her entire family into the mall today and buy them gifts.

She entered the bathroom to take a bath, fifteen minutes later, she was done bathing.

She entered her room and donned dry clothes on her body and went to the kitchen to eat her breakfast. While munching on the sliced bread, she stared at her cell phone, Phantom no longer texted her, he just disappeared out of the blue!

Whatever...she's done waiting for his text!

She stood up and made her coffee. She went back to the chair and sat down on it. Her phone starts ringing...she got a caller early morning...it's Mike!

"Hello beautyyyyy...I misss you!" he said.

"Lol, long time no hear, how are you?" she replied.

"I'm fine. Guess where am I right now?"

Catherine rolled her eyes. Mike loves playing the guessing game with her. "Give me hints first?"

"I'm outside the country. It's a tropical paradise! In a conservation area somewhere in---with wild animals! I'm done with my hints!" Mike exclaimed.

She still can't guess the place he was right now, but she can try. "Hmmm...How about somewhere in Africa?"

"OMG! You're such a smart girl! You guessed it right. I'm currently staring at lions, hyenas, and Cheetas! We are in a conservation area somewhere in Tanzania, yesterday we see buffalo, elephants, camels, and giraffes! This place is teeming with wild animals that I only have seen for the first time! Such a wonderful place to visit!" he continues rambling.

"I'm glad you enjoyed your vacation there in Africa. When are you going back here in the country?" she asked.

"This coming Thursday. By the way, what happens to your workplace? There's a buyer already?" he asked.

"Yes. We have a new owner," she answered.

"I'm a bit upset that you didn't even bother to call me. I keep waiting for your call that never comes!" he complained.

Catherine smiled then she sighed. "I will call you one day...," she joked.

"Hope that the time you will call me, you will ask me to marry you!" he said.

Catherine laughed. "Hahaha, you are such a joker, Mike!"

"Anyways, I will end our conversation now. We are heading to a beach resort in thirty minutes, I will call you some other time. Bye, my lovely, Catherine!"

"Bye Mike. Take care of yourself and have fun!" she said and put down her phone in the table.

She'd better dress now and starts traveling.

Two hours later, she boarded the train to Taft Avenue MRT and from there she hired a taxicab to Cavite City.

She arrived in Cavite City at noontime, lunchtime to be exact.

The moment she entered Grace's house, her younger siblings shrieked in happiness and excitement upon seeing her.

"Sister Catherine is here!" Lily shouted.

"Wow! She's finally back!" exclaimed Jacob.

Thelma smiled broadly at her daughter.

Catherine walked to her mother's side and give her mother a peck on the cheek and hugged her. She also hugged her younger siblings tightly.

"Come sit down, join us for lunch, Catherine. It's been a while since the last time we saw you," said her mother fondly.

"Just a bit busy with work mother, where are Caroline and Grace?" she roamed her eyes inside the house.

"Grace is out of the house at this moment. While Caroline is at her workplace place right now. She will be home later at 5:00 PM," answered Thelma.

"How are you doing here, Mother? Is everything okay here?" she asked.

"Yes. We are all doing fine here. Grace has been good and kind to us and John kept delivering groceries and one sack of rice to us until now, at least two times a month."

Catherine sighed a bit. She told John to stop delivering foods to her family but he won't listen to her at all.

"Have you seen John? Did you see each other again?" asked Thelma.

Catherine nodded her head. "We're seeing each other again, Mother."

The older woman smiled. "That's good. I thought you were determined to forget him."

She blinked twice and sighed.

"When will Grace returns, Mother?" she asked trying to change the topic.

"In two hours probably, sit down now and eat lunch with us," Thelma put a plate, spoon, and fork in front of Catherine.

Catherine started eating her lunch together with her family.

Done eating, she sat down on the sofa in the living room and her younger siblings gathered around her.

"Sister, give us money!" said Lily.

"Me too, give me money!" Jacob interjected.

Catherine pinched their plump faces, she took out her wallet from her shoulder bag and give them some money, just enough amount to bring a smile on their young cherubic faces. The youngsters run outside the house to buy candies and toys in the store nearby.

"How are you, Mother?"

"I'm doing good. I still took the medicine the doctor had prescribed to me on a daily basis," explained Thelma.

"How about, Jacob's illness?" she asked again.

"Thank God, he is healthy and I keep feeding him the herbal medicine every day. So far so good. I think it's a miracle from God. He cured Jacob's illness because he knew we can't afford expensive medications to cure his illness," Thelma said.

"That's good!" Catherine smiled, she was glad to hear that her brother is healthy.

"How about your work? Are you enjoying your work there, Catherine?" asked Thelma.

"Yes, Mother. I enjoyed my work so much," she replied.

Fifteen minutes later, Grace finally arrived. She shrieked in delight when she saw Catherine sitting on the sofa.

They hugged each other with a cheery smile on their faces.

"Cousin! How are you?" asked Catherine.

"I'm fine. We are all fine here! We miss you a lot!" exclaimed Grace.

Catherine beamed at her beloved cousin.

"Have you eaten lunch already?" asked Grace.

"Yes. Were finished already, you go ahead and eat your lunch," said Catherine.

Grace sat on the dining table and her housemaid serves her rice and dishes.

Thelma turns on the television in the living room.

Done eating, Grace sat down beside Catherine.

"Are you going to sleep here?" Grace asked.

"No. I will go back tonight," she said.

"Okay, so what is your plan for today?"

"Let's go to the mall and go shopping, my treat!" she answered.

"That's nice! Shall we wait for Caroline to come home first?" asked Grace.

"No need. We can text her to proceed to the mall after her work shift ended. Let's have our dinner there," said Catherine.

"Okay," Grace looked at her auntie. "Auntie Thelma, you heard it right? We shall go to the mall today!" she said with excitement in her voice.

Thelma's face beamed and she went out of the house to fetch her children from the store so that she can dress them properly for their outing in the mall today.

>>

One hour later, the family arrived at the nearest mall.

Catherine brought her younger siblings into the game arcades and they shoot the ball into the net, then played different kinds of games inside the arcade. The kids were having so much fun!

Then Catherine brought them into the department store and she brought clothes for the kids and her mother as well, she also brought a sexy sandal for Grace. She brought a cute shoulder bag for her twin sister.

Three hours later... Caroline arrived in the mall.

The twins hugged each other fondly.

Catherine gave the shoulder bag to her sister as a present to her.

Caroline shrieked in delight. "Thank you, Sis! It's so cute!"

After a few minutes of chit-chatting. They entered a fast-food restaurant and ordered foods for their dinner. They dined with smiles and laughter's of happiness on their faces.

Done eating...

They visited many cool stores inside the mall. They were having a good time enjoying each other's company.

At 7:00 PM. Catherine waved goodbye to her family and rides a bus back to her workplace in Quezon City.