The CEO's Painted Skin

"So, how about Caroline?" Clara asked.

"Huh?" John raised his eyebrow. "So, what about my sister-in-law? What kind of question is that, Mom? What are you insinuating?" he asked in puzzlement.

"I'm just asking if you have feelings for your sister-in-law? Considering that she was the replica of your missing wife, you might wake up one-day developing feelings for her. If your wife is still alive and would return one day that would be a big mess, but if Catherine is already out of this world, you already have my blessing," Clara said.

John chuckled. "Why does everyone thinks am having feelings towards my wife's sister? You guys are too much!" he said jokingly. "Not because she looks exactly like my wife that is already an excuse to fall in love with her. I love my wife very much and Caroline would never be able to enter my heart," he firmly said.

Clara smiled at her son, admiring his never-ending devotion to his missing wife.

"Mom, I will go to the kiddie pool and get baby James so that Caroline and Anna can also enjoy swimming in the pool," John said.

"Okay," Clara nodded her head.

John walked towards the kiddie pool and brought baby James with him back to where his mother was sitting. Clara took her grandson excitedly in her arms and nuzzled his chubby cheeks.

"Oh, baby James, look at you, you're getting chubbier! my grandson is so cute!" she murmured. Clara spent the next hour playing with the adorable infant while John was watching them with a wide smile plastered on his face.

After a few minutes of smiling, Catherine's beautiful face crossed his mind, then his smile faded instantly. God! He misses her so much!

"Mom, I will just swim in the water for a while, will you be okay here with baby James?" John asked.

Clara nodded her head upon seeing her husband approaching their location. "Your Dad is here, you can go now. Besides this place is very safe, enjoy swimming, son!" she said.

John plunged into the deepest part of the pool and spent his energy swimming back and forth in the Olympic size pool, hoping that his sadness and longing will evaporate the moment he will exhaust himself in the water.

He can only enjoy a few moments of happiness as soon his missing wife's face appeared in his mind he will start feeling so sad, empty and frustrated. His happiness was deeply tied to Catherine, he wonders if he will ever feel happy again if she will vanish from this world? Will he ever get over her or die in heartbreak, depression, and sadness? Without Catherine by his side, he can only see a dark future ahead, with a vast ocean of misery, loneliness, and sadness waiting for him.

He was in that miserable state when Romeo his best friend swam beside him matching his butterfly stroke.

After a few minutes, they get out of the water and rested in the lounge chair getting tired of swimming.

"Where's Joseph?" John asked.

"He joined the girl's company," Romeo motioned his head to the pool where his wife Sandra, Anna and Caroline where swimming. "So, how is he doing in the Hacienda Catherine?" he asked.Find authorized novels in Webnovel，faster updates, better experience，Please click www.readwn.comfor visiting.

John looked at his brother who swam closely towards Caroline. "He's doing well. He seemed to be taking interest in the hacienda's developments. Maybe he was starting to feel at home in the countryside. I am hoping that nature can do enough wonders to his head so that he can turn himself into a reformed man."

"How about his drug addiction, was he already cured of that?" Romeo asked.

"I think so. Mom and Dad would not go home if he's still not sober enough. But I am still not sure how would he react if he was given an illegal substance, what he will do? Would he resist the temptation or not? But I don't have to worry about that because I have assigned Allan to monitor his movements in the Hacienda and to report to me any suspicious activity he noticed on my brother," John said.

Romeo shook his head. "Your brother, although matured in age still needs to be under supervision all the time. I think the only time you and your parents can rest worrying about Joseph is when he is already dead. From my end he looks healthy though, he seemed destined to live for the next 100 years," he commented casually.

John breathed deeply. Now that Joseph is back in the country, another load of heavy responsibility was added to his shoulder. "But I'm not losing hope yet. Maybe this time Joseph will finally be able to turn his life around for the better, I'm looking forward to it," he said.

Romeo nodded his head in agreement. "Me too, I'm looking forward to seeing a new Joseph in the days to come. If he does, that would be one less problem for you to worry about. But there's one thing that's been in my head for a long time ever since Dahlia's passing. Haven't it occurred to you that maybe Joseph has something to do with Dahlia's death? That he could be that masked murderer who killed her? Sorry my friend but I need to get it out of my mind, after a long time that suspicion still lingers in my head," he explained.