The CEO's Painted Skin

~International Airport~

Clara and Caroline's flight schedule was one hour from now.

Ramon put all the luggage bags into the baggage cart and went back inside the vehicle.

Clara hugged her husband tightly. "I'm going to miss you," she said.

"Let's video chat anytime, wife," Hector grinned. He planted a kiss on his wife's cheek. "You take care of each other there in Thailand, okay? If I'm free I might visit you, girls, a few months later."

Clara smiled at her husband sweetly.

The couple's loving gesture was witnessed both by Caroline and John, they were not talking to each other. But Caroline was sneaking glances at John's handsome face, hoping that John will also shower her some tender loving kisses, to her dismay, he was just standing erect looking at his parents' public display of affection, his face devoid of emotion, as if she doesn't exist at all anywhere in his universe.

A moment later.

The ladies finally bid farewell to the men as they went inside the departure area.

When Hector and John were about to turn around going to the area where the car was parked, a middle-aged woman suddenly blocked their path.

Hector's eyes widened upon realizing who the woman was. "S-Susan?"

Susan smiled brightly at the two men. "Hello Hector," she greeted her 'ex' but her eyes were fixed on the younger man.

"Hi Susan," Hector responded.

"Aren't you going to introduce me to this fine young man beside you?" she said.Find authorized novels in Webnovel，faster updates, better experience，Please click www.readwn.comfor visiting.

John's brows knitted together watching his father conversing with the stranger in a rather awkward manner.

Susan smiled brightly at John. "Hello, there young man... I'm Susan your father's ex-lover. Don't worry it happened a long time ago, were no longer an item," she jokingly said.

Hector coughed.

John stared at the elegant woman chattering bubbly in front of them.

"Can I invite you two guys over a cup of coffee?" she pointed at the nearest coffee shop inside the airport.

Hector can't say no to Susan's invitation. They walked towards the coffee shop followed by John.

Inside the coffee shop, they ordered their favorite coffee variants and drinks.

"So... Susan, why are you here at the airport?" Hector asked.

"I'm sending my son off, he was going to the Maldives to attend a friend's birthday party tomorrow. I'm just lucky that I stumble into you Hector and your son," she said, looking at her firstborn with tears glistening in her eyes, admiring how he grows up to be a fine good looking man. It's the first time she comes this close to him.

"I see, nice to see you again," Hector murmured.

"Regarding the business proposal we have discussed the last time we meet, when are you going to agree to it, Hector? I'd been waiting for ages, I think now is the right time to go ahead with it," she said and winked at him.

John saw how this Susan lady winked at his father. His eyes narrowed. These two seemed to be talking about a secret code that only the two of them know. He noticed that his father had been silent the whole time, it is the woman who always does the talking, kind of odd.

"You two are ex-lovers?" John asked just to be sure.

Susan and Hector both smiled at each other, their eyes spoke volumes, their body language seems to tell about their history together.

John was now getting suspicious, his eyes glinted. Does this woman and his father had an affair until now?

"You two are still seeing each other romantically?" John asked.

Hector and Susan both shook their heads vigorously.

"No, we are no longer an item in present times. In the past, we used to be but that was a long time ago," Susan explained.

John suddenly got a headache. "I don't care what happens to you in the past guys but my father is a married man," he looked at the woman. "Ma'am, I just want to remind you that, not meant to be rude," he said.

"It's okay, I understand where you coming from," she said. Susan smiled warmly at her son. Just sitting close to him, she wants to hug him tight and tell him right there that she was his real mother. But she must wait for Hector to do the introduction first but it seemed her 'ex' isn't interested to do that thing right now or maybe she just caught him off guard and it's not the right time yet to reveal the truth. She sighed, Hector's continued silence was an indicator that her presence isn't welcome in their midst, so time for her to disappear. "I won't take up much of your time guys, I have to go, see you next time," she said. She took one last look at her son with a deep longing in her eyes and exited the coffee shop.

John followed the strange woman's silhouette until she disappeared from their sight. He looked at his father with bafflement in his eyes. "What's the story between you two, Dad?" he asked.

Hector sighed. "One of these days, I will tell you about Susan and our past, but not right now, I'm not in the mood for it. Let's go home now." He rose to his feet and walked hastily towards the shop's entrance.

John followed his father outside the cafe shop and into the parking lot of the airport. During the ride back to Infinity Jade Tower, his father was unusually quiet. He had a burning feeling that Susan is someone very important in his father's life. But he won't press his father for more info about her. If one day his father will talk about that woman then he will try to listen with an open mind, he won't judge him without hearing his side first.

Now that Caroline was already in a better place and all her demands were met the family can now rest assured that Joseph's living legacy is protected at all costs.

Next week, he and Ramon will go back to Cebu City to continue finding his missing wife. It will be another long day and night that will stretch into weeks and months. As long there is enough strength left in his body he will continue looking for his wife 'till his dying days.

Once he will get back home he will spend his time bonding with baby James because he will be gone away for a few months.