The CEO's Painted Skin

A knock outside the door broke Thelma's reverie.

"Auntie, open the door! It's me Grace!" her voice was frantic.

Thelma opened the door a bit wider, she was shocked to see many people milling outside the door, then a flash of a camera from someone's mobile device occurred in an instant, Grace entered the door and slammed it behind her. "Damn People!" she swore profanities at the curious people milling outside, taking pictures as if they were watching some celebrities doing a shooting! Hmp!

"W-what happened here, Auntie?" Grace looked at the girl wearing the wedding dress and the other girl crying. Of course, she knows about the twins, the girl with the black hair was Caroline and the girl with the brown hair was Catherine, they look exactly the same, the only difference is the hair color because Caroline loves to color her hair black, but their appearance and body built was purely identical. Based on her silent observation, Caroline wore her twin's wedding gown that must have angered Catherine and the quarrel or commotion ensued between them.

Earlier...Grace was about to sleep when her household maid came knocking at her door along with Jacob and Lily, informing her that there was trouble in her Auntie's house. She instructed the housemaid to take care of the children while she was away.

She then rushed to her cousin's rented home.

Back at present...Grace shook her head...she felt saddened by what she had seen inside the house.

"Grace, please come with us to the Police Station, accompany us to file charges against Catherine's rapist, that bastard John!" The fire of anger was still burning brightly in Thelma's eyes.

Grace shut her eyes and shook her head. She suddenly felt a big headache pounding in her head. This is big trouble in the lovebirds' paradise! She felt a huge pity for her cousin Catherine. This is indeed a big blow to her upcoming wedding with John. She glanced at the tattered wedding dress, she sighed, it's a big bad 'Omen'!

She walked to Caroline's side and pulled the hysterical girl to her feet gently. "Come to your senses Caroline!" she hissed into her ears.

The dazed girl looked into her cousin's eyes. "G-Grace...."

"Come with me into the room and change into your own dress," she helped the girl stand up and pushed her gently into the direction of the room. Once inside the room, she helped the shell shocked girl in stripping off the wedding gown and changed into a short and a blouse that she found in the backpack on the corner. She also took off the wedding ring from Caroline's finger and put it back inside the jewelry box. As for the wedding dress that was torn apart, she folded it neatly and put it back inside the box. The wedding dress was ruined, it needs huge repair!

Done helping her cousin in changing clothes, she instructed her cousin to stay inside the room, she needs to have a serious talk with Thelma and Catherine first. Charging John with a r-ape case is not an easy matter.

She looked at Caroline who is now lying in the bed in silence, eyes closed. Grace sighed and exited the tiny room. She found the mother and daughter duo staring into each other's eyes in the living room.

"I'm not going to the Police Station, Mother! I'm not pressing charges against John!" she spoke defiantly in a low voice.

"But you are a r-ape victim! You can't possibly let go of that bastard guy roaming around freely! You have to put him in jail. He belongs in jail for sexually molesting you!" Thelma insisted, thoroughly vexed by her daughter's lack of cooperation.

Grace stared back and forth at her Aunty and her cousin's face.

"Catherine, do you want to press charges against---John?" she asked.

Catherine shook her head wiping the remaining tears from her eyes. "I don't want to!"

Thelma was now shaking in rage. "Really? How stupid can you be, Catherine!?"

"Mother, I love John! I don't want him to go to Jail!" she started crying again.

Grace sighed. She was afraid that the whole night will be over and both women won't give up and make a compromise. No one is backing out!

"Aunty, there will be no r-ape charges against John if the victim herself won't file charges against the culprit. It's a losing case in the first place if Catherine herself won't cooperate," she explained carefully to her Auntie, hoping she will listen to her reasoning.

"No matter what you do or say, Mother, I won't file r-ape charges againts John!" Catherine said. She was adamant not to get swayed with her mother's persuasion.

Thelma sighed.

Grace sighed.

Catherine cried in silent.