The CEO's Painted Skin

Allan called his Boss.

John was just about to finish his shower when he heard his cell phone rings.

He emerged from the bathroom in his bathrobe. He reached for his cell phone in the bedside table and answered the call.

"Allan..."

"Sir good evening! I have some report to you regarding Catherine. I will send you some photos first 'coz as what they have always said a picture can paint a thousand words."

"Okay...make it quick!" John was massaging his temple, a little bit apprehensive with Allan's report, why his spy is taking pictures now? Is Catherine seeing Jerome again behind his back? He calmed himself down, he shouldn't be jumping to conclusion right away.

His cell phone beep, he got the incoming message. When he viewed the file attachment, he saw Catherine wearing the wedding gown and the ring, she was sprawled on the floor, wait...there is another Catherine in the picture, two of them! One is black haired and the other is browned haired. He was confused for a moment...

Then he remembered that Catherine had an identical twin sister, that must be the one with black hair. But why is that girl wearing Catherine's wedding gown and the wedding ring? How the hell it happened? What is going on? Then he saw Grace and the black haired girl outside the house, then the next picture shows several people at the door milling around. Then the last photo was that of Catherine crying, the last photo made him worried.

He called Allan.

"Allan, what are those photos? Is the girl that looks exactly like Catherine with black hair is her twin? What is happening to them?"

"Sir...there is a riot inside Catherine's house. Mother and daughter were fighting. Not sure what they were fighting about. All I know is that it's the second time around that I had seen that black haired girl, the first time was when we caught her sneaking into the ancestral home in the village."

John sighed. There is trouble in Paradise indeed! He needs to get to the bottom of it.

"Go back to Marigold Hotel Allan and rest for the night. Continue your spying tomorrow. I need more reports regarding this incident."

"Copy Sir."

The line went dead.

John called Catherine's number. It keeps ringing but no one answered. Then he called again, but this time it cannot be reached. Catherine must have turned off her cell phone. This is not good!

He called Grace's number. Thank God she answered.

"I will call you back, Sir!" then the line went dead again.

What the fuck is happening? Why nobody is answering his call properly?

He called Catherine's number again, still unattended.

Then he received a text message from Grace, informing him that she entered the toilet just to send him a message.

His brows knitted together.

Why on earth Grace needs to enter the toilet just to send him a message?

He received another message from Grace explaining to him that Thelma already knew about the alleged r-ape on her daughter and she was in rage wanting Catherine to go with her into the Police Station to file a r-ape case against him. It's Caroline the twin sister that told her mother the truth. Now Thelma was very adamant that the wedding won't push through. She can't allow her daughter to get married to her rapist.

John's face turned pale! No! They can just cancel the wedding after all his preparation and effort. He won't allow it! He needs to talk to Catherine now!

He texted Grace that he wants to talk to Catherine.

He received a reply from Grace telling him that it's impossible to talk with Catherine right now because she was still visibly shaken and crying. She urged him to just call her cousin the next day.

Grace said that she was trying to diffuse the situation by convincing her Auntie Thelma not to cancel the wedding. She will text him if there are good developments in her conversation with the distraught mother and daughter duo.

John thank Grace for her effort.

Her last message was...' Keep the faith! '

John placed his cell phone down the bedside table and was pacing the inside of his bedroom back and forth. He runs his fingers through his hair feeling tense and worried. All he wanted right now is to go to Cavite City and see Catherine in flesh and blood and embrace her in his arms and give her his assurance that everything will be alright.

He retrieves his cell phone and sent Catherine several messages...

"I love you! I miss you so much!

"I'm worried of you!"

"Your silence is killing me inside!"

"What happened there? I'm really worried now..."

"Please reply!"

He gets out of the room and went to the swimming pool area, he needs a vigorous dip to cool his mind.

He needs to blow off some steam!

...

Back in Cavite City...

Grace can not convince both mother and daughter to meet halfway. Thelma was still adamant and keep insisting on canceling the wedding and file a r-ape case against John.

But Catherine insisted that there is no r-ape...that she will marry John no matter what her mother said.

Thelma insisted that if Catherine will marry John, she and the kids will go back to the village and will disown Catherine as her daughter.

Grace was feeling sleepy now, she was yawning in front of them. She was thinking that maybe their heads will cool off if they have a better sleep tonight. The clock on the wall was now pointing at 1:00 AM, past midnight.

Grace rose to her feet. "Okay, since no one will concede, let's call a standoff. Let's resumed the debate tomorrow, okay girls?"

Both Catherine and Thelma nodded in agreement.

Grace finally exited her cousin's house to go home and sleep.

Catherine entered her room and locked the door behind her. She turns on her iPhone and read John's messages.

She texted him...

"Don't worry, am okay."

"Encounter some family problem here..."

"Call you tomorrow, am tired, I want to sleep now."

"I miss you! I love you so much!"

"See you soon!"

"Bye! Goodnight!"

Catherine lay down in her bed feeling tired and worn out, so many things happened in just a few hours and it feels like an eternity, she feels like her world is crumbling down...

...

While in his room, John smiled a bit upon reading her text reply. He finally lay down in his bed and proceeds to sleep. He won't press her much on the details, based on the photos she had a rough night, it will be best to let her sleep and rest. Maybe tomorrow the condition with her family will get better, fingers crossed.