The CEO's Painted Skin

The old man was already gone. John was still sitting in the balcony thinking of how to settle the problem in their coal mining business. Of all their businesses, this particular business is closest to his father's heart, he started it himself when he was still in his early 30's. For ten years his father struggled with the coal mining business until Mr. Fajardo come on board and help establish the company to its former glory. His father left the complete authority to Mr. Fajardo to start building a new business all over the country.

John was contemplating giving the general manager a second chance out of his past big contribution to the company.

His phone beep. He fished it out from his cargo shorts and checked his messages. A wide smile appeared on his mouth after reading Catherine's text messages, wow! a total of ten messages! he was elated. He read them excitedly one by one...

'Good morning, John!'

'Eat your breakfast! Eat a lot!'

'How are you doing there?'

'Are you enjoying your stay there? Take care!'

'Why are you not replying? I'm getting angry!'

'Hated it so much waiting for your text message that never comes!'

'Are you busy or what?'

'Call me, please? I miss your voice!'

'I miss you so!'

'Mwuahhh! I love you so much!'

...

John smiled from ear to ear, now, she is sounding more like him, he loves this new facet of her. He wants her to miss him real bad, miss his presence and miss his kisses and caresses. He wants to feel needed and wanted as if she won't be able to live another day if she can't see him. He wants this kind of emotion and reaction from her, that's the only time he can truly feel that she loves him deeply. In their relationship, he has always been the active and possessive one who always pursue her and she was the passive one. He now believes in the saying that says 'absence can make the heart grow more fonder.'

He was feeling happy with her text messages, she was showing deep love and concern between the lines.

He finally called her...

"Sorry the number you are calling was unattended..." the voice said on the other line.

He grinned.

"Try harder love...," he said.

Catherine laughed at the other end. "Why it took you so long to reply to my text messages?"

"I'm a bit busy down here, lots of problems going on. Sorry my love!" he said outright lying.

"Hmmmp...It's okay, next time reply right away!"

"Wow, you finally missed me, huh?" he said.

There was a sound of silence at her end.

"Of course I miss you, John," she said softly.

"Nice to hear that Catherine, I am happy that you showed that you cared for me. You should be more expressive enough to show your love to me either in words or action, I might die any random day and you no longer be able to show your love to me, you will surely regret it," he said.

"Huh? Of course, I know exactly what you mean to me. Don't be silly John. I love you always please don't doubt my love for you..."

His heart turned mushy with her sweet words of love and affection.

"I love you too, Catherine, I love you so much that sometimes it hurts," his confessions came out from the bottom of his heart.

"Hey, don't be sad. Things between us will get better in time. Trust me."

"I dunno. Now that I'm here and so far away from you and you are surrounded with Jerome most of the time, you might stop loving me," there were fear and doubt in his voice.

He heard her sighed deeply on the other end.

"Please don't be afraid. He is just a friend, no more no less. When it comes to Jerome there is nothing to worry about and if I have to choose between you two, I will always choose you!"

"Thank you, love, you have no idea that every time you declare your love to me my heart was filled with happiness."

She giggled at the other end. "Bye, for now, I have to clean the Presidential Suite."

"Wait, keep your text messages coming, okay? They make me smile, they make me happy."

"Okay, sure! Bye John, I love you! mwuahhhh!" she finally ended the call at her end.

John stared at his phone elated, his face broke into a wide grin. He was feeling good with their recently finished conversation that is full of love and affection. Suddenly his surrounding was filled with sunshine that burst dazzling color in every direction.

He put back his phone into the pocket of his blue cargo shorts.

He stood up and headed to his room. By tomorrow he will start touring the coal mining area and see how bad the situation is with the workers and their living conditions. Then the next day he will go deeper through all the financial records and streamlining the current staff if they are over or under staff. A lot of things needs to be considered and taken care of before he can finally decide if the coal mining needs to stop operation, continue or sell it to other interested parties.

That night, they went back to the lake accompanied by the caretaker Rogelio. This time they brought a sound system with them and played country music as their background while drinking beer and enjoying the enchanted beautiful lake and its pristine surrounding.

John felt peace somehow that he is far away from the city, the memories of his canceled wedding was slowly fading away, few more days to go and he would be able to bury the pain behind the deep recesses of his brain.