The CEO's Painted Skin

One Friday afternoon, Catherine was getting off from work. She was surprised to see Jerome waiting in front of the hotel.

'Why are you here?" she asked in alarmed looking for John's spy in the surrounding area.

"I'm here to fetch you and bring you home," he replied nonchalantly. "I dropped by at your house earlier and your mother told me that you're still at work so I proceed here to offer you a ride. Let's go!"

Catherine sighed, she slid behind him and clutched at the hem of his jacket. Jerome fired the engine of his motorcycle and they were soon joining the other vehicles running smoothly into the highway.

Jerome has been visiting their house more frequently than before, probably being encouraged by her mother. Until now she still has no concrete plan yet how to make her mother stop doting on Jerome. The more Jerome pursued her, the more John will get jealous.

Fifteen minutes later they already arrived in the house.

Catherine invited Jerome inside for hospitality's sake. He went inside the house and sit down in the wooden chair. She then entered her room to change her clothes.

"Good afternoon, Auntie!" he greeted the older woman.

Thelma smiled at Jerome. "Nice to see you again, Jerome. Did you fetch Catherine from the hotel? That is good!"

"I don't mind bringing her home every day, Auntie," he said with a pleasant smile plastered on his face.

Thelma winked at Jerome and exited the house so that he and her daughter can have a private talk with each other.

A moment later, Catherine went out of her room and saw Jerome still sitting on the chair alone, but her mother was gone. Where did she go?

"Where did my mother go?" she asked Jerome.

"I think she went into the store nearby to buy something, not sure though. Why don't you just sit down here beside me Catherine so that we can have a nice talk," he suggested.

She sighed and sat beside him on the other end of the wooden bench.

"Why you sit down so far away? Come a little bit closer," he patted the space beside him.

She ignored his request. So, he edges closer to her, he stopped a few inches from her.

"Why are you being so aloof?" he asked.

Catherine looked at him in the eyes. "Jerome, honestly you shouldn't be visiting frequently here in my home and please do not go in the hotel to fetch me there. My boyfriend will get angry at me, he will be jealous of you."

Jerome blinked twice. "You know Catherine, I was wondering why your boyfriend was not visiting you here in your house? I am also curious why he wore a mask on his face? Did something happen to his face? Why he was hiding his face behind a mask? I also felt that your mother does not approve of your husband to be, just my feeling though. Maybe you can enlighten me about all these confusing things surrounding your boyfriend..."

She pursed her mouth because she doesn't want to answer all his question. She doesn't like it when Jerome is acting like this, acting like an investigative reporter wanting a hot scope.

"None of your business, Jerome!" she blurted out clearly annoyed.

Jerome smiled at her reaction. "You look even more beautiful when your angry, Catherine."

She faced him seriously. "Forget me, Jerome! Find another woman that truly deserves you. I'm no longer single. I love my boyfriend, I don't deserve your love. I wish you understand all that."

Jerome seems to be not listening to her sermon. "I told you, I will only stop courting you if you finally got married and I need to see it with my very own eyes. Once you get married I will stop pursuing you."

Irritated that he was turning deaf ears to all her talks, she left him alone in the chair, she went inside her room and lay down pretending to sleep.

Jerome was sitting alone in the chair feeling abandoned and rejected. If only he can teach his heart to fall in love with other women then he will gladly do that. Unfortunately, his heart only sees Catherine! Only her presence, her smile can make him happy. He won't give up until she will accept his love. He will stay persistent and devoted to her, maybe one day she will see how devoted he is to her and she then can finally learn to love him.

Thelma entered the door and saw Jerome sitting alone in the wooden chair wearing a gloomy expression on his face.

"Where is my daughter?" she asked.

"She went to her room, got pissed with my pleading to make her accept my love for her."

Thelma shook her head sympathizing with Jerome.

"Give her enough time, Jerome. You have to be patient with my daughter. Her wedding was recently canceled and she was feeling down nowadays. She's still recovering from the setback. Don't worry you have my approval, I want you to be my son in law. I don't approve of her choice of man. John is not worthy of my daughter. He doesn't deserve Catherine."

Jerome saw the displeasure on the older woman's face. He was now more curious to know the identity of the man Catherine is going to marry.

"Auntie, what is wrong with her boyfriend? Why you don't approve him for your daughter?" he wants to know the truth.

"It's a long story, Jerome. Are you sure you want to know the truth? If you know the truth you might stop pursuing my daughter. I think it's better that you don't know anything at all. Just continue loving my daughter, she will turn around one day and will see you only, she will love you back in time if you don't stop pursuing her."

Jerome was getting more curious. "Auntie, she once told me that she is no longer a virgin. That issue has something to do with her boyfriend?"

"Come back early tomorrow I will tell you everything," whispers Thelma.