The next morning, Cassian drove her to the airport. She held onto him tightly, giving him a lingering kiss.
"Hubby, come with me, please. I'm going to miss you," she said softly.
"I'd love to, Seraphina. But I have a big investor conference tomorrow," he replied.
"I... I understand. Take care, okay? Cassian?" her voice dropped as her heart squeezed.
"Yes?" he asked.
"Don't sleep at Tessa's place. I'll call my older sister later to check," she said, half-joking, half-serious.
He sighed. "We had a deal, remember? You know our situation, Seraphina."
And just like that, her heart sank.
'So this is all just because of our deal? she thought. Cassian, was everything you said and did just an act? The way you touched me, the way you moaned my name, the way you said you missed and loved me… were those all lies? Were you only pretending to want me?'
"I… I see. Okay, Cassian. Goodbye." Her voice cracked, almost a whisper.
Please, Cassian… when I come back, I hope you've changed your mind. I hope I'll be the one you love again.
She was about to enter the boarding area when someone suddenly grabbed her hand.
"Aaah! K-Rafael, what the heck?"
"Let's go. Fly with me. I've got my own private plane," he grinned like it was the most natural thing in the world.
"I don't want to!" she snapped, trying to shake him off.
"Relax. I won't take advantage of you," he said with a smirk. "You're not even my type. You're like a wild Amazon, way too intense!"
"You jerk!" she shouted, but somehow, she ended up walking beside him anyway.
She glared at him as they entered the VIP hangar. 'Damn it!' she cursed inwardly.
Rafael Knightley Carrington was chaos in human form and for some reason, she was walking straight into it.
*******
It was a little past ten in the morning when they arrived in Cebu. From the airport, they went straight to the hotel where the seminar would take place. There were four of them, English professors selected to attend a five-day training. Most of her companions were new hires. A family suite had been booked for the four of them, but before stepping into the lobby, Mr. Well-endowed leaned closer and told her in a low voice that he had booked her a private suite instead.
Room 168 was hers. And right across the hall, Room 169, was his. So since the orientation was not until one in the afternoon, she decided to rest in her room for a while. She had barely fallen asleep when her phone rang. It was Venessa.
"Bess, how are you? Are you in Cebu now?"
"Yes, I just arrived. I'm trying to rest a bit," she said, her voice still groggy.
"Guess what? Aly and Kat are flying back to the Philippines!"
"What? Are you serious?" Her face instantly lit up.
"Yup! After three years of modelling, those two finally decided to come home. Maybe they got tired of the runway!"
"Wow… I can't wait to see them again!" she beamed.
The four of them had been inseparable since college. All were daughters of billionaires. Blessed with beauty, brains, and confidence, they were known for their standout looks and bold personalities. People at university used to call them "mean girls," but only because they never tolerated anyone's nonsense. They only clapped back when someone crossed the line.
Aly and Kat had gone on to become models in England. Aly, the daughter of a senator, and Kat, like her, a sole heiress. They were the fashionable ones, always dressed to the nines. While she and Venessa had a more laid-back style, people often said their beauty stood out even more. They never cared much about comparisons. As long as they were confident and stunning in their own way, that was enough.
They were more than best friends, they were sisters by heart. One for all, all for one. If you messed with one of them, you messed with all of them. She and Venessa were the protectors of the group. While Aly and Kat were sweet and feminine, she and Venessa had a tougher edge. The funny part? Despite being the fighters, it was Aly and Kat who always had more suitors. Life's just ironic like that.
"Are you still there?" Venessa's annoyed voice cut through her thoughts.
"Yes, yes, I'm here. Just call me later, okay? I'll be here until Friday."
"Ugh, fine. So… how's Cassian?" Venessa asked, lowering her voice.
"Keep an eye on him and report everything to me, got it?" she told Venessa with a mock-serious tone.
"Wow, you really made me your secret agent now? I have better things to do than spy on your husband. Wait a second… are you with Mr. Well-endowed? He just posted a picture, some girl lying on a bed, back turned, fast asleep. Looks kinda like you."
"What the heck? Yeah, I rode his private jet. The man is stupidly rich!"
"Ayy, this is giving me butterflies! Where is he now?"
"Obviously in his suite. As if we'd share a room!"
"Oh bess, maybe I should fly to Cebu. I want to kidnap your Mr. Well-endowed for myself."
She laughed at Venessa's usual nonsense. "Girl, this is a seminar, not a flirting bootcamp. Please stop with your drama."
"You're so boring! Admit it, you're the one flirting with him."
"Oh please, you can have him! The way he looks, he'd probably flirt with anything in a skirt, even a tree if it had hips."
"Well, as long as he flirts with me, I don't care. Better that than dying without ever experiencing his Well-endowed. Hahaha!"
"You're insane. Call me later, okay? I need to rest now. Bye, crazy woman," she said, ending the call with a smile.
As soon as the line dropped, her smile faded. She stared at Cassian's contact. Not a single message. Not a single missed call. Not even a "take care."
She opened her gallery and looked through the old photos, happy smiles, warm hugs, memories they once shared. A dull ache settled in her chest. That familiar pain came creeping back.
It hurts, being the one left behind. It hurts more knowing you are sharing the heart of the person you love. She looked at one photo in particular, pressed her lips against the screen, and softly sang through the lump in her throat:
"Cause someday, someone's gonna love me
The way I wanted you to need me..."
Her voice cracked.
"One day, I'll forget about you…
You'll see, I won't even miss you…
Someday… someday."
She chuckled bitterly and wiped the corner of her eye. "I hope that's not true, Cassian. I hope I don't stop loving you." But deep down, she was starting to doubt if she even had the strength to keep holding on.