"Alright, take care, I won't see you off."
After saying that, I plopped down on the sofa with Catherine and turned my attention back to the food on the table.
I wasn't feeling all that tired at first, but the smell of the spaghetti hit me, and my stomach started growling. Guess I was hungrier than I thought.
"Take your time eating. It's almost evening, and you're just now having your meal. Must've been busy being all lovey-dovey earlier," Victor teased as he walked out.
'Damn it, you better hope I don't catch you and Calista getting all lovey-dovey,' I thought, feeling a bit helpless.
Catherine blushed hard when she heard that, hiding behind her plate of spaghetti, with only her big, beautiful eyes peeking over the top.
She twirled a forkful into her mouth, looking super cute, nothing like the assertive businesswoman she usually was.
'Does love really turn people into kids?' I wondered.
Watching her like that, my heart melted. I reached out and tucked a small strand of hair behind her ear.
When she had eaten enough, I leaned in and kissed away the sauce at the corner of her mouth.
"Hurry up and finish your meal; the driver will be here soon," she reminded me.
"Got it," I said, taking another bite of pasta. "Wanna come to the airport with me?"
"Sure, I'd love to spend a bit more time with you before we have to say goodbye," she purred.
"Sounds good," I replied with a smile.
Just then, the driver called to say he was waiting in the underground parking lot.
I picked up the pace with my spaghetti and told Catherine, "The driver's here. Go change your clothes quickly. I'll be done soon."
"Okay." Catherine nodded, then hopped off the sofa and headed to the bedroom closet to put on a white suit.
By the time she came out, I had finished my meal.
I wheeled my suitcase to the door to wait, while Catherine grabbed a backpack and slung it over her shoulder. When she walked over to me, she took my hand, and we left together.
Downstairs, Catherine was the first to speak, "To the airport."
"Alright, Ms. Price," the driver answered respectfully.
As the car drove slowly, the bittersweet feeling of parting finally hit me as I looked at the familiar scenery.
I couldn't help but pull Catherine into my arms, taking the chance to be close to her while we still had time.
Catherine sensed my change in mood, wrapping her arms around my waist, resting her face against my chest, listening to my strong heartbeat, and feeling waves of security and comfort.
"Give me a call when you get there. I'm really gonna miss you," she said, her voice soft with emotion.
"I will. Let's keep our nightly video call routine."
"For sure. Just don't ghost me like last time."
"Okay. If I can't make it, I'll give you a heads-up."
As we continued this back-and-forth, the car arrived at the airport.
Catherine held my hand all the way to the boarding gate, walking slowly with a heavy expression, a stark contrast to her energetic and smiling self when she came to pick me up.
I knew she was also very reluctant to part with me. Even now, if I forced myself to smile, it would probably look worse than crying.
"Remember to miss me." Catherine held my hand tightly.
"Don't worry, I don't just think about you every day, I also think about how to have you," I teased, trying to lighten the mood.
Catherine was clearly upset, not wanting to be apart from me. Her eyes were red, and she looked like she was about to cry. So, I threw in those cheeky words, hoping to make her smile, even if it was a shy one.
She just rolled her eyes at me. "We're in public, save that talk for later!"
"Got it." I leaned in close to her ear and whispered, "No one can hear us now, can we continue?"
"Always finding loopholes in my words!" she said, giving me a playful punch, but a smile tugged at her lips.
The airport terminal was calling for my flight, and I couldn't stay with Catherine any longer.
I let go of the suitcase, tilted her head up gently, and planted a deep kiss on her forehead for about ten seconds before reluctantly letting her go.
"I guess I should go now," I said, caressing her cheek.
"Okay, take care." Catherine nodded reluctantly.
Her grip on my hand tightened instead of loosening.
In the end, I had to pry her fingers open one by one to free my hand.
"It's getting late; you should go back." After saying that, I walked towards the boarding gate with my suitcase. Once inside, I turned around and waved to Catherine, bidding her a final farewell.
Tears streamed down her pretty cheeks, and it broke my heart. I wanted to rush back and hold her tightly.
But there was nothing I could do, so I had to endure the pain and board the plane.
Time passed in a blur, and before I knew it, I had landed.
After leaving the airport, I took a taxi to the rental house. I had planned to call Catherine right away and video chat with her.
But something important came up—I had to help Mia buy furniture.
I didn't know how she found out about my flight information, but as soon as I landed, she messaged me, and I didn't even have a chance to refuse.
I texted Catherine to let her know I was safe. After all, I was going out shopping with another woman.
Not to mention whether Catherine would mind, but given that Mia and I had already been intimate, I couldn't let Mia be on Catherine's radar.
Even if she found out, I couldn't let Catherine know I chose to spend time with another woman over her.
Luckily, Catherine didn't dwell on my failure to call and channeled her sadness into work. As soon as she got back, she rushed to the office, wanting to finish up early so she could come back to me soon.
When I arrived at the rental house, I didn't even say hello to John and Emily. I went straight to Mia's place.
Just as I got to her door, I found the house key under the doormat and let myself in.
Mia had just finished showering and was wrapped in a thick robe, standing in the bathroom blow-drying her hair.
The clear mirror in the bathroom reflected Mia's deep cleavage and smooth skin, which I couldn't help but notice.
The deep V-neck of her robe, due to her movements, opened even wider, making her cleavage more prominent, almost revealing her full breasts.
Only then did I realize she wasn't wearing a bra.