Chapter 227 - Is This Really You?

The next day.

After eating breakfast.

Greg was not in the mood doing anything related to painting, instead, he goes swimming with Rudy in the sea. Caroline only stays in the seaside for one hour doing her morning routine of strolling the beach as a good exercise for her pregnancy.

Thinking about her current condition, she realized that she needs to see an OB/GYN soon!

She will ask Alex's permission for that matter once they already get back to Metro Manila.

She went back to the house and help the caretaker with the household works. She sweeps the dry leaves in the front and the backyard and then water the flowering plants scattered around the house using the hose.

After doing the housework in the front yard, she went back inside and proceed to her room to take a bath.

A few minutes later, she emerges from the bathroom feeling refreshed. She combed her hair and exited the room going downstairs to help in the kitchen. She just loves helping the caretaker with the food preparation, the activity took away some negativity from her mind.

Painting, cooking, and performing other household chores can transport her into another world in which her problem doesn't exist. These kinds of activities help restore some normalcy in her chaotic life.

"What are we going to cook for lunch, Saling?" she asked excitedly.

"We will just cook Pork Menudo, Beef Roast, and Corn Soup for lunch," answered Saling.

"Alright, I'll prepare the vegetables!" she volunteered brightly. She took the chopping board and the knife and began cleaning the vegetable in the sink. She wanted to finish cooking quickly, then eat lunch, and finally go to the public market to buy a new cellphone.

She's feeling energize with the thoughts of talking to her sister soon!

Oh God, she misses her family so much! She wanted to go back to her house and hug everyone!

She can't wait for the day that she will leave everything behind her and return to her husband's side. She misses him terribly and her baby daughter, Cathy!

Suddenly, a single tear fell from her left eye. She wiped it with her free hand and continue slicing the vegetable.

She was fighting the urge to cry, Saling might wonder why she was crying all of a sudden. She took a deep breath and returned her attention to her task. If she is not careful, she might accidentally cut her fingers with the knife that she was holding in her right hand.

A few minutes later, she finished slicing everything and set them aside.

It's now Saling's turn to slice and chop the meat.

Half an hour later, Saling started cooking the dishes in the nonstick cooking pan, while Caroline was sitting on the chair watching her.

One hour and thirty minutes went by quickly.

The two women finished cooking the dishes and set the table ready for lunch.

Caroline went to the beach and informed the men that lunch is ready.

The men returned to the house and took a quick shower, then they gathered around the table to eat lunch.

Forty-five minutes later, after done eating, the men departed from the dining table and left the cleaning to the women.

Caroline helped Saling in cleaning the table and the kitchen.

After finishing their task in the kitchen, they went to their respective room to get ready for their trip towards the market.

One hour later, after asking Greg's permission, the two women boarded a tricycle going to the nearest town.

The travel to the town took twenty minutes.

After they arrived in the town, they went to the nearest grocery store and brought one week's grocery stock for the house. They left their grocery bags in the baggage section of the grocery store.

"Saling, can I go to the cellphone store? I want to buy a new cellphone," Caroline said.

"Sure, I will just go to the wet market to buy fresh fish and vegetables. We will just meet here outside this grocery store," replied Saling.

"Okay," Caroline said.

Saling walked to the path leading to the wet market, while Caroline entered the cellphone store located just a few meters away from the grocery store.

She perused the cheap mobile phones inside the glass display cabinet. She doesn't want a fancy phone, she just needs a phone that she can use for texting and calling, that's enough for her.

She looked at the saleslady. "Miss, can I have that shiny black cellphone, please?" she said.

"Okay, Maam," the saleslady responded and opened the glass display cabinet, she picked up the black phone and handed it to the customer.

Caroline explored the phone's function. It's not a touch screen phone, but it has cute buttons. "How much is this?"

"It's just $10...Ma'am," the saleslady replied.

"Okay, I'll take this one. Is the battery full charge?"

"Yes, Ma'am..."

"I will also buy two SIM cards and please attached one of the SIM cards on the phone. I want to use it right away," Caroline added.

"OK, Ma'am," the saleslady obeyed.

She took money from her wallet and paid her purchases in cash.

After the saleslady handed her the bag containing the phone, Caroline immediately left the phone store and went back to the grocery store near the baggage section where they left their grocery bags.

She took the phone from its box and began typing her sister's phone number and pressed the call button.

Meanwhile...

In Infinity Jade Tower.

Inside the couple's master's bedroom, Catherine was about to enter the bathroom to take a shower when her phone rang suddenly.

She went back to the bed where she put the phone above the bedside table. She picked up the phone and checked the caller....the call comes from an unknown number.

She was torn between answering the call or just ignore it? She doesn't entertain calls of unknown callers.

She ignored the call thinking that it's just a wrong call, she put the phone down on the table and went back to the bathroom.

Inside the bathroom, Catherine discarded her clothes and open the shower and let the water ran through her n.a.k.e.d body.

She can no longer hear her phone ringing from the inside of the bathroom. She continuous her bath, expecting the caller not to call her again.

In the middle of her bath, her phone starts ringing again.

She ignored the phone and continue with her bath.

Back in Angeles Pampanga.

Caroline was feeling agitated...why her sister isn't answering her phone? Why? Where is she?

She released a deep sigh, she will call her again a few minutes later. Maybe she was just busy taking good care of the children, or maybe she was in the bathroom taking a bath or something.

She looked at the faces of the people going here and there, busy with their businesses and personal lives.

Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw her companion Saling going to her direction, she was carrying two Eco bags filled with vegetables and other stuff from the wet market. She quickly went to the caretaker's side and helped her carry the other bag.

"Saling, are you hungry? Let's go to the fast-food restaurant over there and rest for a while before we go back to the rest house," Caroline suggested.

"Alright, I'm also feeling thirsty. I want to drink some refreshing ice-cold cola!" Saling replied.

They walked towards the fast-food restaurant situated a few meters away from the grocery store. The two women entered the entrance and chose a vacant table near the door.

After settling comfortably in their seats, Caroline approached the counter and ordered two large halo-halo, which is a refreshing dessert a mixture of yummy fruits added with milk, cream, and ice cream and she also added soft drinks on her order.

A few minutes later, the waiter served the refreshment on their table.

"Saling, I'll go out for a while. I will call my sister for a few minutes," Caroline said.

"Okay," Saling replied and began eating the halo-halo.

Caroline smiled and walked hastily to the entrance and made an exit.

Once she's already outside the restaurant, she immediately grabbed the phone from the pocket of her pants and placed a call to her sister.

Back in Infinity Jade Tower.

Catherine has just stepped from the bathroom and was currently drying her hair with the towel when her phone starts ringing again.

She ignored it for a while...

But the phone keeps ringing and it irritated her ears. It seemed the caller is resolute and wants her attention.

"Who is this caller?!" she mumbled to herself irritably.

Out of annoyance, she finally decided to answer the call once and for all. "Hello. Who is this? Why do you keep calling this number!?" she yelled at the caller.

"Hello...sis!" Caroline replied excitedly.

Catherine's eyes widened in shock after hearing the familiar voice of the caller. Oh my God! It's her missing sister! She finally called her! She's been waiting for ages for her call. She needs to make their conversation last longer so that she can extract much information from her sister. This way they can locate her whereabouts easily!

She gripped the phone hard. "Caroline...is this really...you!?" she asked in disbelief wanting to be sure.