Chapter 280 - Troublesome

Catherine arrived at Eastwood Subdivision to inform her mother about Caroline and Mike's marital problem.

"Mother, I want to tell you something. Please don't worry too much about what I'm about to tell you. Please take care of your heart," she said, worrying about her mother's health.

"What is it? Tell me now...I'm waiting..." Thelma said.

Catherine breathed deeply. "It's about Caroline and Mike. They were having problems with their marriage. They recently quarreled the other day and Caroline disappeared again."

"Whaaat?" Thelma's face registered shock. "Huh? Again? D-did your sister vanish again without a trace?"

Catherine sighed. "Yes. Mike and I can't contact her. It seemed she turned off her phone and doesn't want to hear our calls. But I'm sure she reads my text messages. She's not ready yet to inform us of her whereabouts. She's probably out there trying to think things over..." she explained.

Tears welled up in Thelma's eyes. Her daughter Caroline has always been born with a complex personality. Her daughter has been given her problems ever since in the village, and up to now she still hasn't changed a bit. She cried a lot of tears because of her daughter's complex attitude. "Why can't she face her problems head-on? Why does she have to run away each time and give us worries!?" she asked in an agitated voice. Her face registered a furious expression.

"Mother...calm down. If you are acting like this...I will never tell you any bad news again in the future," Catherine said, panicking. She was anxious that her mother might suffer a heart attack again.

Slowly, Thelma inhaled and exhaled air into her lungs, calming her nerves in the process. "So...what is the problem this time?" she inquired.

Catherine was shaking her head. "The reason is vague. It's about the painting that Caroline brought with her when she returned to her husband's side. Mike saw the painting and it has a message from a certain person that tells...Much Love, Alex. That angered and make Caroline's husband jealous and accused my twin that she had a lover that is why she disappeared in the past."

"And?"

"Caroline didn't confirm anything and instead left the house. Mike warned her, that if she leaves the house, he will never accept her back," Catherine said.

Thelma released a deep sigh. "What can we do? It's the couple's problem. We can only give them advice..."

"Mother, did Caroline tried contacting you in the last few days?"

"No. We have no communication in the last three days," Thelma answered.

"If she contacts you, please tell her to call me. I'll be waiting for her call," Catherine said. She refrains from telling her mother that Mike was already planning to file an annulment 'coz it will surely devastate her mother. She doesn't want to tell her the bad news that hasn't started yet. She was hoping that the couple can still fix their differences and reconcile again just for the sake of their young children.

Thelma's face registered a mixture of anger and worry for her wayward daughter Caroline.

"Let's just hope that wherever she is right now, she's safe and in good hands," Catherine muttered to herself.

Thelma gritted her teeth in anger. "That sister of yours must be hiding a terrible secret from us! This behavior of hers is troubling. It greatly puzzles me... where did she go whenever she disappears?" she asked in confusion.

Catherine sighed heavily. "I suspicion of her before, the first time she vanished without a trace. But since she returned to us in good health, I no longer pursue the matter. And even if we start asking questions. I'm afraid she will never tell us the truth," she said.

Thelma's mouth formed into a grimace. "Was her husband right? That...that your sister has a lover? I'm starting to believe it" she finally said.

Catherine shook her head. "I dunno. I still believe that Caroline was not doing such a thing behind her husband's back. She loves Mike so much. I'm sure, she won't betray him behind his back. I think there is something else..."

Thelma's brow's furrowed. "Let's go back to the topic regarding the painting. It's not even concrete evidence of one's tryst with other people. That is a cheap reason to have a big fight."

"Mother, to you it's just a minor thing but to Mike, his suspicion grows in leaps and bounds the moment Caroline denied everything and disappears again," Catherine explained.

Thelma sighed. "Ah...this is troublesome indeed. Your sister should better call us now! I'm dying to ask her what's going on?"

Speaking of Caroline...Catherine's phone starts ringing and when she checked the caller, it's her twin! She let her mother see the caller and put her finger on her lips. "Shh...be quiet, Mother!" she said.

Thelma nodded her head.

Catherine answered the call. "Hello...Sis! Where are you?" she asked right away.

"Sis...I presumed you already know what happened to me and my husband?"

"Yes. Where are you? I'm worried about you! Tell me your address!" she demanded.

"I am staying in a safe place. Please don't worry about me. I just want to ask if you have news about my twins?"

"Don't worry about your babies, as of now, they are under Mother Susan's care in her house. Have you and your husband talked already?"

"Yes, only one time on the night I left him. He and I had a short talk... and you won't believe me, he was with another woman that night. He accused me that I have a lover and yet he was the one who betrays me with another woman! I heard them having s.e.x on the phone!" Caroline blurted out.

"Whaaat? Are you sure? Mike would never do such a thing to you!" Catherine uttered in disbelief.

"Sis, believe me because I heard their groaning and panting with my ears. He forgot to turn off the damn phone while he was having s.e.x with another woman!" Caroline insisted.

"Alright, I believe you. So... what is your plan right now? Aren't you going to talk to your husband for the last time? Try to attempt reconciling with him and settle your difference just for the sake of the twins," she urged her.

There were a few seconds of silence between them.

"Umm...I'm trying to heal the wound in my heart right now. I will return and face him when I already come to terms with the bitter truth that our relationship finally turns to worst. I dunno if Mike and I can still fix the gap in our relationship. I am confused right now. I'm still feeling the pain of his betrayal to me," Caroline said.

"Sis, do you still love your husband?"

"I dunno...the moment I know that he was banging another woman, I lost my respect for him. My love for him is slowly fading away. I think Mike and I will be heading our separate ways soon. All I care about right now is how to get custody of my twins. I will fight for my rights for them," Caroline said.

Catherine massaged her temple. By the sound of her twin's speech, she now finds it hard to reconcile the couple. Maybe they need to distance themselves from each other for a while so that they can think things over. She doesn't know if her twin was telling the truth about Mike having s.e.x with another woman. That issue still a subject for debate.

"Sis, please don't tell mother yet about my situation. Don't worry, I will call mother one of these days and explained to her my side. For now, don't tell her yet. Bye for now, I'll call you again," said Caroline.

"Sis...wait..." Catherine said, she was about to ask her twin again where she was staying but she was already greeted with silence at the other end of the line. Sigh. Her twin already ended their call.

She shrugged her shoulder while looking at her mother.

They spent the next few hours discussing the severity of Caroline's accusation towards her husband and the truth behind Mike's infidelity.