CEO’s REDEMPTION

THE GETAWAY

“We are here.” Jerol says, waking me up. I am becoming so prone to sleep nowadays. I hope I am not becoming a lazy bone. Eyes roll!

I wake up, yawning as if I have been napping for a whole decade, and stretching my stiff and fragile muscles. A little slumber and I wake up feeling like crap, yet I still have eight whole months! My!

Shooting my eyes outside, I try to scan and take in the ostensibly exotic atmosphere which does not seem familiar at all. Not the environment, not the place itself, nothing rings a bell. Where did Jerol bring me? Even the aura bleeds so distinctly.

But then again, I should actually smirk at myself for mocking myself. Where do I know? Heck! I have been to no other place aside from that disgusting shitty home. Jerol’s place was the second place I got a chance to know.

All the same, wherever that my sweet husband brought me, I am sure I am gonna have the bliss to core here. The white fences, no, hang on! It’s the white theme! The white fences, the sparkly white compound, and what am I seeing here? Another castle?

“Wow!” I exclaim, tilting my head a little to try and catch a little more of the beautiful building before me. It’s also painted white. Peace – which is what we need.

“Shall we?” I did not know how long Jerol has been holding the door for me, but the second I realize it, I almost step on his feet as I leap out in excitement.

These beautiful surroundings are so mesmerizing that I feel like I want to spend my entire life here already. The place exudes peace, and I did not know how much I yearned for it until now. I continue voyaging my eyes around as I recharge my lung with more of this raw aura, until I spot something that halted my cruise.

A cave? Is that a cave I am seeing beyond the fences in the far north?

“You want to see it?” Jerol asks, my enthusiastic utterance coercing a smile from his lips.

God! I know I conform an extremely ecstatic child who has toured Disney land for the first time. Or like a village girl who just tapped her feet on the city for the first time. I am euphoric. Where am I?

“Well? Which one do you want to tour first? Our house, or the cave?” Jerol asks again while I continue savoring the beauty this place is percolating to me.

Well, which one do I choose? I am enthusiastically feverish for the both of them just the same.

“I know. Wait.” Again, Jerol had to speak, sauntering behind me towards the gate where a small but beautiful cottage stands. I didn’t notice it until now. He starts speaking to the man standing at the door, while I drink in more of my surroundings with my eyes.

Now, this is grandeur at its best! Beauty and peace! It doesn’t just stop in your eyes, but it surges deep through your veins. Compared to the place I lived in until five months ago, I feel like I am in Paradise. In real peaceful heaven!

“Let’s go?”Jerol startles me again, cutting my cruise short as he takes my hand, pulling me towards the gate.

“So, the cave?” I implore as we match out of the gate hand in hand.

“Yes.” He says.

We take a path that leads us down to something that looks like a forest, and according to my compass direction from this castle, the cafe should be beyond these trees. The rain from last night seems to have poured triple in this area than where we came from, leaving the place so mucky and slippery.

Gladly, I wore sneakers when I went to see Grego this morning which I did not take off after. But Jerol, what the hell was he thinking wearing saddles? Poor thing! He is struggling a lot.

“Hold on!” He says, stopping and bending his gorgeous back as I stand to see what he is doing.

He folds his jeans up to the knees, and to my surprise, the saddles are gone, leaving him barefoot as his imprints sink into the mad!

Wow! I mean, he…

“We can proceed.” He says, as if nothing is wrong at all. Like a filthy billionaire like him is not kissing the mud barefoot and is about to dance in this mud for a distance.

“Like this?” I ask, unsure of the success of this tour. How will he walk like this? It’s so muddy all the way.

“Yes.” He affirms, not sounding troubled or unsure at all.

“Are you sure? We can go back and do this tomorrow.” I say, sympathizing with him.

“I am okay, Tessa! I have done this countless times.” He assures me, and at this point, I think I don’t have to contend anymore.

The image of him this way strikes me differently though.

“Okay.” I say.ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

He carries his saddles in one hand, while the other pins me to his hip as we start down the muddy path again.

My! He is so down-to-earth for a man of his pedigree! I can visualize the drama of asking someone like Grego to do this. He might even spit on your face. Pride and ego! I love my Jerol, and I am falling deep for him with every discovery.

Well, aside from the drinking part. That was a turn-off for me, but I am glad he is all sober now. He is back to my typical cool Jerol. And I know he meant it when said he will never drink again.

“We could have just stayed back at the castle if you wanted to ogle me!” He says, urging a smirk from me.

“Is it a sin to ogle my husband?” I ask.

“Not at all. But there is a more cultivating view before you.” He says, and I snap my face forward.

“Wow!” I mumble, staring at the beautiful ancient cave.

We are actually strutting at its rocky base. It looks so old, but beautiful and clean all the same. It is about a hundred meters high on the perimeter and about five hundred metres in length, that is if I am good at guessing. There are two entrances from my view, one on the right and the second on the left.

“Is it safe inside?” I ask.

“It has been for all those times I have been here before. It should be.” He responds.

“Then…” I was about to imply that we go in, but I got a sight of his bare feet. He definitely will be nursing bruises even before we get to the entrance. That will be too much torture.

As if reading my mind, which I am certain he did, he takes off his tee, cleans all the mud from his feet with it, and tosses it aside when he is all done. He puts his saddles on, while I stare in awe.

He did that?

Hang on! He will remain bare chest in this freezing weather? I am sure it’s much more colder in the cave.

“Let’s go.” He says, reaching for my hand.

“Aren’t you feeling cold?” I ask with concern.

“It’s fine. I will ask for a tee. You also need something warm. It’s more freezing inside.” He says as he fishes his phone.

“Who will you ask for? We did not bring any clothes.” I ask as we make our way to the entrance.

“I did the packing.” He says, earning a raised eyebrow from me.

“You did? When?” I implore.

“Before you came back from seeing my brother.” He responds.

I see. He had it all planned, huh?

“You weren’t even sure I will agree to this.” I say as we enter the cave.

“I am certain of my irresistible charm. I was confident you couldn’t refuse your sweet husband.” He winks.

Ooh! Seems like someone is so full of himself, huh?