"Good morning, hubby! Come on, let's have breakfast," she called out cheerfully when she saw him heading toward the kitchen.
Even with that sleepy look on his face, he still looked incredibly handsome. How is it fair for someone to wake up looking like that?
She walked up to him and gave him a kiss on the lips before preparing his coffee.
"Seraphina, what time is your flight tomorrow?" he asked seriously.
"Nine in the morning, but I need to be at the airport by seven. Why? Are you coming with me?" she teased, grinning.
"I just want to know so I can drive you early. You know how packed my schedule is."
She rolled her eyes and sighed. "You can take a leave, can you not? Let Ethan handle the company while you take one day off."
Ethan, his older brother, was only two years ahead of him and fully capable of stepping in.
"Not now, Seraphina… I am sorry, sweetheart."
"Hmmm, I get it," she said, trying to hide her disappointment. "You are only too busy when it is about me."
He walked over and hugged her tightly. "I am really sorry, Seraphina. You know I am doing my best to make you happy…"
"You do not have to try, Cassian," she murmured softly. "I never asked for anything. Just having you… that is already enough."
She heard him let out a deep breath.
"By the way, hubby," she added, changing the subject. "I need to pick up a few things later for my trip. Can you pick me up afterwards?"
"Sure."
Once he finished eating, she helped prepare his clothes. She always did. Cassian had grown used to everything being ready for him after his shower. It was just part of her love language.
When he stepped into the bathroom, she followed afterward for her own bath. The rest of the day, she lounged around the house, scrolling through Facebook while waiting for 2:00 PM to come. That was when she planned to head to the grocery store. Her eyes returned to a new friend request she had been ignoring all morning, the infamous Mr. Well-endowed. She hesitated. Then, with a quick tap, she accepted it.
Now they were friends. Out of curiosity, she checked his profile. Nothing suspicious. It looked like a newly made account. But that was not surprising, most businessmen were not fond of social media. Even Cassian had only recently joined the app.
Suddenly, a message popped up. 'Hi beautiful.' She rolled her eyes and replied:
Mr. Well-endowed, please do not message me or I will block you. So uptight. You are not even really that pretty! he shot back. And you are not really that big, hahah! she replied with a smirk. His reply came in, an angry reaction emoji.
She ignored him after that, leaving his message on seen. It was safer that way. If Cassian ever found out she was chatting with Rafael, things could get messy. By the time the clock hit 2:00 PM, she grabbed her bag and went out for grocery shopping. She picked up everything she would need for Cebu. Even though she could buy things there, she liked being ready for anything.
After shopping, hunger crept in, so she headed to her favorite fast food place, Jollibee and ordered all her comfort food. Fried chicken, palabok, burger steak. All her guilty pleasures on one tray.
'At least this food never disappoints me,'' she thought as she took her first bite, trying to shake off the tension of the morning.
She was thoroughly enjoying her fries and sundae when her phone suddenly rang. It was a Messenger video call.
"Hi!" Rafael greeted her, his charming smile lighting up the screen.
Seriously, this guy is unfairly good-looking, she thought as she answered with a flat, "Hello," not bothering to pause from munching her food.
"Can you chew a little slower?" he teased.
"Really? I am eating. You are the one disturbing me. What do you want now?"
"You," he said with a grin. "I missed you."
"Rafael, enough with that nonsense. Cassian will get angry if he finds out. Those cheesy pick-up lines of yours do not work on me!"
"Relax! I am just kidding. You are not even my type." He laughed, clearly enjoying how annoyed she looked.
"What do you want then?" she asked, trying not to smile.
"I just need a favor. I was hoping you could buy something for me. You know how I do not have anyone else to run errands."
"Fine. I am still at the mall anyway, just finished buying my stuff."
"Really? Thank you, sweetheart!"
She rolled her eyes. "Why are you even coming to the seminar, Mr. Well-endowed? That is supposed to be for professors."
"I am sponsoring it, remember? I just want to make sure all of you are focused. Besides, I want to be there. Is that a crime?"
"Whatever! What do you need me to get?" She pulled out a pen and paper from her bag.
He kept smiling like a child. "Nivea roll-on for men. Shaver. You know, the usual. The same things your husband uses. Oh and one more thing."
"What now?"
"Condoms. The largest size. I want to make sure they fit perfectly."
She nearly choked on air and looked around nervously, checking if anyone overheard him.
"You are unbelievable, Mr. Well-endowed! You are messing with me again!"
"I am serious!" he replied, laughing even harder.
"Why do you not buy it yourself? We are not that close. Ask someone else. That is way too awkward."
"Oh? Are you only comfortable buying small or extra small ones?" he teased.
"Excuse me?! I do not.." She stopped mid-sentence, realizing people in the fast-food restaurant were now staring at her.
He burst into laughter. "Come on, just admit it!"
She sighed. "Whatever… I will go back inside and buy your things. Except for the XL…got that?" She raised an eyebrow as he grinned smugly on the screen. She hit the end button and walked back inside the store, still smiling to herself.
'Honestly, out of all the billionaires I have met…including Cassian, he is the most playful, the happiest, and probably the most fun to be around.'
There was something about Rafael's lightheartedness that made her laugh even when she was not in the mood. Cassian arrived shortly after to pick her up. He glanced at her with a curious look as she sat beside him in the car, still grinning to herself.
"What's with that smile?" he asked.
She shook her head. "Nothing."
The truth was, she had been thinking about Rafael and his silly antics. For her, he was just a friend, nothing more. And that was where it would end. She was married. That line could not be crossed. But maybe, just maybe, having a friend like him could bring a little sunshine into her heart, especially when it felt so dull and broken lately.
"Why are you smiling to yourself, Seraphina? Is there something funny about my face?" Cassian asked while driving.
"No, nothing like that. I was just thinking of something funny. It made me smile," she answered, trying to keep it light.
Then her smile faded as her thoughts drifted. "Never mind, I forgot what it was."
Cassian's tone shifted. "Is there someone else making you smile now, Seraphina?"
She blinked in surprise when he suddenly pulled the car over to the side of the road.
"There's no one else, Cassian!"
Without warning, he grabbed her and kissed her hard. It was long and demanding, electric enough to steal the breath from her lungs.
"You better behave, Seraphina," he muttered against her lips. "I don't like that smile. Keep doing that and I might just take you right here in the car."
"Alright, alright! I'm serious now, Mr. Valenciaga!" she replied, covering her mouth in panic, because she had almost said Mr. Well-endowed instead.