Chapter 89

"People like you are not real."

Cattleya stopped walking as she felt Jaxson's hand on his wrist. Her eyes rolled up as she moved her head backwards, annoyed.

"What do you mean? Because… I am real.” Jaxson almost said in a mumble as he stared at Cattleya's eyes intently.

"When was the last time you remember yourself walking in the rain, holding your own umbrella?" She asked with her eyebrows raised, giving him an untamed glare.

Jaxson was stunned and he couldn't find the right word to say, trying to answer Cattleya's question. His mouth hung open, hesitating the words he would say.

"That's all that I'm saying." Cattleya swiftly shoves Jaxson out of her way.

“Wait, I… I uh–” Jaxson chased after her again but tripped over a large rock which caused her to be out of balance and then fell into the grass where there was a large lake. "Cat!" he screamed for her help.

Cattleya immediately turned to where Jaxson was standing just now to see what happened because he got worried with his voice screeching for help.

"Jax?!" She yelled, asking for him. "Jax, where are you?" She headed towards the grass and Cattleya screamed loudly when suddenly someone pulled her in and the next thing she knew she fell into the lake.

“Gotcha!” Jaxson uttered in the middle of laughing.

"Help!" Cattleya screeched, asking for help. "Help! I can't swim!” Both her hands rose as she flapped her feet in the water.

"Cat?" Jaxson muttered with a concerned tone as he quickly moved towards her and extended his arm. "Cat, take my hand!" His eyes widened when he suddenly pulled him and then submerged his head in the water.

"Ha ha!" Cattleya guffawed as her prank to Jaxson worked. "The karma is indeed digital in today's world—" she was cut off when Jaxson splashed water on her face. "Oh my gosh?" He reacted quickly and then used his hands to splash water on Jaxson's face.

They exchanged hearty laughs and enjoying together as the water swashed and rippled with their hands playing.

***

"We should get a place like this." Jaxson uttered softly with his eyes pinned on the beautiful lake with crystal clear water surrounded by trees and grass covering the road.

He is sitting on a rock, steps farther to Cattleya who was also sitting near the lake and still playing with the water. She let out a weak laugh because of what Jaxson said.

"You are still not over it, are you? I am okay with living in your family's house.” she muttered as she barely turned around to face Jaxson.

"I'll get us a house, Catt. In that way, I can show you my sincerity about being together with you.” He said emphatically. "This place is so natural, so relaxing, no people around you trying to catch any single mistake you do, there are no people who have bad intentions or taking advantage. I feel like I am safe, in this place and with you.”

Cattleya gave Jaxson an empathetic glimpse as she began to stand up and walk towards him.

Jaxson let out a heavy sigh as he used his hands to support his back as he leaned slightly. "I can't change your mind if you think that living an ordinary life is not what people like me who are in a suffocating industry want. If only I could just drop the company to my wicked step brother's hand and leave him all the burden, I will. I will choose to get a place like this away from all of those people with their cameras and mics and just leave peacefully. But I can't. Publicity is a must in our business. I don't want to fail my dad. I don't want to throw away my mother's endeavor.”

“That seems like a lot. I mean, I have never been into that business situation before but isn't it too exhausting? Why don't you just ask your dad for help? Tell him that this isn't easy for you to handle alone." Cattleya used her hands to gesture as she walked slowly towards him without taking her gaze away from Jaxson's face.

"I can't. I don't want to disappoint my father." Jackson replied.

"But he's your father. You won't disappoint him by just asking for a little help.”

Jaxson shook his head as his eyes lifted to Cattleya. “He's not just a father, he's also the owner of Ruegold. I don't want to let him down, especially because I won't be having all of these privileges without his and my mom's hard work. I am here because of them anyway. And letting Lance get the power of control is almost the same as pitching away all the grinds my mother and father put into the company. I'm living a lavish life because of them and I want to give back.”

"Jax... Maybe I don't understand..." Cattleya sat slowly beside him without taking her gaze away from Jaxson's face. "We have lived such a very different life and maybe I don't understand how life can be hard for someone like you who seems to have everything in their control. But in reality, the bigger your social status means the greater your responsibility. I live almost my whole life serving people, offering help, and then there's you who have a lot of people to do work for them. I just— I may have overlooked you.”

Jaxson twinkled a grin from ear to ear. "If you just know me, the real me, I think you will like me."

"I already do."

Cattleya's reply flabbergasted him as he couldn't contain the smiles almost tearing his lips. Jaxson averted her gaze as he slightly turned his face around to hide the beam on his eyes.

"—But if you please, then tell me something about you." Cattleya continued.

"What do you want to know?"

"Anything, but not that you like oreo dipped in peanut butter kinda facts, the genuine one that I can keep."

They both giggled at the same time as Jaxson's head tilted and Cattleya couldn't remove her stare on his face.