Sweet Surrender: The CEO's Second Wife

Caroline went home that night feeling depressed.

She went with Mike to his house looking forward to reconciling with her children, instead, she only got a blatant rejection from them. She got devastated by their treatment of her but she can't blame them, their pain runs so much deeper.

She remembered that when her daughter Suzanne called her begging for her to attend her graduation from college she wasn't able to attend because Gabriel's graduation was also held on the same day. Suzanne never called her again after that and no longer answer her calls. Until she gets tired of explaining, apologizing, and calling her. Their communication stops completely.

When Justin married his wife, he requested her mother to attend his wedding at the church, she wasn't able to arrive on time because Jasmine was also celebrating her birthday during that time. From that moment onward, Justin ignores his mother's effort in reaching out to him.

Her children with Mike tried to compete with her attention but sad to say she only got one body, she can't accommodate all her children at the same time.

Caroline, Suzanne, and Justin kind of drifted apart from each other. There's a huge gap between them and now she's trying to repair the gap, hoping that one day they will finally learn to accept her again in their lives.

This proves to be hard... because deep-rooted layers of pain, sadness, longing, and disappointments, as well as hatred, are hard to erase from Suzanne and Justin's heart and mind.

But she won't give up... she will do everything to mend her children's broken hearts. No matter how hard the situation she will still persevere. She won't get tired of visiting them again no matter how long they will forgive her, she's willing to wait.

Before she falls asleep that night, she placed a call to her twin sister Catherine.

"Sis..." she said.

"Hello...Caroline...what's up?"

"What time Cathy will go home after working in the office?" she asked.

"About 5:30...your daughter is a hard worker..." Catherine commented. "Why...?"

"Sis, can you please set up a dinner with her tomorrow? I will come there at her place," she said.

"You want to get in touch with your daughter again?" Catherine asked.

"Yes, can you help me, please?" she asked.

"Sure...I will help you... come here to Infinity Jade Tower at 6:00 in the evening tomorrow or much earlier. I will send his husband and children away for a while. I'll take care of everything," Catherine said.

"Thank you, sis!" she said feeling grateful for her support. "See you tomorrow...bye!"

"Bye... see you..." Catherine replied.

"Bye..."

The call ended.

Caroline placed her phone on the bedside table. She was dreading meeting Cathy, her firstborn. After meeting Suzanne and Justin, she was scared hearing Cathy's grievances towards her because she was the most neglected among her five children.

Cathy was raised by Hector and Clara in the states, they don't have any bonding at all. Her daughter Cathy might have no connection with her.

She released a deep sigh.

Her relationship with Alex and their children are picture-perfect, inside and outside.

But her relationship with her other children is something else...

She's wondering if she can still repair her relationship with Cathy, Suzanne, and Justin?

If yes? When and how long does she have to wait?

She was hoping that they can forgive her before she will die because death is like a thief in the night, it can happen to anyone, anytime and anywhere.

She breathed deeply.

She turned off the light in the bedroom, she's going to sleep,'coz she's yawning heavily already.

~

The following day.

Caroline arrived in Infinity Jade Tower at 4:00 in the afternoon.

Cathy has not come home yet. Catherine brought Caroline to see Clara sitting on the rocking chair watching the big aquarium filled with colorful fishes, a nurse was sitting quietly beside her.

Catherine looked at her twin. "She no longer remembers everyone including John, Cathy, and even her husband Hector due to her Alzheimer disease," she explained.

"I understand," Caroline said. "Where is Uncle Hector?"

"He's sleeping in the bedroom, he's suffering from arthritis now and then," Catherine replied. "We turned this whole 14th floor as livable as possible because Cathy doesn't want to get separated from her grandparents, she wants to see them every day. So, my in-laws and Cathy's family live here on the 14th floor while we are upstairs on the 15th floor. This way it's easier for my husband to see his parents every day," she elaborated further.

"Where is John?" she asked.

"He's in the pool area, busy with his pottery lesson on line, that's his latest addiction after retiring from work full time," Catherine replied.

"Ah...I see..." Caroline murmured. She went to Clara's side and planted a kiss on the old woman's forehead. "Hello...Auntie...it's me Caroline..." she said.

Clara looked at the visitor for a few seconds... then turned her attention back to the aquarium, there's no recognition in her eyes.

Caroline sighed.

"Let's talk in the living room. Let's wait for Cathy's arrival there," Catherine said.

The two women went back to the living room and settled comfortably on the sofa.

"Do you think my daughter Cathy can forgive me and accept me as her mother?" Caroline asked her sister nervously.

"Hmm...let's hope so..." Catherine replied.

"Did my daughter asked you a lot of things about me?" Caroline inquired.

Catherine shook her head. "Surprisingly not. I mean...she grows up with her grandparents abroad...so yeah...you already know what I mean. But I think it's not too late yet to form a relationship with her as her mother. Cathy is a broad-minded girl," she assured her.

Caroline smiled a bit, feeling hopeful. "I hope so..."

The sisters discussed family matters.

Lily already got married five years ago, she and her husband live in Eastwood Subdivision together with Thelma, they have no children yet, while Jacob is still a single guy, unable to find the perfect girl to marry, he was working as a manager in a fast-food restaurant located near the subdivision, while Lily is a plain housewife to her husband who is a seaman, working in a cargo ship abroad.

Two hours later.

The door opened and Cathy entered the living room. She was frozen in her tracks upon seeing the woman sitting beside her Aunt Catherine. "M-Mother? Is that you!?" she asked in disbelief.

Catherine rose to her feet. "I'll go upstairs...I'll come back later. You two have a nice talk to each other..." she said and left the living room.

Caroline smiled brightly at her firstborn. She stood up. "Look at you...you're so pretty!" she gushes.

Cathy smiled. "Thanks, I got it from my mother! I got it from my mother!" she said in a singsong voice.

The two women smiled, they rushed to each other and locked in a tight embrace.

After a while...they looked at each other teary-eyed.

Caroline cleared her throat. "I'm so sorry that I was not a good mother to you, Cath. You must have hated me all these years, I'm so sorry. I hope you'll find it in your heart to forgive me," Caroline apologized from the bottom of her heart.

Cathy shrugged. "Mother, I never hated you for long. Grandma Clara and Grandpa Hector explained to me that I was born in this world because my father s.e.x.u.a.lly molested you. My grandparents are grateful to you because you decided not to abort me. After I know the truth, I no longer hate you. When you didn't try to establish communication with me, I thought you can't stomach seeing me because you will be reminded of what my father had done to you. So I'm just waiting for the right time that you will be the one seeking me out. I'm afraid of your ejection. And voila! finally, my wish was granted by God! You're here in front of me now! This is amazing! I'm so happy!" she exclaimed, beaming with joy.

Caroline cried... her eyes were swimming with tears of happiness, she can't help but hugged her daughter again, she was super elated. A heavy load was lifted from her heart instantly after Cathy accepted her wholeheartedly. "Thank you for not hating me, daughter. From now on, we will keep in touch regularly, okay?" she said merrily.

"Sure, thing...Mom!" Cathy smiled brightly.

They sat on the sofa and immersed in a lively chit chat.

One hour later, Cathy's husband and their children finally arrived home, along with the nanny.

Cathy proudly introduced her mother to her husband and her two kids. Caroline was ecstatic after meeting the entire family. She spent the rest of the evening with them, getting to know them little by little. She stayed with them until 8:00 in the evening and promised them that she will return next week for another family gathering.

Caroline went home that night, feeling happy that Cathy never holds any grudges towards her, unlike Suzanne and Justin. She felt sad thinking about her children with Mike.

But she can't let them dampen her happiness tonight. She will think of her problem with them some other time.

Today is a happy day because her firstborn Cathy didn't give her a hard time.

She was overjoyed.

A reason to be optimistic that everything will finally fit into the right places.