"Loving you is scary because I shouldn't love you, but still I do. I'm trying to fight my fear because I want you. I need you here, in my heart, but when things heated up and your constant rejection made me feel unwanted, unworthy, and undeserving of everything, Vince." Skylar cried her feelings as she firmly imprinted them on her husband's mind. "I don't want to lose you either, but I also don't want to go back to the pain of yesterday. So please, don't push me to the corner and break everything into ash."
"I-I'm sorry." He grabbed Skylar's hand, and with a sad tone, an apology was the only thing he could say. He knew he was at fault too, and it was because of his secret that might be hard to digest once his wife learned it, and that scared him the most. His hands tremble as he delicately holds Skylar's hands, kissing them, fearing he'll lose them, and yet, only repeated apologies escape from his mouth. "I'm sorry…I'm sorry…forgive me…please…I'm sorry…"
"Hubby, I hate to see you like this, but I can't…not now…" Skylar thought painfully, but Vincencio must learn the pain he inflicted on her. She took away her hands and wiped her tears, apologizing before walking away. "I'm sorry too. I'll sleep ahead."
"I'll make it up to you." He said determinedly, making his wife halt for a second.
"You better be." She responded as she entered their hotel room, letting their words and emotions sink in and letting the night end.
Back home, they carried on as if nothing had changed, sharing a room filled with an invisible cold wall between them. Their marriage seemed to exist only on paper as their lively banter faded. Vincencio found it strange, yet he sensed the tension. Aware of the issue, he chose not to confront her, instead going with the flow, with determination melting the ice between them.
"Are you free tonight?" With courage, Vincencio carefully asked his wife while having a delicious breakfast.
"No, why?" Skylar responded coldly while checking her work tablet.
"Nothing, I just want us to date." Slightly upset, he shrugged his shoulders.
"Cute, but let's see how you'll handle my cold façade." She thought as she glanced slightly and then, answered. "Maybe some other time."
"Okay, just tell me when you're free." He smiled thinly, making her nod, followed by silence until Skylar recalled something.
"Hub—Vince, I might not be home tonight since I'm taking overtime." Skylar quickly changed her call to her husband as she coldly informed her schedule today. "That's close. I don't want to call him hubby and then mean nothing."
"Want my help?" Vincencio noticed but didn't say anything and just offered.
"I'll tell you if I do. So don't wait for me later." She replied when her phone received a notification.
"But inform me in case you decide to come home late. I'll prepare a light meal for you." Vincencio sounded slightly desperate when he said them.
"Okay. See you around. I'll head out first." Skylar nodded and looked over her watch before grabbing her things and heading out.
"Be careful." He followed, and with a wave from Skylar hopping in her car, she was gone. Leaving Vincencio with a heavy sigh but determined to make up with her, although he hadn't had any clues where to start since he had been declined.
***
Meanwhile, a sudden winter storm swirled around the office before the winter season would even arrive. Everyone could feel it as soon as Skylar's intimidating mood shifted like winter when she passed the lobby or any department floors, and they knew not to mess with their assigned projects when there was a storm inside the company.
"Medina, what's my schedule today?" Skylar coldly asked as soon as they hopped on the lift.
"You have a supervision meeting with the design team you assigned for the SaiRus Corp. for their upcoming game event at ten. And then later, you have to check the city view branch for some reported minor casualties. Then your attention to detail is needed for the upcoming formal gala hosted by the Park-Kims for their relaunching of their new collection at Moon de Fragrance." Medina shared her boss's schedule for the day.
"Anything else in between?" Skylar wondered.
"Nothing, since we're not sure how long it will take to handle the matter around the new design team and settle the minor issues at the Sky Lux Hotel & Gallery Restaurant with city view." Medina checked her work tablet one more time as she answered her boss.
"Hm, fair enough." She nodded before she glanced at her phone—looking at her wallpaper where hers and Vincencio's hands were entwined, showing their wedding rings.
"Sky, can I ask something as a friend?" Medina took notice and caught her attention.
"Go ahead." Skylar put her phone down as she let her friend speak her mind.
"Are you two on good terms?" she carefully wondered.
"A little, why?" She nodded and asked, making Medina check her phone.
"Well, Vincencio just texted me about the things you love to do aside from eating healthy diets with wines and coffees or movies." She answered as she read the text messages she had with Vincencio.
"What did you say?" With curiosity, Skylar asked.
"I said you like amusement parks, which made him wonder about something else. So I suggested paintball or a boxing gym." Medina slightly smirked, mentioning what Skylar mostly enjoyed.
"And then?" With an amused smile, Skylar wondered what was next.
"Well, he complimented how strong his wife is without showing off." She answered, but her tone quickly dropped as she seriously wondered. "So, care to tell me why he's been asking that?"
"Well, he's trying to make up with me since I'm giving him the silent treatment." She flatly replied like it was natural treatment, making Medina fake her gasp.
"You did not." Medina reacted in disbelief.
"Well, minor silent treatment since I'm still talking to him but not like the usual. I casually talked to him and didn't dare to address him like a hubby like I used to." She defended her side so Medina won't misunderstand her.
"And why won't you dare call him that?" She curiously wondered.
"Call it pride or whatever you may think, but I don't want to call him 'hubby' without meaning it. I don't want him to feel I don't love him anymore if I call him hubby casually." She made her point, and Medina understood it well.
"That's a fair reason, but does he know that?" she wondered.
"He might, since he's determined to make up with me." With a sly smirk playing on her lips, Skylar winked as exactly the lift opened on her floor.
"Seriously, you two were being hard on each other." Medina sighed in disbelief while shaking her head.
"Well, we're balanced, and besides, I want to see how he'll win me back." She smirked while hoping to witness what grand gesture her husband would do to win her heart again.
"You're such a tease." Medina chuckled.
"I'm not. I'm still upset for making me feel the past, but at the same time it's my fault for not sharing that side with him." She defended with a heavy sigh and entered her office.
"Then, tell him before it goes another way," she suggested.
"As if I would let it happen." With a stern look, Skylar responded before getting ready to work and added to Medina. "But don't worry; it will come in time, but not for now. Let's get this work done."
"Yes, boss." Medina smiled, and they both started their usual routine.
After a few hours of doing paperwork, she headed to her meeting and supervised the newly formed gaming design team. They meticulously talked about the approved design for the upcoming gaming event that needed a prototype, and their meeting lasted for almost three hours.
"Thank you, boss, for the insight." The assigned design team manager for the game event thanked her as soon as their meeting ended.
"No problem, but be careful handling them since the SaiRus Corps entrusted us with this design. Make sure there are no leaks or sabotaging of our designs." She coldly reminded them, and they all agreed.
"We'll do it since we don't want to mess it up either," the assigned design team manager responded politely.
"Good, now back to work and update me with your status." She nodded and reminded them to provide some updates.
"Yes, Boss." They all bowed and went back to their designated workstation.
"Medina, what's the next schedule?" Skylar asked Medina as soon as they walked out to the lobby.
"We need to head to the Sky Lux Hotel & Gallery Restaurant in the central city in thirty minutes," Medina reminded her when she noticed a familiar figure standing by the entrance.
"Okay, call our restaurant for a reserved meal." Skylar was busy talking to her secretary when Medina tapped her shoulder.
"Boss," she called her.
"What?" Skylar coldly wondered.
"Your husband." She softly whispered and looked where Vincencio was standing.
"Why did he have to be charmingly handsome standing there, waiting?" She amusingly thought before responding to Medina. "Oh, okay. Just make that call and wait for me outside."
"Noted." Medina noticed the spark in her boss's eyes but didn't interrupt their moment and went ahead, but she secretly gave Vincencio a pair of thumbs up for support. Vincencio nodded and approached his wife.
"I see you're busy," he commented.
"Always, so what is it?" She nodded and wondered.
"Here's your favorite, tea." He handed a takeout frappe green tea to his wife.
"Thoughtful," she thought and smiled thinly as she received it. "Okay, thanks."
"Be safe." He whispered and kissed her head before letting go.
"You too." With a slight blush, she quickly walked fast and hopped in the car.
"You're blushing," Joey teased as soon as his boss entered the car.
"Agreed." Medina joined, making Skylar frown.
"Shut up and drive, Joey," Skylar coldly commanded before sipping her tea while her trusted men laughed at her cuteness.
***
Skylar supervised some minor issues at the Sky Lux Hotel & Gallery Restaurant in Chevalier City's central district. She was on time, listened to the customers' opinions, and worked with the staff to find a solution. Even though the problem was small, Skylar promptly provided instructions to avoid a recurrence.
"Based on these reports, they seem to be plotting something against the hotel's reputation. But we're not letting them, and here's the thing you need to do. Act like nothing happened, keep doing your usual job but be observant, and take note of everything before tallying them with the security and reporting it all to me." Skylar quickly instructed, which they all agreed to, and then she firmly added her command. "One more thing, to the security team, I'll expect very high-quality security for everyone, and nothing should slip away from you. Are we clear on that, team?"
"Yes, Mistress," they respectfully responded.
"Good, and I'm grateful you didn't hesitate to report it to me. Keep it up." She thanked them for doing their job well before wondering about other add-ons. "So, anything else you want to add before I leave?"
"Ahm, I'm not sure if this will count as evidence, but we found someone checking the hotel services, accommodations, and security for quite a while already. We thought at first it was our loyal customers, but Manager Ling and I saw that person at the newly built beach resort, and she's called Boss." Hotel security head Jackson Stark reported as he handed a file to her, and she quickly scanned it.
"That's interesting. I'll take note of this case, but remember, keep your usual routine, but be mindful and take note of them. We don't want to cause alarm to our customers, is that understood?" With sternness, Skylar reminded them before getting up from her seat.
"Understood, Mistress." They all responded with politeness, and they were all dismissed.
"Medina, she's snooping around." With a sigh, Skylar coldly said as she handed the file she received to Medina, who smirked.
"Shall we prepare her special stage?" Medina wondered as she stuck the file in the bag.
"No, not yet at least. But I've got the feeling they will attend the upcoming gala." Skylar waved her hand and left the office before taking a break at the hotel's restaurant.