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Just Treat Me Like That [Part III] - Chapter 32
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A week later, Caroline was sitting in the living room of the mansion sipping a martini while messaging someone on her phone. As she read the messages, she let out a light chuckle before taking a sip of her mojito.
Mark, who was visiting, stepped inside the living room and stepped closer to Caroline. He stood behind her and leaned down, placing his face next to her. “What are you doing?” Caroline locked her phone and leaned back.
Caroline crossed her legs as she leaned against the arm of the sofa. “Nothing,” she responded. “Aren’t you a bit too unbothered?” Mark asked. “What do you mean?”
“Liam has your children yet you are sitting here sipping martinis without a care in the world,” Mark responded as he looked over at the empty glasses sitting on the center table.
“Well, you are right, but I have nothing to worry about.”
“Are you serious? Is this the Caroline I know?”
“Of course… Liam needed a nanny and I provided one. Although, he doesn’t know I was the one who sent her.” Caroline looked at her phone and unlocked it. She opened her text messages and showed a picture of the twins sitting on the floor, coloring on their coloring books.
Mark let out a chuckle. “You are something else, Caroline.” Caroline took another sip of her martini as Mark added, “I can’t believe you infiltrated a spy at-.”
“Well, a mother has got to do anything to protect her children.”
“But instead of going through all this trouble, why not just get them back?”
“It’s not that simple. Liam won’t just hand them to me and I want him to continue playing dad before I strip him of the last bit of happiness he has.” Caroline sat up and looked at the spot next to her and patted the couch as she spoke, “but enough about me. Tell me what has been going on in your life. I feel like we haven’t talked in a while. Since you moved out, I feel like we grow apart every day. If it weren’t because mom organized this lunch, we wouldn’t be sitting here like this.”
Mark let out an awkward chuckle and then spoke, “I’m sorry. Taekyung and I have just been trying to make up for our honeymoon.” Caroline frowned as she looked down at the almost-empty glass in her hands.
“Hey, Caroline. I know it’s still hard for you. It’s hard for all of us and I know you are still trying to hide your feelings, but you can stop that right now.” After a pause, he added, “I also feel like we should reach out to Roxy. I haven’t heard from her in a while and she must be having a hard time.”
Caroline looked up, meeting his gaze, and said, “I don’t think that’s a good idea. We should just let her be. When she needs us, she will reach out.” Mark nodded and leaned closer to Caroline. He leaned closer, resting his head on her shoulder and he let out a sigh.
Caroline placed her hand over his cheek and said, “is something wrong? You can tell me whatever is bothering you, Mark.”
“Can I really?”
“Of course. You are my baby bro. You can tell me anything.”
“Taekyung and I haven’t had sex in over a week.” Caroline leaned to the side, making Mark sit up. She looked at him and said, “I take back what I just said.”
“Come on, Caroline. Help me out.” Caroline let out a sigh and asked, “what makes you think I can help you?” Mark looked at her and raised his eyebrow. Caroline took one final sip of her martini before placing the empty glass on the center table.
“Fine,” Caroline spoke, “repeat after me. 형”
“Hyung.”
“나랑 홍콩갈래?”
“What?” Mark asked in confusion and desperation. “Come on, Mark. You practiced your Korean for your wedding. All you have to do is repeat those same words.” Mark thought for a while then he finally said, “narang Hong Kong galle?”
“Close enough. 형, 나랑 홍콩갈래?”
“형, 나랑 홍콩갈래?”
“Good!” Caroline exclaimed. “Thank you. Now, what does it mean?” Caroline paused for a second and Mark added, “I’ve heard Taekyung use the word “hyung” before but I don’t know what it means.”
“Well, hyung is a word you use to address an older male sibling or an older close male friend or in your case, Taekyung.” Mark nodded and uttered, “oh. That makes sense. Thank you, Caroline.”
Caroline stood up from the couch and said, “you’re welcome, Mark.” Caroline smiled and walked out of the living room, making her way to the kitchen to look for the butler and ask him to make her another martini.
As Caroline watched the butler prepare her martini, Persephone entered the mansion with Achilles. Only a few minutes later, Charles walked inside the mansion followed by Taekyung. They all made their way to the dining table and gathered around to have lunch.
After they finished their meal, Caroline looked at Charles and spoke, “Charles, can I have a word with you?” Ever since Persephone called Caroline to tell her that Charles knew everything, Caroline noticed he was being distant. She knew that by putting him on the spot like that, he could not refuse.
Charles let out a sigh and stood up from the chair. Caroline also stood up from the chair and followed behind him. They made their way to the outdoor lounge and continued walking to the lounge chairs by the pool, far away from the mansion, so no one would hear their conversation.
After Caroline took a seat facing Charles, she took a deep breath and said, “I’m sorry.”
“What are you apologizing for?”
“I’m sorry for sleeping with Persephone-.”
“Caroline, please. Don’t do this.”
“Charles, I’m really sorry. We were drunk and I know that doesn’t justify what we did, but you can’t stay mad at Persephone and me forever. After all, it was you who committed the infidelity first.”
“Caroline, I am not mad at Persephone anymore. I am mad at you. Yes, Persephone slept with someone, and that someone was you, my cousin.”
“I’m really sorry, Charles. I never meant for this to happen.”
“Caroline, I will accept your apology, but I will not forgive you.”
“I understand, Charles. I appreciate you accepting my apology and I understand why you will not forgive me. I just wanted you to know how I regret what happened and how I never intended for this to happen.”
Caroline stood up from the chair, leaving Charles sitting by himself. He turned to the side and watched the gray sky hover above him. He watched the water in the pool flow from one direction to the other as the wind carried the small waves created in the pool.
As he continued to look at the water in the pool, he told himself, ‘is this punishment for not listening to her? Is this punishment for meeting Veronica after Persephone warned me not to?’
After Caroline walked back inside the mansion, she went to the living room, where her family and friends were gathered, changing her expression so no one would suspect a thing. “I have to go on a business trip. I should be back in a few days.”
“Where are you going?” Persephone asked. “Monaco,” Caroline responded. “Have a safe flight,” Elizabeth spoke. Caroline smiled and said, “goodbye.” She made her way out of the mansion and got in the backseat of the black Range Rover.
The chauffeur closed the door and Caroline looked at her cellphone, trying to continue sending messages to the twins’ nanny. The chauffeur walked to the driver’s seat and got in the SUV. He put on his seatbelt and began to drive out of the driveway.
After Caroline had left the mansion, Taekyung looked at Mark and placed his hand on Mark’s thigh, and said, “I need to return to the office.” Mark looked at him and responded, “okay, I’ll see you later.”
Taekyung leaned closer and pressed a peck against Mark’s lips. He stood up from the couch as Elizabeth and Persephone did the same. He stepped closer to Elizabeth and said goodbye with a kiss on the cheek.
When he was about to say his goodbye to Persephone, she said, “I also have to get going.” She said her goodbye to Elizabeth with a kiss on the cheek and walked with Taekyung to the entrance of the mansion. They walked out of the mansion and said goodbye to each other with a kiss on the cheek and went on their separate ways.
Taekyung walked to his car and got in as Persephone did the same. He powered on the car and put on his seatbelt before leaving the mansion. He drove out of the driveway as Persephone followed behind him.
Charles, who was out by the pool finally decided to walk inside the mansion. He went to the living room and found Mark and Elizabeth sitting by themselves. “Charles, are you all right? You don’t look like yourself these days,” Elizabeth spoke.
“I’m fine. I just haven’t been able to sleep well these past few days,” Charles responded. “Something tells me that is not the only thing that is going on with you.” Elizabeth patted the seat next to her and added, “come sit next to me.”
Charles walked closer to her and took a seat next to her. “You can tell me whatever is bothering you, Charles. I am your aunt after all.” Charles let out a chuckle and responded, “I don’t think you can help me with what is going on right now.”
“Well, I noticed Persephone was not wearing her engagement ring so I’m assuming you two had a fight.”
“You don’t really need to worry about that. It was just a mere misunderstanding.”
“Well, you know I am here for whatever you need.”
“Thank you, Elizabeth, but I don’t feel comfortable talking about it, so it’s best if we don’t talk about it.”
“That’s fine, Charles. But I still want you to know I am here for whatever you need.”
“Yes, thank you.”
After Mark spent the rest of the afternoon at his mother’s house, he received a call from his friend from work. Mark answered the call and spent a few minutes on the call before he hung up. He stood up from the couch and walked to the outdoor lounge.
He found Elizabeth reading a book while petting the dog’s head. “Mom, I will get going now.” Elizabeth nodded before returning to her reading. Mark stepped back inside the mansion and walked to the entrance.
After he walked out of the mansion, he looked for the chauffeur. After he found the chauffeur, he got in the back of the black Mercedes-Benz Maybach. The chauffeur got in the driver’s seat and drove to the location Mark had told him.
Once the chauffeur had arrived at the destination, Mark opened the door and got off the Mercedes-Benz. He walked inside the bar and looked around for his friends. Once he spotted his friends sitting in the corner of the bar, he stepped closer to them.
“Sorry for being late,” Mark spoke as he took a seat next to the friend who invited him. “No worries, Mark. We also just got here.” Mark looked at his friends from set and smiled. “How’s married life treating you?” Asked the man sitting across from Mark.
“Yes, tell us how your wedding went. Do you have any pictures?” Added the woman sitting next to the man who just asked the first question. Mark chuckled shily and then responded, “everything is going well. We are very happy together.”
“That is good to hear,” the woman responded. She raised her glass and said, “how about a toast? For Mark’s new life as a married man.” Mark laughed as his friend placed a shot in front of him. Mark raised his glass and took the shot along with his friends.
After spending some more time drinking with his friends, he received a phone call. He looked at the caller ID and stood up from his seat. He walked towards the entrance and answered the call. “Hi, babe.”
“Mark, where are you? I kept sending you messages but you never answered,” Taekyung spoke. “Sorry. I came to drink with some friends from the set, but I didn’t realize it was this late,” Mark responded whilst looking at the time on his watch. He heard a sigh over the phone before Taekyung spoke, “tell me where you are. I will go pick you up.”