Catty's cheek rested lazily on Nate's pillow, a soft trail of drool betraying how deeply she'd slept. As she stirred, her eyes caught something unusual—a jacket—neatly draped over the bedpost.
She sat up, blinking.
"This is a woman's jacket…" she muttered, narrowing her eyes. The scent caught her nose—a cheap floral perfume clinging to the fabric.
"Could it be Cinthia's?" She brought it closer and inhaled. Her face twisted.
"Nah… Cinthy would never wear this tacky scent."
Something wasn't adding up. A hint of unease crept in. She picked up her phone and dialed.
Meanwhile, across town, Cinthia sat in her office, eyes fixed on her screen, aggressively editing last night's event footage.
"Hey?" Catty's voice came through.
"What now, Catty? I'm busy. Your husband dumped a pile of ad requests on me this morning. I haven't even touched my own content. Plus, I still need to eat!"
"Where did he go?" Catty asked, voice strained.
"I don't know. Maybe a business meeting? He's your husband, not mine."
Cinthia rolled her eyes but paused as she heard Catty again.
"Did you… by any chance, leave a jacket in Nate's room?"
"What? No. Why would I? I have my own room," Cinthia snapped.
"I found one. A woman's jacket. I thought maybe you forgot it last night."
Cinthia's mind raced. Then her breath caught—Vicky's jacket.
Her mouth opened. "No… Catty, maybe it's—"
But the call had already ended.
"Gosh," she muttered, heart pounding.
She didn't waste time. She called Ruben.
"Where are you?" she demanded.
"I just asked Vicky to be my girlfriend," Ruben said casually.
"You what?"
"I need a girlfriend, Cin. I want to marry. Is there a law against that? What's with the tone?"
Cinthia hung up in frustration. Seconds later, Ruben's name flashed again on her screen. She picked up, furious.
"Call your girlfriend Vicky then!" she barked.
"I was just waiting to see the fireworks at home," he chuckled. "Why are you so worried, anyway? You barely even call me."
"Because Catty found Vicky's jacket in Nate's room!" she snapped. "She called me. I was busy, so I denied it was mine without checking. I didn't know—"
"Relax," Ruben interrupted calmly. "We'll talk to Monica. She'd do anything for Nate. She can handle Catty."
"What if she asks who the jacket belongs to?" Cinthia hissed.
"I'll handle it."
Click. Call ended.
At the resort...
"So, Kuku," Nathan said, a curious smirk on his face. "That sweet, respectful girl you were raving about—was it her?"
Kuku Veronica looked at the girl seated beside her and smiled. "Yes, it's her. I'm surprised you know her too."
"Oh, I know her," Nathan scoffed. "She's the rudest, most stubborn woman on the planet. Bumped into me and gave me a death stare like I was invisible."
Vicky smirked. "Kuku, if you had to give an award for the most stubborn and arrogant person between the two of us, who would win?"
Kuku looked directly at Nathan. Her silence said everything.
"Why are you looking at me like that? I'm not rude," Nathan said defensively.
"See?" Vicky said, laughing. "Always on anger mode. You don't own people, businessman."
Kuku chuckled, amused by the banter. "So, you're the girl who humiliated my grandson on the road?"
Vicky's smile faded, panic slipping into her expression.
Nathan grinned with satisfaction.
"You embarrassed him in public?" Kuku asked, faking a scowl.
"I—I didn't mean to—" Vicky stammered.
"How could you!" Kuku suddenly exclaimed, then burst into laughter. "You did an exceptional job, dear! Since that day, something shifted in him. I'm proud of you."
Nathan stared, mouth slightly open. Vicky raised an eyebrow at him and made a triumphant face.
Kuku looked back and forth between the two. "So…you two have been fighting ever since?"
"Grandma, he picks fights like it's a full-time job," Vicky said.
"She's the one who provokes me first," Nathan countered.
"And you always fall for it," Vicky teased.
"It's not like I get profit fighting you," Nathan muttered, shaking his head.
Vicky leaned in, voice low and mischievous. "Keep talking, and I'll tell Kuku what you did to me at the store."
Nathan stiffened. He remembered—the supermarket ban.
Kuku clapped her hands. "Well, since you two clearly know each other, maybe it's time to start planning the engagement."
"What?! No! That's a big fat NO!" Nathan shouted.
"Why not?" Kuku asked, frowning.
"She's chaotic! She'll ruin my life and reputation. We'd never get along."
Kuku narrowed her eyes. "From where I'm sitting, your fights aren't that of enemies…"
"Let me guess," Nathan interrupted. "They're couple fights, right? I swear, everyone's lost their minds! You're not even the first person to suggest that."
"You're not serious, right?" Kuku said, stunned.
"I am serious. This girl's a walking disaster. She's a NO from me. I don't even want her involved in my engagement, let alone be it."