CHAPTER 5

“YOU ARE ugly! A pig! Pig, pig, pig!”

Left but to cry, Cath can’t do anything but endure every other kid's bullying. For she is thinking that she cannot do anything about it. She is weak and small. With a dysfunctional family that is on the brim of breaking, everyone has the right to do such to her, right?

“Stop it!”

But then out of the blue, she somehow expected it. Sam came to her rescue. 

 “Don’t bully her!”

Sam yelled running in their direction and punching the hell out of the kids’ faces in front of her. 

 “Mommy!”

The kids then all scream crying and rolling on the dirt from his punches and kicks. While Sam is all fuming with anger for what they did to her. 

“That should teach you all a lesson, and don’t you all dare to make Cath cry ever again!”

He screams, threatening with his tall and big stature that makes every kid around them scared of him. 

“Let’s go, Cath!”

Sam then took her hand and drags her out of the park. Just in time with the bully’s mothers that are rushing towards their kids from the commotion that just happened. They both then hide behind the trees, peaking through the leaves and twigs and observing. Where they both giggles at the turn-out crybaby of Cath’s bullies. 

“That’s what I wanted to see.”

Sam smiles, pinching her chubby checks and saying. 

“You should only be laughing and smiling piggy-rabbit! As no one in this world is allowed to bully you but me!”

His giggles and gestures, as well as being her little hero despite being her number one bully. This is what makes Sam special to Cath’s heart and life ever since then. For there is no other bully friend that she could ever have, but him. 

“Remember that.”

STUN for a few seconds as those memories from the past suddenly reminded her of how stupid, she was then, or does she? Cath immediately shakes her head throwing all of those thoughts out of her mind, and closed her mouth. When the kids that she just played along with is none other than the children of the only person in this world that she both hated, but needed to get along with. 

“Daddy!”

Surprise, and more than that where her eyes almost pop out from her face. Just how playful could her destiny brings her, for the kids’ father is none other than. 

“CEO Lawrence. I mean,”   

“Sam!”

Subconsciously calls Sam’s name which now surprises everyone. Cath is currently having a debate inside her mind. For how destiny is so cruel to her to the very core. Where then she felt that her world stops for a while. Then she is caught in between her flight or fight mode. While everyone’s eyes are on her. 

“Sam? What did you just call him?”

That entitled woman displeasingly asks. Eyeing Cath in a dagger-like way that any minute now she will be devoured by her and her might be so-called jealousy claiming to be Sam’s girlfriend. 

“She’s your girlfriend?”

Still shaken from shock, Cath blurts out the question that she shouldn’t have asked. Offended that so-called girlfriend and the little girl immediately protested. 

“I told you, she is not, and will never be. Right daddy?”

Eyes on Sam who is clearly towards Cath with those some kind of longing eyes. Which felt awkward for Cath and immediately turn her head away upon realizing it. 

“This is Erika Anderson.” 

Sam introduces the entitled woman that is waiting for the words to come out of Sam’s mouth. Yet, fixated on Cath with those smiles that are screaming those words. Sam couldn’t help but smile wider and put his attention toward Cath. 

“How have you been? It’s been so long.”

The kids are not up for that ‘Erika’, who immediately reads the situation. She clicks her tongue instructing the bodyguards who immediately interrupted and apologize. 

“We are so sorry Sir. We didn’t mean to let some stranger get to your children, as we should have heeded Miss Erika’s rule for us to do.”

Guilty as they all bows toward Sam in apology. Which reminded Cath of some Mafia boss that she once got interested in reading back in the day. Most especially seeing it from Sam made her realize how long it has been since they have last seen each other. 

“It’s alright. I know her and very well in fact.”

Without batting an eye towards Cath that makes it more awkward than before. Erika is boiling in rage, but before she could say anything, Sam deliberately shuts her down. 

“Besides, you do not need to report to me or anything. I am just glad that you are making sure that my kids are safe even though you are all Miss Anderson’s bodyguards.”

Her jaw dropped and by which Erika couldn’t believe what she is hearing. Worst with Sam addressing her with her family name. Cath wanted to burst out laughing upon that exposure that Sam somehow innocently delivered. 

“You still didn’t answer my question.”

Sam then interrupts, while all along only looking at Cath. With his eyes which are in a mix of excitement and longingly for seeing her in the flesh after years. His looks and those pair of oceanic sapphire blue eyes never fail to melt her heart, but it was all back then. Right, it was only back then for she is not that Cath anymore, not at all. 

 “Daddy! Daddy!”

The little girl and the eldest call out with excitement and all smile toward him. While the youngest little boy is tugging his suit and just silently calling out to him. Just like what his sister is doing. 

“It’s okay, I know her.”

Sam smiles towards his children in assurance which makes Erika thinks that she had enough. Erika’s irritation and clear jealousy that Cath honestly finds amusing. Yet she didn’t let it show on her face. 

 “Of course, you know her CEO Lawrence.”

Change of phase, but more likely she gave up, upon knowing that Cath is someone that Sam knew and unexpectedly. Saving her face after all that she just said a while ago. 

“More than anyone knows.”

Sam's adoring looks and his Casanova ways and smiles that Cath is now struggling not to get ahead of herself and spoil everything. Stupidly giving in just like that from the charms of the person she curses and promises to not even think about. 

“Cath.”

Sam calls her name and is now a few steps apart from each other. When he said words that were somewhat out of the context to say at that moment. Yet, those were the only words that he somehow finds usable in his mind. 

“How have you been, Sam?”

Cath awkwardly asks and raises her right hand in a kind of like waving for a hi. Wherein she in turn is a bit dumbfounded at seeing him once again and this close to him. 

“Tsk! Never been okay, but now.”

Sam smirks. with those words that follow which is like an unwanted confession by the least. Cath is once more left speechless and finds herself breathing quite heavily. 

“I think daddy likes her.”

The little girl whispers to her brother. The little boy agrees immediately, all wide smiles at each other and quietly giggling. Looking back at the entitled Erika who is pissed, but couldn’t do anything. 

“She’s out.”

The twins looked back and forth between the both of them and giggled. The little girl drags a chair in between Sam and Cath. Uses it to jump right in the middle of them. Reflex the two immediately caught the little girl that is giggling. Back and forth and looking, the little girl, Monique requested, no, commanding.  

“Daddy! We want her to be our mommy!”