Take My Breath Away

Carlos burst into laughter and shook his head. Putting a boiled shrimp into Debbie's mouth, he said, "There's no need to be dignified in front of Curtis." He and Curtis had been friends for nearly twenty years. But he had never expected that Curtis would someday become his uncle-in-law. Debbie felt stumped when Carlos put the keys inside her bag.

She hesitated for a moment and then decided not to worry about it anymore.

The two men talked business while she ate. When the meal was finished, Debbie touched her stuffed belly, which was the size of a football. "I shouldn't have eaten so much. It's almost bed time. I haven't run or done any yoga recently. If I keep going on like this, I'll become fat soon."

Carlos rubbed her soft belly and said, "Don't worry about that. You might have skipped running and yoga, but you've been engaging in other forms of exercises. With my help, you will stay fit."

Debbie was confused.

She looked at him and then at Curtis. The grin on Curtis' face had her realize what Carlos had meant. Embarrassed, she pinched her husband's arm without letting Curtis see. "Shut up," she snapped quietly.

"Fine," he responded. And he kept his mouth shut for the rest of the meal.

It started drizzling as they walked out of the restaurant, drowning Debbie's hopes of taking a walk after the big meal.

Carlos took her back home after saying goodbye to Curtis.

When they entered their bedroom, he asked while holding her in his arms, "Are you still feeling too full?"

She shook her head immediately, afraid to admit that she was. She knew how Carlos was in the bedroom. "I'm going to take a bath. You can go and get some work done in the study if you are bored."

"Want me to join you in the bath?"

"No, no. I reek of hot pot. You won't like the stench." With that, she ran into the bathroom. Lying against the headboard, Carlos smiled at her receding back.

The next morning, Debbie woke up after Carlos had left for work. She freshened up quickly and started packing.

At the airport

Debbie got out of the car and her driver handed her the luggage. "Thank you, Matan," she said.

"When you get there, you will be on your own. Please take care of yourself. Call Mr. Huo if you need anything," he reminded her.

"Got it. Thank you. You take care too.

"Bye, Mrs. Huo."

"Bye, Matan."

Debbie turned around and walked towards the departure lounge.

But before she could reach the lounge, someone shouted, "Isn't that Mrs. Huo?"

"Looks like her. Let me check the picture on my phone. Yes, it's her! Hurry!" a second voice urged.

"Mrs. Huo! Mrs. Huo! Debbie Nian!"

More and more shouts rose behind her. She turned around to find a dozen men carrying cameras running towards her.

'Reporters!' she screamed in her head.

Memories from last time when she had been besieged by reporters came flooding back to her. She certainly didn't want to relive that experience. Besides, missing her flight was the last thing she wanted. Pulling her luggage with her, she started zigzagging through the crowd.

"Mrs. Huo, please wait! Mrs. Huo..." the reporters cried as they chased her.

As a one-time half marathon bronze medalist, and as the best runner in her university, Debbie was not that easy to catch up with.

She ran, she hid, and she finally got onto the escalator quietly. The heavy luggage was holding her back. She could have easily ditched the reporters who were following her.

However, with her eight-decimeter-long suitcase, it took her ten minutes to get rid of all of the enthusiastic media people.

After making sure that no one was following her, she hid under a staircase to catch her breath.

'Carlos is so much trouble. I can't even get on a plane peacefully, ' she fumed.

She quickly opened her suitcase and changed into another coat. She put on a baseball cap and sunglasses to cover half her face. She even wiped off the candy lipstick she was wearing and put on a shade of blush before walking out again.

Not until later that evening did Carlos find out that Debbie was gone. He had intended to take her out for dinner and called her several times, but her phone was switched off all the while.

Then he called the house phone in the manor. A housemaid stammered out the truth when she heard his cold voice. "Mrs. Huo...left the house this morning."

"Where did she go?" he asked coldly after a short pause.

"She packed her things and asked Matan to drive her to the airport. And she left a message for you, Mr. Huo— 'See you in England.'"

Carlos hung up without a word.

Ten-odd minutes later, he called Emmett in and asked calmly, "Emmett, how is the investment plan in Southon Village going?"

Emmett had been in dread of Carlos finding out the truth ever since he had bought the air ticket for Debbie. Every time his boss called him in, his heart would race crazily.

But this time he knew it. His boss had found out. Pretending to be calm, he answered, "The investment has been made, and the construction has begun."

"Good. I want you to go there to supervise the project. Don't come back until it is completed."

'To Southon Village? ' With a pitiful face, Emmett explained defensively, "Mr. Huo, you know about Mrs. Huo's temper. I had to do what she told me to."

Carlos gave him a cold glare. "It sounds like you think I have a good temper."

Emmett shook his head. "No, that's not what I meant. Mr. Huo, it wasn't my fault. Please reconsider."

"Get out!"

"Mr. Huo..." Emmett felt defeated. Although Southon Village was being reconstructed, the conditions there were still poor.

He couldn't live there. And he couldn't wait. He had to reach Debbie and ask her for help before setting out.

In England

Debbie received Emmett's call as soon as she got off the plane. "He already knows, doesn't he?" she asked directly.

"Yes. And Mr. Huo is sending me off to Southon Village. Please help me, Mrs. Huo." Emmett wiped the sweat off his forehead with the back of his hand. He was relieved that the call had finally been connected. He had been trying to get a hold of her for so long.

"Okay. I'll try my best." Debbie hailed a cab and gave the address of the house Curtis had bought for her to the driver.

She had asked Carlos about it the night before. And her husband had almost seen through her plan.

Carlos' phone had rung several times before he finally answered it. She began with a giggle, "I knew you would be busy, but I also knew that you would insist on seeing me off at the airport. I didn't want to waste your time. That's why I left quietly."

There was no response from the other end.

Debbie knew what she had done was wrong. She went on, "I had a safe flight. And see? I'm calling you right after the plane landed. Also, I'm heading for the house...er... Mr. Lu bought for me, just as you told me, all right?"

Carlos only grunted slightly.

"Fine. I apologize. What I did was wrong. I'll wait for you in England. Come as soon as you can, okay?"

Still not a word from Carlos.

Since coaxing wasn't working, Debbie changed her strategy. "Old man, you suggested that I study abroad yourself. Why are you angry about it now?"

"I suggested it, but I didn't ask you to leave alone," Carlos finally spoke.