Her Fake Lover

Chapter 6

The day had changed in Elderville-Bryxton.

In Karfis & Vin's office, Emmeline Karfis was in her room facing some files on her desk. The telephone on her desk rang, and Emmeline responded positively when her assistant informed her that the guest she had been waiting for had arrived.

"Fine. Let him in," said Emmeline.

The girl took a deep breath. Satisfied inwardly, because Annaliese kept her promise to have her brother come to Emmeline on the day they agreed. There were other things weighing on Emmeline's mind as well at this moment, but that wasn't something to think about right now. Someone had been seen opening the door to Emmeline's room.

Chloe Levine came in, taking someone with her.

Someone who looked dashing, dressed in casual clothes. His expression wasn't overly enthusiastic—there wasn't even a hint of anxiety there. It wasn't appropriate to be so relaxed when his sister had caused quite a serious problem. But the beauty of his green eyes—which for a moment made Emmeline feel as if she saw the look in her own eyes; which at the same time calmed Emmeline for some reason, perhaps because it seemed like the antithesis of the look in Emmeline's eyes that didn't look so calm this morning—allowing Emmeline to forgive the man's unreasonable calm.

Chloe Levine cleared her throat. "Mr. Corbin Valsecchi, Miss Karfis. The brother of—" Chloe cleared her throat again while shrugging her shoulders, "that troublesome girl, Annaliese Valsecchi." Corbin glanced at Chloe and looked displeased when he heard the ominous label addressed to his sister. Emmeline smiled faintly at him. "He came to see you, Miss," Chloe continued.

Emmeline smiled and nodded. "Thanks, Chloe. You can come out."

Chloe nodded politely, before then backing away. She glanced at Corbin once for a moment, before taking a deep breath and walking away. Short gestures of concern. It made Emmeline want to laugh once again.

"Sit down, Mr. Valsecchi—em," Emmeline paused as she spoke the man's last name. A sense of familiarity welled up within her for a moment. But that feeling was short lived. The man in front of her also seemed comfortable turning away from his original position, and sat facing Emmeline.

"You certainly know what prompted you to come to this office at this time," Emmeline said matter-of-factly. "I hope your sister explained everything in enough detail so I don't have to repeat too much. But of course I'll give it a chance, if you feel you need to confirm a few things."

Corbin snorted. The response that Emmeline didn't expect. "I don't like this," he sighed. Emmeline caught the word quickly.

"I don't like it either," said Emmeline quickly.

Corbin turned his gaze to the window with an even more disinterested expression.

"But whether you like it or not, it doesn't matter anymore, Mr. Corbin Valsecchi. What we need from you now is accountability. It's all happened, and if we could turn back time, I think we'd be the ones who wouldn't want that to happen even more."

"Okay, I'm sorry," Corbin said. Emmeline could tell, from the look in his eyes, that he meant it seriously.

"I know. Fine. But you will also solve this problem by compensating us," said Emmeline.

"Is Annaliese the only one at fault? I've just been holding back, not understanding how a simple matter like this could become so serious. Was the ring bouncing on the open road, so you guys couldn't find it?"

"Are you blaming us now?" Emmeline squinted in surprise.

"I just think this is all ridiculous! Are you sure you really did a good job? What about your employees? You trust them completely?"

"Corbin Valsecchi!" said Emmeline to stop the criticism from Corbin. Corbin had questioned the integrity of Karfis & Vin's employees, and while Emmeline knew it was a normal and even necessary precaution, Emmeline had also made sure that she didn't find the item in her employees when she did her inspection. Emmeline hoped there was no covert act that she didn't understand, because all this time her employees had proven their loyalty to her.

Emmeline restrained herself. "Can we not make this too complicated, Mr. Valsecchi?"

"Don't burden me with a burden I don't want to bear," Corbin said.

Emmeline closed her eyes with intense pressure for a few seconds, holding herself back again. She remembered well what Annaliese had told her about her brother. Emmeline understood that Corbin's financial condition might not be so good to be able to get him to settle this matter, which then made her say, "Listen, Mr. Valsecchi, I know your condition, but—"

"No. I want you to know that even if I had money I would challenge you to come up with a more thoughtful solution to this matter. Listen. If I'm right that your men are dangerous, then you will thank me for warning you earlier."

"That's not necessary," said Emmeline. Disappointed and disapproved at the same time. "What challenge do you hope I will serve? The challenge of reporting this to the police?" Emmeline was starting to look annoyed.

Corbin sighed with a silly smile.

"Please stop being annoying. You only have two choices. Make up for the loss, or face the police!"

"You're scaring me," Corbin said, not in a genuinely scared expression and gesture, but just playfully. Emmeline grew even more furious.

"You really made a bad impression on our first meeting, Corbin Valsecchi. I can really be serious about this. I hope you don't think I'm kidding."

"I don't think you're kidding either, Miss. I can clearly see your anger. But I'm still not really sure if I deserve this."

"But you can't get away! You know it was Annaliese who made all the fuss—"

The conversation was interrupted by a knock on the door, then Chloe Levine walked in with a file in one hand that she held close to her chest. Emmeline was quite surprised as to why Chloe had to come in and interrupt her conversation with Corbin which was getting heated, but it seemed like Chloe would be ready to give her an explanation.

Emmeline sighed as she looked away for a moment, and Chloe approached while placing the file on the table. "I'm sorry, Miss Karfis, I couldn't help but come before you. I have a report you may need." Chloe was silent, standing at the side of the table, looking down slightly, glancing alternately at Emmeline and Corbin, who didn't seem to have moved the slightest bit from their sitting positions. Their faces were covered with a hint of annoyance, and that was enough to give Chloe the understanding that it seemed her boss's discussion with her guest had turned into an argument.

That's also what aroused the mischievous side of the assistant to interrupt because she was curious—more precisely, doubted from the start—that the conversation would go easy. She wanted to know what happened.

"Is there anything else you want to say, Chloe Levine?" the boss stopped Chloe's probing glances that were on Corbin.

"Ah—" Chloe gasped. "Er—there is, Miss. There's—about the matter at .... " Chloe glanced back at Corbin, a sort of stricken with doubt.

"Why stop?" interrupted Corbin. "I will gladly come out, if you wish to speak freely with Miss Karfis." For the first time, Corbin said Emmeline's name, since they had started talking a moment ago.

"Ah, no. No need," said Emmeline. "You think I'm going to let you out and leave the office without providing any solution to our problem?"

"Oh, that would be bad if that happened," Chloe added, closing her eyes and shaking her head. It was clear from her expression that it wasn't what she expected.

"Chloe, go on with what you wanted to say. Let Corbin stay here," Emmeline continued, and Chloe nodded obediently with a smile. She seemed satisfied with getting what she hoped for.

"Er—about the crazy rumor that we're bankrupt, miss. That has the potential to cast doubt on the miners who want to sell us diamonds."

"It's no big deal, Chloe. Rumors have no power. Everyone knows our sales are doing well at the moment, and we are also making achievements, with the award that we recently received from Switzerland for our products. The miners should be smart enough not to get caught up in the issue."

"Ah, yes. I-I know. Mr. Piers and I have also talked about this matter. But Miss Karfis, Mr. Piers—I don't know if he told you this. He—he heard the ominous news that some people were caught offering higher prices on the diamonds we ordered ... em ... to miners in Botswana and South Africa. No. I mean, those people are trying to keep a shadow on us. Along with the rumors going around. It seems ... ah, I can't bear to say this."

Emmeline glanced at Chloe. She had not yet heard of such a report from Mr. Piers. Emmeline frowned, while Chloe was still seen occasionally glancing at Corbin with a curious expression.

"Go on with what you wanted to say, Chloe," Emmeline ordered.

"Oh—y-yes, all right, Miss," Chloe gasped. "But this .... "

Corbin shuffled. He seemed to have caught the look of vigilance Chloe was addressing him. Corbin correctly judged that Chloe's arrival was initially only out of curiosity about him, but when she had brought a serious and secret topic into their conversation, Chloe then doubted whether she could continue every detail of what she said.

"The only reason I'm staying in this room is because Miss Karfis is holding me back. I don't like dealing with things that don't concern me. I'll be out later like I never heard anything," Corbin asserted calmly, and Chloe breathed a sigh of relief before turning away, looked at Emmeline to confirm. However, Emmeline seemed to be filled with a thoughtful expression.

"Miss, could it be that someone is trying to bring us down?" Chloe continued slowly.

***