Her Fake Lover

Chapter 38

"Miss Emmeline," said Annaliese, while Emmeline was still deep in thought, and Emmy automatically turned to Annaliese. "Are there any special messages you'd like me to pass on to Corbin?"

Emmeline widened her eyes. "Special messages?" asked Emmy.

"Yes. Special messages," Anna said with her eyes fixed on the empty space in front of her, which looked refreshed by the green color of the plants Chloe had laid out in the garden. "I'm actually also curious, how you and Corbin are going to manage your pretend relationship. I thought, wouldn't it be troublesome, if you were here and Corbin was in Italy? I was thinking, why doesn't Corbin just come here?"

"I think so too. But Emmeline doesn't want to think about bringing Corbin back here. And Corbin too, you might need to ask him yourself about his concern for this matter, Anna," Chloe interrupted.

"Never mind. It's not important to discuss. Anna, don't burden your mind with things you don't need to think about. I'm going to the bathroom for a bit," Emmeline moved. She adjusted her clothes and straightened up while clearing her throat before then walking away leaving the other two girls there.

"Shh!" Chloe whispered to Anna. Her gaze was still on the direction Emmy had gone, but her face was already on Annaliese.

"What's wrong Miss Chloe?" Anna answered in a whisper, too, as if she understood that Chloe was going to talk about something that seemed to be a secret. Chloe drew closer to Anna.

"Why don't you just persuade Corbin to come to Elderville-Bryxton?" Chloe asked in a low voice.

"Oh, you think so?"

"Hmm." Chloe slightly nodded her head while moving her eyebrows. "You don't want to help Miss Emmeline?"

Annaliese was still frowning and looking thoughtful, when her cell phone rang. "Corbin," Anna sighed.

Chloe was excited to hear that. "Pick it up. Maybe he wants to say something." Annaliese agreed enthusiastically.

"He-hello, Corbin."

"Anna, are you still at Chloe's? Or are you back in Paris to get ready?"

"Ah—I-I'm still at Miss Chloe's house. I-I'm going back to Paris tomorrow. Only then," Annaliese turned to Chloe sadly, "I'm going back to Italy."

Chloe, too, was carried away with a sad feeling.

"Anna, I ... I don't know how to say this, but—" Corbin broke off "Aunt Aude, I'm talking to Anna." Anna was surprised, hearing that it seemed like her aunt was by her brother's side.

"You took so long to say," Aunt Aude's voice sounded. Anna raised her eyebrows even more.

"Anna, honey, it's your Aunt. Can you hear me?" said the voice on the other end.

"Oh, Aunt Aude?" said Anna. Surprised to find her aunt taking over the conversation.

"Ah, yes. Good! Then you heard me. Listen, Dear, Auntie … miss you very much. I'm sure your brother already told you to come back to Italy. But, apart from that, Auntie is also... um... so this is it." Aude still sounded weighing her words, which was strange and made Anna curious at the same time.

"What's wrong, Auntie?" Anna asked.

I ... I must have seen your performance on the internet. At first I saw Corbin watching your show secretly, and finally after I caught a glimpse he showed it to me too. And I ... I saw you and ... that woman named Emmeline, ah, really touched my heart. Corbin says you two do know each other. So, um ... could you, persuade that woman, to come with you ... to Italy?"

"What?" Anna let out a weak shriek in surprise. She could hardly believe her aunt's strange request. "Asking Miss Karfis to come with me to Italy?"

"Yeah. That's what I just said," Aude confirmed. "I ... want to thank her, honey. Because she ... seems to love you so much. I really want to meet her. Ah, I heard from Corbin you also studied jewelry design with her. You did what you always wanted, Dear. I was touched to hear that. If only I was in good health I would have gone to Italy—ah, actually I'm healthy, it's just that Corbin thinks I need a lot of rest, your brother is so protective of me. If I could go to there right now, I'll ask you to take me to Miss Emmeline. But, since Corbin won't let me get a little tired, let alone travel far, then I want ... you to bring her here, Anna. To our house."

"Ah, my goodness!" Annaliese couldn't hold back the shock anymore. She was at a loss for words. She got up from her seat and stood with her back to Chloe, while her hands ruffled her hair with an awkward expression. "But how is that possible, Auntie? Bringing Miss Emmeline to Italy, just because Aunt wants to see her? Really—who are we? I mean, we don't have anything to do with Miss Emmeline, so—it's impossible to ask her to come to Italy to visit us. Ah, my goodness." Anna turned around, and to her surprise she found Emmeline, already standing behind her. Staring at her with wide eyes.

"Miss Emmeline?" said Anna.

"Anna, what's wrong?" said Aude. "You still there? Did you just say Emmeline's name?

"Ah, no, Auntie. We'll talk later." Anna hurriedly ended the call. She then looked at Emmeline awkwardly. "Er—em, sorry, Miss. Did you hear all my ... conversations with Aunt Aude on the phone?"

Emmeline nodded her head blankly. It was obvious that she was still shocked by what she heard.

"Of course she heard. She's been here for a while," said Chloe casually, not caring about Emmy's frozen state in shock, while Anna was awkward and embarrassed. "Aunt Aude asked you to come to Italy, Miss Emmeline. She wants to meet you," continued Chloe. Anna looked at Chloe swiftly at the unsolicited explanation. Emmy, also turned to Chloe who was in a sitting position, still with a blank stare. "Let's ask Anna why. I didn't hear what her aunt said. Just heard the information Annaliese repeated."

"Em—Miss Chloe, please, be quiet," said Anna earnestly. She looked back at Emmy. "Em—yes, Miss Emmy. That's true. But—but you don't have to worry. I'll explain it to Aunt, so she doesn't—"

"Why, Anna?" interrupted Emmy. "Why did your aunt suddenly want to see me?"

Anna was wide-eyed. "Ah, if you really want to know, fine, miss. Let's sit down, and I'll tell you what my aunt told me." Annaliese hurried over to Emmeline and took her hand and led her into a chair, beside Chloe.

Annaliese then conveyed everything her aunt had said. She filled it in with a personal opinion stating that her aunt's request might be too much, but Anna also said, "My aunt means well. She does want to see you, Miss. If her health hadn't been up and down like she is now, she would have chosen to see you in Elderville-Bryxton."

Chloe Levine, whose position was practically behind Emmeline's back because Emmy turned her body to Anna, leaned forward, placed her head on Emmeline's shoulder as she said quietly, "Come on, just go with it. Think of it as a vacation. Take a break from the workload as well as the news load that has made you dizzy lately. Didn't you also tell me yesterday that you would consider taking a vacation after the fashion show with Avant-Garde Valestylez was over? I haven't forgotten what you said."

Emmeline glanced at Chloe, whose head was still on her shoulder, then vaguely remembered the time she had said all that to Chloe. Emmeline cleared her throat for a moment. "Um ... fine. If that makes your aunt happy, Anna. We're going to Italy together."

"Is that true?" Anna looks enthusiastic. "Yay!" she exclaimed. "Very well then, Miss. I will tell Aude Aude this and we will both go to Italy! Yay!"

***