Her Fake Lover

Chapter 22

Morning at Karfis & Vin's office, in Elderville-Bryxton. Chloe greeted Emmeline in her room while handing over some report files.

"Thank you, Chloe. You always do a great job," Emmeline said. "How was your sleep last night?"

"Well. I guess since you've sent me a chatty fairy I can't lie that I had a little trouble getting her to end the conversation so I could go to sleep."

Emmeline laughed. "You mean Anna?"

"Who else?"

Emmeline laughed again. "But even though she's talkative, you just called her a fairy. You guys have become closer? Maybe she secretly has some things that make you like her."

"Well–it's more because I'm not a person who hates people for no reason. Oh yeah, by the way, she told me this morning, during our breakfast, Corbin allowed her to be the model for our jewelry. I'm not surprised. Why did he have to refuse, right?"

Emmeline, her gaze seemed to drift for a few seconds. "Good, then. Then, prepare her for the fashion show. Oh yeah, have you told her to adjust to her class schedule?"

Chloe pursed her lips. "She's more excited than us, believe me. Her exams were over yesterday, she said. When I told her this morning she had to go through the preparations before the fashion show, she said she'd be happy to take it. She's back in Paris this morning, but she said she would return to Elderville-Bryxton immediately."

"Let her stay with you until the event," said Emmy. "It would be easier for you to tell her anything if she stayed with you."

"No problem." Chloe was ready.

Emmeline, gave Chloe some tasks about some of the sponsoring events they were holding, and didn't forget to remind Chloe to contact Avant-Garde Valestylez, to let them know that they would include Anna in their fashion show.

"I don't think it's an important issue to highlight. It's just a model issue."

"But Anna is new," said Emmeline. "Maybe she needs a little time to adjust. But I'm sure she can. I just want Mrs. Valerie to give her a little room to adjust."

"Seeing that it was you who recommended her, I don't think Mrs. Valerie would refuse. I can only hope that now, Anna won't make a mistake."

Emmeline, stared at Chloe for a moment, before smiling lightly.

The day passed with a busy schedule as usual. Karfis & Vin were dynamic with new projects, and one pattern that never changed was just the busyness itself.

When it was noon, Chloe carried out Emmeline's orders to call Avant-Garde Valestylez, and found herself talking to Mrs. Valerie's assistant. Chloe raised the Emmy's special request about Anna, and Mrs. Valerie's assistant said she would pass it on to her boss.

Unexpectedly that simple message had made Chloe, in the afternoon received a message from Mrs. Valerie's assistant stating that Mrs. Valerie wanted to meet Anna, and the shocking message clearly made Chloe feel the need to immediately convey it to Emmeline.

In the evening when they had just returned to the office after visiting their co-worker's business launch event, Chloe told Emmeline this, and it made Emmeline gasp. "Is that true?"

"Yes," said Chloe. "It seems Mrs. Valerie is curious that we made this request to her specifically."

"Oh," Emmeline said as she walked over. "What about Anna? Is she still in Paris?"

"Ah, just a moment ago she texted me saying she had arrived back at Elderville-Bryxton. I told her to come straight to my house, so she must be at my house by now."

Emmeline stopped in her tracks and faced Chloe. "That's good. When does Mrs. Valerie want to meet Anna? Before the dress rehearsal, or during the dress rehearsal?"

"Um—she said Mrs. Valerie would be happy if she could meet before the dress rehearsal—"

"Em," Emmy interrupted, raising her hand slightly which made Chloe stop talking, "of course. Anna has to do the fitting first. But I know, Mrs. Valerie actually meant that she wanted to meet Anna to meet me at the same time. But it will be difficult to adjust my schedule with Mrs. Valerie in the near future due to our busy schedule. You'll be with Anna for the fitting, and I'll be in attendance at the dress rehearsal. Anyway, I need to talk to Mrs. Valerie about the reasons that made me add Anna to the list of models. It's not just about Anna. It's about the life of the show. The life of our jewelry. This is not to change the concept of the event. Everything fits. I just wanted to perfect it," Emmeline insisted.

Chloe, nodded her head while listening intently, because Emmeline might add an important point to her direction.

Emmeline added, "In a short time, I want other models to get influenced by Anna's cheerfulness and enthusiasm, and then implement it according to their nature. I don't want the models to just carry our work like they are carrying out a lifeless routine. Walking on the catwalks without understanding the meaning of the fashion designs and jewelry they wear."

"Okay," Chloe was obedient. "I'll pass this on to Mrs. Valerie's assistant, and I'll sort things out."

"Good, Chloe. Thank you. You always get what I mean quickly and precisely," Emmeline declared as she walked again. "Tonight if you have time, teach Annaliese how to walk properly so she won't be too awkward on the catwalk. I'm sure she can. I don't need perfection, because what I need right now is passion and soul, but she still needs to train herself."

Emmeline, paused for a moment from her steps. She stared blankly for a moment in an obscure direction, took a deep breath, before entering her room—because Chloe had opened the door for her with an incomprehensible look.

"What's wrong with you?" Chloe asked, trailing behind Emmeline who was walking to her seat.

"No. I'm fine. Lea wants a double date. I turned it down. I told her Corbin and I were both busy." Emmeline, was now sitting in her chair.

Chloe covered her slightly gaping mouth. "Oh, really? Ah, how are you going to put up with all this, Emmy? Until Lea's wedding, which isn't clear when."

"I don't know." Emmy's gaze then turned to the window. City lights started flashing everywhere. Emmeline swallowed heavily. "Never mind, Chloe. Forget about it. Go back home. Tell Annaliese what she needs to know. Don't stay late for any business at the office tonight," Emmeline said. "I want to go home too. I'm tired."

Chloe obediently agreed, and not long after, when they had done a bit of work, they exited Karfis & Vin's office, where Emmeline let Chloe get into her car first and left.

"Be careful on the road," Emmeline ordered. Emmeline stared blankly at Chloe's passing car, and when she realized she had lost her mind, she immediately forced her consciousness back, and then started walking towards her car. Yet someone, grabbed her wrist.

"Emmeline, wait," the man said.

***