Her Fake Lover

Chapter 21

Annaliese was still in Emmeline's room, with Chloe and Emmeline who had been busy discussing other matters. Annaliese sat in a chair some distance from Emmeline and Chloe, playing with her cell phone. Something made Chloe say she had to go out for a while, and Emmeline allowed it, but when Chloe had just opened the door of the room, she was startled because she almost collided with someone who was about to enter Emmeline's room.

"Ah, Mr. Piers?" said Chloe in surprise. "Ah, sorry, I didn't know you were right in front of the room."

"It doesn't matter, Chloe. We both don't know."

"Ah, you want to see Miss Karfis?"

"Yes. I have a little need. I want to tell her that I have finished the jewelry model she asked me this morning."

"Ah, of course. Please, Mr. Piers."

Emmeline had risen from her seat by then. She was drawn to the two people who were talking, instead of waiting in her seat. She greeted Mr. Piers when she arrived.

"Mr. Piers," said Emmeline.

"Ah, Miss. I came to see you."

"Of course, sir."

"Ah—Miss Karfis," Anna came in half running. She interrupted everyone's conversation and everyone fell silent instantly by her presence. Anna suddenly felt awkward. "Ah, sorry. I-I'm interrupting," Anna looked at everyone, but was at a loss as to what to say to cover her embarrassment, but she quickly turned to Emmeline, who she had considered like her guardian angel, "Miss, I haven't been able to contact Corbin since earlier. He didn't pick up my calls even though I tried many times."

"Oh, really? Then you can call him later. No need to rush, Anna," said Emmy calmly.

"Excuse me. You ..." said Mr. Piers, "you are Anna? You were at the exhibition in Paris the other day, weren't you?" interrupted Mr. Piers. He looked stunned for a moment.

"Yes, Mr. Piers," Emmeline replied, while Anna, just looked awkward and then nodded. "Annaliese Valsecchi. I told you about her and her brother this morning." Annaliese was surprised while glancing at Emmeline hearing that statement. But Emmeline paid no attention to it.

"Oh," Mr. Piers sighed. Then he seemed to take a deep breath. He then said as he reached out to Annaliese, "I'm Piers. Karfis & Vin jewelry designer."

"Ah, I know, sir. I see you sometimes in the media. Call me Anna, Mr. Piers," Anna took Mr. Piers' hand and they shook hands tightly. Annaliese wore her usual cheerful expression. "This is amazing. I'm in the midst of people I admire."

Emmeline sighed with a smile. Mr. Piers too.

"W-what are you doing here, Anna?" asked Mr. Piers.

"She visited me," Emmeline answered.

"Oh, sir," snapped Annaliese, "I-ah, how should I say this. I'd love to learn jewelry design. Either from you or from Miss Karfis. Em—would you like to give me a chance sometime to see you two design jewelry?" Anna's gaze was pleading. She looked alternately at Mr. Piers and Emmeline. Chloe, just watched her quietly.

"Ah," said Emmeline. "All right. Mr. Piers, I heard you wanted to show me the jewelery model you just finished?"

"Yes, Miss. You asked about it this morning."

"Ah, fine. We'll see it together. Anna, you can come along. We're going to the place where Mr. Piers used to do his chores. You, Chloe, after you're done with your business, you follow us."

"Okay, Miss Karfis. I'm just going to go through some files for a bit. It won't take long," Chloe said, then walked away leaving them all behind.

Mr. Piers was still looking intently at Annaliese. Before then saying calmly, "Come, come with me."

Annaliese accepted the invitation cheerfully.

Elderville-Bryxton had entered the early evening. At that time Emmeline and Anna, had been in the special place where Mr. Piers used to finish his works.

Anna accepted all explanations enthusiastically, and asked questions eagerly.

Emmeline also saw that Mr. Piers was pleased with Anna's presence. Whether it's just Emmeline's feelings or not, Mr. Piers was also seen watching Anna intently at times, and at times surprised when Anna talks to him in a chatty manner. It was a sign that Mr. Piers had been lost in his own thoughts several times.

Footsteps of someone in high heels approached. Chloe Levine, immediately spotted, walked over to Emmeline. "Hh, I'm so tired today," she said as she plopped down on the chair.

"Isn't every day like this?" Emmeline argued.

Chloe laughed. "You're right." Chloe glanced over at Mr. Piers, who was painstakingly explaining things to Annaliese. She then said, "You're deliberately letting Mr. Piers take care of that troublesome girl?"

"Don't say that." Emily smiled. "She's just a lively girl. I see, Mr. Piers likes her anyway."

Chloe looked at the two again. "Mr. Piers does have a patient, and compassionate character." Chloe just said like that. "Oh, you haven't answered my question, Emmeline. The Corbin thing has confused me a bit. I can see now, he might actually be able to pay compensation. Then why did he accept your offer?"

Emmeline gulped for a moment. She cleared her throat and straightened her back. Apparently Chloe still remembered the matter.

Emmeline, however, didn't feel the need to cover anything up. Chloe had also helped her a lot in this regard. She deserved to know.

Emmeline then went into detail about the things that happened at the dinner, and after, especially the points she hadn't told Chloe, and Chloe listened intently.

Chloe sometimes looked surprised, sometimes sighed in annoyance, and at other times she was quite quiet and nodded her head. She said, what Corbin did was strange, but sweet when viewed from several sides.

"I'm actually highlighting about myself, why I can get involved in ridiculous things like this. Which I never imagined I would do," said Emmy. "I couldn't even answer Mr. Piers' question when he asked me this morning how I can settle things with Corbin over the Anna's matter. It's hard for me to explain this ridiculous deal to him."

While Emmeline and Chloe were still engrossed in their conversation, Anna and Mr. Piers seemed to be walking closer to them.

"Miss Karfis," said Annaliese, "I'm thinking how I'm going to get back to Paris tonight. I think I'm tired enough to drive alone. Can you recommend a place to stay? Even though it would be very boring to stay alone, while I've been enjoying our time together. It's so much fun."

Emmeline glanced up for a moment. "Really? I was thinking about renting you a hotel. You won't enjoy it then." Emmy glanced at Chloe. "Chloe, you'll have a friend to keep you company at your apartment tonight."

Chloe glanced at everyone for a moment, as if to reassure herself once more, but quickly gave in to the orders Emmeline implied. As Emmeline's best friend, she understood quickly that Emmeline would get into unnecessary trouble if she brought Corbin's sister over to her house.

"Actually I have vacant private property, Anna," Emmeline added, "which I never lived in because my parents wouldn't let me leave their house—they said until I got married," Emmeline laughed sillyly, "but you wouldn't want me to send you there either. You'll be alone. Just like if I rented you a hotel." The atmosphere became more intimate at that time, as if they were family.

"You're going home with me," Chloe said.

"But before that we'll have dinner together," Emmeline said.

"Chloe, would you like it if we had dinner at your house? I can cook something special for all of us," Mr. Piers added.

"Oh really, Mr. Piers? I'd like that."

"Yeah. Don't worry. When Emmy was younger, maybe Annaliese's age, I used to even cook for her and force her to eat because she often forgot to eat when she was at work."

"Ah, Mr. Piers, you remember those days," Emmeline chuckled.

Everyone kept talking to each other and laughing. Adding warmth to their togetherness.

Mr. Piers, smiling observing the atmosphere while taking several deep breaths, and sometimes the wrinkles on his forehead combined with the deep look in his eyes, made Emmeline say several times maybe Mr. Piers was tired, but Mr. Piers kept denying it.

***