Her Fake Lover

Chapter 27

Everyone stood up. Staring focused and silent at Emmeline and Annaliese. All the models that were still running were stopped. The atmosphere began to shift to what they had not planned.

"Miss Karfis, em, sorry. I'm sorry," said Annaliese. "I'm sorry," Annaliese said again, and what Emmeline didn't understand, the girl started to sob.

"What's wrong, Anna? Are you sick?"

Annaliese shook her head. Her tears were still dripping.

"Oh, honey, don't cry," Emmy wiped Anna's tears, "does your leg hurt? I see you're limping a little."

Annaliese sobbed. But as if realizing something, she then quickly wiped away her tears and while holding onto Emmeline, she looked in all directions around her. She looked, everyone's attention was on her. They all stood up. Anna trembled again. She looked back at Emmeline, "Oh, Miss, I'm causing trouble for you again. Look. I ruined your show. Oh, my goodness. Miss Hazel is right. I'm just a troublemaker." Anna lowered her head with tears in her eyes. She cried until her body that was resting on Emmeline trembled even more.

Emmeline was shocked not understanding. "What do you mean, Anna? Who said you were a troublemaker?" Anna's body lowered even more from crying. Emmeline firmly straightened the girl's body. "Look at me! Tell me, for what reason are you saying all that? What happened?"

Annaliese was still silent, looking at Emmeline with tears in her eyes. A moment later she removed the necklace around her neck. Emmeline didn't understand all that.

Annaliese, then put the necklace around Emmeline's neck. Emmeline couldn't do anything. Annaliese smiled with her cheeks wet with tears. "This necklace is very beautiful and full of meaning, Miss. You must have misunderstood me when you thought I was worthy of all this." Annaliese then took off her ring and also put it on Emmeline's finger. "You really have created beautiful jewelry. Look, you have completely misunderstood me. I'm not the model for all this." Annaliese took off all her jewelry again. One by one. She put it on Emmeline. "Ah, everything is so beautiful. You should have appointed someone else for all this and not me." Tears rolled down Annaliese's cheeks again, and this time, Emmeline had drifted into a sadness she didn't understand.

Emmeline didn't know how Annaliese could suddenly do all that. Where did all those strange words come from? What had happened to make Annaliese able to shed tears like that?

Annaliese looked unsteady again. Emmeline took hold of her again.

"It's okay, Miss. I'm okay," said Annaliese. She slowly let go of Emmeline's hands that was holding her, then grasped and squeezed them guiltily. Annaliese then kissed Emmeline's hands as she continued to cry. "I'm sorry, Miss. I'm sorry. You shouldn't have taken the girl who messed up your show to mess up your other show. Miss Hazel was right. Miss Hazel was right."

Emmeline, had a rough understanding of what might have happened. Emmy was sure that the model named Hazel had said something to Annaliese, and although Emmy wasn't sure what Hazel said, she was pretty sure it wasn't a pleasant word.

"I sprained my leg while preparing backstage, so it hurts now, Miss. I didn't do it right. I betrayed your trust. Ah, I'm such a mess." Annaliese sighed. The pain that seemed to have been ignored when she spoke, now seemed to be coming back. Chloe approached swiftly, and helped Emmeline hold Annaliese.

Emmeline gestured for Chloe to hold Anna's body well, while Emmeline, straightening herself up then took a deep breath. She looked around, and realized that the conditions had really gone beyond her anticipation. Everyone was still standing, silent and staring intently at her and Anna. Emmeline wasn't sure if the show could still be called a fashion show.

Emmeline, looked back at Annaliese who was looking at her innocently. Emmeline then took off one by one the jewelry that Annaliese had worn on her. She took it off, then put it back on Annaliese. One by one, while continuing to talk each time she put the jewelry items on.

"This necklace," said Emmeline, "I created it to show the spirit of young girls who are energetic, dynamic, creative, and passionate about progress. I created the pendants from gold and diamonds which I combined in such a way with an implied message, with a pattern- such an expressive model. I don't even know, to what extent my creativity will reach for this jewelry series. This series is full of possibilities."

Emmeline paused for a moment.

"Then this ring," Emmeline said as she put the ring on Annaliese's finger, "parents will choose it for their daughter as a gift, and give it while saying with a twinkle in her eye, 'You're not a little girl anymore. You're a beautiful young girl. You're amazing.'" Emmeline, continued to pass every word along with every piece of jewelry she put on Annaliese. Annaliese, accepted it with resignation.

All of Annaliese's initial refusal was meaningless, because every time Emmeline said something to her while dressing her in jewelry, Annaliese was immersed in the authority of Emmeline's words, and she couldn't help but allow herself to listen carefully to those words.

When everything was done. When all the jewels were back on, Emmeline smiled. She looked at Annaliese and held her shoulders, saying, "This is how it should be." Emmeline then hugged Annaliese, and there was loud applause from the audience. The atmosphere was suddenly bustling with exclamations of joy and excitement, as if the audience had just enjoyed a satisfying ending to an unplanned touching drama.

Emmeline was still hugging Annaliese with an affectionate smile. Her embrace was so tight, and Annaliese returned the hug no less tightly by occasionally wiping away the tears that were still not tired of rolling down her cheeks. Now mixed with great emotion.

Emmeline glanced around, finding the applause continuing to be directed at the two of them. Emmeline then let go of Annaliese's arms, stood with her hands still holding Annaliese's shoulders, looked around her, and found a look full of emotion coloring the audience's applause.

Some people were seen wiping their tears. Miss Valerie was no exception. Then Mrs. Jeanne, Mr. Guillaume, and Lea, looked at Emmeline full of emotion and pride. Lea and Mrs. Jeanne leaned back and hugged Mr. Guillaume who was in their midst.

Emmeline couldn't believe the shocking atmosphere she and Anna had created. Emmeline looked back at Annaliese, and then spread her arms and hugged Annaliese again with a proud smile. Annaliese received the hug again with great emotion. The guilt in her had lessened.

Chloe Levine, wiped her tears and clapped her hands. She was still standing beside Emmeline and Annaliese, before whispering to Emmeline, "I think this is the end of our show."

Emmeline turned to her after letting go of Anna's arms. She nodded her head with a calm smile.

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