Her Fake Lover

Chapter 3

Darren fixed his eyes on Emmeline as they started dancing. Giving up already, Emmeline couldn't dodge much if the man was going to start asking a lot of questions about her.

A perfect opportunity to be able to speak freely without interruption, Emmeline thought to herself.

"I didn't think we'd meet under these circumstances," Darren said.

The words that still didn't get any interesting response from Emmeline other than a low rumble, "Hmm." The soft accompaniment music drowned out the sound.

"Many years have passed, Emmeline, but believe me I still remember all our memories."

"Makes sense," Emmy retorted. "It seems to me that unless a person has a memory disorder, then he will certainly remember the relationship he had with someone. Or alternatively, you build so many relationships that the space in your heart is filled by many people."

Emmeline twisted her body. Darren gave her space for it, and when he caught her again Darren said, "You didn't get my message. What I meant was that the relationship was meaningful, that's why I remember it." Darren created a slower rhythm, in his movements. "Only the memorable ones will live on, Emmeline. You should know that," he whispered.

Emmeline was silent for a moment. Honestly, she was heartbroken when she heard that. But she knew it was not the time for melodrama. Her hand was still in Darren's, Emmy wasn't the least bit interested in letting it go to take another pose so Darren would think he could pull her closer.

"I'd also like to know how you remember all that," Darren said.

Emmy raised her eyebrows swiftly. There was something disturbing in her dance partner's words. It strengthened the impression that had accumulated in her mind from the time the man had shaken her hand at the start of the party. The man sounded like he was testing her, but what was it all for?

"Days go on, Darren. What can you expect from memories that are so long ago? You left me and ended the relationship, what will I gain by continuing to remember it?"

"You said unless you lost your memory or you built too many relationships, then you would remember."

"I just remember, but I don't relive those memories!"

"You sound annoyed, Emmeline. That's a sign that you're still thinking about it. It sounds sweet to me."

Emmeline gasped. Her attitude was apparently wrong. She realized she had actually made Darren able to read the traces of those memories in her mind. Her brain quickly corrected her expressive outburst, and Emmy was still sane enough to think that it had to stop.

Darren bent his left knee and lowered Emmeline's body, doing a perfect dip. Emmeline said after her body straightened back up and her face was closer to Darren's, especially since Darren had created it on purpose, "You misunderstood."

Darren retorted, "Tell me, do you have a boyfriend now?"

Emmeline gasped. "Why do you want to know?"

"Because I want to know."

"That's not an answer."

"Your words aren't an answer either. Why are you replying to a question with a question?"

Emmy gasped again. They both stopped in their tracks.

They stared at each other, and Emmy, in just a few seconds then developed a sketch of ridiculous thinking in her brain, guided by instinct to cover whatever condition her heart was in right now.

"Yes," replied Emmeline. It was bittersweet to find herself committing such a ridiculous lie, and apparently, Darren had caught the answer with a ferocious rebuttal of disbelief.

"Are you telling the truth, or are you just trying to lie to me?"

"Why do you think I lied to you?"

Darren, again guiding Emmeline to do a slow dance move. "Calm down Emmy, I was just asking. You don't have to feel like you have to act a certain way or cover up anything."

Emmy gasped. She felt that she could not tolerate Darren's attitude. Whether just out of curiosity or for some purpose, Darren had cornered her. Emmy dragged her feet slowly, and pressed them deliberately against Darren's. She then gave a weak shriek, and stopped her dancing and immediately let go of her hand.

"Ah, sorry, I stepped on your foot. I think I'm tired of dancing. It would be better if I rest, Darren," said Emmeline keeping boundaries. She withdrew quickly, quickly leaving the dance floor.

"Emmeline! Emmeline!" Darren called out, while swiftly following Emmeline who was walking away quickly.

Emmeline stopped again in front of Chloe, who apparently hadn't moved from her seat, and there Darren followed.

"Emmeline!" said Darren again. Chloe, just silent as she sipped her drink and turned her gaze alternately at the two people standing far apart in front of her.

"Emmy, what's wrong? You guys danced so fast. Did you enjoy the dance?" Lea, came to interrupt, which took Emmeline by surprise. Stuck, silent, a little confused to answer.

"Emmeline accidentally stepped on my foot in the middle of the dance, honey, and she thought I'd be mad, but I really wasn't," Darren retorted. Emmy and Chloe gasped. Chloe had a look of disbelief on her face.

"Stomp your feet? Oh, no way, honey. Emmeline never steps on her dance partner," Lea said. "Emmy is good at dancing. Unless ... um ... " Lea looked up at her twin sister, "You didn't do that on purpose, did you, Emmy?"

Emmy raised her eyebrows swiftly. "Ah," Emmy smiled stiffly, "n-no. No way. I—"

"It's only natural that she did it on purpose. Maybe she got angry, honey, when I asked about her boyfriend. I asked because I was thinking of asking her on a double date, or something. Yeah ... sort of an introduction to get to know each other. I thought it would be fun. Sorry, I might be in a hurry."

"Ah, Darren, Emmy doesn't have a boyfriend yet, honey," Lea said quietly, with a wink.

"I'm sure you're wrong, honey. She said she already has. Oh, could she be lying?"

Lea and Chloe gasped. Then simultaneously, cast a glance at Emmeline. Emmeline, felt her heart beat faster as the questioning gaze was directed at her, while Darren—Emmy saw in a fleeting glance—the man seemed to flash a triumphant smile.

"You have a boyfriend, Emmeline?" asked Lea with a look of disbelief on her face. Then Emmeline, sharpened her gaze with a stiff face, clearly confused, didn't expect Darren to use that false information as a tool to corner her.

"Miss Emmeline, it's outrageous that you didn't tell Lea about this," Darren blurted out without permission. "Am I the first person you tell? Or maybe it's because the relationship is so new?"

New? Emmy answered the satire in her mind. 'New' flashed in her mind a few minutes ago indeed. "Ah, ridiculous," sighed Emmeline.

Emmeline smiled. "Um, yes, Lea. I ... um ... that's right."

Chloe was seen shaking her head faintly, while Lea clearly objected that she wasn't told this. But when she protested, Emmy rebuked her by saying that her reasons were exactly the same as Lea's, who delayed telling her about Darren, waiting for the right moment.

"S-m-sorry," Emmeline added.

Lea smiled sadly. "Okay, Emmy. No problem. It's a surprise. I'm happy with the news." Lea rushed over and hugged Emmeline. She stated that she had seen Emmy too serious about her job, and it made her worried that Emmy would not be interested in finding a partner.

Emmy freed herself from the hug. "No need to overdo it, Lea. You're also in a relationship with someone for the first time," said Emmeline.

"Ah, yes. You're right." Lea turned to Darren behind her. "I love Darren so much, Emmeline. I didn't expect you to find someone at the same time." Lea had looked back at Emmeline, who was smiling stiffly.

"Wow, well, well, what's all this? The atmosphere looks full of emotion," Mr. Guillaume interrupted, accompanied by his beloved wife. They had just finished dancing. Chloe, stood up immediately and smiled politely at Emmeline's parents. Darren walked over to them.

"Dad, Mom," said Lea, "Emmeline has a boyfriend now. She was quiet at first, but Darren made her confess. This is a good news, isn't it?"

"Oh really?" said the father.

"Honey, is this serious?" continued the mother.

"E-em," Emmeline stammered.

"That's right, Mom, Dad. She admitted it just now. She just wasn't ready to tell everyone beforehand," Lea chimed in.

"Perhaps it would be better, Mr. Guillaume," said Darren, interjecting without permission, "if we invited him to a family function. I'm sorry, sir. I'm a noob, but what if we—"

"Oh, great idea!" said Guillaume. "Honey," he said to his wife, "how about we have a family dinner, inviting the boyfriends of our two daughters?"

"Oh, dear. It will be a nice dinner," said Mrs. Jeanne Karfis. "Honey," Jeanne called to Emmy, "how about we have dinner the day after tomorrow? Darren, come to the party! And you, Emmy, invite your boyfriend over, honey." Jeanne looked back at her husband, "You agree?"

"Sure. We'll do that. Now, Emmy, Lea, Darren, don't forget. Sorry, we have to meet a friend of ours now. Enjoy your party." Guillaume and Jeanne left. Leaving all the young people there in different colors of expression from each other.

Darren smiled triumphantly, while Lea had a genuine smile filled with an impatient look on her face to see Emmeline's boyfriend. Emmeline refused to mention her boyfriend's name when Lea asked, and Lea accepted it and considered, Emmeline kept it a secret as a surprise for their meeting at the planned dinner.

"Okay then. I'll be patiently waiting until dinner, to find out all about your boyfriend, Emmy," Lea winked at Emmy, before grabbing Darren's hand and leading him out of the room.

Only seconds after Lea and Darren had left, Chloe gulped in disbelief, highlighting Emmeline's actions. She knew very well that Emmeline had not had anyone she could call a boyfriend all this time.

"You always reject any guy who approached you, and now you're saying you have a boyfriend?" Chloe commented. "Amazing, Emmy! I don't know how you can be so silly!"

"Darren is trying to find evidence of whether I've been able to get over him, and asks if I have a boyfriend, right now. What other answer can silence him?"

"But he's not really quiet, is he?" Chloe sighed in concern. "He doesn't seem to believe your answer. And he's currently trying to prove that you were just lying. Besides, I can't understand why he needs to find out where he is in your heart right now. Doesn't he already have a partner?"

"I don't know," Emmeline held her head in her hands. She ruffled her own hair, and said how ridiculous this had happened to her. In the midst of her busy thinking she declared emphatically, "No matter the way, Chloe. I have to be able to bring evidence before Darren to silence him. Didn't you see earlier, Lea said how much she loves Darren? I don't want any drama going on between me and Darren, that could hurt Lea's feeling. I have to get Darren to stop talking about the past. I have to do that."

"How?" Chloe interrupted in the midst of Emmy's strong determination.

Before Emmy had time to answer the question, which at the same time became her own question, her phone rang.

One call came in, to which Emmeline responded with simple responses, "Hello, Mr. Piers. Ah, fine. Thank you. No problem. Yes, of course I remember. We've prepared it. Fine." Emmeline continued to be friendly, before ending the call after a while.

"Mr. Piers, you say?" Chloe said.

"Yes. He couldn't come to the party because he had an urgent matter, and even though he said it yesterday, he still called back to apologize. And to remind us of the jewelry show we're going to participate in tomorrow in Paris."

"Ah, then I suggest you focus on preparing your energies for that. Forget about Darren for now. We'll think about that again tomorrow."

Emmeline, glanced up in disbelief.

***