CHAPTER 26...
✿^‿^
~ MABEL'S FAMILY RESIDENCE ~
Mrs Park was having breakfast dispirited. She waited all night for Mabel to show up so she would gossip all throughout the night but not even a shadow of her daughter was seen in the vicinity.
"Hmm..." She sighed continuously picking on her food.
"Can you stop sighing already... You're making us lose our appetite!" Mr Park complained tiredly.
"Hhhh!" Mrs Park sighed again.
Kent at the other end of the table didn't even notice anything. He fixed his eyes on his phone, following up updates regarding Mr Bu's scandal.
He might lose his job at the rate at which the scandal was spreading.
He worriedly placed a call across to Charlotte and he left the table.
The phone rang a few times but Charlotte wasn't taking the call.
"What was I even thinking? She's probably got a lot on her plate right now to even take any calls..." He muttered and went back to the table.
He was about to pick up his chopstick when a call came through his phone. It was a call from Charlotte.
Kent's face brightened up that instant. He took the call swiftly without any second thought.
"Charlotte... How are you?" He asked with so much concern in his voice.
"Kent, can we have breakfast together? Districtly? I don't want anyone preying into my business..." She uttered over the phone.
Kent nodded excitedly before even uttering the word. "Sure... Where do you want to meet up?"
"How about your house?"
Kent looked at his parents and blinked anxiously.
"Are you sure? You know my mum can be a bit too much sometimes..." He added and Charlotte chuckled sadly at the other end.
"I've known her for decades, of course I know that. I don't want to meet up outside. You know how it is for me being outside at a time like this!"
"It's fine... You can come over!"
****
Minutes later... Charlotte showed up at Mabel's family residence.
"Charlotte dear... You've lost so much weight. What's going on? Are you perhaps going through a diet?" Mrs Park asked the moment her eyes landed on Charlotte.
Charlotte smiled calmly.
"Of course not, aunt... You know how much I love food. Do you think I would go on a diet with this big stomach of mine" She said playfully rubbing her belly.
Mrs Park laughed and brushed Charlotte's hair behind her.
"That's my girl. I'm pretty sure, you haven't had breakfast yet. Take a seat so I'll serve you some breakfast!" Mrs Park uttered and helped Charlotte to the dining table.
Kent joined Charlotte at the table.
"Aunt, how about I help you out in the kitchen?" She asked respectfully.
Mrs Park laughed and brushed off her request. "It's fine, I'm done already..."
She served Charlotte a bowl of rice and a chicken soup as well as some side dishes.
"Thanks so much, Aunt!" Charlotte said with a smile.
"It's my pleasure... Enjoy your breakfast okay" Mrs Park uttered and left for the sitting room.
Kent kept staring at Charlotte.
"What... You've been staring.." Charlotte cut in through his thought.
Kent giggled awkwardly.
"Mum's right. You've lost so much weight from these past few days. Are you having trouble eating?" He questioned worriedly.
Charlotte smiled and dug into her food.
"Not that... We've got so much going on. I don't think eating is our problem right now. My dad lost his position for the election..." She said slowly looking up at him then went back to her eating.
Kent took a few deep breaths and leaned back on the chair.
"Where's Mabel? Isn't she home for the weekend?" Charlotte asked while chewing on her food.
Kent smiled and folded his arms.
"She's probably having a blast with her new boyfriend... I'm pretty sure, she didn't spend the night at her apartment either"
Charlotte dropped her spoon in shock.
"What did you just say?" She asked in a different tone.
Kent noticed how her expression changed in an instant.
"Charlotte, is everything okay?"
"I'm fine... I didn't hear what you said properly. Did you just say Mabel got a new boyfriend?" She asked curiously.
Kent nodded and took out his phone from his pocket. He scrolled into the internet.
"You must've been occupied, I guess that's why you didn't see it. That crazy sister of mine, asked Raphael out in a live conference and surprisingly Raphael accepted without putting much thought into it" Kent stated proudly as he saw the video and gave his phone to Charlotte.
Kent handed Charlotte the phone showing the video.
Charlotte stared at it. Her smile slowly faded away. She blinked once, then again... her fingers trembling as she set the phone down.
"Charlotte?" Kent called softly, noticing the change in her expression.
She lowered her gaze and exhaled shakily. "I...I didn't know…"
"Are you okay?" he asked gently.
Charlotte stood up abruptly, her chair scraping the floor. She turned her back to him, arms wrapped around herself.
Mrs. Park appeared in the doorway.
"Charlotte dear, is something wrong?"
Charlotte shook her head quickly, wiping her eyes. But her voice cracked anyways.
"It's nothing. I'm just… overwhelmed."
"Is it about Raphael?" Kent asked carefully.
That name broke her composure. Tears slid silently down her cheeks as she nodded.
"I didn't think he'd move on so quickly. I thought…" Her voice cracked.
Mrs. Park stepped closer.
"You were with him?"
Charlotte hesitated, then finally looked up.
"Three years. I gave him everything. Mabel knew everything" She uttered almost in a whisper.
Mrs. Park's expression hardened.
She sat beside Charlotte and took her hand.
"Tell me everything, sweetheart. You don't have to carry this alone."
★★★
~SEOUL INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT ~
Josh drove down to the airport from the hotel he spent the night yesterday.
Getting to the airport, he placed a call across to Raphael.
"Raph, I'm at the airport now..."
"You're at the airport already... Why didn't you tell me you were leaving so early?" Raphael complained over the phone.
Josh smiled. "I know you would try to bid me farewell but you know I don't like so much formality. We'll meet again soon anyways..."
Nina at the other end of the airport was on a phone call with Mabel.
"Mabel, I think a hacker is trying to hack my account. But too bad for them, I'm leaving the country for an exclusive interview in the US!" Nina uttered with a silly smile.
"You're leaving the country?" Mabel gasped.
"Yeah... I've been tryna reach out to you but I didn't want to disturb your honeymoon phase. Silly girl, you didn't tell me you know about Raphael Kris..." Nina teased.
Mabel blushed at the other end. "You know about Raphael?"
"Of course, I interviewed him years ago..." Nina couldn't complete her sentence when a general announcement was made.
"Good afternoon passengers. This is the pre-boarding announcement for flight 89B to California. We are now inviting those passengers with small children, and any passengers requiring special assistance, to begin boarding at this time. Please have your boarding pass and identification ready. Regular boarding will begin in approximately ten minutes. Thank you!"
Nina swiftly slid in her passport into her pocket.
"Mabel, let's talk when I get to the States.. okay, bye-bye and say hello to Mr Kris for me!" She uttered blowing kisses on the phone then she hung up.
Josh wheeled his luggage through the bustling terminal, going through his phone for updates.
As he turned to a corner, someone brushed past him in a hurry, a blur of long hair and oversized sunglasses. Something fell to the ground behind her.
He paused, noticing a passport lying face-down on the floor.
"Hey... miss!" He called out, bending over to pick it up.
It was Nina, she didn't hear him, she kept walking toward the security checkpoint in a hurry.
Josh took a few steps forward, weaving through the crowd.
"Miss! You dropped this!" He called out again.
Nina finally turned around, her eyes widened as she realized what he was holding.
"Oh my God, thank you!" She uttered rushing back to him.
Her hand brushed his gently as she took the passport.
"I was about to have a full-blown panic attack.. no doubt!"
"No worries," Josh said with a half smile.
"You almost went through the security without an ID. That would've been such a fun scene."
Nina chuckled, a little breathless.
"Guess I owe you one"
"It's alright," Josh replied casually. "Safe flight."
As she turned to leave, she paused.
"Wait… weren't you the guy standing next to me in the coffee line earlier?"
Josh raised his brow.
"You noticed?"
"Barely. I was more focused on the croissant display," she smirked.
He laughed.
"Quite understandable"
Before either of them could say more, her name was called over the intercom.
Nina waved with a grin.
"Thanks again, Passport Hero!"
Josh watched her disappear into the security line, then exhaled softly, a small smile appearing on his lips.
★★★
~ MABEL'S FAMILY RESIDENT ~
Mabel got back home after having breakfast with Raphael's family.
Raphael's mum's words just couldn't get off her head.
FLASHBACK•••
"Mum, you know I can foresee the future?" He asked in shock.
"Of course... Your grandfather told us, You would be a clairvoyant before you clocked thirty and your grandfather never lies"
"Grandpa said that?" Raphael asked in surprise.
Mrs Kris turned to Mabel, holding her hands lovingly with a bright smile on her lips.
"Mabel, are you a seer also?" She asked calmly.
Mabel looked at Raphael nervously but Raphael calmed her with his eyes.
"Uhm..." Mabel stuttered.
Mrs Kris looked at Raphael worriedly.
"What's the problem mum? Why are you suddenly asking if Mabel's a seer?" Raphael asked curiously.
"Is she? Has she ever foreseen the future?" She asked.
Raphael looked at the worried look on Mabel's face before answering. "Yes, she has... Mum is that an issue?"
Mrs Kris hugged Mabel tight.
"Thank you so much dear for coming into my son's life. Fate has written it already that you're the one for my son..."
"Mum, what's this about?" Raphael asked still not getting the drama.
Mrs Kris broke the hug wearing a smile.
"Your grandfather saw it all. He warned us not to allow any woman who isn't a seer into your life cos she might..." Mrs Kris paused and forced a smile on seeing the worried look on Mabel's face.
"Cos she might what, mum?"
Mrs Kris patted Mabel's shoulder. "None of that matters anymore. Mabel's all you need..." She added with a smile.
FLASHBACK ENDS•••
What's going on? I wouldn't have a problem with anything she said if I could still see visions of the future but I lost my ability to do so.... I don't think it will be wise of me to say anything to Raph just yet.
We just started dating, I can't lose him just yet! Mabel said in her head sadly.
She walked into the sitting room shutting the door behind her.
Mrs Park rushed out of her bedroom and stood in front of Mabel, stopping her from taking another step.
"Mum, what's this? I'm tired. I need to shower and get a nap!" Mabel muttered tiredly.
Mrs Park placed her hands on her waist with trouble written all over her face.
"Mum, what?" Mabel groaned frustratedly.
"I want you to break up with that boy immediately... I heard his girlfriend died in the past cos of him and how dare you snatch him away from Charlotte? Charlotte might be fine dating a man who caused the death of his girlfriend but I'm not fine knowing that fact so I'm telling you to break up with him or else...." Mrs Park threatened.
Mabel looked at her mother in disbelief.
"Or else what, mum and what the hell are you talking about? Who the hell fed you with such rubbish?"
Mrs Park scoffed. "Why? So you would cover up the dirty past of your boyfriend..."
Mabel's gaze turned cold when she realized it was all Charlotte's doing.
Mabel turned around angrily and walked out of the building.
~ THE BU RESIDENT ~
Mabel drove down to the Bu's resident angrily.
Getting to the gate, she saw Charlotte heading out with her luggage so she got out of her car and slammed the door angrily.
Charlotte smirked mocking at the sight of her.
Mabel walked to Charlotte angrily, all through her drive she's been boiling with anger.
"Get out of my sight... You sl"*t!" Charlotte cursed and Mabel slapped her hard across the face before Charlotte would even utter a word.
"That's for tainting the image of Raphael in front of my parents... How dare you drag my family into this?" Mabel squeaked.
Charlotte held her cheeks and tightened her jaw, her eyes turned red in anger.
"If I can't have Raphael, neither can you. It's a gift from me so enjoy it!" She said angrily.
"I'll make you regret this, I promise you!" Mabel threatened and walked away.
Charlotte's phone beeped with a message notification. It was a text from a hacker she hired.
("The real owner of the anonymous account is Nina Yong. She attended the same high school as you!")
Charlotte's eyes widened in shock and she clenched her fist angrily glaring at Mabel.
"Things are about to get dirty!" She smirked.