CHAPTER 23...
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~ MABEL'S FAMILY RESIDENT ~
Mrs Park was seated at the sitting room peeling some apples for herself and her husband when Kent ran out of his room to the sitting room.
He changed the news channel on the TV to the channel, Mabel's live conference was showing.
"Kent, what are you doing?" Mrs Park asked hitting him with her elbow.
"Ouch... That hurts mum! Take a look at your daughter... She's having a crisis at her workplace I can't believe you're both eating apples when she's about to lose her career!" Kent blurted and sat in between his parents.
Mr Park increased the volume at the sight of the serious look on the reporters faces.
"Yes, it is true. I'm in a relationship with Raphael Kris! No, I was not in a relationship with him but I will be in 24 hours... Raphael, I know you're watching this... You've got 24 hours to give me a reply.... Will you be my boyfriend?" Mabel asked boldly.
Mr Park dropped the TV remote on his hand in shock.
"Did my daughter just ask a guy out on a live conference?" He asked in disbelief.
His wife covered his mouth with her palm, her focus was fully on the TV.
"A big apology to my fans for not keeping up with my words... Love found me at a time I least expected. I can't pretend and lie to y'all like I'm innocent... You know your actress is an honest and simple girl. I will need your support on this, please don't dislike me for going for what I want. I'm only human. I believe you also have the courage to do that thing you're scared of. We don't always have to wait for things to fall on our laps, we can also fight for it!" Mabel said calmly.
Photos of her were taken from all angle, she maintained her composure.
Kent swiftly switched off the TV.
Mrs Park stood up from the couch she was seated. She placed her hands on her waist pacing around the sitting room. Her son and husband fixed their eyes on. In a situation like this, she calls the shot.
"Kent, who's Raphael Kris? The Raphael Kris I know of is a well known photographer who held an art gallery opening days ago... Is that the Raphael Kris your sister was confessing to?" Mrs Park asked with a blank expression.
Mr Park hit the center table angrily.
"Is that supposed to be your question? Who cares if he's Raphael Kris or Raphael priest... Do you have any idea how brutal the K-netizens can get? Mabel might even get chewed up alive... What was she thinking to utter such a word to the public?" Mr Park fumed.
Mrs Park rolled her eyes and folded her arms on her chest.
"I believe in Mabel... I believe in her fans, she pleaded with them already and more over, she's not a kid anymore, she'll be 28 this year and you think now's not the right time for her to get a man of her own. Who cares if she does it public or private? As long as Raphael agrees then the case is closed..."
"Where's my phone? I need to follow up on how he accepts her proposal..." Mrs Park said excitedly as she searched her pocket for her phone.
Then she saw it lying on the couch, she pushed her husband aside and grabbed the phone.
"You better not say a word about this to Mabel. She's an adult and she made a decision for herself..." She forewarned and left the sitting room with a silly smile on her lips.
Mr Park turned to Kent angrily.
"What are you still doing here? Aren't you going to work today?" He fired glaring at him. He vented his anger on his son.
Kent furrowed his brows standing up from the couch.
"Dad, relax... I'm not going to work today. We got a notification from the CEO, not to go to the office today.." Kent said and took out his phone which was ringing.
"Your ringing tone's so loud.. can you please leave me alone!" Mr Park grunted.
Kent turned to his dad and shook his head. "Fine, I'll leave but it still wouldn't change mum's words... We just have to wait till Mabel gets home"
Mr Park threw his pillow at Kent frustratedly.
Kent ran off to his room and took the call.
He placed the phone on his ears and he quickly hung up the call after getting updates concerning Mr Bu.
"What the hell!!" He gasped and slid into the news blog.
~ THE BU RESIDENT ~
Mr Bu was getting ready to leave for the emergency board meeting held by the house of reps.
Secretary Shin showed up in his bedroom.
"Boss, I think you need to see this!" He cut in holding his tablet with Mabel's live conference displaying on the screen.
Mr Bu glanced at him with a frown as he adjusted his tie.
"What is it?" He asked unbothered.
"It's nothing..." Secretary Shin swallowed back his words.
"What's the update on the leaked photos? Any clue on who did it? Have you taken the photos down?" Mr Bu asked coldly while staring at himself at the standing mirror.
Secretary shin's gaze went down disappointedly, Mr Bu saw that and took in a few deep breaths.
"You couldn't even take down a goddamn image from the internet. What are you even doing here? Are you perhaps enjoying this? Do you also wish to see me fall?" Mr Bu asked coldly.
"The photos have gone viral on different platforms and getting the original account it was posted seems like a mission impossible" secretary Shin defended anxiously.
Mr Bu ran fingers through his hair then he walked to him and placed his hands on his shoulders.
"Secretary Shin I fear you'll have to go on a long vacation. You seem to be losing your touch and before you become completely useless to me, I'll toss you aside so you can reflect on your actions... I want to see your resignation letter when I get back" Mr Bu said coldly without a breakage in his voice.
He glared at secretary Shin and walked out of the room.
Secretary shin clenched his fist angrily.
You can't treat me like this... Not after everything I've done for you. You can't toss me aside like a piece of trash. I'm worth more than that and I'll show it to you. He said in his head angrily.
****
Charlotte sauntered out of her bedroom to head out of the house so she would get to Raphael before Mabel does.
"How dare she make an open confession? How dare she utter Raphael's name to the public!!!" Charlotte grunted clenching her fist.
But someone grabbed her arms tightly. She turned to her side angrily only to see her father glaring at her.
"And where do you think you're going?" Mr Bu asked with his cold gaze.
Charlotte tried to free herself from his grip but Mr Bu's grip was tight on her.
"Dad, let go of me. You're hurting me and why does it matter to you why I'm going out?" She questioned rudely.
Mr Bu pulled her back with force almost making her fall.
"Listen and listen good, young lady, I said you're not leaving this house and you're not doing so. So many employees from the firm are gathered at the guest sitting room. Go attend to them on my behalf! Don't you dare go anywhere..." He threatened and walked away.
"Erhhh!" Charlotte groaned angrily clenching both her fists.
Charlotte left for the sitting room. Getting there she saw almost all the workers at the firm aside from Kent.
"What's going on? Why are you all here?" She asked confused before taking her seat.
"Miss Bu, three of my male VIP clients have changed firm. They sent me an email hours ago..."
"Four of my male clients changed firm also... They said they didn't want to get involved with the scandal!"
Complaints kept coming in from all corners of the room. Charlotte held her head in shock.
What's going on? At this rate... The firm might be shutting down. Dad, you have to convince the house of reps so they don't kick you out of the election else we're done for! She said in her head anxiously while looking out through the window.
★★★★
~ VIOLET'S APARTMENT ~
Violet and Simone were having breakfast together when she watched Mabel's confession through the phone.
She ran into her room and shut the door.
She bit her thumb finger nervously as she thought hard on how to come open to Raphael before he takes the next step with Mabel.
I can't just seat back and watch him slip away from my fingers once again... I did that before and it didn't end well for me. She uttered in her head pacing around her room.
Simone knocked gently on her door.
"Violet, is everything okay? You didn't finish up your breakfast?" Simone asked with so much concern in his voice.
Violet cleared her throat.
"I'm full... Thank you for the breakfast, I'll be out in a moment so you can have your breakfast without me!" She muttered and sat on her bed.
She double tapped her phone screen and a photo of herself, Simon and Raphael was on the screen.
She took in a few deep breaths then slide into the phone log and dialed Raphael's number.
It rang a few times before he took it.
"Violet..." Raphael called out in a calm tone, his environment was quiet and comforting.
Violet's heart skipped a beat at the mention of her name.
"Raph, where are you right?" She asked in an unsteady nervous tone.
"The office... No one knows I'm here though. I don't want it to get noisy over here also. What are you up to? Too bad I didn't see you at the exhibition yesterday.. It was lit just like I told you" Raphael said with a smile.
Violet could hear and feel him smiling over the phone. Tears crowded in her eyes. It's a while she heard him smile effortlessly.
"You sound happy? Did Mabel's confession make you this happy?" She asked holding her tears back from falling.
Raphael chuckled.
"Don't be silly... As if that's the first time a girl's confessing her feelings to me publicly..."
Violet covered her mouth as the tears in her eyes dropped. She could still feel the happiness in his voice.
"But this is the first time, a popular actress is asking you out publicly without holding back or caring about judgemental comments... Raphael, do you like her?" Violet forced the words out.
Raphael was silent for a moment and he cleared his throat.
"What do you wish to hear?" He asked calmly.
"You're at the office right? I'm coming..." She said swiftly and hung up the call.
She wiped off the tears on her chin with her palm and sniffed in her tears.
"It is not over till it is over!" She muttered and got into the bathroom.
★★★★
Mabel drove down to Raphael's apartment to get a one on one conversation with him.
"Raphael isn't home?" She asked after Josh opened the door.
Josh wore a silly smile while looking at her.
"He isn't but trust me, that was some bold move out there... Thumbs up for you and word of encouragement... You've got this. Raphael's at the studio!" Josh informed.
"Thank you!" Mabel smiled and ran back to the elevator.
After getting out of the building she rushed into her car. Jenny was the one driving.
"Wow, Mabel... You've set up some fireworks on the internet... Your fans are going crazy!" Jennifer uttered with a smile as she went through the comments placed under Mabel's conference.
Mabel rubbed her palms nervously.
"Are there any good comments? I really need a bit of encouragement to face Raph..."
Jennifer laughed as she glanced at her from the rear view mirror.
"I think you've got more good comments than bad ones... Photos of you and Mr Raphael at the exhibition keep getting uploaded and I'm shocked to say this but everyone's shocked at how good and compatible you both look together and a fan just dropped Mr Raphael's location.."
"Raphael Kris just showed up at the studio... Mabel, I love you and I hope you make him your boyfriend.. Go get him girl!!" Jennifer mimicked a tiny voice as she read the comments.
Mabel smiled nervously. "If that's the only good comment there, then I am more than satisfied..."
"Step on that engine, Jenny!" Mabel squeaked as she tightened her seatbelt.
~ RAINING BEAUTY STUDIO ~
Raphael was going through a magazine at the cozy rooftop with an iced Americano placed on the fancy table.
He had his shades on. His eyes were fixed on the magazine but all he could think of was Mabel. Her faces was all over the magazine.
"I don't even know if my thoughts and eyes belong to me anymore!" He smiled shaking his head.
He picked up the glass of iced Americano and had a sip from the straw.
The gently cool breeze blew through his skin. He shot his eyes for a bit and for the first time in three years, no vision appeared on his mind. His mind was completely blank and a surreal comfort in his heart.
His phone buzzed with a notification.
Raphael tapped on it and it was a video of Henry and Mabel together.
Henry was holding her hand like it belongs to him.
Raphael furrowed his brows in jealousy and took off his glasses angrily.
"Why's he holding her hand so dearly? Mabel, don't forget you asked me out... Why aren't you here yet?" Raphael gushed out and head down to the elevator.
He got into the elevator with his eyes still fixed on his phone.
The elevator dangs open when he got to the first floor.
Getting out of the elevator, Mabel was standing right in front of him.
"What's wrong, Mr Kris?" Mabel asked jovially.
Raphael's eyes widened in shock at the sound of her voice.
He tried to hold in his excitement for seeing her but he just couldn't shake off the smile.
"I thought you were with Henry?" He asked in a jealous tone.
So many people gathered around the surrounding, taking pictures and making videos of the whole scene.
"I didn't go to Henry though, I came to you. It hasn't been up to two hours, I professed my feelings to you and here I am, searching for you like a lost puppy. I don't have that much patience to wait up till the 24 hour elapses..."
Raphael blushed reading her lips as every word fell out from it.
He walked closer to her.
"A few minutes ago...I said to myself that I don't think I own my thoughts and eyes anymore cos..." He paused.
Mabel blinked nervously as both their hearts raced in rhythm.
"Cos you're all I can see and think of... I'm all yours, Bels!" Raphael smiled and kissed the back of her palm gently.
The crowd screamed their lungs out in excitement.
Violet was standing right at the entrance when Raphael made his confession.
Her chest suddenly felt congested, she couldn't breathe. Her sight became blurry and she passed out in an instant.
"Someone has collapsed!!"