CHAPTER 31...
AT THE SHOOTING SITE...
Raphael's parents ran to him worriedly.
"Son, what are you doing here? Go after her! She seems unwell..." Mrs Kris uttered worriedly.
Raphael swiftly ran towards the direction Mabel took.
Getting there, he saw Mabel rubbing her chest as she wiped her lips with the back of her palm.
"Bels, what's wrong? You're not feeling well?" He questioned worriedly and quickly checked her temperature placing his palm on her forehead.
Mabel looked at him worriedly. She bit her lower lips as she cooked up some lies in her head.
"You don't have a fever though..." He uttered holding her face.
Mabel faked a smile, taking his hands off her face.
"I think I've got an upset stomach. I haven't been eating properly over here but I'll be fine, I took some medications earlier" she lied avoiding eye contact.
Raphael exhaled deeply and pulled her into a hug.
"You're done with your shoot. Let's go home! I'll prepare something delicious for you" He said caressing her back.
Mabel smiled and broke the hug, she kissed him lightly on the lips.
"Thank you for coming to fetch me..."
"Emm... I think I kinda saw your parents earlier. They came with you?" Mabel asked curiously.
"They heard I was close by and they decided to drop by when they heard you were shooting a movie here!"
Mabel nodded brushing off the string of hair on Raphael's face.
"My proposal was cut short..." Raphael reminded taking out the ring from his pocket and wore it on her marriage finger.
Mabel's eyes sparkled at the sight of the ring.
"So sorry about that... It's beautiful!" She stared at it passionately.
Raphael smiled and kissed her forehead lovingly.
"Thank you for loving me, Bels! I promise to love you till death us part..." He stated firmly staring into her eyes.
Mabel smiled.
"I love you, Raphael!" She uttered almost in a whisper.
Raphael placed his hands on her neck as he leaned closer and kissed her passionately on the lips.
★★★
~ MABEL'S FAMILY RESIDENCE ~
Mrs Park was preparing lunch, her emotions were all over the place.
She almost cut her finger while chopping the vegetables.
"Honey, do you need help with that?" Mr Park cut in through her thoughts.
She turned to him tiredly.
"Our sweet girl turned her back on us cos of a man. She chose him over her own mother, how can she do that to me after everything I've done to make her happy!" Mrs Park uttered almost in tears.
Mr Park swallowed hard and looked away.
"You were all over the moon when you heard she was asking him out... It's been a year now and Mabel hasn't visited her father. Whose fault is that?" He questioned almost in a whisper.
Mrs Park threw a spoon at him angrily.
"What are you saying? How was I supposed to know she was going to pick him over us? She agreed to be with him even without our permission... She went against my wish for the first time. Do you have any idea how heartbroken I was?" She muttered as tears escaped her eyes.
Mr Park swiftly ran to her wiped off her tears.
"You're right, Mabel should've listened to you. You don't have to cry over spilled milk. It's been ages already... I know you miss her, should I call her over?" He asked grinning from ear to ear.
Mrs Park pushed him away.
"Never!!"
"She left home on her own Accord... She will return when she misses her parents!" She stated strictly.
She turned to the pot on the cooker.
"Chop the vegetables..." She instructed angrily.
"Fine, I will so please can you stop being angry already" Mr Park said softly.
Kent sauntered out of his bedroom down to the kitchen with his phone in hands.
"Mum, Dad... Come have a look at this! Raphael just proposed to Mabel at the shooting site!!" He gasped and his mum snatched the phone from his hand.
Mrs Park watched the video carefully.
"How can she accept a proposal her mother's against?" She squeaked giving Kent back his phone angrily.
Kent glanced at his father and he shrugged.
"Mum, come on! Please don't tell me you're still upset about her relationship. Why are suddenly being so hotheaded over your daughter's happiness... I get it that you don't like Raphael cos of his history with Charlotte but I talked to Mabel about it and she said Charlotte..." Kent couldn't complete his statement when Mrs Park cut in sharply.
"I don't want to hear it! It's all useless to me... I'm against this, I can't bless that union!" She stated defiantly and left the kitchen.
Mr Park and Kent watched her leave. They both furrowed their brows.
"Why's mum so angry? It's been a year now and it still feels like yesterday, her anger for Raphael hasn't subsided!" Kent uttered.
Mr pack smacked his lips and exhaled deeply.
"Your mum's not angry at Raphael... She just misses her daughter a lot and she can't help it but vent her frustration on the poor boy..."
A message buzzed on Kent's phone and he glanced at it. His eyes widened in shock.
"Kent... What is it? Is it Mabel again?" Mr Park asked curiously.
"Dad, Charlotte's back!" He gasped covering his mouth in shock.
"Huh!! Really?"
Mrs Park was heading back to the kitchen when she heard about Charlotte's return.
"Kent, did she change her number? How about you call her over for dinner?" She cut in from behind.
Kent looked at his mum confused.
"You want her over for dinner?"
"Of course... It's been a year already, it would be nice to eat with her again!" She muttered with a smile.
"Alright.." Kent replied and left for his room.
Mrs Park turned to her husband with a smile on.
"Honey, are you okay? You're suddenly smiling... It's scary, what are you cooking up in that head of yours?" He questioned backing out slowly.
"Where do you think you're going... You haven't chopped the vegetables!"
★★★
Charlotte drove down to a restaurant where she was meeting with a shareholder of raining beauty.
She was elegantly seated at a table when he joined her at the table.
"You must be Mrs Charlotte right?" He questioned with a smile stretching his hand out for an handshake.
Charlotte sobbed him, taking out a pen from her purse.
"Yes, that's me! Let's get straight down to business!"
"Sure..." He responded awkwardly and took a seat.
He placed the documents on the table.
"If you don't mind, may I ask why you requested for 30% of the company shares?" He asked in an unsure tone.
Charlotte looked up at him rudely.
"I'm buying the company's shares cos this is business. I want to be part of the family!" She fakes a smile.
The man smiled nervously.
"I spoke to three other shareholders and they agreed to do it only if you doubled the price!"
Charlotte smirked and stretched out her hand.
"I told you to name your price... I'll triple it but I've got a few conditions attached to it!"
The man looked at her anxiously.
"What conditions?" He questioned and Charlotte snapped her fingers at secretary Shin.
Secretary shin placed a legal document in front of him.
"There are only two conditions, I want! One, Mr Kris must not know of this... Two, I'll double the tripled price if you tell me the biggest secret of raining beauty!" She uttered viciously.
The man broke out in cold sweat at the mention of money.
"Why do you need the number two? You'll be joining the company anyways so I don't think it is..."
Charlotte hit the table angrily.
"I hate beating round the bush so you either say yes to my conditions or I'll get someone else to..." She threatened.
The man swallowed hard and suddenly he had a recap of his lowest moments in life and how Raphael pulled him out of suffering with the little investment he had then.
He stood up from his seat boldly.
"I'm sorry but I don't think I want to sell my shares to you! Raphael's one of the nicest CEOs one can ever come across! I agreed to meet with you cos of the nice offer you placed on the table but I don't think this is right. I get it, selling my shares isn't the founder's cup of tea but telling you secrets about the company just felt cringe. Regardless of the offer, I don't think anyone in raining beauty will sell his conscience not after everything Raphael's done for us! Excuse me and sorry for wasting your time!" He apologized and left.
Charlotte slammed the table angrily with her palm.
"Boss, do you want me to go convince him further?" Secretary shin suggested.
"Nevermind!"
"Failure on the first day of my arrival... This isn't a good start! I'm suddenly having a bad feeling about everything!" She stated anxiously staring at space.
Secretary shin cleared his throat.
"I don't think so. You successfully gained the rights over Bu firm. You silenced your dad with that!"
Charlotte clenched her fist angrily.
"Well, I'm not done with him yet not after what he did to my mother... I'll make him pay!" She muttered with so much hatred in her voice.
FLASHBACK •••
A year ago after Charlotte left the country, few months later.
She got a call from her mother's sister.
"Charlotte dear, he killed your mother! He strangled her to death when he came back home drunk... We've lost your mother!"
Charlotte dropped her phone in shock, she suddenly heard a high-pitched deafening sound in her ear.
She covered her ears with her shaky hands.
"Nooooooo!" She screamed at the top of her voice.
Charlotte couldn't even attend her funeral cos her aunt stole her passport via her Dad's instructions and left the country districtly.
FLASHBACK ENDS.
"I will destroy them all... Whoever made me suffer will shed more tears than I did. I'll crush them to the ground!" Charlotte stated with a malicious smile.
Secretary Shin smirked from behind.
That's the spirit, Charlotte! Together we will destroy your father!
A text message buzzed on Charlotte's phone and she took out the phone from her purse.
("Charlotte, my mum's inviting you over for dinner... Are you chanced?")
Charlotte wore a frown as texted back.
("Sure but I'll be a bit late!")
"Shin, we're leaving for the park's residence in a few hours time!" Charlotte informed.
"Alright Boss"
~ RAPHAEL'S APARTMENT ~
Raphael's whole family came visiting, they were all seated at the dinning table as well as Mabel.
Mabel picked on her food, she felt queasy the whole time, unable to touch her cos of the smell.
"Mabel, does your stomach still ache? Do you want some medicines?" Mrs Park asked calmly noticing her every move.
"Uhn... Unni, you're not feeling well? Why would such a thing happen on a good day like this? We dropped by to celebrate this day with the both of you though" Rachel pouted worriedly.
"I'm fine, Rachel! I still feel a bit uneasy but I'll be fine since I've taken some medications" Mabel smiled.
Raphael held her hand worriedly.
"You said hours ago but you still don't feel better. Are you sure you don't want mum's prescription?" He questioned with so much concern.
"I said I'm fine!" Mabel jolted frustratedly.
Surprisingly everyone's gaze fell on her.
"I'm sorry for raising my voice... I'm fine! Thanks for dinner..." Mabel forced a smile on and stood up, carrying her plate to the sink.
Everyone watched her closely.
Raphael looked at her worriedly as she left for the balcony.
He stood up to go after her but his mum held his hand.
"Give her some time alone... She isn't feeling well, let her have some air alone" She said.
Raphael sat down back with his eyes fixed on the balcony.
HALF AN HOUR LATER...
Mabel joined the whole family at the sitting room as they giggled over the comedy they were watching on TV.
"What did I miss?" She questioned jovially squeezing herself in-between the girls on the couch.
Raphael smiled seeing her being herself again.
"Unni, did you know cows feel pain?" Rhea asked with her eyes wide.
Everyone laughed at her question.
"Em... Raph have you told Mabel?" Mrs Kris cut in.
Mabel looked at Raphael curiously.
"Tell me what?" She asked calmly.
"That we're going back to the countryside together so Raphael's grandfather will bless this union. He would be so excited when he knows you're a clairvoyant..." Mrs Kris squealed in excitement.
Mabel's face expression changed.
"Mother, I'm sorry but I don't think I can go with you!" She stated boldly and the TV suddenly went mute as everyone turned to her.
"Why's that, Mabel?" Mrs Kris asked with so much concern.
Mabel turned to Raphael. "Cos we haven't spoken to my mother yet... I think it's only right I take Raphael to go meet with her first. She didn't sound very excited the last time I told her about us!"
The whole family kept shut as they looked at Mabel worriedly.
"Mabel, will you be fine?" Mrs Kris asked.
Mabel forced a smile then she nodded.
LATER THAT NIGHT...
Raphael and Mabel were laying on the bed in a cuddle.
"Bels, is anything troubling you? Are you sure you're ready to introduce me to your mum?" Raphael asked in a low tone and Mabel moved away from him.
"Well, I don't have a choice anymore but to talk to her. It's been a year already, her anger must've subsided" she uttered sitting up.
Raphael sat up also.
"Is something else bothering you? How about your stomach ache? Do you feel better now?"
Mabel got out of the bed.
"How many times do I have to tell you that I'm fine... I said I'm fine..."
Raphael walked to her.
"Bels, what's going on? You've been losing your temper all day. Is something bothering you? What are you hiding from me?" He questioned seriously.
Mabel glared at him.
"My career and figure is about to get ruined and I don't even know if I'm ready to carry this responsibility..." She yelled.
"What? What are you saying Bels?"
"I said I'm tired of everything... Your family's just too much for me to handle. Who cares about the whole seer thing... Why does it sound so much like a burden just been with you? I only wanted to be like every normal girl out there but I can't do that cos your mother keeps bringing up what I despise the most and that's foreseeing the future... I hate it with passion!!" Mabel blurted out, her eyes filled with anger.
Raphael's face went pale, his lips cold unable to utter a word.
"Don't give me that look.. I know you're tired of me also. Let's just end it! I'm sick of being around you, I get irritated and angry at the sight of you. Let's break up Raphael!!"
Mabel's words sent shivers down Raphael's spine. His heart sank at the sound of her words.
"Why do you want to break up with me?" He questioned blankly, his voice calm but shaky.
"I'm breaking up with you cos you make me sick!" She stated seriously and grabbed her purse and phone from the bed stand.
She walked to the door, grabbed the door open and she found Raphael's family leaning on the door.
"Unni, you went too far with your words!" Rina chipped in with a frown.
Mabel glared at her.
"Y'all make me sick!!" She uttered and ran out of the house in tears.
Her emotions were over the place. For the past few days, breathing indoors felt like prison.
She got into the elevator and sat on the floor, as she placed her hands on her belly.
"Why are you turning me into an angry bird?" She whispered in tears as reality hit her hard.
Why do you suddenly despise the sight of your father?