Abelle- A Chinese Romance

A Song For Me (Part 3)

"Doesn't this looks nice on you?" I twirl around in front of the mirror and frowned. "I don't really like the color." The lady starts to take off the dress but my mother waves her away. "A moment with my daughter please." After she left Li Hua stood up and faced me. "What is wrong with that dress? It's beautiful on you! You are being extremely picky today, Abelle!" I looked into the mirror but saw nothing of beauty. "Not to mention that you have been extremely quiet ever since the banquet 3 nights ago! I can't believe that James Chan something so rude to you to make you run away...what did he say?" I didn't answer and hear her sigh. "The news hasn't found out about this engagement, thought they did show clips of the party where Jack held your arm. They think it's some flirting, not the real thing." I snorted. "They'll find out eventually and so will father. I think Chan Teng will know also since I did see Jina at the party."

Li Hua's head snaps up. "Jina? Her daughter! Oh I haven't spoken to her in years, she's a grown woman now isn't she? I saw her on a newspaper before, the headline was her having a baby." I rolled my eyes. "She's got two kids now, I saw them too." I hear mother laugh. "What?" "Jina is such a good woman, even though she is Chan Teng's daughter there is nothing to despise about her. She is the role model for every young modern woman today." I flinch. "Role model? What has she done?" Li Hua clicks her tongue. "You never really did like Jina, now I remember. Always when you played with her younger brother, she would always intervene. I wish you could be a fine woman someday that every woman will look upon." She gets up to brush dust off of her skirt then walks out of the room. I look back at the mirror and stick my tongue out. I don't need to be like Jina, I may not have young women looking up to me, but at least I have young girls that do! Heck, I'm a model.

I stare at the old man talking his mouth off. "I think it would be better if you expanded your products on a broader line. Sure you do all of the shipping across China, the U.S., and Australia, but how about all of Asia? Or even going to Europe?" Jack is sitting at his desk and leans back in his office chair. He doesn't look so happy. "I think I do just fine in the range I'm in now. The rest of Asia has their own glassware companies, though my father's has the finest one. We have the best materials from the quarries to make the best vases and dishware possible! Pfft, Europe? That continent refuses to open up their arms to Asian products, much less glassware. They rather have a painted vase made from France than my porcelain kinds." I'm sitting in Jack's office, the CEO's office in the company of his father's glassware company. Not quite listening in on the boring conversation, I start picking at my crystal blue suit's buttons. There was lint stuck there. The old man sighs. "What makes you think that?" "Because the French are a fine, sophisticated group of people. French croissants, French fashion, French poodles, and even French kisses!"

Jack glances at me to see how I react, I just yawn. The old man laughs. "Well just think about it, son. More money could be made if you just broaden your horizons." Jack scrunches up his eyebrows in an irritated manner. "Not to mention I will have to spend much more than 100 million yuan if I want to open up a bunch of companies in Europe. It's too much." The old man gets up and holds out his hand to shake it with Jack's. "You'll see, my son. Eventually." The old man walks out of the room, but not before Jack calls out, "I hope not." Once the door was closed, Jack faces me. "You've been really quiet lately. So how's your modeling going?" I stare at Jack's happy face. "Good I guess..though maybe I should go back to work soon. You were quite rude to the old man." Jack smirks. "Him? Nah, I would never hurt his feelings, he's one of father's loyal clients. He understands what I say." I stand up and so does Jack. "Well I better get going, I still have a schedule to do." Jack walks out of his desk area slowly and then he takes my hands with his. Oh god, I thought, was he going to propose?!? NOW?!? Jack smiles.

"Abelle I feel like you're not happy being with me. Sometimes you act quiet and shy, and talk very little. I'm worried about you." What? Worried about me? I shake my head. "No, no, it's not that I just feel...." I see a bit of sadness in his eyes. "Oh I understand now. You don't want to marry me." I blink. Was that true? OF COURSE IT WAS TRUE! But I couldn't say no for mother's sake. "Look, it's not that I---" "And you don't love me, I figured." I bite my lip. Jack had a calm look on his face, but there had to be some disappointment in his heart. "I never said I didn't love you," I start to say. "So you hate me?" "Hate is such a strong word." We stand like this for the next few minutes till Jack raised one of my hands to his lips. Oh amour! "I was just messing with you Abelle, well have fun at work." Jack kisses my cheek and this time I kiss him back. He looked very satisfied. "I knew our love would bloom like this, and a happy marriage isn't far." My face heated up at his words and I left his office room. As the limo drove away, I looked back to see the distance getting shorter between me and Jack. I sigh and close my eyes. Please don't get our love mixed up with marriage, Jack. Marriage is one thing, and love is another.