Abelle- A Chinese Romance

To Risk A Fortune (Part 16)

"Did they make up already?" I slam down the back of the trunk lid to see Jack and Chelsie holding hands together as they walked out of the hotel. I sigh and take the pleasure of annoying Liu. "Well, they don't make a bad couple....guess James saw that in them too." Liu gasps and grabs my arm. Not far away from the parking lot, I see a few journalists taking note of Chelsie leaving with Jack. "So Chelsie broke up with James, and you broke up with Jack....you two are having a fiancee swap!" I wouldn't say fiancee swap yet, but close enough. The journalists come out of their hiding spot from the hedges and make their way across the parking lot. "Time for us to go." Liu and I go to the other side of our parked Infiniti just as James Chan walks out of the hotel with his luggage. Seeing the journalists rushing across the parking lot, James quickly gets into his parked Audi and drives away. "He didn't even look at you," Liu says with a sigh as we backed out of our parking space. "We don't want to drag attention to ourselves just yet. If the journalists see Chelsie leaving with Jack instead of James then they'll know something is up."

Liu laughs after hearing the plan that James, Jack, and Chelsie had made up the other day. "It's crafty, I'll say but have you figured out how to tell your parents?" My smile turns into a frown after the words come right out of Liu's mouth. "I don't know yet." That's the only best answer I can give for now. If I tell my mother about James Chan, would she see it as a family betrayal?

By the time I got back to my apartment, the news was already covering the break up of Chelsie and James. "We haven't been able to keep a hold of Chelsie Fu yet for an interview, but apparently it seems like she's being attached to Jack Ting." I listened to the reporter ramble on and on in front of Chan Enterprises about how devastating this could be for Chan Teng. 'A remarkable girl' the reporter called her. What's so remarkable about Chelsie? She just takes photography classes while her father is a well-known song writer. Hearing the reporter ramble on and on about James Chan, I turn off the TV. I lie on my bed and stare up at the ceiling. What to do now?

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I take the time to look at myself deeply in the mirror. With no makeup on, I look very plain. It shocks some to seem me not covered up, but I believe in something that most famous models don't: natural beauty. I don't remember what pushed me to become a model. I could have been anything else I wanted to be to rise the Li family status, but I chose a model instead. Was it because I succeeded because they saw me as 'beautiful?' There's more to being a model than just being beautiful.......but that's how I feel now, only a "pretty face." While working in the fashion industry, I heard a lot of rumors fly by me of how Chan Teng despised me. It hurts my heart a little, but never my demeanor. I thought I could bear the hideous comments of Chan Teng for a little while longer until I could bear it no more.

Having just finished a photoshoot 15 minutes ago, I take a 20 minute break at a smoothie bar in the modeling area. Suddenly, I see Liu making her way towards me with a not-so-amused look on her face. "Hey-" "I can't believe some women here! Making rude accusations about you and Chan Teng!" I blinked at Liu's red face, unsure of what to say next. "It's been a week since James and Chelsie blew off their engagement, and everyone is like blaming you for it to happen!" I roll my eyes at Liu making her even more angry than she already is. "Why are you--" "What they're saying is true Liu," I cut in, "I am a reason for Chelsie and James to let go of each other. But it's not my fault that the two never truly loved each other. It's just silly gossip flying around us for now, we'll just ignore it."

Just as I finish my sentence, I see two girls walk by each holding a smoothie glance our way. "I didn't know Li Abelle would be here today, if I were her, I would just hide at home away from the reporters." The other girl looks at her friend and laughs. "Is she even aware of what's being said about her?" Liu gives me a look that says 'I told you so.' I leave my smoothie on the table and swing around in my seat to spot the girls. They were heading towards the exit. "Abelle, you aren't going to--" I jump out of my seat and walked briskly across the floor towards the girls. They don't notice me behind them until we come out of the building into the open. "Oh! Good morning, Abelle!" one of the girls say and holds the door open for me as I walk through. The two share a smile with me, but I don't return them one. Instead I smirked at them and said, "Did you two do any photo shoots today?"