When Love & Hate Collide [Completed]

Chapter 40 - Girl On Fire

Life for the next few months was extremely busy and demanding. I was travelling around the world attending fashion weeks and other products shoots. I was the show stopper for Chris's fashion shows at London, Milan, New York & Paris apart from other mega shows. I was also invited to be part of several A-listed fashion shows by other international designers.

The number of assignments I was working on at a time went crazy. Media and fashion houses were lining up for working with me. They were lot of offers for interviews and there was one reality series offer as well. I knew most of this was happening because of the hype created in the market due to Chris and my engagement. People shamelessly wanted to ride on our name and success.

I had no problem in letting them do so. I knew this industry came with a limited shelf life for models. Though I had age on my side, all this attention wouldn't last for ever. So, I was dead set of encashing my success as much as possible. I grabbed onto as many offers as I could humanly manage.

Obviously, I declined all the interviews or reality series requests. I had no plans of mingling my personal life with this farce; any more than what I had already done. I had to ensure Raul stayed away from all of this and world stayed away from him.

As my work was seeing a rapid growth and my ulterior plan to destroy Noberto was steadily moving forward, one thing that was sticking out, contrary to my plan, was Albert.

He was upset with the engagement announcement. I knew it was expected to shock him and it was wrong of me to keep him out of my plan. But I also knew his thoughts on it, he would have never agreed to it. So, I had decided not to discuss it with him before the announcement.

But I had not expected him to completely freak out. He was disturbed beyond reasoning. Finally, I had no other option but to tell him it was all fake, only a show to keep up with my more important plans. It was complicated but I had thought he would understand.

He didn't. In fact, it had made him even more upset. It had hit him bad. He had buckled down on my couch.

"Why Melanie? Why? I keep telling you not to go down the path of your past, but I see you getting dragged deeper and deeper in that shit!"

"You know, Albert, I have to do it for my own peace," I retorted.

"That's not true. You are strong and successful. You have created a new life for yourself. By thinking about the past, you are only making it complicated. Let go, Melanie," he tried making me see sense.

But I was beyond reasoning. I could only think of the satisfaction I would get when I would see Noberto down and broken. Nothing would make me feel more alive than seeing him fully destroyed. He would have to pay for his sins in this life itself.

Albert did not agree with me but finally gave in when he saw I would not relent. The fact that my engagement with Chris was fake, made it little easier for him to give in. But he was still hurt.

Among all this hum drum, Raul turned three. It was one of my happiest day in a long time and I spent the entire day with Raul, Aunt Daisy and Albert at Antibes. I had thought initially that Albert would not come after our last altercation, but he proved yet again that he was a true friend. He didn't let a disagreement with me, spoil Raul's perfect day.

It was a beautiful day, completely different from what my life had typically turn into. Being with Raul was the only thing that gave me real happiness. Everything else was mechanical. Part of a sinister plan. Something I wanted to completely forget while I was around Raul.

Raul was excited to be at the sea. He was born here, and he had a natural liking to the coastal weather. He turned into a fish when he was near water. It was a delight to watch him say, fishy, in his cute, little, sputtering voice and run to the water on the beach.