CHAPTER 5...
♡‿♡
Mabel pushed Raphael away, standing in her grounds as she exhaled sharply.
"What nonsense? I said I came here for business... Don't get ahead of yourself. Rumors had it that you're a professional when it comes to business but I'm seeing a different story here" She fired with her brows up.
Raphael smirked and swiftly frowned.
"I clearly told you to stay away from me, the last time we saw each other. Which means I also don't want to have anything to do with you.. Not even business!" He said seriously as he walked to his table.
For the past weeks, Raphael hasn't seen any vision about the future so he totally forgot about it. He brushed it off thinking it was all a depressed symptom.
Mabel hit his table angrily.
"What's your problem with me? This is business... Nothing personal. I also didn't want to come here but I was forced to" She ranted frustratedly.
FLASHBACK•••
On weeks back at Mega hit entertainment, the company Mabel's signed under.
"Mabel, you're a rising star. You won the best rising author weeks ago. We have to change your shooting studio. It's time you also visit where top stars visit" Her Boss Mr Lee uttered with a wide smile.
Mabel shook her head with her legs crossed as she picked on her fingernails blowing air on it.
"I'm fine with anywhere as long as I get more endorsement, I'm fine with it" She stated calmly .
"Good call, Mabel. You'll love it! Good thing the CEO works with so many brands, he's going to make your career skyrocket" Mr Lee said with a smile rubbing his palms together in excitement.
Mabel looked up at him and saw the joy written all over his face.
"I've been with you for years now.. I've never seen your face glow up like that. What company are we talking about here that's making you this excited?" Mabel asked with a smile.
Mr Lee smiled waving his hands playfully at her.
"Raining beauty studio. You're finally having your photo hung up on their wall...." Mr Lee squealed in excitement.
The smile on Mabel's face faded away instantly.
"Mr Lee, I'll beg you to reconsider. I'll accept anywhere else but not that studio... Please Mr Lee... Somewhere else please...." Mabel pleaded rubbing her palms together with puppy eyes.
Mr Lee looked at her a bit confused.
"Mabel don't worry, he's not even going to recognize you. Jennifer told me what happened between you two... On a second thought, it's a good thing that the both of you crossed paths already so you wouldn't feel too awkward while working with him"
"Mr Lee, I really can't work with Mr Raphael... My integrity is on the line here... Please reconsider. We haven't said anything to anyone so please can we pick somewhere else. Please!" Mabel pleaded.
Mr Lee touched his beards with a silly smile on.
"Oops... I sent the email already. I told my secretary to send it hours ago. We're waiting for their reply as we speak" He said with a grin.
Mabel grabbed her hair feeling so embarrassed.
A notification came on Mr Lee's laptop and he tapped on it.
"Look what we have here! Mr Kris agreed to it already... I don't think he's thinking the way you are. He's a professional indeed" Mr Lee uttered smiling brightly as he went through the mail carefully and excitedly.
"What! Why would he sign it?" Mabel gasped in shock.
"Is that a yes from you?" Mr Lee asked mockingly.
FLASHBACK ENDS•••
"And didn't you read the email sent to you a week ago. You said yes to it" Mabel added.
Raphael scoffed in disbelief.
"I don't remember doing any of that... When was that exactly?" He asked not believing his ears.
Simone walked into the office with a file in his hand. He could read the room and he cleared his throat.
"Raph, here's the contract with mega hit entertainment!" He said stretching out the file to him.
Raphael quickly the snatched the file and opened it, going through it thoroughly.
"When did all of this happen?" He asked still not believing his eyes.
Mabel scoffed folding her arms on her chest.
"You were still home when I sent the contract over to you. You signed it yourself and sent it back to the company. Why? Is something wrong with the contract?" Simone asked looking at both Raphael and Mabel.
"Since we're clear on this. Can we get straight down to business? My manager and my makeup artist came with me! Just before you turn me down, it was stated on the contract that my shoots will always be on Mondays and Thursdays" Mabel said boldly with a vicious smile before leaving the office.
Raphael dropped the file on his table angrily.
"Goddamn it!" He squeaked with a frown.
"If you don't feel like getting straight into work... I can take over till you're ready" Simone suggested and Raphael exhaled sharply.
"You've got so much on your plate already. I can't inconvenience the rest of our clients just for me to play victim. I can do it! I resumed so I can get back to work. I just feel vexed that I signed a contract without a clear head" Raphael uttered glaring at the file on his table.
Simone looked at him worriedly. He knew exactly what Raphael went through during those days he spent at home. Signing a contract without thinking straight are one of the least things he should've done considering his predicament.
"Let's get back to work!" Raphael said patting him lightly on his shoulder.
****
Mabel smiled all through her make-up and dress up session.
She stood in front of the camera in an angelic pose at the decorated stage.
Raphael focuses on his camera as he wiped it with his favorite handkerchief.
Mabel glanced at him and saw the similar handkerchief he gave to her back at the hospital.
"Is that the only handkerchief he uses?" She mumbled sarcastically looking away.
"Boss, everything's set!" One of the workers notified and Raphael gave him a thumbs changing his direction towards Mabel.
"Miss Mabel in a count of three, I'll take a shot!" Raphael informed with the camera before his eyes already.
Mabel nodded elegantly giving an angelic pose.
"Change pose!" Raphael said seriously.
"This is my signature pose!" Mabel said refusing to bulge.
Raphael placed his camera on a table, looking at Mabel seriously.
"Miss Mabel if you can't do as I tell you, I'll have to get you some other photographer. If I say change the pose then you do it!!" Raphael half yelled.
Every workers around flinched in shock. They've never seen Raphael raised his voice at a client before.
"Boss, should I give her ideas on the poses she should make?" One of the workers stepped up and Raphael nodded.
"Yes please!" He exhaled sharply.
Mabel looked at Raphael angrily.
I won't allow you step on me like that... I'm not a nobody. She said in her head angrily.
"You can give me instructions but I won't tolerate the idea of you raising your voice at me. We're all here for a reason and that's business. You're not doing this for charity so watch your tone Mr Raphael!" Mabel spoke up angrily.
"Sorry for losing my cool! Everybody take five" Raphael said and leaned back on a table rubbing the side of his head with his thumb.
Mabel's manager quickly ran to her and gave her a cup of iced Americano.
"Take a sip and calm down okay... We can't pick a fight with him, we won't be able to win" Jennifer whispered forcing a smile on.
Mabel took a sip glaring at Mr Raphael.
After the five minutes elapsed. Everyone went back on their position. Raphael's employee helped Mabel with a pose.
Seeing Mabel in that pose, reminded him of Rein, it almost brought tears to his eyes but he held himself back, placing the camera before his eyes.
"In a count of three..."
"One.... Two... Three!" He signaled and took a shot.
He glanced at it and a little smile curved his lips up but then it disappeared the moment he thought of Rein.
I don't deserve to be happy... I couldn't even save her and here I am moving on with my life. He said in his head.
"Are you mesmerized by my beauty?" Mabel questioned brazenly with a silly smile on.
Raphael looked up at her, they both had direct eye contact and just like before Mabel's future flashes before his eyes.
This time around the colour of his eyes turned darker blue and Mabel saw it again.
Her eyes widened in shock.
"Your eyes!!" She mumbled but Raphael read her lips.
It happened again! I saw it again... What's going on with me? Why would she end her life? What's my connection with her? Am I losing my mind? Raphael questioned in his head almost losing his mind.
He quickly dropped his camera.
"Sorry but Simone will take over from here!" Raphael said swiftly, as he turned around to leave his employee smiled at him.
"Boss, those eye contact looks good on you!" She complimented blushing cos of his good looks.
When Raphael stared into her eyes also, her future flashes before his eyes on how she ended her life.
"Huh! You too..." He gasped and ran out of the shooting room.
He ran to his office, shutting the door behind him.
His heartbeat was racing fast. He was lost of words.
"I saw hers too... They committed suicide just like Rein did..."
"Why would I witness such horrible scenes... Why?"
"What's going on with me?"
"Am I losing my sanity?" Raphael threw so many questions at himself pacing around his office like he was truly losing his sanity.
He walked past the mirror next to his jacket stand and he saw his eyes.
"What! What's in my eyes? When did I put this on?" He questioned himself widening his eyes to make sure he wasn't seeing things and he wasn't putting on eye contacts.
He swiftly took out his phone from his pocket and placed a call across to Simone with his fingers running through his face.
"Simone, please come to my office!" He said anxiously and hung up the call.
Few seconds later Simone ran inside.
"Raph, what's going on? You sounded so anxious over the phone... Didn't the shoot with Mabel go well?" Simone asked shutting the door behind him.
Raphael walked swiftly to him.
"Simone, look into my eyes and tell me what you see?" He asked anxiously looking straight into Simone's eyes but he couldn't see Simone's future.
Simone laughed and looked away.
"You plan on switching to acting instead... Why the sudden cliche lines?" He asked laughing.
Raphael looked away seriously.
"Wait a minute..." Simone cut in turning Raphael to his direction.
"I never knew you liked eye contacts, I thought you always preached against it... Why the sudden interest?" Simone asked jovially.
Raphael walked to his chair and sat down tiredly.
"I guess you can see also" He mumbled tiredly.
Why can't I see his? Am I seeing things? Is this insanity partial? Raphael questioned himself feeling so distorted.
"Simone, I'm a bit tired. Can you please take over Mabel's shoot?" He requested calmly.
"Of course... I told you I was going to do it, if you aren't ready yet. I'll go ahead now. Call me if you need anything..." Simone said and left the office.
Raphael held his head with both hands, he was lost gazing at empty space.
****
Simone went back to continue Mabel's photoshoot but then she ran up to him.
"Mr Simone, what's going on with Mr Raphael? Is he upset because of what I said to him?" She questioned worriedly.
Simone brushed it off with a smile.
"You said something to him. I don't think that's the reason why he left. He's tired that's all. Can we continue?" Simone asked politely obviously not planning on continuing that conversation with her.
NEXT DAY...
~ SIMONE'S APARTMENT ~
Raphael arrived at Simone's apartment very early in the morning. He looked so pale and unkept. He couldn't sleep all throughout the night cos of the things he saw. Before he left the office yesterday, he had direct eye contact with few more people and they happened to have the same fate. Ending their life on the way since then he has been avoiding eye contact with people.
Simone came out of his room and saw Raphael seated on his couch. He held his chest in shock.
"Goodness me, Raph you scared the hell out of me... Why do you look like that?" Simone asked still holding his chest.
Raphael stood up from the couch placing a key on the center table.
"Simone, I don't think it's going to be that easy for me to adjust at work not after what happened to Rein. I want to take a break from work..." He announced tiredly.
Simone exhaled deeply and walked to him.
"You can take a break whenever you want... You're CEO Raphael for a reason but what's your plan? I don't think the weeks you spent at home did any good... How about you come live with me?" He suggested and Raphael shook his head negatively.
"I'm leaving for the States!"
Simone raised his brows in shock.
"The States? And when do you intend on coming back?" Simone asked curiously.
"Till when I can't feel anymore pain... That might never even happen"
"I think Rein's death is messing with my sanity... Simone I'm losing my mind. I need to go!" Raphael uttered as tears escaped his eyes.
Simone sighed sadly and gave him a hug.
"Do what makes you happy!"