CHAPTER 20...
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~RAPHAEL'S APARTMENT~ (NIGHT)
Raphael slowly pulled away from the kiss, breathing hard.
His hand lingered on her cheek, his thumb brushing away a tear she didn't even realize had fallen.
"You scared the hell out of me," He whispered in a shaky voice.
"I was scared too," Mabel murmured as she locked locked eyes with Raphael.
"But not for me."
They sat in silence for a beat.
Suddenly the rain started to fall lightly outside, tapping against the windows in a rhythm that felt too calm for the chaos inside them.
"I saw it," Raphael finally uttered.
"Everything... The fall, the crash, your last breath. It all flashed before me before I jumped" He uttered breathless.
Mabel looked at him in shock. "You... you saw me die?"
He nodded slowly before answering.
"And I couldn't watch it happen. Not again!" His voice cracked.
"Not to you."
Mabel reached for his hand and placed it on her beating chest.
"Then stop pretending like you don't care. I'm not Rein. I'm not asking you to fix me. I'm just asking you to let me stay. Let me love you!"
Raphael stared at her, overwhelmed and for a moment, it looked like he would finally say something real. Something from his heart.
Then his phone lit up on the nightstand. A message beeped.
He reached for it slowly, thumb hovering over the screen to get a clear glance of the message.
UNKNOWN NUMBER:
("Touch her again, and I'll let her fall for real next time. You better stay away from Mabel!!")
Raphael's blood ran cold, he froze up in an instant.
"What is it?" Mabel asked curiously, seeing his face expression change.
Raphael forced a smile refusing to let her know what was going on.
Another message buzzed in seconds. Raphael took a peek at it.
("Last time, Rein died. Next time, you will")
He clenched his fist angrily.
~THE ART GALLERY ~
Josh leaned against the wall in the side hallway, running his fingers through his hair as he watched Violet disappear into the crowd.
Simone walked up to him, arms folded, jaw tight.
"You just had to push, didn't you?" Simone said.
Josh didn't answer at first. His mind was elsewhere on Mabel, Raphael, and that look in Raphael's eyes when he left with her.
"She's not okay," Josh uttered.
"Which one?" Simone asked sarcastically.
Josh ignored the jab.
"Something happened tonight, and no one's talking about it. Obviously cos Raph wouldn't want to disturb the guest or let the media know of it. Raphael looked like a man who just saw hell… and Mabel, she looked like she didn't want to be alive!"
Simone raised an eyebrow.
"What are you talking about? What happened to Raphael or Mabel? Did something happen while I was away?" He asked curiously.
Josh clenched his jaw.
"Raph watched Mabel jump off the rooftop! I fear he just witnessed the same scene of three years ago"
Simone furrowed his brows.
"How's Mabel? Is she doing okay? where's Raph?" He asked anxiously looking around in search of him.
Josh exhaled sharply.
"He left already with Mabel!"
Simone quickly took out his phone to place a call across to Raphael but Josh stopped him.
"I don't think now's a good time to speak with him. Give him time to pull himself together! It was hard for him... He looked like he almost lost her then she came back alive" Josh uttered.
Simone ran his fingers through his hair frustratedly.
"What the hell is going on? Why would Mabel choose to end her life here? What's wrong with all the women in Raphael's life" He grunted frustratedly.
Josh gave him an intense look.
"What if someone's behind it? Raph told me, Rein was being threatened but the threats weren't disclosed by the police... Do you think someone's on to Raphael?" He asked with a stern gaze in his eyes.
Simone gazed at him, putting his words into consideration.
"A few years ago, I told Raph someone had him followed cos of a leaked photo at the hotel... He brushed it off cos he was out of the country!"
"Do you have anyone in mind?" Josh asked sounding serious.
Simone shut his eyes for some minutes to think and nodded negatively.
"I don't think anyone crosses my mind!" He answered.
Josh nodded and took out his phone from his pocket.
He opened a private chat thread, encrypted and hidden as he typed...
("I need info on all the guests that were present at Raphael's art gallery opening. Discreet! Deep! Find everything including footage also!")
Then he locked the phone and looked at Simone.
"Why do you think anyone would want to go after Mabel? It's not like they're in a relationship..." Simone chipped in.
Josh pointed at the special photos Raphael placed at the center of attention.
Josh nodded with a frown.
"Who do you see there? I think most people might see it as a confession... They might think Raphael's confessing his feelings to Mabel... It's so obvious!"
"But Raph doesn't feel anything romantic for her or he does after the night at the hotel?" Simone questioned looking away.
~ VIOLET'S APARTMENT~
LATER THAT NIGHT...
Josh stood outside Violet's door, holding a bag of takeout. He wasn't sure why he came but he still couldn't brush off what Simone said about the chemo thing, he was way too worried aside Raphael's case but he knocked anyway.
It took a while before the door creaked open. Violet peeked through, wearing a hoodie, looking pale and tired.
"Josh… I said I wanted to be left alone," she whispered tiredly.
He held up the bag. "I brought your favorite soup. No chemo taste can beat chicken dumpling." He uttered jovially.
Her lips twitched into a tired smile. She let him in.
"Don't tease me with food and I feel terrible you had to hear that from Simone" Violet explained as they walked into the sitting room.
The place was quiet. Books everywhere, candles half-burnt, and on the couch, a small notebook with scribbled names ... Raphael and Simone.
Josh's eyes scanned the names before she grabbed the notebook and tucked it under a pillow.
"What's that?" He asked curiously.
Violet fakes a smile.
"Nothing," she said too quickly.
Josh narrowed his eyes.
"You still can't stop thinking about Raphael?" He asked leaning back on the sofa.
Violet said nothing. She sat, clutching a warm pillow to her chest.
"I think about him all the time! I've been feeling down lately... And I think my feelings aren't aligning with my thoughts. Maybe whatever I'm going through right has a hand in it"
Josh stared at her and held her hand.
"What happened to you, Violet? Since when did you become sick?" He asked with worries in his tone.
Violet cleared her throat not knowing how to break it down for him.
"It's been a while!"
"I'm here for you, violet... If you feel like going out to get some air, please can you take me with you. Can I be your safe space? I won't judge or question you" Josh said warmly.
Violet looked at him and tears escaped her eyes.
Josh wiped them off with a smile.
"Thank you for not forcing me to say anything... I promise to share everything with you when I feel stronger... I'm just so tired right now" She whispered staring at him.
Josh pulled her into his arms and hugged her, rubbing her back gently till she felt warm and comforted.
~ THE BU RESIDENT ~
Mr Bu stood at the window in his study room with a glass of wine in his hand.
He looked out through the window and had a sip from his wine.
Secretary Shin knocked and walked into the study.
"What was Raphael's response? Did he say anything positive?" Mr Bu asked backing him.
Secretary Shin bowed slightly.
"I sent all the messages but he said nothing but he read all of the messages! I don't think he feels threatened... But Boss if you don't mind me asking, why are you taking this far when she's Charlotte's best friend!" Secretary Shin asked.
Mr Bu turned to him.
"Just like Charlotte, I hate it when others touch what's mine! You can head home for the day..." He said and turned back to the window.
Secretary Shin bowed and left the study. He clenched his fist angrily.
"I also don't want to share you with anybody!" He mumbled angrily glaring at the study door before walking away.
You're mine, Raphael... You can only be mine! I'll make life a living hell for any woman who tries to steal you away! Mr Bu said in his head angrily and gulped down the whole glass of wine.
~ RAPHAEL'S APARTMENT ~
Raphael and Mabel both left the room to the kitchen to prepare something to eat.
Raphael turned on the running water through his bruised palm and he winced silently. He did that without Mabel's notice but Mabel's quick-witted.
She walked to him, grabbed his hand and wiped off the water with a dry napkin.
"Why didn't you call for help?" She asked with a smile.
Raphael smirked.
"I know you hate the sight of blood..."
Mabel held his hand a second longer than needed, her eyes focused on the bruise on his palm. Her thumb traced the edge of the angry red mark gently, like she could erase the pain with just her touch.
"I don't hate the sight of blood," she said softly.
Raphael looked at her, a little confused.
"I hate the thought of you hurting."
His breath caught slightly as his heartbeat raced. She was so close now. Close enough for him to see the shimmer of worry in her eyes, the way her lips trembled a little as she blinked too fast.
He reached out and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
"You've got to stop looking at me like that," He said in a low tone.
"Like what?" she whispered.
"Like I deserve to be loved."
Mabel stepped in even closer, resting her hands on his chest, right above his heart.
"Maybe you do. And maybe it scares you. But you don't have to run from it tonight."
He stared at her for a long beat, as if memorizing the way she looked raw, real and open.
And then slowly, deliberately, he bent down and kissed her forehead.
Not rushed. Not hungry.
Just... full of everything he never uttered out.
Mabel leaned into his chest, arms wrapping around him as he exhaled against her hair. They stood there in silence, hearts syncing in the quiet hum of the moment, while the kettle began to whistle behind them — the world trying to interrupt something soft, something sacred.
The kettle whistled louder now, but neither of them moved.
Raphael's arms held Mabel close, one hand instinctively cradling the back of her head as if protecting her from the world or from himself. Her fingers curled into his shirt, grounding herself in the quiet rhythm of his heartbeat.
"I wish this moment could stay," She whispered against his chest.
"It can," He replied softly.
"At least for tonight." He added up.
She pulled back just enough to look at him.
"Then can we just… be? No fears. Just us, right now?"
He nodded, brushing a kiss against her temple. "Just us." He agreed.
They finally turned back to the stove, laughing quietly as they looked at the over boiled kettle and find ingredients for something quick like ramen.
There was something gentle in the way they moved around each other like a dance learned in another lifetime.
For a few minutes, it felt normal and warm.
Mabel can't ask for more right now. She's living her dream life.
Mabel reached past him for the can noodles, but Raphael was already there. Their hands brushed, lingered and neither of them moved.
She looked up.
He looked down.
The tension is heated so soft and electric.
"You keep doing that," She murmured blushing hard.
He tilted his head.
"Doing what?" He asked feigning ignorance.
"Looking at me like you've already memorized all the way I do things!"
"I have," He whispered with a naughty smile.
"And I'm still here!" Mabel chuckled.
Silence. Except for the soft drip from the tap and the thunder of her pulse in her ears.
Mabel reached up, fingertips skimming Raphael's jaw.
"Then kiss me like you mean it this time"
Raphael didn't hesitate. He kissed her not with desperation like in the bedroom but with intention. Slow, Thorough. Like she was a question he had waited years to answer.
Her hands tangled in his hair, his arms caged her against the counter. They moved like a storm and a harbor all at once breathless, hungry, yet achingly careful.
His forehead rested against hers when they finally broke the kiss.
"If this is a dream," She whispered, "don't wake me."
He smiled cutely for the first time in years.
"Not a chance" He assured.
~ ACROSS THE STREET~
Click!! Another photo was taken of Raphael and Mabel.
Inside a dark car, the figure zoomed in on Mabel's smile, Raphael's arms wrapped around her, the vulnerability between them.
The figure lit a cigarette and placed it on his lips, puffing on it after taking a long draw.
He watched and waited.
His phone vibrated once on the dashboard.
A text message came in...
(Her career should be over by sunrise!!)