Abelle- A Chinese Romance

Teared Apart By Wealth (Part 9)

It feels only like moments ago that I had just closed my eyes...now I was being wakened up. "We made it?" I asked groggily as my eyes opened. Jack yawns and then nods his head. "Please unbuckle your seat belts as we have already landed. Thank you for boarding China-Airlines! Enjoy your afternoon!" Jack helps me by carrying both of our luggage as we exit the plane. Many flight attendants bowed as we passed them; they recognized me since I boarded the flight. Chelsie follows behind Jack hands-free with her luggage being carried by the bodyguard. I'm not sure where I'm going as I walk through the terminal, then I see them.

You wouldn't have missed my parents here in this airport, nope. My mother stands next to my father wearing a pale green dress, she has on white gloves and a large strand of pearls around her neck. My father was more casual in his attire, a blue polo shirt with some brown pants and black suede shoes. Behind my parents were 3 bodyguards and just 5 meters away I see Jack's parents. Li Hua's face lit up when she saw me; father's remained neutral. "Oh Abelle! My baby, there you are!" Li Hua starts to cry as she throws her arms around me. I look to my left and see Chan Peng start to tear up too when she sees Jack. I look at my father who has a scowl on  his face. Was he mad about me? "She's only been gone for about a week, dear," my father tells my mother as she lets go of me. I hear someone cough and see Chelsie standing a few feet away from us.

She was holding onto her luggage, her eyes wandering around the airport unsure of what to do as Jack and I console with our families. Chelsie glances at my mother who smiles back kindly, but when her eyes reached Chan Teng and Ting Buo she looked away quickly. It seems like Jack's parents don't really like Chelsie that much. "Oh mother...this is Chelsie. She came with Jack to--" Li Hua clicks her tongue at me. "Yes, yes. I know who she is Abelle. She's the fiancee of James Chan, am I right Ms. Fu?" Chelsie nods her head at my mother without speaking. "Let's get going then, enough people are already staring at us. This is ridiculous," Ting Buo says to Chan Teng and they walked away. My parents follow them as they walked through the airport. Chelsie walks next to me in silence. My mother doesn't look back to check on me as she walks; she knows now that I am safe and in China.

I sit on an armchair facing the window, peering down below to where Jack and Chelsie stood outside talking to each other. As much as I wanted to spy on them, my parents were still bugging me with questions and scoldings. "Why would you just go off on your own like that?" my father asks me, strolling around the room. I look away from the window and stare at my father's impatient look. "I didn't go off on my own. I had company." Li Hua shakes her head and takes a sip from her teacup. "You are in very big trouble young lady! You made such a fool of yourself in these past few days. You not only brought unwanted attention on the family, but also broke up many social relations that I had." I glared at my mother who continues without stopping, "Chan Teng sent me a letter saying how upset she was over on her son always visiting you. Where ever you go on your own somewhere Abelle, James seems to be accompanying you. You must remember the difference between his status and yours Abelle! I don't think there is much to worry now that James proposed to Chelsie two nights ago." I look away from my mother's irritated expression and focused back outside the window. Jack has one hand on Chelsie's shoulder as they spoke to each other.

What could they be discussing I wonder.... "Li Abelle, listen to what your mother is saying!" I turn around quickly to see my father hold up a finger in the air. "Don't let your mind wander off to another world now, we need you to stay in this world. Did you hear what your mother said to you?" I blinked and felt my throat dry up as I saw how angry my parents were with me. "What...did she say?" I asked a minute later. Li Hua lets out an exasperated sigh and nods her head at my father. "You tell her." Li Shan clears his throat and then takes a step forward so I am directly looking up at his face. "Although you are now an adult Abelle, some of the decisions you are making now aren't approved by us. Your mother and I have decided to strain you and James from ever seeing each other until you're married to Jack or James is married to Chelsie." I swear, my world just stopped spinning right there. Seeing my stunned silence, Li Shan says in a kinder tone, "It's for the best Abelle. We wouldn't want the public making assumptions that you and James are in some kind of scandal. Why is it that you always keep running off with that man? Isn't Jack Ting a fine man for you to marry?" Below the window, I see Chelsie embrace Jack then walks away from him towards a waiting limousine. Jack waits until the limo is out of sight before going back inside the mansion. "I just don't really know Jack that well...." I mutter. My father looks at my mother for help, and she answers. "Being engaged with him is a perfect time for you two to know more about each other! Have you consoled with him yet on a few topics of discussion?" I bite my lip, thinking on how to explain this to my mother.