Chapter 54

**Kapittel 54**

**"Never have I thought that she was so cute!"** exclaimed Charlotte to her cousin, who was sitting idly on a spare chair. Allison was currently busy wearing her gown in the fitting room. While waiting, Hades and Charlotte were waiting outside, sitting on chairs beside the rack containing the dresses that were designed exclusively for the soon-to-be bride. "I thought you were the type of guy who loves hot girls," his cousin added.

"Allison's also hot," he replied.

"Wow, just wow," Charlotte clapped her hands. "You're completely smitten over her."

"I am. I love being smitten over my Allison," he said.

"Aww, how sweet," she cheered with a small laugh. She checked her wristwatch and said, "Oh! I forgot I need to get my coffee at Shaira's. Please assist Allison when she needs it, all right, cousin?"

"No need to tell me," he retorted.

"All right then. I'll be back in a jiffy," she said before striding off.

"Okay," he replied, eyes glued on the fitting room's closed drapes. Right on time, he heard Allison call, "Charlotte?"

"Is there any problem there, love?" he asked before standing up straight.

"Uhm..." there was a brief silence. "Where's Charlotte?" she asked, now sounding nervous.

"She went out to buy coffee. Why, love? Is there something wrong?" he asked worriedly. He grew dubious when she fell silent.

"Oh... Uhm... c... can you h... help me..." she trailed off that rendered for his eyebrows meet in confusion.

"Help you with what, love?" he asked warmly that made Allison shudder with his sudden change of tone.

"I... it's so embarrassing..." she stuttered.

"C'mon, love. There's nothing to be embarrassed of," 'I'm your fiancé, after all,' he wanted to add, but he restrained himself. He knew that she still hadn't fully taken in the fact that they were to get married. That was why he was trying to help her stick with it today. It was still a shock for her for sure, but she would slowly get used to it, especially since she was pregnant with his child.

'Speaking of, I think we should visit the OB-GYN today as well to check on the baby,' he thought.

"B... Bu..."

"Allison, trust me."

Allison drew a heavy breath and made a huge gulp. Her face was already red with the thought of Hades doing it for her. 'This is nothing to be embarrassed about,' she comforted herself.

"Can you help me zip up my gown?" she looked at herself in the mirror.

"Oh," she heard him gasp, probably taken aback by her request. "Is it all right if I come in?"

"Y... Yes," she stammered.

"All right then," she heard him say before the drapes were pulled wide open that rendered her almost shriek out of surprise. However, her lips sealed shut and her eyes closed when she felt his warm palm on her uncovered back. More blood rushed to Allison's cheeks as her heart pumped faster and faster like she was palpitating. She almost sighed in relief when she felt Hades zipped the gown shut. She opened her eyes and scrutinized herself in the mirror.

The gown was so beautiful. It fitted in her petite body, the sequins glittered against the mirror's reflection, and the ethereal white color made her look like a pure angel. An angel that God sent to Hades.

She felt him wrap his strong arms around her, pulling her into his broad chest. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen in his entire life. The only woman that made him like this. She drove him crazy with just simple gestures.

"You look wonderful," he complimented incessantly said as he kissed her temple. As they stared at the mirror longer, the more Allison saw herself in the gown, her chest felt heavier in guilt that a tear finally dropped from her eye. She wanted to hate him, but she couldn't. Her family was not convinced that she was not pregnant. She's not carrying his heir!

"Why are you crying, love? Is there something wrong? You don't like the gown? Wait, I'll get another," asked Hades, panicky as he wiped her tear with his thumb and was about to leave when she spoke.

"Because I don't want to marry you, Hades," she blurted out as tears came running down her face furiously.

He stilled for a moment. "What?"

"I don't want to marry you, Hades! I am not pregnant with your child!" Allison shouted at him. She couldn't contain the emotion that she was feeling. The blistering sentiment of animosity. Anger. Irritation. Confusion.

She couldn't bear the pain and hate that she had been keeping to herself, and to add, she was also confused with what she was feeling for him. Her heart was already full of unsaid emotions and confusion that she blurted out the reason why she agreed to marry him: to keep Rebecca's secret. She was so confused that what she wanted to do right now was to keep a distance away from this man embracing her. She didn't know what to do. All she wanted to do was to be away from him, even just for a minute.

After a few moments of fatal silence, Hades spoke with a weak and pained voice. "Even so... I still want to marry you." Her heart froze when she heard those words. Her world stopped spinning around because of his sudden confession.

"Wh... What..." she trailed off with her lips trembling. She couldn't believe what she had just heard. Hades still wanted to marry her even though she wasn't pregnant with his heir. Tons of questions raced into her mind, and she badly wanted them to be answered now.

He took her cold, shuddering hand with his, soothing them with warmth and care. Painstakingly, he lifted them to his lips and kissed her knuckles tenderly, showing his love to her. A surge of inexplicable emotions came, rendering Allison to cry harder. He bore his eyes on her with the gentlest gaze she had ever seen. "We can always have one after we're married, love," he said with his most sincere voice.

"Wh... What..." she wanted to ask between her cries. She was all pent up with the sudden unnamed emotions that she was feeling right now. Instead, he didn't answer her and gave her limitless words of comfort, saying how it was okay with him, and it was all right as he still wanted to marry her. But she didn't have the time for his petty appeals. All she needed were answers. Just answers.

"No! You shouldn't say those words! You should hate me! You should curse me! You should be so angry that you want to cut off the engagement!" she said, her voice rising. She couldn't contain it anymore. The bursting emotion of vexation. She stared at him with her crying eyes, pleading to him to give her answers. On the other hand, Hades fell silent for a moment before he answered: "Since the beginning. I have fallen in love with you. When we first met, I have decided to myself that I would dedicate my life to you, no matter if you had done something grave. And I have no plans on letting you go, even if you do not bear my child. I would even lock you up if I could."

Allison's lips twitched as she raised her hand and slapped him hard. She has already slapped him a few times, but this time was the most painful, the hardest. It was not just her hand that trembled because of the strong force but also her whole body. She poured all her heart's anger and hatred with just one slap. She saw his face wince in pain. Her breathing hitched when she felt her heart lurch most horrendously. For an unknown reason, she felt terrible about slapping him. But it didn't matter to her. All she wanted was to hurt him so badly by pouring all her anger at him. He just gave her a reason to resent him even more. If he truly loved her, he shouldn't say things like that at all!