Chapter 12

Nova donned a white dress; it was plain and decent enough for a civil wedding. She set her hair into a high bun and put on everyday makeup. There was no need to put so much effort, she thought. It was just the two of them, the lawyer who will officiate the wedding, and her two friends to stand as witnesses. She did not tell her family that she will get married. Nova thought they would object to her decision and questioned her for marrying Aldous in an instant. Nova will face the consequences of her actions later. For now, she needed a husband to claim the inheritance.

She heaved a deep sigh before going down to check on her groom.

“Are you—” She was not able to finish her sentence when she saw him standing at the landing, waiting for her.

He was wearing that long-sleeves shirt that he bought at the mall and partnered it with grey slacks and brown leather shoes. She almost did not recognize him. Aldous shaved his beard for the occasion, and his brushed-up hair made him look fresh. He was far from that rugged stranger that she saved last night.

“I’m all set,” he said, smiling. Aldous pocketed his hands and cocked his head to the side. “Shall we go?”

Nova blinked consecutively. She could hear him. Everything he said was loud and clear. But her mind failed to work correctly. She was stunned at that moment, admiring Aldous like he was the most beautiful architecture man has ever made.

“This is crazy,” she mused.

“Nova,” he called her again. This time, he climbed up the stairs.

Panic rushed through her system, and she did not know why. Causing her feet to run down the stairs. She met him halfway. And meeting him like that seemed so wrong. The smell of his perfume and his natural masculine scent tickled her nostrils, sending a message to her brain that made her hormones gone wild. Nova immediately shut her eyes and bit her lower lip. Why was she feeling that way? It was wrong! She should not fantasize about him.

This is purely business, Nova reminded herself in silence. Come on, Nova Leigh…pull yourself together.

“Are you okay, Nova?” There was this softness in his voice that made her heart skip a beat. And when his hand wrapped around her arm, tingling sensations started running up and down her spine. “If you’re not feeling—”

“I-I am fine, really…” Her voice sounded so low and breathy.

“Are you sure?” He looked like he did not believe her.

“Yes. Let’s go. I don’t want to be late for our wedding.” She grasped on his arm for support as they walked down the stairs.

“I think I should drive—”

“No, Aldous. Not today. You don’t even have your driver’s license with you.” She glared at him.

“Hey, I just thought I should not let you drive.” He lightly tapped her knuckles. “Don’t worry. When I come back, I will make sure to get a new one.”

“You must,” she muttered.

He opened the door for her.

“After you, my lady.”

My lady. Lady. She hated that word because Jayden used to address her that. But the way it rolled on Aldous’s tongue, it sounded so good. Nova would not mind if that would be his endearment—wait, she must stop right there.

She heaved a sigh and hopped on to the driver’s seat.

“When will you tell your parents about us?” Aldous asked when they were both settled inside the car.

Nova looked at him before she started the engine.

“Don’t worry, I’ll tell them once the marriage certificate is out.”

“Aren’t you feeling guilty?”

“Are you?”

He sighed and looked away. “Sort of…I’m not good at keeping secrets to my family.”

“Then tell them that you married me because you needed money.”

“My mother will hate me,” Aldous said somberly.

“Mine as well. But this is the only way for us to get away with our problems,” Nova said and sped the car away. “Let’s just stick to that story I made, okay?”

***

Aldous and Nova stared at each other for quite some time after they finished signing the documents. They were officially married, and he still could not believe that it happened that fast.

“The documents will be sent to the office of the civil registrar tomorrow morning. You can have the certified true copy within ten days,” Jam, Nova’s paralegal friend, told them.

“How about the copy from the statistics office?” Nova inquired and looked at him.

“Well, it will take months. Two to three months. Why?”

“I need it so bad.”

Aldous grabbed her hand and gently pressed it.

“You can use the copy from the civil registrar. Your marriage is legal. There’s no problem with that,” Jam assured her.

“Yeah, right. Anyway, come and join us for lunch. You know, we should at least celebrate the wedding.” Nova gave him a side-way glance.

“Oh, I’m sorry, but I have to pass. I have tons of works to do.” Jam beamed at them. “Congratulations to you and best wishes.”

Aldous’s gaze reverted to Nova’s other friend, Gianna. She was sitting at a corner silently with her eyes fixed on him. It made him conscious because it seemed to him that she was judging him for whatever reason.

Nova withdrew her hand from his and sauntered towards her friend. They had a short talk that he did not hear because they intentionally talked too low. Then, her friend stood up and went out of the conference room.

“Where did your friend go?” he asked when Nova went back.

“She had to leave because there was an emergency. One of the volunteers called and told her that they need to rescue a cat,” she told him. “It’s just the two of us again.”

“Then, we will celebrate on our own.” He held her by the hand and ushered her out.

They decided to take out their orders, brought them home, and eat with the cats. Yeah, they have this weird family set-up, and Aldous quickly adjusted to that in just a few days.

“Wine or champagne?” Nova asked the moment they reached the apartment.

“Whatever you like is fine with me.” He took off his shoes and headed to the kitchen with the paper bags of their takeout orders from the restaurant.

“Wine it is,” she muttered. “I’ll go get it to my room.”

Aldous prepared the table while Nova was upstairs to get the bottle of wine. After a few minutes, she came down with her cats following her. She was still wearing the white dress, so it kinda looked like an entourage. Smiling, he waited for her in the kitchen.

“W-why are you smiling like that?” Nova asked with furrowed brows. She put the bottle down on the table and went to the sink to get the bottle opener.

“I just find it cute.”

“What’s cute?”

“The cats.” He snatched the bottle and opener from her.

He saw her flinched when the bottle popped, and some of the champagne splashed right on her face. Nova hit him by the arm and complained. Aldous immediately fished the handkerchief from his pocket and dried her face.

“H-hey…” She held him by the wrists and looked at him straight in the eyes. Aldous could only swallow hard, trying to calm himself. “We’re forgetting something here, aren’t we?”

Yeah, right. Nova made it clear from the start that they should not have any physical contact. But does a mere holding hands count?

He cleared his throat and reverted his gaze to her hands holding his.

“It’s you who didn’t follow the rules.”

Nova’s eyes grew wider; the realization must have hit her. She freed him and walked away.

“I’m going to change. You may eat first if you want.”

***

She covered herself with a blanket and curled underneath. Again, Nova could not sleep. But this time, it was different. It was not because of insomnia nor anxiety. It was all because of the sudden emptiness that she felt when Aldous left the apartment in the afternoon. He headed to the province for his mother’s operation just like what he planned. Nova wired him the money for the operation and a little more extra for pocket money. Once she received a copy of their marriage contract, she will go to Atty. Recinto to claim what is rightfully hers. Then, she could give Aldous the percentage that she promised him.

See, Nova? It’s purely business. B-u-s-I-n-e-s-s…

Nothing more. Nothing less.

But why was she feeling different about it?

She sat up and grabbed her phone from the bedside table. Without thinking twice, she called Aldous.

He answered after three rings.

“Hey…”

“I told you to text me when you get home.” She lay down on the bed again.

“I’m sorry. It’s not that I forgot. I had a long talk with my family since I didn’t go home for days,” he said apologetically.

“Did they believe in your story?” Nova shifted to the right. She petted her sleeping cat Squid.

“I think so. But then, you know mother’s instinct, they would know if there’s something wrong.” Aldous sighed. “Why are you still up?”

“Because I keep on thinking about you. I wonder if someone assaulted you again.”

She heard him laugh.

“And you’re worried that I end up in someone else front yard again?”

“And offered you double the money that I offered you.”

“But I cannot marry again. I’m yours now.”

The last sentence sounded like music to her ears.

“I’m hanging up now. I just called to check on you.” Nova ended the call immediately.