Chapter 16

Nova was in high school when her phobia of blood started. She was at home alone with her sick grandma when an accident happened. Her grandma stood up from her wheelchair, lost her balance, and hit her head on the tiled floor. She was shocked to see a pool of blood that she had to wipe herself later. After that, she can only tolerate seeing small amounts of blood.

When she opened her eyes, she was already inside the hospital’s emergency room. Her mother was sitting on the chair beside the bed, holding her hand tightly with eyes closed. Perhaps she was praying for her, just like she used to do whenever she was sick and feeling something bad.

“M-mom…”

“Oh, thank God, you’re awake now…” her mom muttered out of relief.

“I’m fine now.” She sat up. “Where is Dad?”

“He is waiting outside. They only allow one guardian to stay here at the emergency room.” Mommy Esther cupped her cheek and gently caressed it. “Oh, darling…Your dad and I are scared to death when we learned what happened. How could Jayden do this to you? After all the good things your aunt had done to help him…he dared to hurt our precious one.”

Her mother started crying.

“Mom, I’m fine now. I’m safe.”

“We must file a complaint against him. We won’t let this one slide, Nova,” Mommy Esther said firmly.

“Of course, he will get what he deserves.” Nova sighed and wiped her mother’s tears with her hands. “Stop crying now. You know I hate to see you cry like this.”

“How can you expect me not to cry when I’m worried about you?”

“I know…but let’s not make a scene here, okay?” she whispered.

“Fine.” At last, her mom stopped crying.

Then, she suddenly remembered her husband. “Mom, have you seen Aldous?”

“Who is he?” her mother asked with furrowed brows. “Ah, you mean that neighbor of yours who helped you?”

Someone pulled the curtain to the side, and Aldous emerged behind it with his hand on a bandage. Nova immediately jumped off the bed and threw herself at him.

“W-whoa…” he said as he wrapped his arms around her. She started sobbing. “I’m glad you’re all right now—”

“You shouldn’t have done that. He could have—” Aldous planted a soft kiss on her temple. It calmed her.

“I can’t just stand there and watched him do bad things to my wife, you know.”

“W-wife?” said her mom.

Nova froze for a moment when she heard her mom’s voice. Then, she abruptly moved away from Aldous and turned to her mother.

“What the hell is the meaning of this, Nova Leigh?!” Mommy Esther’s gaze was too sharp; it could kill.

She bit her lip. There was no way she could escape from her.

“Y-you h-heard a-it r-right.”

Aldous held her hand tightly.

“Are you nuts?” her mother snapped. Mommy Esther palmed her chest and gasped for air.

“Oh, my God…Mom!” She ran to her mother’s side and held her. “Nurse! Doc!” she called for help.

***

After the scene at the hospital, they headed to their home. Now, they were sitting face to face with Aldous standing behind her. His father would not let him sit, a sign that he was not welcome to the house.

“I admit, what I did was wrong. I acted impulsively and married a stranger who appeared in front of my apartment. But please understand that I was really desperate because I needed money so bad.” Then, she was suddenly reminded of Atty. Recinto’s words. “But you’re partly at fault because you didn’t tell me that you already have Auntie Marilyn’s money from the bank, which is technically mine!”

Her parents looked at each other and looked back at her again.

“Nova Leigh!” Her dad called her out. “Don’t put the blame on us.”

“We did that for your own sake,” her mom added.

She bit her lip and tried her best to suppress her tears.

“For my sake? If only I was aware that you have that money—”

“Whether you knew it or not, it wouldn’t change a thing,” Mommy Esther cut her off. “We won’t give you the money without the lawyer’s go signal.”

Nova scoffed. She could not believe they could do that.

“So, you held my money hostage for me to get married, yet you’re furious because I got married. Ironic, isn’t it?”

“Nova…” her dad shut his eyes for seconds and opened them again.

“We want you to get married,” her mother said and scowled at Aldous. “But not with a stranger you don’t even—”

“I have met his family. They are good people. And we have been living under one roof for days now—”

“Days. Do you think you can tell he’s really a good person just because—”

“He saved my life!” she snapped. “If he’s a bad person, maybe he already robbed me the moment I handed him my debit card.”

“Darling, you don’t get our point.” Her father heaved a deep sigh. “We want you to marry someone who will stay with you for a long time. You two married each other for money. After he gets what you promised him, I’m sure he will leave you.”

That was the plan from the start, and Nova already accepted that fate she and Aldous have. She was prepared for that even before they got married. So that would not be a problem. Not unless…

“Easy-peasy,” she told them. “By the time we go on separate ways, I’ll just find a man who can stay with me until the end of time. And Dad, could you please let Aldous sit? He’s been standing the whole time. We’re married now, and you can’t do anything about it until we annul the marriage.”

“We let you stand on your own feet because you’re at the right age, yet we still help you whenever you fall. But this time, do not expect us to help you if things do not go on your way,” her mother warned.

“Y-you’re disowning me?” she asked in disbelief.

“No. We just want you to have a taste of our medicine,” her father said and beckoned Aldous to sit down. “I’m letting you sit because you save my daughter’s life.”

She turned her gaze at Aldous, whose eyes were fixed in her parents’ direction. Nova could not help but felt bad for him, really, really bad. Her family did not welcome him the same way his family did.

***

There was this awkward atmosphere between Aldous and Nova when they got back to her apartment.

“This day is kinda tough, huh,” Aldous said, breaking the silence.

Nova suddenly stopped drinking water and turned her gaze on him. Her eyes were clouded with undeniable sadness and guilt. She let out a sigh afterward and put the glass down on the sink.

Aldous turned around and resumed cooking. But when he heard her loud sobs, he turned off the stove and sauntered towards her.

“Hey…” He cupped her face.

“I’m sorry, Aldous…I’m sorry for everything,” she said in between her sobs. “I know this is all wrong, but then desperation consumed me—”

“Don’t blame yourself, Nova.” His thumbs brushed the tears away from her cheeks. “I agreed on this, remember? So, it’s my fault.”

“But if not for my offer…if I didn’t take advantage of your situation—”

“Hush.” He put a finger above her lips to stop her from talking. “I always believe that things happen for a reason. I wouldn’t be here with you now if we are not destined to meet.”

Nova hit his chest with her fist.

“No! This is wrong! You should hate me…” Her words trailed off.

Aldous held her by the wrist.

“I can’t…How can I hate you when—” His sentence was cut off when a phone suddenly rang.

“The lawyer must be calling…” Nova said and then left to answer the call.

Aldous heaved a sigh. He hoped everything goes well.

“Yes. I understand. We will be there tomorrow. Uh-huh…”

He looked in Nova’s direction, who stood by the window as she talked with the lawyer on the phone and looked at his injured hand. It was not just his knuckles nor his palms that he was willing to get bloody for her. Aldous was willing to protect her with all his might. He would stay by her side whenever she needed him. He would not leave until she said so. Not because of the money, but because he had fallen in love with her.

He could not explain how.

He did not know when.

It just happened.

Perhaps in love, there was magic.