Chapter 4: Runaway Groom

Averill has been staring at the ceiling for hours now. She didn't sleep at all, be it excitement, or maybe she just could not sleep. It is understandable. 

It's her wedding day. 

She tried getting up and instantly felt dizzy.

She pushed her arm against the wall for support and closed her eyes. 'I need to prepare early,'

It would be a simple wedding. A few of Averill's senior and junior colleagues sent a confirmation for their presence. Well, they could not decline despite their busy schedule... A famous director will not take on their projects if they don't attend the wedding.

Averill got closer to them... she naturally attracted them with her pure personality. Most of them even attend her fan signing and movie launch. 

Averill's eyes widened when she saw Sam and Ken in her unit early in the morning. "It's thirty past five. What are you doing here? The wedding will be at four in the afternoon,"

"And when will you prepare? You are beautiful, Averill, but let us do this to make you shine more. Tsk, you should be staying at your parents' house for this kind of event, but they..." Sam suddenly pursed her lips. Ken glared at her.

"How did the preparation go?" she simply asked Ken. He was taken aback. He didn't expect her to know that he's been meddling with Averill's twin, who promised to be in charge of the wedding.

"Yanna did a good job, Honey. I can't believe you got a creative sister," Sam replied instead of Ken. It was a fact, though, Yanna and Averill never had a great relationship, but Yanna did her best for the wedding.

The wedding for her twin and her ex-fiance. Averill fell into deep thought. 'She did great? Why? I thought she was planning something to ruin this day,'

She erased the idea and went inside the bathroom. Again, she felt a little dizzy and almost fell. Luckily, she grabbed the sink fast and recovered her balance. She really needs rest.

***

"Seriously, what the hell were you doing to fall this sick? Tsk, I told you I'll handle everything. You never listen to me," Noah fixed her blanket and went outside the room to get another set of porridge he personally cooked.

The woman coughed again as he entered the room. She's been burning like hell since he arrived to check on her. Noah was already troubled that she'll feel depressed about his wedding, but this thing welcomed him.

He felt guilty. He sat beside Yanna and helped her get up. "You need to eat more, Yanna." Noah blows out the hot porridge and feeds it to her. She listened like a kid. Noah is as grumpy as her parents when it comes to her health.

"Do not attend the wedding," he coldly said as he spoonfed her. Yanna immediately looked away. She pursed, closed her mouth, and gazed at Noah. She's in this state after taking charge of the wedding, and he did not want her to attend?

"Eat, Yanna,"

"No. I will attend your wedding," Yanna vehemently replied and coughed again. She's really ill. Her temperature didn't go down even after taking her meds. She collapsed closely last night but was able to add her final touches for her twin's wedding.

"You need to rest. And..." Noah sighed. He's been doing his best not to get emotional in front of her. It really hurts him to know that his fiancee is working for his wedding with another woman.

'I really want to marry you,' he put the bowl of porridge on the table and sat beside her. Yanna kept on looking to the other side.

"Yanna,"

"Babe, look at me,"

"Hey," he caressed her cheeks and slowly kissed her forehead. 'This stubborn sheep, I can cook eggs on her forehead!'

His lips travel to her pointy nose to her lips. Noah kisses her lips gently, playing with them even, 'It tastes bitter,' 

Yanna's hands found their way to his neck as she kissed him back. Noah smirked and gently laid her down on the bed. He kisses her and kisses her and kisses her and stops. Yanna catches her breath as she stares into his eyes.

Noah leaned toward her, Yanna closed her eyes, expecting another round of passionate exchange, but Noah's lips landed on her forehead.

"Silly, you need to rest, and I need to prepare for the..." he paused, clenched his teeth, and smiled at Yanna. "I'm sorry," he kissed her forehead.

Silence filled them. Yanna kept staring at the ceiling as Noah sat beside her, playing with her curls. "Can you–" Noah looked at her, waiting for what she was saying.

"No, it's nothing."

"What is it?"

Yanna turned her back on him and hid inside the blanket. Noah panicked, 'Why? What is it?'

"Yanna?" he called her. He waited, but no words came from Yanna. He reached for the blanket but stopped midway. Noah clenched his fist and touched her gently, with the blanket between them.

"Talk to me, Yanna," Yanna's cries died down. She sat down and slowly faced him. Her bloodshot eyes made his stomach twist. His throat dried up as his words left him. 

He's hurting her. He's breaking the woman he loves. 

He grabbed her gently and enveloped her in a hug. Yanna started crying again as she tried to push him away.

"It was my fault. I'm sorry. I am sorry, Yanna. Forgive me." He repeated the exact words over and over again until Yanna calmed down.

"I can stop this marriage if that is what you'd want. But I'd do anything for you, Yanna. Just not this one," she smiled and pushed him away. Noah looked at her bloodshot eyes and smiling face. His heart aches.

"No. It's fine. You can always marry me in the future, Noah, but my niece will need his father,"

"Yanna, I can support the child while married to you. Do I really have to marry her? I hate seeing you hurting,"

She touched his face gently, and Noah rested on it, "I love you, Noah. And I love my twin too. I'm willing to let you go for her sake,"

"No. No. No, Yanna. I will divorce her once the baby is born," he firmly told her. Yanna's heart softens while a deep smile curves in her head while hugging the man she loves.

***

"What are you doing here?" Noah coldly asked his parents, who entered his dressing room. They are wearing their formal attires. His mother went near him and smiled. "You are making the best choice, Noah,"

"It's your choice, Mother," he glared at her, but she did not mind. It was her dream to make Noah marry Averill. She really liked the kid since they were young.

She never understood why Noah liked the other twin. Did he seriously forget what Averill did for him that he chose Yanna over her? 'What an ungrateful child. Are you really Nicolas's son? Tsk,'

"We'll be going to your wife,"

"She's not my wife,"

"Don't test my temper, Noah. Averill will be your wife and the mother of your children." They left Noah in a bad mood.

***

"Are you happy now?" Isabella asked. Averill stared at her mother and nodded. Averill looked back at the mirror and saw her face. Everyone admires it, but she never feels beautiful every time she looks at it.

"Your sister is sick at home, preparing for your wedding. And you are happy? How could you ask her, of all people, to do this for you? Do you really want to torture her that much? What did I do for you to grow up like this?" Isabella's blood boils, remembering her sick daughter at home. 

'I asked her?' Averill's brows knitted together, but she quickly composed herself. 

"Where are you going?" Averill panicked when Isabella stood up from her seat, taking her belongings. Now that Averill looked at her again, Isabella wasn't ready yet. The wedding starts in an hour.

Her father isn't there either. She looked at her with begging eyes, but Isabella simply handed her a paper bag.

"This is a gift from your father. I already asked your manager and director to walk you to the aisle. This wedding tarnishes our family name, Averill. Did you know how hard it was for your father this past month? Explaining your sudden marriage with Noah? You should be grateful that Yanna agreed to it. They were in a relationship for years, and you ruined everything for her, but she still considers you and your child." 

***

Ken and Sam looked sophisticated in their formal attire. They looked calm on the outside, but they weren't. If someone looked closer at them, they would see the dark circles under their eyes.

"Sir, your phone has been ringing. Would you not answer it?" Ken's secretary asked him again. He simply glared at him and then looked at Averill.

"Are you nervous?" Ken asked her. They will be walking inside in no less than a minute, and her heart keeps racing. Averill is nervous. What will those people think of her?

What will they label her as? She wanted to know. Averill touched her belly to calm herself. 'Baby, I'm doing this for you,'

The door opened, and flashing lights welcomed her. There are a lot of reporters waiting to eat her up. She stopped walking.

The reporters immediately walked near her and asked her a bunch of questions.

"Ms. Hursen, how do you feel marrying your twin's fiance?"

"Aren't you ashamed, Ms. Hursen?"

"Many men have been trying to court you for the past years. Why are you marrying your twin's man?"

"Ms. Hursen!"

"Ms. Hursen!"

Ken covered her and guided her inside the chapel. This is a small chapel because it is supposed to be a small and private wedding, but reporters are filling in half of the space inside.

"What the hell is this?!" Ken asked Brian, an actor whom he's close with. "I tried telling you, Director."

Ken tsked his tongue as he protected Averill from the reporters. A bunch of guards suddenly appeared and circled around her. 

Averill recognized the pin on their collar, 'Noah,'

Noah is walking fast to her place. Her heart starts to race again as she stares at his face. He started running and eventually reached her.

"Mr. Dalton!"

"It's Mr. Dalton!"

"Mr. Noah Dalton!"

Noah stopped in front of her. He looks uneasy as he stares at her golden eyes. He looked at his wristwatch and then stared back at Averill.

"Noah, I--"

"I'll be back," he rushed outside the chapel and vanished.