Chapter 3: Preparation

Everyone has their own wedding preferences. Be it in church, beach, garden, or even yacht. Someone can even get married while scuba diving as long as they can get their wedding administrator to deliver the ceremony.

Throughout the generations, silly and creative ideas about weddings have been brought to light. And every woman has their own dream wedding.

A wedding where they can get genuinely emotional. A wedding they will never forget for the rest of their lives... A marriage that came out of their dreams.

Even Averill Hursen, who never really cares about anything fancy, has her own dream wedding. It wasn't anything grand. It won't be about a vast church with gracious decorations nor a lavish wedding to which everyone was invited.

Averill never thought of any of those.

She... she just wants to get married to the man she loves. The man she dreamt of marrying every night she knelt and prayed. The man she never thought she'll marry...

'A week? Sounds good,' she thought when she heard Noah's suggestion, who was clearly playing around her. He stared at her intently, waiting for the woman to get upset and rant about it.

Noah wants to see her glare at him and curse him because of the absurd idea of having a wedding in a week. Noah knew how girls are, especially since he's been in a relationship for a long time. Yanna has been talking about her plans for their wedding, but sadly, it won't be possible at the moment.

Noah clenched his fist that was resting behind his back. He actually went to the woman to annoy her and make her give up. Noah regrets agreeing to the marriage whenever he remembers the crying face of the woman he loves that day.

'If only you weren't pregnant...' he thought to himself. Noah could've handled Averill like a piece of cake if there was no possibility of her carrying his blood.

Likewise, things get complicated whenever they are connected to Yanna.

Noah's heart softens as he remembers how understanding his girlfriend is. He cannot fathom marrying Averill, but for the sake of the child, he isn't even sure of who the father is. He has to tie the knot with the cunning woman.

"Sounds great. Should I hand out invitations today?" Noah's jaw dropped. 'She just agrees to that? Did she want to marry me that bad? Was she that in love with me? Shit, I fell into her trap,' he forced a smile and shifted his weight.

He then nodded his head and pretended to look for the time on his wristwatch. "Now that I had relayed it to you, I'd be going. I'm quite busy so do not look for me until the day of the wedding. If you want to ask something," he looked into her eyes and smiled. "Ask Karl,"

***

"What did you just say?!" the report that Noah is currently holding tangled. Karl raised a brow, 'He didn't know? Did they not talk about it?'

"You said you talked it out with Yanna,"

"I told her I'll marry Averill, but I didn't tell her to manage the wedding! Who the heck gave her that absurd idea?! You know Yanna, and I'm sure she'll be really hurt," Noah felt a burden in his heart. Managing the wedding of your twin marrying the man you love? That's crazy.

If Noah was in her position, he would definitely ruin everything for them. But Yanna is different. Noah thought that if it was Yanna, she'd probably give her twin sister the best wedding there is.

"Cancel all my schedule for today." With that, he left his office and went to Yanna's restaurant. 

Noah saw Yanna waiting outside of her fancy restaurant. She smiled, showing her teeth when she saw Noah, and quickly gave him a warm hug as he got closer.

"What have I done to deserve such a sudden visit from my young billionaire? Hmm?" Noah chuckled. She had been teasing him with the title that the media gave him. He snaked his arm around her waist and escorted her inside.

There were few people inside. The business hasn't been doing well, especially since a hotel was opened across from her restaurant seven years ago. It was just a small one when it started, but it became a hit when famous artists suddenly took fancy to the place.

Some may call it a charity promotion for the business owner, but Noah has been there once. It got his interest, and he understood well why it has been in an uprise growth for the past years.

'The owner must have dexterous hands in managing their business,' he smirked and then played with Yanna's hand.

"I heard something unbelievable earlier, but I want to hear your side first," he started. Yanna kept silent and listened to what he had to say. "Why did you do that?"

"Why did you take the initiative to manage the wedding?" Noah's heart ached. He clenched his teeth and tightened his grip on Yanna's hand.

Yanna's eyes widened. Her lips parted before she pursed them and looked away. She withdrew her hands from his touch and put them under the table. Noah's eyes narrowed. Yanna is acting weird... 'She's always like this when she wants to hide something,'

"Tell me, Yanna. Why did you do that? You can't handle it, dear... It's a week away, for Pete's sake! Think about your health, will you?" Yanna looked at him and smiled gently. No, it looked like a forced smile.

'Yanna,'

"I... I want the best wedding for my sister. You know, Noah, I've always been a weak child growing up. I received more attention from our parents, our brother, from everyone--"

"And as you should," Noah interrupted. He hates it when Yanna talks about these things. She pities her twin for receiving less attention than her and hates herself at the same time for being born weak.

'It wasn't your fault, Yanna,' he always tells her and himself.

"I know, but Averill must have been lonely. Look at where that loneliness got us. She envied me, Noah. Did you know that she had liked you since our families met when we were young? Haha, but she hid it well. All too well, not until you started courting me,"

"She cried to me and begged me to not accept you... Her tears truly moved me, but my love for you was greater, so I sacrificed her. Wasn't this situation my fault? I got her desperate, and look at what she did... That's why, when she asked me to handle things for her... I agreed without thinking. I... I-I j-just want to get this done, Noah," a tear fell from her eye, and she immediately wiped it. She tried so hard not to cry in front of Noah.

She tries so hard to act tough and look like a strong woman who accepts this predicament, but all the walls she built fall in a swoop as she stares at the man she loves, imagining him marrying her twin.

Noah rushes to her side and hugs her tight. He holds the back of her head gently as he pats her back. Yanna buried her face in his shoulder and hugged him back. Noah's face was blank as he thought of something.

They stayed like that for a while that afternoon...

***

Averill returned to her condo after sleeping at her parent's house for a day. It was an uncomfortable stay. 

"You should've told me you were staying here. How can you stay casual when you are having a sensitive pregnancy?!" Sam scolded her. Ken nodded in agreement; the busy man made time to visit his daughter. He placed the fruits he peeled in front of her and dragged Sam away.

He leaned to her and whispered in her ear, "I agree with you, but don't add to her stress. Tsk, if only I knew you were going to act like this. I would've not mentioned it in the call," Sam suddenly blushed. That call last night...

She pushed him away and went to the kitchen, "I'll heat up the soup for you!"

Ken chuckled. Averill didn't mind them and just tried filling up her stomach with the fruits Ken prepared, but everything tasted bland on her tongue. She continued eating nonetheless.

"So, how's the preparation going? Should I take charge of it? When will it happen? Hmm? Hmm?" Ken sounded so excited. He forgot that this wedding won't be like the normal one.

'I'd be marrying the man I love, who loves someone else,' Averill gave him a sweet smile and put down the utensil.

"Next Friday,"

"You'll get your dress fitted? Great, I know of a great designer. I'll ask her to clear her schedule that day," Ken smiled and patted her head. Averill smiled wider.

"Nope, Uncle. Next Friday is..."

***

Ken has been going around the office since last night. He hadn't had a wink of sleep because of what he had learned. He had been going back and forth, calling various people. His secretary can't even keep up with his speed.

'Fuck that young man. I'd definitely get back at him in the future. Why did he pressure my lovely daughter to get married at a week's away wedding? And what? That woman will take charge? Nonsense.'

"Yes, do that."

"Hello, yes. Don't you dare not show up. I'll make your career over."

"Good morning, yes, yes... A-huh. Yup that would be nice,"

"Alright, I want everything to be perfect. It won't be a public wedding, but I want no dust anywhere. Got it?"

"The gown? Ha? Alright, make sure to not make it too tight. You wouldn't want me to sue you for harassing my grandchild, would you?"

He went like that for the past three days, and now, four days left before the wedding...