Aiden: Aura’s office buddy who she meets with when she goes for internship at her father’s office.

Ch-21 ★Steal it   

[Jay]

            “I’ll transfer ten million pounds into your account,” Aulaura stated in a stiff voice. She quickly tucked away the file in her jean duffel bag.

            I narrowed my eyes, after all this I at least thought she would keep her word but I was wrong yet again… “What about the rest?” I breathed out through gritted teeth- my hands automatically balling up into a fist.

            She noticed this, a sly smile traced lips. “Do really think I’m that stupid?”

“And do you think I’m a fool?” I nearly yelled- it was getting harder and harder to keep my anger under check.

            “Calm down,” She placed a hand on my shoulder; I instantly shrugged away from her touch. I shouldn’t have done that- hurt flashed in her haunting blue eyes- a strange craze reflected off her face.

            But she was darn good at covering up her feelings, just like me. In a blink of an eye, her cool, collected façade was back on.   

Damn- everything she does, everything thing she says reminds me of myself.

“So as I was saying,” She retracted her hand, keeping it by her thigh. I saw the way her hand was trembling. She didn’t want this. I don’t know why I felt like this but even though she was happy that I had sold myself, she clearly didn’t expect me to do this. She didn’t want me to do this. Why?

            “I can’t transfer fifty-five million pounds in one go. First of all my dad might notice such a large transition. Secondly,” Her eyes bore into mine- there was this fierceness in her expression. It caused a chilling shiver to run down my body. “I don’t trust you,” And I don’t  know why that hurt.

            “Why? You own me. It’s sealed in ink. Why would I betray you?”

Urgency covered her face- there was something missing. There was something wrong with this equation.  She owned me. Right? Then why did she look so scared.

“You can run away with my money. You can do anything. God knows. I don’t want to give you any chances to leave me,” A bead of sweat trickled down her forehead; she quickly wiped it with the back of her hand.

“Fine, do whatever you want.” I sighed, defeat. Ten million will suffice for now.

Suddenly she grabbed the hold of my hand, her fingers tangling with mine. I couldn’t ignore the feeling of warmth inside me. “Come on let’s go,” She spoke in a rush. She dragged past the vacant chairs towards the doors.

“Where are we going?” I asked, confused, trailing along- letting her take me wherever she wanted.

“Oh,” She pulled me through the restaurant towards the outer door. “We’re getting married,”

I nearly choked on my own spit- I stopped midway in between the door and the cold air outside. “You’re serious?  I’m not getting marrying yo-“What the hell was she doing? Did she even have a clue?

“Shh,” She placed her finger my lips, a glint of anger in her eyes. “Not another word. I own you remember,”

            Why did she want to marry me? Oh! No…. I knew the answer. I stared into her eyes. Underneath the hate, the anger, the hurt- she couldn’t hide that one emotion. I dreaded that one emotion more than anything.

            And all the words melted away in my mouth as I started hopelessly at her.

Did Aulaura Grey, the world’s richest man’s daughter love me? 

Newbury Court House, London

[Aulaura]

            Frenzy that’s what I was feeling right now, all my emotions, all my feelings were merged together.  I loved Jay and I couldn’t hide it any longer. With each passing second, it felt like someone was ripping my heart apart- wedging a knife inside it, slicing it, tearing it.  I couldn’t this- I couldn’t cheat him like this- this ruthlessly.

            He deserves this. He was only there for your money. He used you. He was never your friend. He broke your trust- my mind screamed agonizingly loud.

            But my heart, it was crying because it couldn’t bear to see that sorrow ridden face. Jay walked beside me through the crowded court halls, his warm, brown lost in a war, his hands buried inside his leather jacket. Every other second, he would stare in my direction- his mouth turned into the bitterest of frowns.

            “You don’t want this,” He would whisper. But I ignored him.

I stopped in front of the matrimony office. A burgundy colored door stood high- there was a gold name plate allotting the room its name: secondary court house.  Cassidy said she would meet me here with my witness, Aiden. He instantly agreed to become the witness of our marriage. Though I lied to him about our situation, I told him Jay’s parent didn’t approve of our marriage so we had decided to get married like this, in secret and when the time would be right- we’ll tell our parents about our relationship.

I was about to walk past the doors when Jay’s hand found mine. I felt my heart skip a beat or so. The butterflies in my stomach fluttered uncontrollably.

 “I don’t love you,” He spoke, his finger digging into my flesh. I winced in pain- it was my heart that crying louder than my skin.

“You’re hurting me,” I gasped, trying to free myself from his tight grasp.

            “I’ll bring nothing other than hurt,” His grip on my hand loosened. He ran a frustrated hand through his hair, making it stick out in odd directions. “Why don’t you understand that?”

            “I don’t care,” Tears stung in my eyes, I was careful to not let them seep through.

“But I do,” He sighed with a dejected expression. “I care about you,”

            “Then you won’t ever hurt me,” I smiled, my heart beating erratically. Why couldn’t he see what I saw? Why couldn’t he understand his own feelings? If he just stopped thinking about Melody- maybe then he would finally look at himself and understand all that inside him.

            He didn’t reply. His owns words had bit him back.

Together we stepped inside. An elderly man with thick framed glasses sat behind the desk, I suppose he was the marriage officer.  Cassidy sat on the opposite end of the large desk with Aiden standing behind her. Aiden hadn’t changed a bit, there was a tie hanging lose off his neck. His black hair was perfectly combed to one side of his head.

            When he saw me, his eyes became a bit misty. He come over to me and wrapped me into a big, warm hug- knocking the breaths out of my lungs.

 “I can’t believe you’re getting married so soon,” He mumbled in my shoulder. From the corner of my eye, I saw Jay’s entire body stiffen. His face became heated with a slight red tint. If he didn’t love me then why was he reacting like this?

            Aiden pulled away, examining my face with his eyebrows pulled together in concentration.  “Are you sure this is my Aura?” he pulled my cheeks and stretching them like rubber. I swatted his hand away.

“Stop it. You’re embarrassing me,”

“Oh this is my Aura alright,” Aiden wrinkled his nose upwards.

I couldn’t help but laugh at his grossed out expression. Some people never change.

            He turned to face Jay. “So you must be it,” His eyes racked Jay’s body. I could feel my cheeks burn brighter than before. Aiden was examining Jay like a piece of scrapped of metal.

           
            “Yah,” Jay muttered, unsure after giving me a pointed stare. “I’m it,”

“Good, good,” Aiden replied, nodding his head whilst tapping his chin. “Nice piece of meat indeed. Aura was right. He’s woof hot. ”

            I groaned, absolutely mortified, burying my head into Jay’s shoulder to hide my red face. A light, angel like laugh resounded from my right.

            Jay was laughing; he wound his arm around my waist. With a gentle hand, he pulled to one side, away from him but he didn’t let go of my waist. His arms were still there- I could feel my heartbeats climb to my throat. I watched him, from the corner of my eye. I couldn’t tell if he was faking it or he was truly happy.

            “I’m nothing compared to Aura. I’m really lucky to have her,” He spoke, standing tall and confident, not a trace of the sadness lingered by. Something about my surprised expression caught his fancy. He leaned down and placed his mouth by my ear. “Don’t look so surprised. It might give your friend the wrong idea,”

            “Why are you doing this?” I asked.

He smiled but it never reached his eyes. They still held onto the pieces of melancholy.

            Aiden grinned in approval. “He sure knows how to keep his girl happy,”

 Cassidy cleared her throat; she shot me a knowing look. “Guys you can carry this on later,” She rose from the chair, fixing her crisp, black suit. “It’s getting past appointment time,”

            The marriage officer motioned us to take a seat opposite to him. Cassidy moved aside to allow me grip the edge of the cushioned chair. “Everything under control?” She whispered in my ear before I brushed past her.

            I nodded my head, not meeting her eyes.

Jay sat down next to me- the smile disappeared from his face, again his eyes were lost. The officer fixed his glasses as he read over the marriage clauses Cassidy had issued. His gruff voice echoed off the walls of the large, minimalist decorated room.

            I wasn’t listening to the officer. My mind was too occupied with Jay- he didn’t look up from the pale desk; the wooden panels seemed to have captured his attention. He would nod his head whenever he was addressed.

            He looked tired, worn-out - this unsettling darkness clung to eyes, his sharp jaw was clenched in a way- that conveyed nothing other than resent- deep resent. Is this right? This strange heaviness wasn’t leaving my chest. I wish it would. I just really wish Jay would smile- smile at me, smile because of me.

            I felt a hand on my shoulder, snapping me out of whatever daze I had been.  Aiden gave me worried look. “Are you okay?” Jay’s eyes snapped in my direction, stealing ever single ounce of air inside me.

            I laughed nervously. “Yah, I’m fine,”

“Then take the pen,” He replied, titling his chin towards the officer’s outstretched hand which held a black pen.

 I hesitantly took the pen, my eyes falling on the marriage contract.

“You have to sign here,” The officer pointed to a black line on the heavily cluttered page.

I looked at Jay. He gave me a rigid glare. It was like he was yelling don’t do this.

            But I signed anyways, my hands moving on their own accord. It was my sinful heart that made me sign the contract.

            Jay released an audible sigh. I held out the pen for him to take.

He took it from my hand, his face expressionless.   Keeping a hand the table, his finger advanced forward to panel of white, to ink it and to tie us in one bond.

Just as he was about scribble his name, the door burst open- the pen left his hands- dropping on the floor with a click-clack sound.

Mathew stood in the wide open door, his curls dismantled- his green eyes staring at Jay with uncontainable fury and to his side appeared the one and only Sam. “And I’ll do anything to stop you,” She wasn’t lying when she said that. So the liar had finally spoken the truth.

I gave her my most confident smile. She just looked at me with pity.  She didn’t know what she had gotten herself into. There is nothing she does or says that will change Jay’s mind. After all he is nothing more than a pawn in my hands.

“What the hell are you doing?” Matthew yelled, advancing towards Jay. He grabbed the collar of Jay’s leather jacket.

“Excuse me sir,” Cassidy spoke with authority, my loyal friend had once again come to my rescue. “You are not allowed in the court house at this moment. Could you please leave or I’m afraid I’ll have to call the police,”

 Mathew wasn’t listening to a word she was saying. “You’re coming with me Jay,” He began dragging Jay by his collar and Jay didn’t even try to fight him off.  Now I felt scared. I briefly glanced at Sam’s face that didn’t look the least bit bothered instead she had a relieved look on her face.

“You can’t take him,” I grabbed Jay’s hand. “He’s staying here,”

“Stop acting like you own him,” Matthew retorted. It’s best if you stay out of this,”

            I was about to speak up, only to be interrupted by Jay. “Just give us a second,” Jay muttered, addressing me directly.

            “No, I’m coming with you,” What if Jay runs away? What if he doesn’t come back? What if he finds about the deal being a lie?

“Trust me, Aura” His brown eyes found mine and I lost myself in them. I couldn’t tell myself to look away. My heart was beating an irregular manner as warmth spread throughout my body.

            “Okay,” I finally replied. Maybe this time he wouldn’t break my trust.

[Jay]

            Sam had left me and Mathew alone. I could see that she wasn’t happy with current arrangement- her animosity towards me didn’t faze for a second.

“What is your damn problem Matt?” My fist nearly collided with my best-friend’s face. We stood outside the court house in the neatly tamed garden. People walked by, few gave us strange looks as we continued to yell at each other.  Several times I felt camera flash in our direction but I didn’t care.

            “You don’t love her,” Matthew gave me an exasperated glare. “You’re going to ruin her life,”

“I do love her,” Can someone please tell why am I doing this? This was the not the price I wanted to pay. Aulaura never told me that she was planning on marrying me. If I had known, I would never have signed that damn file. “Why don’t you believe me?”

Even I didn’t believe myself, how in the world was Matthew going to believe me.

“Please Jay don’t do this. Sam is really upset and I can’t see her that way. She knows that you’re bad for Aura. For God’s sake, she believes that you killed her sister Melody,”

            “I didn’t kill Melody,” I could never do that. Every day Samantha’s eyes would give those accusing stares. It was damn painful to think that she blamed me for Melody’s death. I wish could tell Melody’s truth but I won’t, I can’t. I don’t want Sam to hate her sister for all that she did.

            “Then who did?”

“I told you it was an accident,” 

            “I’m not buying that,” Matthew looked just as angry as before. “Jay, stop being so selfish! Man, I can’t believe you’re doing this. When you’re not over the past, how will you be there in the present for Aura?”

            “Aura doesn’t know anything about my past so it doesn’t matter. I’ve left the past in the past,” I lied again. It was getting harder and harder to lie. My tongue became thick with bitter resent.

            “Are you sure?”

I furrowed my eyebrows together. “Sure about what?”

            Matthew smiled. “Aura knows about your past. Sam told her,”

I ran a hand across my face. My blood ran cold- for a moment I couldn’t feel my heart beat. “What?” I gasped.

            “She loves you, Jay. How can you hurt someone who loves you so dearly?”

I couldn’t reply. My feet carried me back to the court-house. She knew. She knew. Then why does she still want me?

            [Aulaura]

            Aiden didn’t question me about the Matthew incident. I don’t what about my expression made him silently stand behind me and stare as the seconds passed by on the clock.

            What if he doesn’t return? What if he doesn’t want to marry me anymore?

            I felt fear crawling up my arms and lock it’s large shackles around my feet. The moment Jay left the room- it felt like he had taken all the air with him. He had stolen pieces of my heart and refused to return them to me.

            So when he walked into the room, I felt the air return as I once again could breathe freely.

He took his seat next too, his face looked ash white like a corpse lying still on a coffin. His brown intently stared at me. He wanted to say something but didn’t. Without an ounce of hesitance and this strange ferocity he signed the papers.

            “Congratulation Mr. and Mrs. Walters you’re now lawfully husband and wife,” The officer announced.

            Aiden signed the witness papers and congratulated us. Even Cassidy smiled as she wished us a happy married life.  But as all that happened, Jay’s eyes didn’t leave my face once. He just stared at me like the tomorrow’s sun might never come.

            N o t e: They’re married. Someone bring me the confetti!!! I’m really going to try to finish this book in around ten chapters (probably it’ll more than that many chapters]- let’s see how that goes.

            XO-by Beyonce on the side

          I really want to hear what you have to say about this chapter... Hopefully my pace isn’t too fast. So Comment and let me know what you think.