Emily Davis, or should Nolan call her wife, Jane Watson?
Just when Nolan thought he already knew everything he needed to know about his wife, he discovered that there was more to her than met the eye.
Keeping secrets and having hidden identities in their line of work was nothing new to him. It was just part of the common practice that almost every celebrity embraced to keep their personal life private. Even he could not deny that he was keeping things from his wife and the world.
Still, seeing her in this unconventional environment threw him for a loop.
"This estate is really something else." Nolan could not help but admire the old structure of the building and its spacious courtyard. It was a true relic of the past. A real historical masterpiece. "How did you even stumble into this place?" Honestly, he could not picture his wife in this picturesque scene.
As he followed her to the upper floor, he could not help but imagine the antiques that adorned those hallways, the conversations that passed through those walls, the footsteps that walked on those floorboards, and the secrets hidden behind those closed doors. It was remarkably fascinating.
But the mansion was not the only thing that had caught his interest. It seemed his wife was more intriguing than he had given her credit for. Every minute he spent with her, the more he wanted to get to know her.
Was he wrong about her?
"What are you doing here, Nolan?" Emily abruptly stopped in the middle of the empty hallway, ignoring his attempt at small talk. "How did you even find me?" This time, she seemed more determined to get an answer.
Honestly, Nolan thought, when she ran away from his proposed honeymoon, he would find her in one of the exclusive hotels or a private club on the island, partying all night, sleeping around, or getting married to some random man.
Could anybody blame him? Nolan met his wife twice at a party. On both occasions, Emily was intoxicated. The first time, they ended up having a one-night stand. The next one, they landed on the altar, exchanging rings and eternal vows.
Therefore, he was not expecting that she would end up in this decrepit, abandoned structure in the middle of nowhere. Moreover, he never anticipated seeing her in worn-out clothes, messy pigtail hair, thick eyeglasses, and a face void of makeup.
Emily looked like a completely different person from the woman he had met three years ago or the woman he had married the night before. He wondered if this was the real Jane Watson.
"I think you can figure out why I'm here." Nolan didn't bother to explain. Instead, he pointed to his luggage. "Of course, Kate told me where you are. She even arranged everything." Not bothering to hide that fact. "Didn't Leah call you?"
When Kate heard from Leah that Emily had taken the first available flight to this island, Kate thought that it was the perfect opportunity to sell their story. Immediately, Kate informed him of his flight to the island for their so-called Honeymoon.
"Oh, Leah. I'm going to kill you." Emily hissed under her breath. "No, she did not." She answered with barely controlled anger. "And just to set the record straight, I never agreed to any of this." Her fingers waved at him and his luggage. "In fact, I went away because I wanted to get away from you."
This time, she abruptly turned away from him, clearly annoyed with his presence. But as she stepped forward, she accidentally tripped on one of his bags. Instantly, she fell, but instinctively, his arms caught her waist before she landed on the floor.
Again, the current that coursed through his veins reminded him of how much this woman affected him. With a mere touch, a small smile, a whiff of her natural scent, or a hint of her distinct tone, his body readily came alive. It was as if she held a remote that could jumpstart his heart with just one push of a button.
Emily owned him, no doubt about it. But was he ready to admit that to her and to the world?
"Damn, you are beautiful," Nolan said instead as he helped her back on her feet. Somehow, her ragged look appealed to his primal instinct, making him forget whatever standard he had set for himself.
Without thinking, he lowered his face until he could directly stare into her eyes. The connection was instantaneous. He could not look away even if he tried. Soon, his lips followed his body's instinct as they hovered incredibly close to her supple, pliant lips.
Just a breath away, but his dream ended even before it became a reality, as her hands pushed against his chest and her body stepped away from his hold.
"Let go of me, you creep," Emily shouted as she regained her bearings and realized what almost happened. "And don't you ever do that again." She warned him before marching toward a door at the end of the hallway.
"By the way, if I can't get rid of you, you'll be sleeping tonight on the floor." She opened the door to their shared room. "Get yourself settled and comfortable. Dinner will be in an hour." She told him once he entered the room. Then, she turned around and closed the door behind her, leaving him on his own.
"So, what's the story behind this place?" Nolan curiously asked once he was alone. It was not exactly the honeymoon suite he had in mind as his eyes scanned the cramped, stuffy room. "Is this some kind of publicity stunt that Kate arranged that I don't know about?"
He actually assumed the press would be waiting for him at the door when he arrived. But surprisingly, not even one camera flashed before his eyes.
More surprisingly, he did not expect that his wife was volunteering with these underprivileged kids. Was she for real? Was she really doing this without any ulterior motives?
Damn! Did he marry a fucking Saint?