Chapter 2 - A Baby

Ava

Once I got out of the closet room, I saw that Ace had already left my room.

I glanced at the time on my phone, only to find it was almost five in the evening. After an hour, I would be on my way to the church. I was getting married at the church my family owned, which was a ten minutes drive from here.

No more overthinking, Ava. You will be happy with Simon. This is the right decision.

I took a few deep breaths and sat on my bed. My hand landed on a small piece of white paper. I opened it and found the familiar neat handwriting, 'Don't be nervous. I'll always be by your side.'

A smile formed on my lips, seeing the note Ace left for me. He could've texted me that easily, but he knew that I loved getting letters, whether small or big. He really did know me the best.

I saw a few texts from Simon, him requesting to see my picture, so I didn't 'see' his text and cleared the notification. I didn't know why I wasn't interested in talking to him at the moment. There were bigger issues on hand.

I wanted to practice my wedding dance steps now that I had an hour's time. What if I tripped during the dance in front of everyone and the paparazzi, who were exclusively invited by my dad, made sure to spread the word of embarrassment like a fire?

Standing up, I started to move a little by little with my heavy gown. It was really hard to practice without a partner. No doubt it looked absolutely ridiculous as well.

Turning on the music on my phone, I started dancing. While I was lost in the dance, I didn't realize Ace had left the door open.

As soon as my eyes fell on the door all of a sudden, a horrified gasp escaped my lips, and I placed a hand over my chest. "God! Ace, you scared the shit outta me. Why are you standing there like a creep?"

Ace was leaning against the door frame, standing with his arms crossed and watching me with a small smile playing on his lips. "Your dance..." he started to say, but I interrupted.

"Is looking horrible, right?" I completed it for him. "I know. But I need a partner to practice with. I cannot do these steps alone. If it was someone else instead of you, that person would think I was crazy."

"Well, who said I don't think you are crazy?" He raised his brows.

"Because you know it, so you don't even have to think," I deadpanned.

Ace stepped into my room once again. He put his hands in his pocket and asked, "Why are you practicing this at the last moment? I am sure you and Simon practiced a lot."

I sighed. "I don't know. What if I trip while dancing with Simon in front of thousands of people? It will be so embarrassing that I will dig my grave there after I dig yours."

"Why will you dig my grave?" he inquired, furrowing his brows in confusion.

I looked at him with my gray eyes and said innocently, "I can't die alone, now can I?"

As soon as I said that, his eyes grew as wide as saucers. Ace shook his head and extended his hand to me, making me confused.

"I can be your partner," he said softly. When I stayed quiet, he added, "Dance partner, for now, is what I meant. Though I know you will do just fine, if you dance perfectly once for now, it will ease your nervousness and assure you that you won't trip at least."

I nodded my head. "You are right." I placed my hand over his hand, looking straight into his green eyes.

Ace placed my hand over his shoulder and held me close by my waist. The song continued playing as we started to sway together slowly, our eyes locked with each other.

I was trying to keep up with the slow pace until suddenly my right foot slipped due to taking one wrong step. Instantly, Ace grabbed me back, preventing me from falling. My hands were over his shoulders now, as we continued to sway slowly.

That blunder was enough to crush the little bit of dancing confidence I had left.

"I am forgetting the steps, Ace." I was freaking out at this point.

"It's okay, you are just nervous, nothing else," he tried to assure me.

"What if I fall on my face out there?" I asked, anxiety clear in my voice. I never thought I would get cold feet before the wedding, yet here I was.

Ace gave me a big smile, his dimples popping out. He pulled me closer to him and whispered to me, "I will catch you every time you fall. As I said, I will always be by your side, Ava."

His words were soothing, which made me feel a bit relieved. Ace was a man of words, so he meant every single word, and I knew that. He would always be there for me, come what may.

I just want to get over this wedding for once and all now. It was making me go crazy.

Suddenly, the door burst open, and a ginger woman rushed to us. One of my guards got inside my room, saying, "Excuse me, miss, you have to leave from here."

I and Ace pushed each other slightly. Ace went to turn off the music playing from my phone while I looked at the crying ginger woman.

"Are you okay, miss?" I asked with concern. I took the glass filled with water, which was on the tray nearby, and handed it to her. "Here, drink this."

"Ma'am Ava, I am sorry," said the guard. "She just burst in and—"

"It's okay," I told the guard. "You may leave."

Once the guard left, Ace pulled me to one corner of my room.

"Ava, are you sure it's safe to let a stranger stay here? She looks like a maniac," Ace mumbled, concern visible in his voice.

I nodded my head. "It's okay, Ace. Let's see why she's here. Besides, don't worry about her being crazy. You will stay by my side as I talk to her."

"So you are making me your bodyguard after making your actual guard leave," Ace stated as if he solved the biggest puzzle in the world.

"Don't blame me. You are the one who said will always be by my side," I reminded him. "Now let's go and ask her what's wrong."

We went to the woman, to find her scanning my room with her eyes.

I cleared my throat and started, "What brings you here, miss?"

The woman looked at me with her teary brown eyes and spoke up, "Please don't marry Simon Rainstorm."

"Huh?" I raised my brows in confusion. "Why?"

"Because I am carrying his baby."