The day of the wedding came with unexpected hurriedness.
Maddox kept his careful distance, Noodle kept carefully under our bed, and Elliot continued to carefully prep amazing dinners for us.
I was going to be fat and spoiled by the time the personal chef resumed her position.
Though I typically woke before Maddox, on this day he was gone from the bed by the time my eyes opened at half past seven in the morning to a loud, rough knock at the door.
Sleepily, I rub my eyes and slide from the bed, tugging the hem of my sleep tee lower while I padded quickly over.
Before I could even grasp the door handle, it swings forcefully open, nearly smacking me in the nose in the process.
I yelp, darting backwards as Tatiana Dodge enters the room. In her stick skinny arms she carries several bundles, dumping them on the bed.
“What is that?” I ask curiously, though she swats me away when I edge closer.
“You and I need to have a talk, Miss Ava.” She snaps instead, slamming the door closed behind her.
She paces, adjusting the beautiful off white gown she wears. Apparently no one had told her it was rude to where white to a wedding.
Then, suddenly, she whirls on me. Her eyes, the very same ones her son shares, glitter through heavily made up slits. The sheer hatred on her face is enough to make my stomach recoil, hands balling into fists like I was prepping for a fight. Then again, I had no idea what Tatiana would do – what she was capable of.
“What is it?” I ask, lifting my chin in a way that would make Mom proud. Hopefully my future mother-in-law couldn’t see my shaking knees, “What’s your deal?”
“My deal?” She croaks, sinking into a nearby chair. Her hands fall limp into her lap. I almost feel sorry for her, she looks so broken over there. I take a step closer to her uncertainly.
“My deal is that my son is marrying a no good gold digger!” She shrieks and I am instantly glad that I didn’t wrap my arms around her in comfort.
“Excuse me?” I mumble, startled by the accusation. I almost tell her that it was Maddox’s idea to get married, but then think better of it.
It was supposed to be a secret after all.
“I’ve looked up your ‘business.’ I know you’re in the red. I know you’re desperate for my son’s money-”
“It’s not like that!” I begin swiftly, clutching at my chest.
But, I mean. It kind of was, right?
What was I supposed to say? That I wasn’t marrying him for the money?
Then what exactly were my reasons?
She glares at me, seeing right through my poor attempt at deflection.
“You don’t love my son.” She accuses dryly, and for some reason those words twist right up in my stomach.
Love.
What even was love?
I didn’t know Maddox very well, there was no getting around that. I’d always imagined that when I got married, if I got married, it would be to a man I’d spent years with – not weeks. I’d always imagined I’d know him inside and out, that he would know me.
And while I didn’t know Maddox inside and out, I knew the compassion sparkling behind blue eyes, I knew that Noodle trusted him when that cat trusts no one, and I knew that he was willing to go out of his way to help others.
More than anything, I knew standing at his side filled me with a sensation I’d never felt in my life. One that made me feel like I’d sprouted wings, one that made my head dizzy, one that made me hope for the future.
Was that love?
Or by marrying Maddox, was I denying my entire life of love?
“You think you can move yourself into his home, into his bed, and that makes you special? You think you can steal his last name and his fortune, and that will make you happy? It won’t, Ava. It won’t.”
“I don’t want to steal anything from Maddox or you or his father.” I insist, sinking down onto the edge of the bed when my knees quaked too much to stand.
My head spun.
Getting married was hard enough, but now with his mother accosting me…
“You won’t get a single cent, dear.” She continues bitterly, “When you inevitably leave him or cheat on him, you won’t get a single thing.”
She stands and rifles through her papers, pulling out a stack of papers and thrusting them towards me, “You will sign this.”
“…Sign what?”
I stare down at the heavy stack, weighing at least what Noodle does. A prenuptial agreement, I realize.
“This says that when you divorce, you will get nothing. Not a cent. Not a dime. And nothing of his will go towards your so called business.”
She was effectively cutting off the entire agreement that Maddox and I had made. I glance around, but there is no one to help me.
Where did Maddox go?
“I said I don’t want anything from him!”
“Of course you do!” She shrieks, “I don’t know how a plain woman like you has managed to seduce my son, but I will make sure that you get nothing from us!”
“Don’t you realize it’s your fault that he’s in this mess!” I cry abruptly, tears threatening my eyes. I hadn’t meant to say it, but it was out now.
Noodle pokes his head out from under the bed at my distressed shriek, staring at me with confused eyes.
“What in the world are you spouting on about?” The woman cries back, reeling back a hand as if to hit me. I don’t flinch, and she changes her mind.
“If he isn’t married by the time he turns twenty six, you practically kick him from the family!”
Tatiana blanches, her arms going limp at her side, “What?” She finally asks, voice hoarse.
“He told me he loses his inheritance if he doesn’t marry before his birthday. That he was supposed to get it last year.”
“…That’s what this is all about?” She mumbles, falling back into her chair. I almost consider going back to comfort her again, but her furious eyes lock back on me, “You put this idea in his head, didn’t you?”
There was no way this conversation was going that didn’t end with me at fault.
“Get out.” She spews abruptly, “Get out of here.” She lurches upwards and towards me, and I kneel and scoop up Noodle in fear that he’d attack the older woman.
“What do you mean get out?” I gasp, “The wedding-”
“I never want to see you again!” The woman bellows, and when she comes closer I’m honestly worried she’s going to throttle me, “My son doesn’t need you. He doesn’t even want you if this is all about his inheritance, can’t you see that he chose you to spite me? That he chose an ugly woman like you to rub my husband’s decision in my face?”
My feet weigh as much as bricks as I clumsily stumble towards the door, gaping at the angry woman whose arms flail around ferociously.
“You are not worthy of the Dodge name. Now get out!”
She flings herself at me and I run down the stairs in only a t-shirt, clutching my cat to my chest with eyes blinded with tears.
I make it only half way down before I collide with a warm body.
Elliot shouts in surprise as we both fall down the last few steps, which thankfully isn’t far. I cradle Noodle against me, protecting him from any harm.
“Ava?” The man asks, startled. He reaches towards me, eyes going big as he notices the tears.
“I have to go.” I whisper hoarsely, “I have to get out of here.”
He doesn’t reply, grabbing my arm gently and helping me to my feet. In seconds, he’s gotten a pair of car keys and is helping me dart out across the lawn.
The air is thick and heavy with impending rain, making it hard to breathe.
“Ava?”
I hear a man’s call as the car door slams shut and Elliot revs the engine, my head turning just slightly to catch one last glance of Maddox, running as fast as he can down the lot towards the car.
But even Maddox’s powerful legs can’t keep up when we steer onto the highway.
“Do you want to talk about it?” Elliot asks, glancing at me as I bury my face into Noodle’s soft brown fur and shake my head.
Tatiana was right about everything.
I wasn’t worthy of Maddox. I’d been living in a dream world since he proposed. Of course he would choose me because I was plain and unappealing. Of course that was the reason.
“He cares about you. More than you know. You’re not just Ava to him. You’re something else entirely.” Elliot continues gravely.
I can’t answer, my throat swollen and tight from the tears pouring onto Noodle’s back. His tail curls around my face, protecting me.