In a hospital room, there’s 12-year-old Nova, sitting beside her mother’s hospital bed, giggling as she strokes the paint brush across her canvas, painting her mother. Matilda lowered her canvas on her lap as she finished painting her daughter.
“You’re done already? I’m not even halfway yet," Nova said. She took a peek at her mother’s painting. “That’s not even done yet. How about the background? I’m sitting in a chair. There’s even no body. It’s just my face. I thought we’re painting each other at. the. moment.”
Matilda chuckled at her daughter's cute rant. “At this moment, I only want to look at your face, Nova. It’s a constant reminder to me that I live a great life, having you.”
Nova smiled, climbed up the bed, and snuggled up to her. “Still, you could’ve painted the background.”
“You always have the last words.”
For the last 6 months, this has been their life. Matilda was still in the process of grieving as her parents passed away, and just after that, she was diagnosed with an illness, and now she’s stuck inside the hospital room. She occasionally teaches Nova how to paint, and Nova, after school, insists on taking care of her sick mother, and they bond over telling her mother how her day went all night.
“There they are, my two sweet angels.”
“Dad!” Nova called and ran towards him, embracing each other. They were once a happy family, but not until one day another woman came into their lives. Nova’s gaze fixed on the woman outside of the room. The woman smiled at her, but she gave no response.
“Ah, Nova, meet Isabella, your...” he said, meeting Matilda’s eyes, but she avoided gaze and was visible in her eyes the anger. “Auntie, come on, say hi.” Nova looked at Isabella, forced a smile, and waved at her. “You want to drink soda? Why don’t you buy one at the vending machine? Isabella will accompany you and spend time together,” his dad suggested, walking them out of the room.
Nova looked at Isabella again. Her expression didn’t change, as she was still forcing herself to smile at her. For the last couple of days, she has been seeing her mother not on good terms with her father, but she just shrugged it off as it just seems like a normal couple misunderstanding, but seeing her father smile with this woman and her mother’s gloomy expression, she knows what’s going on.
They are now in front of the vending machine when Isabella’s phone rings. Nova was observing all her moves, and then she faced her. She seems to be hesitating about whether she’ll take it or not, as she keeps glancing at the phone and Nova back and forth.
“You can take it. I can manage myself,” Nova said. Isabella smiled.
“I’ll be quick. Wait for me here,” she hurriedly said and took the phone call. That’s when Nova realizes that there is no money with her. She looked at the way Isabella was going but she decided to go back to the room. She was up to open the door but she heard the angry tone her parents were exchanging.
“Don’t give me that tone, Matilda, we both know that we’re just together because of business. There’s no need for us to be together, your parents are dead. I’m free.”
“How dare you say that to me, Tristan. Are you happy now? Are you happy that my parents are dead? Are you even a human? I bet you're happy that I’m in this situation, I’m losing my life. You want me dead? Do you want me —”
“Yes! Matilda, yes! Just die already! I love Isabella. It’s been her from the start. She can be a mother to Nova. Just let us go.”
Hearing this argument, Nova can’t keep herself from crying so hard. She has no clue about everything and has been picturing them as a perfect family.
Since that incident, she has been keeping an eye on her mother, whose condition worsened after that incident, but Nova is still acting like everything is perfectly fine, and to her father, she started to treat him coldly, as she still remembers him telling her beloved mother to die.
"Mom, you need to eat. You still need to take medicine,” Nova concerningly said. Matilda has still been spacing out, barely doing the things they used to do.
“Take care of yourself, Nova,” she said. Nova put down the spoon and hugged her mother. Her tears started falling and turned into sobs.
“Don’t say that, mom. I’m still here. You promised to see me walk in the aisle with my prince charming, right? You want to paint our portrait just like what grandma did at your wedding. Just please live, mom, for me.”
“Nova,” Matilda gently patted Nova’s head for comfort. “I regret that it might not happen in the future, but I want you to know that I love you, Nova, and I wish that you will find yourself a man that will truly love you, not just because they are forced to, but because they love you.”
That became the last conversation she had with her mother after she passed away that night . She promised herself to fulfill that wish of hers, but fate refused to do so. Nova is now living with her father, and Isabella is now married to her father. The two of them are busy being happy with their lives, while Nova is still blaming her father for her mother's fate. Despite Isabella treating her well, she treated the both of them with cold shoulders. After the years of them being together, Nova now had two younger brothers whom she treated too differently.
She is now 20 years old. It’s been 8 years since she lived under his father’s roof. She’s ready to cut ties with his father and move back to her mother’s house when news breaks out. Their company is on the verge of a financial crisis, but Nova couldn’t care less. She doesn't need the fortune or anything. All she wants is to move back to her mother’s house and live the life her mother wanted for her.
“You can’t move out, Nova,” Tristan said. Nova scoffs after hearing that.
“What makes you think I will obey you, dad? I’m at the right age to decide things for myself. I’m free, dad. That’s what you said to mom before, remember." That's when Tristan realizes the real reason why her daughter has been treating him differently, but it’s too late now to think of the past.
“Even though I’m against of you moving out of the house, I’m still here supporting you, but if you planned to move back to your mothers house, I’m afraid you can’t.” Nova stopped packing her things after hearing those words. “The house is going to be sold, unless you are going to marry.”
“You’re absurd!” she yelled, not even finishing his father’s word. “It is your company that is out of business. Why are you bringing mom’s house into your mess? You’re not content with killing her, and now you want to kill the memories I had with her in that house. You’re really something, dad. I can’t believe you.” She then continued packing her things, not minding him. She doesn't know if this will mean anything, as the house was being sold, but she just wanted to get out of here.
“I will not sell the house if you agree to this, Nova. You’re our only hope. I still want to give your brothers a life just like yours. Marry the Anderson’s, then you can take the house,” Tristan said and walked out of the room. Nova throws one of her clothes out of frustration, and she lets her tears burst out freely. Nova felt like she had completely failed to protect her mother now. Thinking back, she might be able to protect the house but will fail to fulfill her mother’s wish.
A month has passed, and Nova is now looking at the church in the backseat of the car. Wearing a white dress, holding a bouquet, and covered in a long veil. In a minute, she will be married to a complete stranger, contradicting his mother’s wish.
“I’m glad you won’t see me being miserable here, mom. I’m sorry,” she muttered, and a tear fell.
“Wipe your tears, Nova, let’s go.” Nova snaps back to reality as she sees her father outside of the car, waiting for her. Whether she likes it or not, he will be the one walking her down the aisle, handing his daughter to the man she doesn't even love, but she thought that it'd be nothing to him. He just sees this as business.
The two of them walked down the aisle. She observed the surroundings, the decorations, the ambiance, and even the people. She should be the one planning them with the man she loves, but it’s just all laid out for them. It’s all planned. Nova is now looking at the groom on the altar. She will be spending a night with a man whose name she doesn’t even know. Just like her, she knew he was just being forced. The blank stare and gloomy aura were identical, just like her. That must be what his father felt the moment her mother walked down the aisle. The thought of it angered her, and Nova’s grip on her dad’s arm tightened.
“I know you hate me, but that hurts Nova,” he complained.
“That’s nothing compared to how you hurt my mom,” she said in contempt.
He now handed her hands to the man. Nova’s gaze didn’t leave him after saying that. “Please take care of my daughter,” he said.
“I will, sir,” the man said, holding her hands and placing them on his arms. She’s now looking at his back, completely abandoning her. Her gaze turned to the man, wearing a black-pressed suit and slicked-back ash-colored hair. Their eyes met. The man doesn't even see a glint of life in her eyes, while she can still see a little life in his.
“I bet you love someone. Too bad, you’re stuck with me,” she muttered.
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