Contract Marriage; Fated Love

“Tell me Jessy, how did you know Noah?”

“Noah?”

“Yes, I want to know your relationship with him.”

“It’s not important, baby.”

“It is. I want to know.”

“We… we are just having issues at the moment. It’s nothing serious.”

“You are hiding something from me…” she began but Jessy sealed her lips with a kiss.

“Wow. Finally, you are back to your roots. Fate has its own way of designing things.”

“But, how do you really see this? Out of the blues, I belong to the Harper family?”

“It’s surprising and sudden but that doesn’t make it absurd.”

“I’m your ex husband’s sister? You don’t feel uncomfortable about it?”

“No, I don’t have to. What matters is our good and cordial relationship and not the name or status attached to someone.”

“Yeah, that’s true.”

“Will you go back with us after the holidays?”

“I will love to. Yes, I will.”

“Will Noah let you go? He’s basically all over you.”

“I think he loved that sister of his even before she was born. He placed her above his own life and interest. He probably vowed to do everything she asked of him. That man has a soft side that you will never know of.”

“Behind that horrible face is a tender heart. Liam has enjoyed him to the core. Aren’t you thinking of staying back? He will give you a job here, of course”

“I want to go back. My whole life was there. It’s going to be very difficult to leave everything, including you. If I stay back, will you stay with me?”

“Common Yanxi. My life, business and career is based there. There is nothing for me to do in this country.”

“Then I will go with you!”

“The choice is yours to make but I don’t think going back is the best choice. We will miss our Aunty Yanxi.”

They made their way into the private burial ground and when they got to her grave, Noah crouched and dropped the flowers he was holding. Gu Yanxi dropped hers too. She had come to pay respect to her mother. It was their mother’s death anniversary and consequently her birthday.

She noticed the old flowers on the grave were exactly the same ones they came with.

“Does your mum love these flowers so much?”

“She isn’t just my mum. She’s our mum.”

“Ohh. Yes, I’m sorry.”

“You don’t know how long and how hard I tried to find you. I spent twenty two years looking for you. I searched on the surface some years, other years I looked carefully and other years, I gave up. But in all of these, I strongly believed I would find you and bring you to see her.”

“But how did I leave the family?”

“That is a story I don’t know. I have looked for answers everywhere but it’s well covered and sealed. Just like you surfaced unexpectedly, that answer will come soon.”

“Okay.”

“Mum and I waited for years to have you. I always wanted a sister and you can imagine my joy when mum took in. I didn’t leave her side all through the period. When the scan said it was a baby girl, I was overjoyed. I promised to be the best big brother on earth. The cry of the baby further strengthened my resolve to give her everything she deserved as my blood. Mum passed away and the child was also said to be dead. I was devastated. I lost mum and my only sister too. The cry of the baby lingered in my heart for years and I refused to believe she was gone. And today, I was proved right. You weren’t gone. You are here today.”

He pulled her into his embrace and held her closely. She observed him from a close range.

“Wow. Her brother was really handsome.”

He released her from his embrace and stared in a particular direction. She followed his line of sight and saw a man walking into the graveyard. He was carrying a bouquet of flowers.

Noah looked again to be sure his eyes weren’t playing tricks on him. Did his father come to see his mother? He had never been there since his mother died.

“Dad?”

He jumped in fright and quickly maintained his balance.

“Noah. I didn’t expect you will be here.”

“It’s mum’s anniversary, I have to be here.”

“I mean, you should go to work.”

“Good morning sir,” greeted Gu Yanxi.

“Morning.”

“Dad, did you really come to see my mum? After all these years?”

“Who is that with you?”

“My sister.”

His old and eagle like eyes studied her closely. He made her uncomfortable and she fidgeted under his frightening and intimidating look. He frowned at that.

“A child of your mother should not shiver when they are being stared at. Your mother was not a weakling. She stood her ground and stood up to a lot of people.”

“Dad? You do acknowledge that she’s my sister and your daughter?”

“Your sister, yes. My daughter, no. Now, enough of those questions let me do what I am here for.”

Noah stepped aside and watched as his father placed the bouquet of flowers on her grave. That flower used to be a common sight in their house. He always bought it for her anytime he returned from his business trip.”

The more he watched, the more uncomfortable and curious he got. He decided to ask his question and satisfy his rising curiosity.

“Dad, mum has been here for over twenty years. You never visited for one day. Why did you show up today with the regular flower you always bought her?”

“I owe this to her. When you told me that you had brought her daughter back, I decided to come and see her.”

“Meaning, you acknowledge she has a daughter?”

“Yes, I do.”Exclusive content © by Nô(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.

“You are making things all complicated and confusing. You said it initially that the child lost her life too. Now, you said she has a daughter?”

“I am tired son. Now, I am affirming that she had a daughter.”