Chapter 12: 10 | The Penthouse

Dinner date with the boss, surely nothing could go wrong? Except for everything!

Nova knew all of this wasn't actually what it seemed to be right now, this wasn't as wrong as it sounded but she couldn't help her morals. After all, she was her disguised boss's fiance now and that had to speak for itself. And if they were making it a news they sure had it all planned, surely there wasn't going to be any problems.

But no matter what, Nova had to be prepared for any situation that could go wrong and she had been thinking about all of this while getting ready for the date.

Glancing at the million pounds worth of ring – a ring that was a lie, a lie that was for the benefit of her country as well as for the world – she sighed in front of the mirror.

It was clear that Officer Adams and her would be shifting to a penthouse, and Nova already felt the pressure of telling her parents about this. She could lie again, of course, it wasn't like she hadn't lied before. She also just realised that for something that she'd never ever learnt, had never even practised but only started doing recently, she seemed to be pretty good at it.

Convincing people, especially her parents about something that's not true and doing it without batting an eye and maintaining the perfect Nova demanure was the one thing Nova wasn't proud of.

Being a perfectionist sure had its cons and Nova didn't like them.

But since lying was starting to have its toll on her, she decided for the first time and with an unbreakable determination, that she would tell her parents about whatever's going on in her life. And this time, they just couldn't convince her otherwise because MI6 was no joke. Neither were the contracts she signed.

Her father was the best man in her life, but even she knew no matter how good of a solicitor he may be, no matter how good at his job he was, he couldn't file a lawsuit against the MI-6. She could even imagine what kind of complain he would file if he was ever to do that. The complain would surely go someway like how the university had played on brainwashing his daughter and tricking her into doing something that wasn't appropriate for her. And it could be funny if only it wasn't a very probable possibility.

A car honk distracted Nova from her own weighing thoughts and standing up and brushing her hands through her hair she took the clutch in her hand and pressed down on her dress for the night.

The silence in the car when she got in wasn't uncomfortable but it wasn't comfortable either. Officer Adams wasn't much of a talker, that much she knew and neither was she. Everything was working up until now, but Nova still had a mountain of questions, still burning in her head for answers and she knew that Officer Adams wasn't the one who would ever give her them.

She glanced at the man beside her, driving with all the concentration in the world focused on the road. His eyebrows furrowed and cheekbones high just like she remembered the last time she'd paid attention to them. His lips were pursed in a straight line and his jaw sharp and set just like it always was.

Derek Adams was sure a good-looking man. The kind of good-looking you found charming as well as intimidating at times. And because she felt intimidated at that time, she glanced back at her side and stared out the window.

It was as if she was living a different life. Because before all of this, she knew what to do and how to do it in any situation. But now, however, it was as if she couldn't help but walk on eggshells around everybody she came across. If she had to guess she would say it all came with the job.

When the car stopped at a red light and car lights from all directions illuminated the inside of their car, Nova found her gaze going back to Officer Adams.

And when she did, she felt like she was watching him for the very first time.

Because she noticed the scar.

When Nova first saw him, she also saw the scar on his right profile, but that time it looked as if it had faded buy now. But when a yellow bright light from somewhere was directly on his face she realised that while it was faded by the time, it was still pretty clear to see.

She was sure it was a burnt injury and she wanted to know the whole story because the scar was him, the scar was a part of Derek Adams. Derek Adams who was the biggest mystery of her entire life, alive and breathing and very close to her.

The car started taking speed – she didn't even realise when it'd started moving again – and this time, Officer Adams' jaw looked like it was clenched. Perhaps he saw her staring and didn't approve of it. No one would, she thought, and so, she looked away again, still thinking about who Derek Adams was.

She was still going to write that report and she would have to submit it. She might have had the finals early this year for the sake of her internship but it didn't mean it would be the same the next and the final year too.

Technically, her degree was of three years and she had it completed but her practicals were pending and this was a part of her practicals which was why she would have to attend school for the half of next year, too.

Maybe that was the reason why they didn't tell her about the case she was working on and she felt like all she had to do was act like a loving fiance throughout all of it and she'd be getting the degree with full marks. And Nova wasn't one to complaint, if she had to act, she will do it with all the perfection she could manage.

*

The car stopped in front of a luxurious looking diner. Nova looked over at Officer Adams only to see him already getting out and getting around by her side. Now, she couldn't just sit there and wait for the door being opened when she could do it herself, now could she? So she opened her door by herself though she took the hand that Derek offered.

She stopped in her head when she realised that she just called her boss by his first name so casually and it almost felt like she had been calling him that from the start. Yes, it was in her head but surely she wouldn't be referring to him as Officer Adams while they were on a dinner date?

“After you,” he said as they entered and with just announcing his arrival to the girl at the reception he went on ahead with a hand on Nova's back guiding her to the ‘usual’ as it was.

Nova couldn't help but wonder if this was the place where he came for meetings or where he took his girls to. But that thought was soon out of her mind when they sat down at the table. After getting comfortable in our seats we just looked at each other like 'now what?' and Nova felt the need to start a conversation.

“You lived here before.”

It was more like a question but with just an emotionless and guarded glance towards her, Derek only nodded once.

“I see,” was all she could say.

Between when they ordered their meal and when it arrived at their table, and when silence was their only companion throughout it all, Nova felt as if this was all going to blow up in her face afterwards. Because if they kept going on like this, no one was going to believe that they were actually very much in love and wanted to marry as soon as possible and had already engaged. It looked like a first date if anything — which it already was, and what good was it going to bring them if they were going to show it as it was? She knew the answer to that – absolutely nothing.

The dinner ended with small talks in between such as Derek asking her how the meal was and her replying it was good. For the record, that was the only ‘small talk’ that happened in the duration of their dinner.

When Nova found herself sitting in the passenger's seat again and Derek driving, she just sighed. Looking back at their supposed ‘dinner date’ and when she realised that she couldn't find one thing worth mentioning, she let out another sigh.

“It sucked.”

Nova looked up at the sudden sound in the car and glanced on her side when she realised it was him who said that.

“Pardon?” she asked.

“The dinner date, it sucked,” he elaborated still not looking her way and Nova found herself smiling at that. She thought he didn't care all along and that he thought they were doing perfect. She was glad he noticed things like this too, otherwise it would have presented itself as a huge problem for afterwards.

“It wasn't that bad,” she replied suppressing her smile and trying to be polite.

He glanced at her this time from the corner of his eyes, then and Nova felt herself blush. It was as if he knew that she was lying.

“You can say the truth, my love, it absolutely sucked,” he said then making the small smile on Nova's face disappear just like it came.

My love?

Nova only nodded, red in the fac. She thanked the partial darkness in the car for not letting him see her flushed face. Or so she thought he couldn't.

The silence went on again and this time it wasn't her boss and/or fiance she was blaming, it was herself.

He tried making small talk, in the diner as well as here, but it was Nova herself who wasn't sure how she was to behave around him and because of that she wasn't talking.

But when Derek went on a completely different direction from where they'd come, she looked over at him again.

“I'm sorry, Officer, but where are we going?” she asked and cringed when she realised she regarded him as Officer.

Perhaps that was the reason why the car came to a sudden stop in the middle of nowhere. No wait a minute, in the middle of Cambridge to London route.

“Okay, we need to have the talk,” Derek said then and Nova sat up straighter.

Was she in trouble? And what talk?

“Pardon?” she asked.

“What is my name, Ms. Newton?” he asked her instead making Nova frown her brows.

What kind of question was that?

But all thoughts started to head out of her head when Derek opened his seatbelt and turned towards her, his illuminated face doing wonders.

He just looked at her as if expecting an answer to the question.

“I — Your what, sir?” that's how her brain helped her at a moment like this. All it did was make Derek lean in towards her a little and her head seemed to just go blank.

“My name, Ms. Newton. I hope you know it.”

“I do.”

“Then say it. Say my name.”

“Derek Adams, Sir,” she replied, suddenly feeling the car smaller than it was, as if the space suddenly wasn't enough to fit two people, like she was getting closer to Adams...

And when he advanced closer towards her, her breathing, she was sure, almost stopped.

“And what should you call me, Nova dear?” he asked then, his face very, very close to hers and the other side of his face now almost brushing hers.

She didn't answer, she couldn't, how was she supposed to when he behaved this... strange? And made her feel strange as well?

But Derek wasn't having it any other way. He leaned in closer, his mouth almost brushing her ear when he repeated, “What should you call me, Nova?”

Somehow, his voice seemed deeper than it already was which only made the strange feeling feel stranger.

“Derek.”

The moment she uttered the name was the same one when many things happened all at once.

Derek took in a sharp breath and Nova was able to feel it as his face was very close to hers. A car honked from somewhere behind them and both of them seemed to come out of whatever trance they were transfixed in.

“Thats right,” she heard him say then, his voice detached again, very different than what it had been like seconds before... when he had been acting... strange.

“What?” she asked again, her head still wrapping around what was going on.

“If you keep slipping and calling me Officer, Ms. Newton, our disguise won't work for even a day,” he said again, with a professional tone. “I suggest you call me by my name from now on, and my name isn't changing to Adams so you can practice to be civil with me,” he explained starting the car again and going on full speed.

“Oh, yes, okay, Mr — Okay, Derek,” she let out but she wasn't sure he heard her.

But if the sudden tighter grip on the steering was any indication, then he sure did hear her, because Derek Adams was a man of few words and loud actions.

*

“Where are we?” Nova wondered when they stopped in front of a pretty big building.

Derek didn't say anything, didn't answer. Instead, he walked in, causing Nova to follow him while another guy took his car to the parking.

But when they entered the elevator and when it opened to a drawing room, Nova knew exactly where she was.

“The penthouse?” she said out loud.

With a gleaming look, Derek nodded the slightest of nods and then confirmed.

“The penthouse.”

____________________

A.N:

Another update!!!

Okay so when I started this chapter I was absolutely clueless about it but then as I continued on, things became clear and from being doubtful of this chapter and even doubting the whole story, I came to love it till the end and I can even say now that I know where and how this story will proceed for which I am absolutely pumped!

So, yeah I wrote this chapter in four or three days, because I was confused about it but now it's all clear peeps! And I know how this is gonna take off!

Anyways, hope you enjoyed the chapter, do comment and vote, add it to your library and reading lists and support your girl, yeah?

Thank you very much.

-Z.