Nova was ready for the day at seven in the morning and ready for whatever it came with.
"Good to go?" Derek asked her and she nodded, taking her phone and bag with her.
"Let's go," she said and they were out of the penthouse.
The lift brought jitters along with it, and not the usual kind, they were something else.
Maybe the fact that this was a huge company and Derek had been the mysterious son of the owner all this time. Surely, when the media saw him again out in the daylight and with someone else it's really going to be a big deal. And then he announces that he's engaged - already, getting married in no time, it's going to explode and it's going explode on the both of them. On her even more so.
Because Derek, was a great looker and Nova wasn't blind. It just didn't matter to her but she knew how much it mattered to every other person. And that meant jealous girls, and honestly, that didn't affect her that much either because she was used to it all. What would create a problem however, were the people she knew
For example, Abigail. Nova kept looking at her phone constantly because she knew as soon as she would be on the Television, Abigail would be blasting her phone with messages and emojis. Emojis mainly. And exclamation marks, let's not forget that. Nova had to be calm about it. Not just Abigail, so many people knew her and not once had they heard about this 'engagement'.
"You look nervous."
That got her out of the overthinking spree. She shouldn't be thinking this much, all was planned and it must go according to the plan. No matter who asks, she knows the story - her love story.
Nova wanted to scoff, just thinking about how Nova never really lied made her think that maybe she should have. Because now she was a sort of professional liar, though she wasn't complaining. She was still somehow grateful.
"No it's nothing. Just a bit cold is all." She replied, rubbing her hands together just for a good measure.
"So are we going to see Mr. Watson there?" She asked him, already trying to get the names straight in her head by calling Officer Penton in his disguised name.
"Yeah, he just arrived there actually," he replied, she nodded.
Nova looked at his ring, and then she looked at hers. They weren't anything too showy or flashy, they were just bands. Though Nova's had a diamond on it, Derek's didn't. She realised, that she liked wearing rings. Not engagement rings per se but, rings in general.
She had been twirling the ring in her finger when they reached their destination. Although Nova had searched up the whole building on the internet, it still wasn't enough to prepare her for the sudden realisation she had.
This was happening. She was going to work. In a building full of people. And lying to them at all times of day.
Nova wasn't as gratified after that specific thought entered her conscious but she wasn't going to let it get to her.
This is my job. I have to do this. This is what I wanted from the start.
That made her feel better.
But she almost jumped when she felt another hand covering her own and upon looking at it she realised it was Adam. Adam Watson, not Derek Adams anymore. It was going to take some time. Because apart from when in front of people she had to convince, Nova couldn't bring herself to address him by his fake name. It was a pretty wierd problem she faced but decided she could manage. Of course she could.
"Couples, remember?" He mumbled to her looking down.
There wasn't much height difference between them, especially when she wore office heels but he still somehow seemed at least half a foot taller.
Linking her fingers through his, she nodded her head, smiled at him and replied, "Yes, love."
*
The interior of the whole building was just as Nova imagined and better. She pictured the glass walls that covered the whole building, she saw the shiny white tiles. She imagined it to be grand, and grand it was.
People made a sweet gesture of acknowledgement towards them and not the confused judging looks she thought she'd be recieving which was relieving on its own. Nova didn't feel the pressure anymore - the pressure of pretence. Because right there and then, she was just Nova Newton as a person, not Adam Watson's fiance. And even if they all knew who she was; Adam's partner, at least Nova was sure that that wasn't how they judged her. Because if they did, Nova was sure she'd know the looks.
"Ms. Newton, Mr. Watson," the man at the door greeted them before they went in to see Officer Penton. She smiled at him before entering and she saw Mr. Adams gave him a nod as well.
"Dad," Mr. Adams said as soon as they spotted Sr. Mr. Watson sitting on the chair. The huge chair.
"Oh, come on in, son. Nova, have a seat." It was as if Officer Penton didn't exist, Nova thought. And as if this was all real.
But instead of being starstruck, Nova went along without losing her demanure.
"How are you?" She asked him as both of them took a seat on the sofa placed right in the middle of the room.
"Ah, Old and aging, the usual," he replied and laughed and a smile appeared on Nova's face.
"You two got here safely? Nova? Any problems faced? Not, I hope," he addressed her as he began putting the files he'd been reading away in a proper manner.
"None, at all, Mr. Watson," she told him and his smily face had a flicker of change. She supposed she just had a slip-up because no other thing could affect you if you're in this work.
"Oh, Nova! How many times should I insist for you to call me by my name!" And he laughed again.
"Pardon, Mark, but you cannot blame me when I see you in your office like this," she tried to come up with a believable excuse and by the relaxing of his face muscles it looked as though it worked.
"Oh, Nova. Don't you worry now, you're joining next week and by next week I won't be here to shout at you," he joked again as he made his way to the seperate sofa chair placed alongside the love-seat Derek and her occupied.
"Yeah, about that... I think its best if you were the one to tell her, actually," Derek said to Mark then, and a wave of realisation passed on Mark's face.
Nova thought it took a huge amount of mental strength to know when you can let emotions show on your face and when to keep them hidden because Mark was the best at it as far as Nova knew. She aspired to be like that.
Sure Derek was pretty amazing too, but he had this emotionless look all the time that he always had a mysterious vibe to him and that mysterious vibe, though was beneficial in way, but to Nova, it could also lead to unfaithfulness of the people he surrounded himself with. To top it, the enemy could very easily put him in his list of people he had to be aware of because of how guarded he always was. Nonetheless, the aura suited him, Nova concluded.
"Derek, you haven't told her yet?"
"Told me what?" She asked then, looking at Derek first and then at Mark.
"Alright then, I'm happy to do the honours." Mark said sitting straighter and looking at Nova in excitement. Nova guessed it wasn't real.
"There's a party, because I'm retiring and because my son is taking over the company, of course." He announced and Nova was forced to look at Derek at that.
Nova wasn't sure what kind of reaction she was supposed to give at that. Was she supposed to be mad? Ought she have created a scene? Been delightfully surprised? But then again, none of that could've suited her personality and so she chose to seem like she didn't appreciate being kept from that particular news but she wasn't going to create a scene and be understanding instead; leave the confrontation for when they would be alone and in their private space.
"There's a theme of course. I presume Adam is unaware or he simply forgot because he doesn't really deem these events as necessary, hence his lack of presence in any and every social event this company's had." He tells them. Nova ignores the urge to look at Derek and instead looks at the office.
"Anyways, I hope you are interested to know because we need someone to maintain the public image, don't we? The theme is red and black, be ready and be there on time, it's our reputation. Hera will be there as well."
Nova guessed Hera was Mark's supposed wife and she was supposed to know her very well.
"Oh, that's great! It's been a while since I've met her, I'll be looking forward to it," she said, smiling.
"Indeed, it will." Came a voice from beside her. What was she supposed to make of that?
*
"Did you really forget about it?" Nova decided to finally ask.
After having a good tour of the whole building and looking at the company's records and learning about it a bit more, they were now in Nova's office which was right in front of Derek's. Apparently Mark's office was going to be his and his alone and it wasn't going to be handed over to Derek since Mark was going to keep coming in to check how the work progressed for a couple of months. To Nova it was fair enough. And believable.
Lately, Nova found herself sort of stuck between reality and pretence and she hoped she got used to it because if she doesn't, it could create problems such as slip-ups which she could never afford.
"Yes, Nova, I did. Tell me, though..." He paused, coming closer towards her after glancing for a fraction of a second behind her where the door was.
He was standing right in front of her, his height towering over hers due to which she had to look up at him. His hand came up, her eyes shifted from his to his hand and as it brushed her hair behind her ear she looked at him again.
She figured someone was at the door. And so she played along.
"Must you already behave like a strict wife, now?" He spoke softly, a ghost of a smile present on his face. Nova blushed, just for the sake of it and because it was all so new and sudden that she actually didn't even have a choice.
"Of course, not," she said looking at him again. "I was just... okay let's just forget about it," she chuckled, throwing her hand in the air.
And for the first time, she saw Derek's eyes twinkle as well. And she was mesmerized. Truly mesmerized. She wasn't sure what or why it was, maybe because for a person like Derek you would think surely he rarely smiled, and to actually witness that rare smile, it was special. To Nova it was. And because of that, she smiled too.
"Mr. Adams?" A voice called and though Nova thought they were supposed to jump apart, since they were caught sharing a moment - and that was how normally people reacted - Derek's left hand which was supporting her at the small of her back which she didn't realise when it'd come there, stopped her from doing anything of that sort.
So she simply looked at the person who had called her man.
Nova almost cringed when she realised what she'd just thought. Her man? Her man? Had the new world finally affected her? The social media perhaps?
"Yes?" She heard him answer back.
"I am Ms. Newton's personal secretary and I was told to introduce myself to the both of you," the girl with short blonde hair and sparkling hazel eyes said, standing there looking a teeny bit uncomfortable. Well, Nova wouldn't blame her.
"Sure, go on," Nova encouraged the poor girl because Derek wouldn't do that - instead he only gave her looks that could send her running for the hills. It was funny, Nova thought, but it was wierd and unusual.
"Okay, so, hey! I - ahem, I'm Genelia, I've just joined yesterday and I'm really glad that I get to work with you!"
Nova smiled at her because the girl obviously needed it. Glancing away from her and towards Derek instead, she slowly put his hands off her so that she could go to her and hug her. God knew the girl needed it.
When in front of her, she embraced her in a hug and then pulled back, her hands still on Genelia's shoulders.
"It's nice to meet you, Genelia. And I love your name!" Nova chirped at her and that surely looked as if it worked because Genelia seemed to calm down a bit. Her fingers that had been fidgeting up until now weren't anymore.
"I suppose we should totally have a getting-familiar-with-each-other drink some time so that both of us are comfortable with each other's company. What do you say?"
The colour seemed to first drian from Genelia's face but it soon came back with full force and she squeaked a reply in-between it.
"Sure! That would be lovely, Ms. Newton."
"Oh, just Nova," Nova insisted and Genelia now looked completely relieved. So Nova pulled her hands away as well.
Until a certain someone coughed.
Both the ladies looked at the one responsible for the awkward interruption and Genelia soon murmured something along the lines of 'I will be leaving now, thanks Nova, Mister Adams,' and off she went.
"What?" Nova asked him when Genelia was out and about.
He, of course didn't reply immediately. He first went to close the see-through doors and then faced her so that his back was towards the doors. Then he held out his hand and Nova almost immediately reached for it. He placed her in front of him and Nova now understood what he was doing.
No one who passed by could see either of their faces. Nor could they hear them because Nova was very sure that the walls and doors were soundproof.
"I suggest you don't get too friendly with people here, Ms. Newton," he said and Nova almost groaned.
Again with his, Ms. Newton thing.
"And why is that, Mr. ..." She trailed off not knowing which surname to use. But he didn't seem to mind.
"Anybody could be the culprit, or with the culprit who we are to distinguish between these many people."
Okay, that made sense but where did the 'not talking' fit in there? She decided to voice her doubts.
"You know, Mr. Adams," she decided to use his real name. Leaning into him a little bit she said, "different people have different tactics. And maybe I believe in getting out stuff with kindness?" She whispered in Derek's ear and then pulled back, looking him in the eyes. However, he wasn't making any sort of eye-contact whatsoever.
Nova again came to a realisation that she had been behaving quite bold since yesterday night. And she wasn't sure if it could come to bite her in the back later. Though she hoped it doesn't.
Her eyes traveled behind him for just a brief second when she caught a glimpse of a man standing at the corner of the doors of the elevator. But before she could take in his features, he had already entred in.
Nova stepped away from Derek to get a clearer look towards the man from another angle, but it didn't quite work well. Because the doors closed.
But before that, she caught sight of black eyes and brown hair. And brown shoes.