30 Days Marrying You

chapter 23

Three pairs of eyes were on Daniel . He squared his shoulder.

"So, what's up with you and Jessica ?" Emily asked as soon as jessica and Xavier left the room.

Daniel casted his eyes skyward. "Okay, I like her. Not as a friend. But more than a friend. Go ahead. Yell at me," he said.

Emily gave him a long and measured look.
"Good luck in making her to realize your feeling."

"I'll remember that. Wait, that's it? You're not gonna get mad at me?" Daniel looked surprised.

"Why should I be angry?" Emily blinked.

"Because she is my cousin's wife?" The moment he said those words, Daniel realized how absurd he was.
He never thought he could fall in love with Jessica , but he did. Was it the way she managed to make the world seemed like a beautiful place whenever she smiled?
Was it the way she made every problem seemed trivial every time she laughed? But, the moment he heard their marriage was just a fake one, he realized, he already let his feeling grow.

"In a fake marriage, as we recall." Emily stood up. She walked towards the window where Xavier was standing earlier.

Daniel followed her movement. "So, are you on my side?" His eyes were gleaming with hope. The anxiety of being in forbidden love vanished.

Emily leaned against the wall, her arms crossed.
"Nope. I'm not on anyone side. If I have to choose,
I'll be on Jessica's side. She is my best friend. I want her to be happy. With someone she loves and truly loves her back. Be it you or Xavier ." She stared into distance.

"Then, you won't mind if I go after her?" He narrowed his eyes at her.

"Go on." Emily glanced over at him, a slow, sweetly poisonous glance. "But, promise me something. Don't force her to do something she doesn't want to do. Don't make her cry. And if you are not the one chosen, let her go and just pray for her happiness."

"But, she is not in love with xavier , right? And it's not like he is in love with her either," Daniel said suddenly.

"Xavier , huh?" Emily smiled faintly. "I don't know what he is really feeling.
In fact, it is almost scary how he doesn't show his emotions clearly.
With you, I could almost read you like an open book.
But Xavier , he is almost like a book in a foreign language that I don't even know existed.
" She shook her head slightly. "What do you think? Do you think he love her too?"

Daniel startled a bit with that sudden question. After knowing both of them were forced into the marriage, he was convinced that Xavier didn't love Jessica . When he thought back, Xavier always acted calmly. With his cool expression and the proud smile, he seemed like a strong person.
But, it was different at the balcony just now where Xavier showed his fragile face in front of him. Was it because their fake marriage that he wanted to hide was known now? Or because he said he loved Jessica ? Daniel wondered how often Xavier let glimpses of his real self peek through the façade that was as hard as stone brick.

Don't get close to Jessica .

Daniel remembered what Xavier told him and of his scary face after he said his heart was thumping crazily as he thought Jessica was cute.
At first, he thought Xavier was angry because he was interrupted reading the magazine. Now, Daniel wasn't sure anymore.

"I... I don't know." That was all he managed to answer.

'If Xavier does love her, would I be willing to give up?' Daniel wondered. 'No!' Another voice echoed inside his head. 'No, I won't!'

Yes, it was true when he said Xavier was his favourite cousin. And he was willing to give up anything to him. Like how he gave up the position as the heir to Xavier although he was the first born. How he behaved like a bad boy to lose his grandma's favours. He even travelled far away to avoid any conflict regarding the succession later. But, not this time. Not Jessica too.

"Even if he does love her, I won't give up this feeling," Daniel said firmly.
This time, he was determined to not lose anything to Xavier anymore.

"Just remember what I've warned you." There was no emotion in emily's voice.
She sounded neither approving nor disapproving of Daniel's resolution.

"You might as well warn Xavier too," Daniel said.

Emily just chuckled. "Oh, don't worry. I will. Just be grateful I got to you first. Think of it as you win a lottery."

"A scary lottery," Daniel muttered but he instantly bit his lower lip when emily gave him a death glare.

Daniel and Emily went back to the party to see almost everyone was dancing and slow music was being played.
A man that he didn't know came to invite emily dancing .
Daniel was left alone, wondering where Jessica might be.
Looking around, he could see Jessica and Xavier were dancing in the middle of the hall. His throat felt tight, as if he'd swallowed something either very hot or very cold.
He realized with a sharp stab of annoyance. Of course, now that he confirmed his feeling, it would be normal to be jealous to see them stuck closely together.

He didn't know how long he was staring at both of them. He only snapped out of his reverie when he saw Emily approaching Xavier . The next moment, they were dancing together and Jessica was dancing with the pretty man. Daniel realized he was smiling. Somehow, he felt like thanking Emily .