I Married the Runaway Bride💍[ NaLu ]

INTERLUDE: Behind the Bars

Through his room's veranda, Jude watched the car drive away the estate as he sipped into his glass of wine. He shook his head, disappointed at what Selene had done. Hearing the door opened, he slightly turned around as he tilted his head, eyeing his wife looked back at him with wide eyes.

"J-Jude. What--When...?"

"You know I'm doing all of these for her, right?"

She blinked, swallowing hard as her eyebrows furrowed. "Yes. But I can't stand seeing her like that..."

"Lucy's strong. She'll move on in no time," he replied, eyes darting outside as memories started rushing through his head. "What's important is her safety."

It was late afternoon from weeks ago when he received a message from anonymous sender. He was in his office then, busy from scanning the list of towns his men had visited to look for his only daughter. Then his phone beeped, distracting him as an unknown number popped up in the screen.

Furrowing his eyebrows, he reached for his phone to open the message, but a sudden call appeared from the same number. He stared on his screen for awhile, eyes were narrowed. Before the call ended, he pressed the green button.

"Hello?" The person from the other line voiced out, sounded robotic. "Mr. Jude Heartfilia."

"What do you want?" Jude leaned against his office chair, hand propping up his chin with his elbow resting on the armrest, eyes glaring at the near flower vase.

"I'll get straight to the point. I know where your daughter is hiding. She's just near me, and I could reach her every time I want." And it caught his full attention. He straightened his back, glares sharpened as he cleared his throat.

"How can I make sure that you're telling the truth?"

"I've sent you few photos of her with her husband."

As if something pulled his trigger, Jude's expression darkened with hand clenching his phone tightly. He took in a deep breath, sitting straight as he leaned against his table. "Excuse me, what? Did you just say 'husband'?"

"Oh, I forgot to tell you. She has married a poor rat."

And now, his anger was quickly directed at the caller. It had always been a sensitive topic for him, maybe because he knew the pain it brings. And for this asshole to talk about it so lightly with an insult, it just pushed him on edge.

"If you want her back, I'll bring her to you," the caller continued, making Jude grit his teeth. "But I don't want money as a reward. File a divorce paper, and let her be my wife instead."

The corner of his lips tugged up in a humorless smirk, eyes burning in rage and disgust. He knew, the person behind this line was the one that should never be trusted. And just imagining his daughter with this man had his blood boiling hot. And who's this bastard, really? He had so much guts to wish for something, or someone, that even his life wouldn't be enough to match its value.

Lucy Heartfilia was priceless. No one could ever deserve his princess. No one.

"I'll be waiting for your answer, Mr. Heartfilia." And the line was cut off. With bloodshot eyes, Jude stared at his phone in disbelief. A chuckle vibrated through his chest, not having any hint of humor at all.

"Fool." He shook his head, hand reaching for the intercom at the corner of his table. "Capricorn. Come to my office."

With his fingers tapping impatiently on the wooden furniture, he waited for his right-hand man to arrive. After few more seconds, a knock on the door brought him back from his train of thoughts. Capricorn entered, standing tall and proud in front of him with his eyes covered by a tinted glasses.

"I want you to track down this number's location. My daughter should be near the area, do your best to search for her."

"As you wish, my lord."

The next morning, Jude found himself staring at the print out photos that the anonymous sender had sent. With narrowed eyes, he glared at the man with unruly pink hair, grinning as his eyes were fixated at Lucy, his daughter. Jude pursed his lips, throwing the photo back on his table and reached for the documents he had just received from his private investigator earlier.

"Natsu Dragneel..." he read aloud, raising an eyebrow while scanning the background informations. He found out that the boy was orphan and currently living by himself. He's twenty years old, a working college student taking up Architecture in Fairy Tail University.

He nodded, quite satisfied, and flipped the pages. His attention was caught by the people closely associated with Natsu.

"Makarov Dreyar, Lisanna Strauss, Gray Fullbuster..." Elites.

His eyebrows furrowed, a frown taking over his amused expression as he massaged his temple. Even if this Natsu seemed good, he still couldn't accept the fact that Lucy got married without him knowing. He'd never imagined she'd go that far, marrying a stranger, just to get away from him.

Weeks had passed, and Jude let everything as how it should be. As of that moment, he didn't have plan disturbing them. If Lucy's doing way better than when she was under his roof, he wouldn't interfere. He'd just wait for the right time.

That was his plan, until the news of Dan Straight reached him. Jude couldn't just let that pass, and he couldn't let Lucy be alone out there anymore, unprotected.

"Did Natsu really sign their divorce papers?" Selene's voice neared him, while Jude's hold on the railings tightened.

"He did," he nodded, gulping the last remaining drop of his wine.

Another memory of the other day flashed in his head, the root of it all.

He was sitting comfortably, with his crossed legs and elbows on the armrest, as if he's only inside his office. His eyes watched the boy who caused everything sit on the chair across him, hands were bound with cuffs.

"Yo, Mr. Heartfilia," he greeted, voice was deep, sounded almost a violent growl with his eyes full of wrath. "After leading you to your bitch of a daughter, this is what I'd get from you?"

Jude's jaw clenched, his veins on his arm portruded as his fingers almost dug to his skin, hands were clasped together. "Watch your word, kid. You wouldn't be in this situation if you didn't lay a finger on her."

"And please keep in mind that I'll make you pay for putting me in this situation!" Dan slammed his bound fists on the white table, standing violently that caused the guards on the corner to take action. They forced him back down, earning growls of protest as Dan harshly wiggled his arms. "Don't touch me, assholes!"

His wild eyes pierced to Jude, teeth grinding together. He leaned forward, attempting to whisper his threats. "I'm may be caged behind the bars, but I can still make you pay for everything, Heartfilia. Remember that!"

Jude had never gotten scared to anyone. Even at this moment, he only stared at the fury visible in Dan's darkened eyes. But deep inside him, he was bothered, not for his safety but for Lucy's. After all, no one knows about the capabilities of a person full of hatred. They'd do everything to satisfy their thirst for revenge.

And that's what making him worry. What if something bad would happen again? As early as possible, he needed to take Lucy away from trouble, even if it meant breaking her heart. Again.

He'd rather have her hating him more, than completely losing her. Jude admitted that the reason why he had planned on marrying her off to Sting Eucliffe was selfish, but this time, it's solely for her safety.

He had already lost Layla, and he couldn't afford to lose their daughter, too.