[Book 2] of Nova and Xavier.
They say the first year of marriage is the hardest.
Faced with consequences of the past and ultimate betrayal, will Nova and Xavier prove that no matter what, love always wins? Or are somethings to hard to forgive?
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A loud knock makes Xavier bolt up off the bed.
"Xavier! I need to speak to you its ur-" But Xavier opens to see a dishevelled and out of breath Isaac. He opens his mouth and quickly shuts it with his eyes bulging when he sees me standing up and smoothing out my dress.
The confusion on his face and then the panic, spikes anxiety inside of me.
"I..thought.." He gestures to me, running his hands through his hair.
"No, she decided to go shopping without telling anyone." Xavier grimaces turning to me.
"Well, I'm glad your okay Nova, but...someone saw you out with Oscar and they have arrested him."
"What? Why would they do such a thing?" I say walking towards the door and squeezing past Xavier.
"Well-"
"Oh, Christ! It's because he's black isn't it?" Xavier snaps, pinching his nose.
Isaac nods biting the inside of his cheek.
"What does the colour of his skin have anything to do with him being arrested?" I ask looking to Xavier and Isaac in confusion. "He's a footman at the estate, an employee for goodness sake! His colour is irrelevant!"
"They have taken him to the stocks for a public whipping. They thought you...please forgive me Nova, but after I reported to the police that you were missing, they put two and two together and thought you had deserted your marriage and run off with a black man, then someone saw you two kissing.."
I feel Xavier tense beside me, as my heart thumps painfully fast behind my chest.
"KISSING?" I yell, we didn't kiss. How could someone lie about something like that?
I look to Xavier and see his eyes have closed while rubbing his forehead with the palm of his hand.
"Nova, we're you over-familiar with him in town?" His voice like acid.
"No.." But now I think about it, Oscar was always a step behind me while we walked. In the end, I linked my arm into his and we walked together. He was surprised at first, but I wanted to make him feel at ease. Soon we were both laughing swapping stories.
"Nova." Xavier and Isaac are both looking at me, waiting for me to continue.
"Well, I linked my arm into his when we were walking into town. But surely..."
"Bloody hell Nova! What were you thinking!"
"I'm sorry! It didn't mean anything!"
But Xavier walks past me and a frozen Isaac, even I can see his face is displeased.
