Chapter Thirty-Seven
Laurence came out of the bedroom and sat beside Serenity. He had to tell her the reality of their relationship. He placed his laptop on the small center table.
"You didn't answer my question Serenity?" He asked while starting his laptop.
"What question?" She asked absentmindedly.
"Why did you marry me instead of Alexander?" He asked, turning to took into her sad eyes.
Laurence noticed the sadness on her face and sighed.
"You can trust me," he said quietly. "Why did you marry me, Serenity? I need to know."
"Because Alexander already got married. He didn't bother informing me. I saw him with his pregnant wife," she confessed as fresh tears fell from her eyes.
"Are you sure? That man adores you, worships you. I don't think he can survive a second without you, let alone marry someone else. Did you confront him?" Asked Laurence. Serenity shook her head.
"See? You should have. He might have had an explanation for what you saw," he said.
Serenity wiped her eyes and looked at him. "You don't look happy with this wedding too. Why did you marry me?" She asked him. He was a friendly and an understanding man. She didn't feel at all uneasy in his presence.
"Mine's a long story," he said. Laurence told her everything about his Aria his eyes filling up at the memory. He didn't mention his accident to her. It might scare her into thinking that her life was in danger.
"Still we were happy with each other. After a week of marriage, my parents threw her out of my home in my absence. They claimed that she stole money from the house. I looked for her everywhere but couldn't find her. After a week the money that was allegedly stolen was found in my sister Lisa's closet. I blasted my parents and stopped all interactions with them, " he said with a deep sigh.
"You didn't find Aria?" Asked Serenity, feeling worse for him.
"No. I employed the best detectives as we couldn't involve the police. It would taint my family's reputation. I have searched for her everywhere but haven't found any details about her yet. I found her pregnancy report. She was pregnant with my baby when she left. For two years I didn't have any interactions with my family. My mom fell terminally ill due to her kidney complications as her diabetes grew worse. I had to forgive them. My parents have repented every moment after finding out the truth and seeing her pregnancy report. But the harm cannot be undone. She's gone with my baby. I'm still searching for her, but no success so far," said Laurence with a sigh.
"Then why did you marry me? You might find her soon," she said, confused.
"I know I will find her but my mom's condition has deteriorated so much that the doctors have given up and refused treatment the last time we went to the hospital. She wanted to see me happily married and settled before she leaves us forever. She begged me. It was her last dying wish and I didn't know what to do," he confessed with a far away look in his eyes.
"What if you find your Aria next month?" Asked Serenity.
"Look I'll be very frank with you. We will be married till either my mom dies or I find my Aria, whichever is earlier. Till then we will put on a show as a happily married couple. I want to fulfill my mom's last wish to see me happily married," he said sighing.
Serenity understood his wish to fulfill his mom's last wish. It was only fair that he gets united with his Aria once he finds her. She would release him. It was the only human thing to do.
"Don't worry, I'll give you your divorce when you want it," she promised. A faint smile tugged at his lips.
"Thank you Serenity. I just hope that you too unite with your Alexander. Don't stay away from the one you love so much. Clear your misunderstandings. You won't get another life to love him again," Laurence advised.
Serenity nodded. If only she had thought about this before her marriage to Laurence. Her head swooned and she rushed to the en-suite to throw up again. Laurence helped her back to the bedroom.
"Have you eaten anything toxic or stale?" He asked and Serenity shook her head.
"Did you take any medicine?" He asked with concern.
She shook her head. He gave her some water and went to get some medicine for a stomach bug. He handed her the medicine and she swallowed it with water. Laurence buzzed Sandra for something light to eat as she had again thrown up.
"Tell me honestly. Did you and Alexander have s*x a fortnight or so ago?"he asked and Serenity gaped at him wordlessly. Yes, they had and Alexander hadn't used any protection.
"Your face tells me you had. So did you have your periods after that?" He again asked. Her eyes went wide with horror. No she didn't get her periods, she was already overdue. It could only mean one thing. She was pregnant with Alexander's baby.
Her whole world crashed at the realisation. What would she do now?
"Don't worry, we won't broadcast it now. After fourteen days we will announce your pregnancy. Then we wouldn't have to explain your pregnancy. Relax now," said Laurence. He had an easy and caring nature and had a solution to all her problems.
Sandra came inside with a clear soup. "I'll serve dinner early," she promised and they smiled at her.
"Sandra please don't tell anyone about Serenity's sickness. I'll explain in my own way," he said and Sandra flashed a knowing smile.
"Don't worry, I won't say a word," she said, leaving the apartment.
They had an early dinner and went to bed early. "You can sleep on your side. Don't worry, I won't touch you unless you want me to," he said with a teasing smile.
"No thank you. You sleep on your side mister husband," she said with a smile.
"Friends?" He asked.
"Friends," she promised.
They relaxed in each other's company and went to sleep. Laurence was thankful that their talk went well and Serenity had agreed to release him if he found his Aria ever.
Serenity tested positive when she tried the home pregnancy test kits that Laurence got for her. They decided to wait for a fortnight before announcing the news of her pregnancy to his family. Serenity hid her nausea well and went downstairs often to bond with her new family.
After a fortnight, they announced the good news to everyone. His parents were the happiest people on earth. Laurence took Serenity to a good gynecologist.
His parents took active interest in Serenity and her pregnancy. Hia mom went out of her way to look after her. As days went by Laurence found that his mom wasn't so sick as she had proclaimed. Was Lisa right after all? His mom was healthy and better day by day.
Laurence was very depressed as days passed by. No one cared about his happiness. For his parents he was just a money minting machine. Lisa came and went and hardly stayed home for more than two days. He hadn't found his Aria or his child and had nearly given up hope. He realised that either she had committed suicide or changed her identity completely. It was a futile effort and he asked his PI to stop the investigation altogether. He just dragged himself home from work and sat down to relax.
Serenity sat down with a tub of icecream that he brought for her to indulge in. His phone buzzed and he picked it up irritatedly. It was from an unknown number and he didn't have any wish to take the call.
End of flashback
Laurence was wild with worry after that call he had been waiting for ages. Serenity curiously asked him what the matter was. He explained to her as he made the online payments for the medical costs and treatment. Then he called his pilot and asked him to get his jet ready to fly to Hot Springs Airport, Arkansas. He quickly started packing and Serenity helped him.
"Since I've found my Aria we need to talk to my parents. I'm leaving in twenty minutes. My flight's in three hours. Come downstairs, " he said and Serenity followed him to the elevator. She realised that she would now have to leave and give him the divorce that she had promised him. She now just crossed her fingers that his parents took the news well.
They went downstairs and his mom looked up as she helped Sandra bake a three tier cake. "Yes sweetie, are you going somewhere?" She asked looking at the two of them.
His dad came into the room and went straight to the bar to get beer for himself.
"Mom, dad, we need to talk please, in privacy," said Laurence and his mom worriedly looked at him. She asked Sandra to leave them for a moment and she obliged. Laurence's dad came forward and sat down at the kitchen table.
"What's the matter, son?" He asked in concern.
"Mom dad, I'm leaving for Russelville, Arkansas in twenty minutes. I just now received a call from the Russellville Public Hospital that Aria and my daughter Lauren are admitted there. They had an accident and I need to leave immediately. I'm planning to bring them back with me. I'd been dreaming about this for the last four years and its finally happening, " said Laurence. His parents gaped at him unable to grasp it all at once.
"I don't mind you bringing them back, but what about your wife, Serenity? What about your unborn children? Have you thought about that?" Asked his dad, worriedly.
"Dad, Serenity and I are not in love and will never be. She loves Alexander and is pregnant with his children. She had a fight with him and married me on the spur of the moment. We haven't even consummated our marriage. We can only be friends. As such we have decided to release each other," said Laurence and his parents received the second shock of the evening.
They gaped at the two of them wordlessly, not knowing how to react to the news.
