At the dining table, Nova calmly cut into her steak, completely unfazed by the intense gaze fixed upon her. Across from her, Raymond had abandoned his own meal, simply staring at her with a soft, mesmerized smile resting on his lips.
"You have been staring at me for quite a while. Do you want to ask something?" Nova inquired, not bothering to look up from her plate.
Raymond’s smile widened slightly. "You really don’t like the color blue?" he asked.
Nova raised her head, locking her brilliant blue eyes with his as she placed a piece of meat into her mouth. "Any color other than black and red, I absolutely despise," she replied simply.
"I am so sorry," Raymond apologized, his tone thoroughly gentle. "I just thought the blue dress matched the color of your eyes so perfectly. That is why I dressed you in it."
"I mentioned that I hate the color. I never claimed I was allergic to it. You do not have to apologize," Nova clarified, waving her fork dismissively.
Raymond nodded, visibly relieved. He leaned forward slightly, resting his chin on his hand. "Right, Nova... I am rather curious about what happened with the surveillance footage at the estate. I checked it myself, and it shows the exact opposite of reality. It is truly shocking," he noted, his green eyes searching hers for a hint.
"Curious, huh?" Nova smirked, a dark, playful glint flashing in her eyes. "It is a secret."
Leaving it at that, she went back to eating.
Raymond chuckled, his adoration only deepening at her mysterious aura. "Fine then. A secret it is. Just eat slowly, okay? Do not rush," he whispered lovingly, finally picking up his own fork.
The Next Day
Standing just outside the Civil Affairs Bureau, Raymond held a small, bright red marriage certificate in his hands. A wide, foolish grin stretched across his handsome face as he stared down at the booklet, refusing to blink as if afraid it might suddenly vanish.
Nova chuckled softly at the sight. "We are officially married now. You are mine," she warned, her voice calm but carrying a heavy weight. "You are not allowed to mess around with any other females. Do not even entertain the thought."
Raymond laughed breathlessly. He reached out, pulling Nova against his chest and giggling like a lovestruck teenager. "I only have my eyes on you, Wifey. Come on, let me take you home so I can introduce you to my family," he offered warmly.
Nova opened her mouth to reply, but the sudden, aggressive screech of tires cut her off.
A convoy of sleek, black luxury SUVs aggressively swerved into the plaza, boxing them in. The doors of the lead vehicle flew open instantly, and a bodyguard in a crisp black uniform stepped out, pulling the rear passenger door wide open.
A pair of polished black leather shoes stepped onto the pavement, followed by the towering, imposing figure of Cassian. Dressed entirely in black—from his tailored shirt to his dark sunglasses—he radiated a suffocating, lethal aura.
Leaning casually against the frame of the SUV, Cassian stared fixedly at Nova. A low, dangerous smirk played on his lips.
"Come here," his cold, authoritative voice commanded.
Raymond’s brows knitted together instantly. Stepping forward, he shielded Nova behind his back, blocking Cassian’s line of sight. "Be mindful of how you speak. I believe you are heavily mistaken. This is my wife," Raymond declared firmly.
Cassian froze. Slowly, he reached up and pulled off his dark glasses. His eyes, cold and predatory, locked onto Raymond. "Wife? You registered already?" he questioned, his voice dropping an octave.
Raymond smiled proudly, standing his ground. "And who exactly are you?" he challenged, completely ignoring Cassian’s question.
A low, dark laugh rumbled from Cassian’s chest. "I just gave her a little freedom, and my little lamb goes ahead and becomes someone else’s wife? What an absolute joke," Cassian fumed internally, his gaze turning to pure ice.
"Getting married is a beautiful thing," Cassian began softly, before his tone turned absolutely deadly. "Now get a divorce this instant."
At his command, dozens of heavily armed men in black suits flooded out of the SUVs, forming an inescapable iron circle around Raymond and Nova.
Raymond immediately hold Nova hand. He glared at Cassian like a cornered wolf. "What is this supposed to mean?!" he demanded angrily.
"It means exactly what it sounds like. Either you sign the divorce papers today and walk away, or she becomes a widow before noon. You choose one," Cassian threatened, his dark smile returning.
"Who do you think you are to leave me with two options?!" Raymond spat, his anger reaching its absolute peak.
Cassian ignored him completely. His icy gaze bypassed the undercover officer and landed softly on the girl behind him.
"Nova," Cassian called out, his voice instantly shedding its lethal edge, turning warm and harmless just for her. "Nova, come to me, okay? He must have tricked you into marrying him. Come with me right now, and I will arrange your divorce," he coaxed in his calmest possible tone.
Nova stepped out from behind Raymond’s protective stance. She stood beside her new husband, staring blankly at the dangerous mafia don with zero emotion on her face.
"Nova, do not be scared! I will definitely protect you with my life! Do not let him threaten you, okay?" Raymond pleaded in a total panic, terrified that his brand-new wife was about to willingly walk away.
Nova smiled lightly and patted Raymond’s arm. "He is Cassian," she noted casually.
"Cassian?" Raymond’s brows furrowed in confusion before stark realization hit him like a freight train. He recognized the name immediately.
"One of the most dangerous Dons in the entire underworld," Raymond murmured in shock. Yet, his grip on Nova’s waist only tightened. He glared defiantly at the billionaire. "So what if you are powerful?! You cannot just go around snatching someone else’s wife!" his voice dropped to a cold, stubborn growl.
Cassian glared murderously at the officer. "She is mine. If anyone is doing the snatching here, it is you," he snarled angrily. "My patience is gone. Divorce her and stay away forever, or I will not mind making this registry plaza your burial ground right now."
Cassian’s voice carried solid, unflinching determination. He meant every single word.
Without a moment of hesitation, Raymond reached into his jacket, pulled out his service weapon, and aimed it directly at Cassian’s head. "Do I look like a man who is afraid of death? Nova and I are married. No one on this earth will ever separate us, not even death itself" he vowed.
Watching the chaos unfold, Nova’s smile widened dramatically. She looked incredibly entertained by the standoff.
"Two handsome men almost killing each other over me? How entertaining," she purred smoothly. "Hey, I like you both anyway. You can both be mine."
Cassian’s attention snapped completely to Nova, his sharp brows raising high in genuine surprise.
Beside her, Raymond immediately pulled her into a tight, desperate hug. "Do not say things like that, Wifey!" he whimpered anxiously.
Cassian snorted, shaking his head. He snapped his fingers, holding out his hand. "Bring me my ID," he ordered coldly.
Instantly, a bodyguard stepped forward and placed a sleek black card into Cassian’s palm. Cassian shoved the ID into his pocket and stepped menacingly toward the couple.
"We are getting married as well," Cassian announced.
Before Raymond could even react, Cassian shoved Raymond forcefully aside, grabbed Nova’s small hand, and began dragging her back toward the entrance of the Civil Affairs Bureau.
"Hold it right there!" Raymond roared, recovering his balance and pointing his gun squarely at Cassian’s back. "Believe it or not, I will pull this trigger if you take another step forward!"
The metallic clatter of a dozen guns cocking echoed through the plaza. Every single man in a black suit raised their weapons, aiming directly at Raymond’s head, ready to obliterate him the second he flinched.
Nova sighed, looking over her shoulder as Cassian pulled her along. "Raymond... put the gun down. We are not getting a divorce," she reassured him calmly.
Tears immediately welled up in Raymond’s bright green eyes. He stood surrounded by guns, completely heartbroken. "But he wants to register a marriage with you! He wants to marry you!" he choked out, his voice hoarse with panic.
Nova tilted her head, giving Raymond a breathtaking, innocent smile.
"Can I like two men?" she reasoned flawlessly.
Raymond slowly lowered his weapon, staring fixedly at Nova as his brain entirely short-circuited trying to process her logic.
Up ahead, Cassian snorted coldly. Unwilling to waste another second, he simply scooped Nova up with one strong arm, carrying her bridal-style into the bureau without ever looking back.