Chapter 2 The runaway princess

"What are you talking about, dad?" Nova stepped forward, her eyes filled with tears that she was trying so hard not to let it down. "Today is my birthday and not... And not what you are telling them."

Her mother came closer to her holding her arm. "Nova, we can talk about this later, I promise. Please don't ruin this moment."

"I don't understand, mom. You knew? And you couldn't tell me about it. It was never about my birthday, was it?"

There was no word to describe how she felt after that moment.

Betrayed? No it wasn't that. It was more than that.

"Oh my Princess," Dominic continued. "I am aware that you like surprises and that is why I didn't tell you," he knew that his daughter was hurt but he faked a smile anyway. "Do you remember how you always tell me that you would like to marry a wealthy son of a billionaire? A handsome boy that screams of wealth and poise and connections. Daddy has the best gifts for you," he faked a laugh, trying to portray that his daughter's breakdown was fake.

Nova could no longer feel her legs. It felt as though a bucket filled with ice water had been poured over her.

Here she was before now excited that her father was able to make it to her birthday party for the first time because he wanted to make it up to her not knowing that he was only present because he was going to sign her off to be married to the Carnegies.

Was that why Adelaide said "I have a feeling that we both are gonna get along fine when you join the family'?

Was that the reason she asked if she'd met Henry yet?

Was this what today was about? Not her birthday but her engagement to Henry.

Speaking of Henry, Dominic welcomed Henry to the stage and the crowd turned their gaze towards him as he made his way up. "Here comes my future son in-law."

Two bodyguards assisted Henry to the Podium where Dominic stood with that annoying smile still playing out on his face.

Nova could not believe her eyes.

The same Henry she was engaged to wasn't properly okay.

He had autism!

Her father was going to get her engaged to a man that had autism.

"Dad!"

"Don't worry, my daughter. You don't have to judge a book by it's cover. Henry here will take care of you. At least with the aid of his parents who are my very good..."

Before Dominic could finish his statement, Nova ran away from the hall crying. Her mother, Victoria followed right away and caught her crying by the hallway.

"Oh child, you don't have to cry. Today is your special day," Victoria tried to console but Nova prevented her from touching her.

"How could you?" She sobbed. "How could you of all people do this to me? You are my mother for goodness sake. Why didn't you tell me? Why did you pretend as though everything that was going to happen today was all about me?"

"It is all about you," Victoria stepped forward, her outstretched arms ready to hold Nova who didn't hesitate to retreat.

"No it isn't! You cannot tell me that. I am not a child anymore. Do you people even love me? What exactly is this about? Though I once said that I wanted to get married to a wealthy person, I never said that I wanted one that has autism. Autism, mom! Autism! How can you and dad do this to me?" The tears that she was trying so hard to hold in finally poured out, flowing like a river down her cheeks.

Footsteps approached and she didn't need a soothsayer to tell her that it was her dad.

"I know how you feel, my princess," Dominic said from behind. "I admit that my only mistake was not telling you that you would be getting engaged today. But you have to help your father. You have to help your father save his stock market."

"Stock market?" Nova asked, wiping her tears with the back of her palms. "Did you just say 'stock market'? Is that what this is about? It was never even about me? It was about the stock market?"

"You shouldn't exactly put it that way, Nova. After the industrial incident at Ireland, our company stocks plunged down bad. This is the only remedy. You already know of what daddy has been through to bring the company to what it is today. I cannot just allow it go down the drain like that," he moved forward to hold her but halted as he saw that she pulled back.

"Stay right there," she held her left hand forward in defense while her other hand pulled a sharp pin from her hair and held it to her neck.

Victoria gasped and held her mouth in fear as she saw her daughter hold that pin to her neck.

Fear gripped Dominic as well. He could only stand in place as he didn't want to risk his daughter's life.

"None of you should come closer to me or else I am going to kill myself," Nova threatened, pushing the pin closer to her neck until it nicked a bit of her skin.

"Nova, put that down," Victoria pleaded, her eyes widened in fear as she saw the little blood trickling down her daughter's neck.

"Don't think I'm joking, mom. If you take one inch closer to me, I will end it right now."

"Nova, please we can talk about this. Listen to daddy," Dominic said gently with pleading voice.

"I am done listening to all of you. I do not want to see any of you again and if you follow me, then consider yourselves childless."

With that, Nova ran past them holding her gown in her hand and running as far as she could.

When she ran past the guests in the hall confusion set everywhere. It was obvious that something had gone wrong but they needed clarification.

As Nova ran away from the house completely, she didn't know where to go next. She turned to look back and saw that the bodyguards were far back behind chasing after her and it wouldn't be long before she got caught.

She couldn't afford to spend one more second and so she needed to leave fast. If she doesn't escape, she never will. She would be forcefully married to the Carnegie family and that would be the end of it.

The guards were approaching near and luckily for her, she sighted a formally dressed man come out of the back of a tinted Mercedes Benz car.

This was her chance.

As the man closed the car door and left, she took her chance and ran towards the car, opened the back door and got in. There was no way that the guards saw her and she was right.

She watched them through the window looking helter skelter for her. They divided themselves and ran towards different directions and she was relieved that she hadn't been caught.

"Oh thank God," she held her chest and caught her breath.

But as she turned to the other side, her heart nearly jumped out of her chest when she saw that there was someone sitting beside her.