I Signed A Marriage Contract With My Captain Boss To Survive

Chapter Seven

Nora's POV

My life was a freaking mess.

As the machine scanned my luggage, swallowing my suitcase inch by inch, I stood still, fighting to hold back tears, even though some drops had slipped out and were already trailing down my cheeks. The female officer in charge eyed me cautiously like a hawk, and I fought the urge to tell her to relax, though I wished she would mind her business.

Honestly, if I saw myself, I would stare too.

I was wearing full, thick bridal makeup and a huge black hoodie, paired with yellow shorts and white socks stuffed into a pair of oversized black flip-flops. I looked like I had run away from home. Which I had.

It took me some time, as my face was gradually layered with my mother's makeup products, to realise that I couldn't go through with the wedding. The whole pre-wedding week had been insane. The kind of insane that my brain scarcely possessed the words to describe, without sounding needy and dramatic. I wasn't sure Nathan would believe me if I confided in him. Nevertheless, screw i********:, and screw Influencing as a couple.

Staying or leaving, whichever option I chose, would piss off the Rothwells.

Now I was seated next to my luggage in the waiting area, staring blankly at the departure board, and waiting for my flight to be announced.

I was beginning to feel that running away was a stupid option. I didn’t expect love from Nathan. That was not the deal. And though I had wholeheartedly agreed to marry him, I never knew his reasons for doing so. An important rule was broken, and maybe it could be negotiated, but I knew deep down that it wouldn't, and things will become complicated…and I couldn't trap him. Not at all. So instead, I'm doing the mature thing and fleeing the country in flip-flops.

And sadly, my actions would publicly humiliate one of the most powerful families in the United States.

I was pulled out of my thoughts by a loud, irritated groan of someone nearby. It turned out to be a blonde middle-aged woman whom I had barely noticed, who was seated beside me. She looked like any other traveller: a carry-on bag, a suitcase, and a long trench coat. With the impatience written all over her face, I had to assume she was a fellow passenger. She threw her head back in frustration. A feeling of dread oddly welled up in me.

“What happened?” I asked her.

The woman looked me up and down, her gaze lingering on my clothes like she was trying to figure me out, but still sighed in frustration. “They just announced that the next flight is delayed. I swear to God, I have a freaking wedding to attend,”

Delayed? A cold chill rushed up my spine. Still, I flashed her a stiff smile. “Did they say why?”

“Yeah, looking for someone of some sort,” she said nonchalantly, shrugging her shoulders. “Probably some thief or a drug dealer,”

Or someone who made a powerful family an enemy.

My heart skipped a beat. I forced out a small laugh so as not to seem suspicious. It sounded so fake even to my ears. “Yeah… probably.”

My fingers moved quickly. Just in case, I pulled up the hood of the hoodie I wore over my head, making sure my red locks of hair were out of sight. At that instant, the woman spoke again. “Hey, they are announcing it again. I hope they find this person so quickly.”

I listened this time, my ears barely registering the flat, robotic echo of the words. “Attention passengers. We are searching for a supposed young traveller. Female. Five foot eight. Asian. Red-haired. Goes by the name Nora Aoki Takahashi. If you can hear this announcement, please report to airport security immediately.”

For a few minutes, I couldn’t even breathe properly. It took a few seconds for the announcement to sink in with sickening clarity. It was me the security agents were looking for, and I was the one who delayed the flight.

Panic slammed into my chest.

I jumped up abruptly, and my passport booklet slipped from my purse. It dropped to the floor with a thud and flipped open to the page on which my photo was on display. My heart roared in my ears.

The middle-aged woman attempted to pick it up, but I snatched it quickly away from the floor, before she could touch it.

“Thank you ma'am,” I muttered hastily, dragging my suitcase behind me. The woman got up abruptly and caught my arm, stopping me in my tracks.

“It's you!” She exclaimed, while looking around frantically for a security guard.

I shoved her hard enough to break free from her grip and abandoned my suitcase, dashing quickly in the direction of the canteen with only my purse and my passport. There, I quickly made my way to the restroom, where I leaned against the marbled sink, trying to catch my breath. After a few minutes, with shaking hands, I pulled out my phone and dialled Elisa. If I stayed here too long, it was only a matter of time before I got caught.

She was one of my bridesmaids, which meant she was at the venue. She picked up immediately.

“Nora!” She yelled at me in a whisper. “Where are you?! What happened?! You are already an hour late!”

“I don't have time to explain,” I replied, pressing my palm to my forehead. My thoughts felt like they were crashing into each other. “I'm not getting married today, and I need your help,”

“What?! Are you insane?!”

“Shhhhshhhsh!” I hissed at her, worried that someone could notice her. “Keep your voice down. I think the Rothwells have used their people at LAX.”

“You mean the Airport?” Her voice was filled with disbelief.

I took a deep breath. “Yes, Airport. I need a form of transportation to the San Pedro seaport. And a fresh set of clothes.” I rambled on, my voice starting to shake. “It's the only way to outsmart these people. Please hurry. I'll explain everything later,” I coaxed, hoping that I got through to her.

“You have to, of course,” she snorted, and I released a huge sigh of relief. “Give me twenty minutes, and I'll be there. Be out front so you can jump in fast. My plates aren’t registered, and I don't want a double charge in case we are caught.”

I wanted to say something sarcastic, but I knew it wasn't the time.

“Okay. Thank you.”

With that, the call ended. I turned around and stared blankly at the mirror, temporarily admiring the quality of my mother's makeup products. Despite the tears I had shed, and the overwhelming tension that made certain parts of my body sweaty, my face was still intact and flawless, like every layer of the products was sealed into my pores. Honestly, this would’ve been the perfect time for a commercial.

Waterproof, Cry-proof and Mental-breakdown-proof.

If only this were a Red Bull ad.

Blinking my eyes, I forced my focus back to the matter at hand. I had to assume that they already knew what I wore because of the woman who recognised me. She looked like the type who would happily blabber to the nearest security guard.

The distance between the canteen and the terminal building entrance was a bit much. And if there were security guards everywhere, I wouldn't even make it to the canteen's entrance. I needed a disguise. But there was no way to get one, as I had abandoned my suitcase. Approaching any staff for help was out of the question.

For all I knew, there could be a damn bounty placed on my head. I had no choice but to play this by ear.

My phone buzzed in my hand again. It was Elisa.

“I’m ten minutes away from the entrance,” she announced, frantically. “I'm being chased by a couple of security guards because I broke the parking rule. So you have got to come out quickly!”

Ten minutes?!