Jake's side of the bed was empty when Van woke up the next morning. She wasn't dreaming was she? The wedding dress, the wedding ceremony…they weren't all a dream right?
It all felt like a dream but their clothes strewn on the floor beside the bed told her it was very much real. Van wondered where her husband–it felt so good to be able to call him her husband–could've gone so early in the morning?
She got out of bed and went to part the curtains on the window when she saw him in the gazebo. She smiled affectionately then went to get dressed so she could join him.
Jake ran agitated fingers through his hair as he paced about the gazebo. So many thoughts were running amok in his mind he felt like he was going crazy.
All the joy and happiness he was feeling was making him sick because he knew he'd never be at peace until he was able to come clean and tell Van the whole truth. He'd thought that once they were married everything will become easy but he had a nightmare last night and woke up in cold sweat. The guilt was eating him up so much he couldn't even enjoy his honeymoon, he was restless, like there was some kind of force pushing him to tell the truth. And he knew he should.
"Tell the truth about what?" Jake turned in surprise to find Van at the gazebo entrance and he realised that he must’ve been thinking out loud.
Damn it he was so screwed.
"Van I…wha…"
"Do tell Jake. The truth about what?"
They both turned to see Josh Hamilton join the conversion with a self satisfied smirk on his face. Van never thought she'd see him again so soon.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Jake demanded.
"I heard you two got married and I wanted to congratulate you in person." Josh smiled sweetly. "Congratulations on your wedding."
"Well now that you have you can go."
"oh but that's where you're wrong I also want to hear what truth you're talking about."
Jake glared at him.
" What is going on?" Van asked glancing between the two men.
" It's nothing. " Jake assured her.
" Oh it is something." Josh said with a cockiness Van had never seen on him. And he was staring at Jake as he said. " I warned you didn't I? I told you to tell her the truth but you let everything come this far. "
" What is he talking about? "
" I don't know either. " Jake denied. " Son of a bitch I'm going to have your head on a spike! " He growled at josh.
" Tell her the truth or I will." Josh threatened.
"Stay out of this."
"I demand to know! And if you're not going to tell me then maybe josh should." Van turned to Josh.
" Jake went after you just so he could ruin your life the same way he thinks your mom ruined his?"
A loud gasp filled the small space and Jake was faced with the hard truth of what he didn't want to happen.
Van was standing there, the look of horror on her face and her eyes flashed with such hatred and the hurt of betrayal Jake had never seen.
"Van…." Jake's voice cracked.
"Is this true?"
"Please listen to me… "
" Yes or no I just want the truth from you!"
Tears poured down her face as she hoped it wasn't true, that Jake didn't marry her for revenge. But she saw the truth in his eyes before he said it.
"Yes." He said.
Unable to look at him for another second, Van turned and fled.