The Billion-Dollar Marriage Contract (11 page)

This time, Cassia sighed.

Yes, it was true. More than two years ago, Costas had a heart attack and a stroke. Doctors said that half of his body was now paralyzed. When Cassia first heard of the news, all she thought about was that karma also took a long time before it hit the cold-hearted Costas Andrade.

But the goodness of her heart won and she returned to Greece to visit her grandfather. He was her only living relative after all.

Nothing much was said between them when she visited. All Costas told her was that she would now be responsible for half of the company and that he expected her to run it together with Nikos.

Cassia refused but the old man took a different route this time. Instead of shouting at her about her responsibilities, Costas told her that this should have been her father’s legacy. He should have been the one handling the business and it was what he was groomed for all his life. He told her that he was happy during the brief time he ran the company but that was before he met Cassia’s mother. After he met her, he then dropped everything else and ran away with her.

That little story made Cassia feel guilty and nostalgic.

So, she agreed to run half of the company. It was not for Costas but for her father. She would make all her father’s dreams and visions for the company come true. But there was one condition: she’d be doing it in America and not in Greece.

Surprisingly, her grandfather agreed.

During the last two years, she had tried managing both half her company and her own business,
Cassiopeia
. Everyone told her she would fail. But she did not. Once more she proved everyone wrong by rising to the top.

“Hmm...what about Nikos’ own business? The Nostos Chain of Hotels, Restaurants and Shopping Malls?”

“Ahh...this is where it differs. For years, Nikos’ business was at the top. But now, there is a new contender. This is the one endangering Nikos’ business with its stiff competition! This is none other than the Petrides Corporation.”

“Please enlighten me about this Petrides Corporation,”
Arthur told his co-host.

“This is owned by a man named Hector Petrides who came straight from the gutter and worked his way to riches. Just recently, he was on the cover of Time Magazine for his exemplary business skills which quickly turned him into a multi-millionaire. His dream started with a small restaurant in which he was both the owner and the head-chef. From there, it all went uphill.”

“Sounds too good to be true!”

“I agree! It kind of sounds like a fairy godmother just waved her wand and all his wishes came true. But you know, some people seem to have all the luck in the world. Some of them really deserved it, and I’d say Mr.Petrides deserved it. Maybe one day, he’ll be the one featured here, right?”

Cassia smiled after hearing those words.

After watching the entire talk show, she could say that this is her favorite part. She couldn’t care less about Nikos Demakis but Hector Petrides was her whole world. Together, they discussed their dreams and together, they made them come true.

Now, they were reaping the fruits of their labor.

Finally, they are where they envisioned themselves to be that time that they talked ten years ago.

The talk show spouted more facts about Nikos and his business but Cassia wasn’t listening. They also discussed Nikos’ latest rumored mistress but yet again, Cassia didn’t care. She only glimpsed at the face of the girl and she knew that it was one of her models.

“Then again, Nikos can do whatever he likes,” Cassia muttered to herself.

She stood up and dumped the empty coffee mug in the sink. She picked up her laptop, her files and her car keys. She took one last glance towards the television and switched it off.

She then exited her penthouse apartment and drove herself to work. Today was a big day for she would be organizing the biggest fashion show in her career. Also, this would be one of her biggest charity works, for her designs would be auctioned and half the proceeds would go to the orphanage that she was sponsoring.

Cassia was snapped out of her thoughts when she heard her phone ring. She quickly dug her phone out of her purse and connected the Bluetooth headset to her ear.

“Hello?”

“Hi, princess,” a familiar voice drawled.

Just like that, a smile came to Cassia’s lips.

“Hello, yourself,” she replied.

His rich laughter slid over her like silk and her smile widened. This man was the reason why she no longer cared about Nikos and about revenge. This was the man that changed her life and helped her become a better person. This would be the man she would marry one day after she freed herself from Nikos Demakis.

“Where are you?”

“On my way to work.”

“Good luck with that fashion show. I know you’ll amaze them as always.”

“Thanks. And Hector, good luck with securing that deal with the bank for the new site of your restaurant,” Cassia said cheerfully.

“Thanks, darling. When that restaurant is finished, you and I will be the ones cutting the ribbon again,” Hector replied.

Cassia laughed and she heard Hector sigh.

“So... are you doing anything tonight?” Hector asked.

“Hmmm...let me check my schedule. One moment,” Cassia said and acted as though she was looking for something when she was just smiling like a teenage girl with her first crush.

“Alright. I’m sorry I am not available. Upon checking my schedule, I have a date with a Mr. Hector Petrides at ten pm in that five-star international cuisine restaurant that he owns,” she teased.

“Ah...you’re breaking my heart, princess. How can you date someone else like that? I won’t survive this. I’ll die with a broken heart,” he answered melodramatically.

Cassia just couldn’t stop herself and she burst out laughing. Her conversation with Hector continued and it was filled with laughter and sweet words.

Before she knew it, she already arrived at her office.

“I have to go,” Cassia told him with a sigh.

“All right. Can’t wait for tonight. See you later, princess,” Hector told her and then cut the line.

As Cassia exited her black Porsche, she had a smile on her face and a ton of extra energy to get her through this day. This was a critical point in her career and she would do everything she could to turn it into a complete and utter success.

Her smiled widened even further when she remembered that she was going to have dinner with Hector later. Finally, she was going to tell him that she’d made her decision, that she already had an answer to his question.

And she just couldn’t wait for tonight...

November 8, 2013
Antonio’s Mansion
San Sebastian, Spain

They say people find peace in their sleep; that it is the time of day when everything else is quiet and both your mind and body rests.

But not for Nikos Demakis.

In sleep, he was haunted by his nightmares which all started after he was kidnapped more than two years ago. Sweat dotted in his entire body and the bed covers were fisted in his hand. He thrashed on the bed as he was deep in his nightmare.

The sound of gunfire and explosions echoed across the large highway, followed by panicked cries and moans of pain. Nikos was shoved downwards by his body guards but not before he felt a searing pain in his side.

“Antonio!” he shouted.

He saw his friend across the highway and sagged with relief when he was unharmed. He placed his hand on his side and he felt the sticky warmth of his blood. His side felt as though it was burning but he clenched his teeth to keep himself from shouting.

After a few minutes, he lost consciousness from severe blood loss and pain.

When he woke up, he was sitting beside Antonio and he was tied to a chair. His skin felt cold and he felt very weak. His throat was dry and his head throbbed. Someone yanked on his hair and he was forced to raise his head. Then, a newspaper was placed on his chest and there was a flash as his picture was taken.

He heard many voices and there was only one thing he heard clearly: they were asking for ransom money. Whoever they would be sending this video to would have a week to prepare what they asked for or he and Antonio would both be dead.

He drifted in and out of consciousness and his head rolled. He heard Antonio trying to wake him up but he was too weak.

So
this
was how it felt to die.

No dramatics.

No memories of your life flashing before your eyes.

No grim reaper with a scythe waiting to escort you into the afterlife.

There was just pain and then the slow descent to unconsciousness. At that point, the women, the cars, the money didn’t even matter
. Nothing did
.

But there was one thing Nikos saw, though. It was something most unexpected for him. He saw his wife, Cassia, a wife he just saw a couple of times over the years. He could count on his fingers and toes the number of words he said to her over the years after their marriage.

He saw her standing in front of him in all her wedding finery. She was exquisite and she took his breath away. He saw her more clearly now than he did on their wedding. The disappointment in her eyes also tugged at something inside his chest.

That image would haunt him forever.

Next, he saw her underneath him. Her eyes were closed as he thrust over and over into her wet warmth. Then, her eyes flew open and she cried out his name as she splintered in his arms.

It was another image of her he’d gladly take to his grave.

The next time that he gained consciousness he smelled burning metal. Antonio was asleep on the floor beside him. He seemed unharmed and Nikos sighed with relief. He tried to look around his surroundings to gauge how much time has passed but he saw that they were inside a room with no windows and his wrist watch had been smashed. There was no way to tell the time.

Nikos tried to move and loosen the ropes binding his wrists but he just ended up chafing them raw. He heard the masked men laugh and then hold up the burned metal that was still glowing red.

They began to walk towards him.

He realized their intent and he started to panic. They wanted to cauterize his wound to prevent it from bleeding further and since there was no way for them to take him to a hospital, they were going to do it the primitive way.

“NO!!!” Nikos shouted through the gag in his mouth but it just came out as a muffled cry.

He found the strength to struggle but the men in black masks just laughed at him and shook their heads.

With every step they took, the fear inside him heightened until the point that he wished that his death would just come and claim him right now. But no. No matter how he wished, the Grim Reaper never came for him.

Someone yanked on his hair and then he felt his shirt being torn from his body. It was followed by sheer agony and the smell of his flesh burning. It was the kind of pain that was too much that one almost passed out from it; the one where all the nerve endings in your body felt as though they were being electrified. Nikos cried out and struggled but it was to no avail.

“Nooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!”

Nikos Demakis jerked awake.

He sat on the massive bed and noticed that the sheets were twisted around his legs. His throat also felt raw; he must’ve been shouting in his sleep again. He flung the covers away from him and crossed the room to drink some water. Once his thirst was satisfied, he held the cool pitcher against his cheek.

Another nightmare.

Just like the other nights before this.

When was it going to end? When would he be able to have one whole night that wasn’t plagued with visions of his haunted past?

There was a knock from the door and Antonio entered.

“I apologize if I disturbed your sleep,” Nikos said quickly.

His friend shook his head and sat down on the chair near Nikos’ bed. Nikos walked towards the window and moved the drapes to the side so he could gaze outside and see the beauty of the waves crashing against the shore.

“So, I guess the latest doctor also didn’t work out?” Antonio inquired.

Nikos shook his head.

Since the time he was kidnapped, he had been seeing several psychiatrists to help him with his nightmares. They all diagnosed him with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. But he didn’t need their medical terms. He needed a cure for his nightmares. He wanted uninterrupted sleep.

So far, none helped.

His latest physician was one of the most expensive psychiatrists in the world yet he wasn’t able to do anything. No amount of medicine or counseling could help him sleep well at night.

“I hope I didn’t wake up Elise and Anton,” Nikos told his friend.

“No. They are still sleeping soundly,” Antonio replied with a huge grin at the mention of his wife and son.

If there was one positive thing that happened when they were kidnapped, it was that Antonio met Elise.

Before, he was almost married but it proved to be one hell of a failure.
Antonio believed that his ex-fiancee, Mara, was different even if Nikos and all their other friends told him otherwise. They were right for she turned out to be nothing but a gold-digger who wanted to sink her claws in Antonio’s money.

Now, Antonio had Elise and she was truly different. She was the daughter of the man who organized their kidnapping. Even though she grew up in a world filled with greed and violence, she retained her pure heart. Elise pitied Nikos very much when she saw the condition he was in and the regular beatings he received. Because of that, she helped Antonio nurse him during their one-month captivity.

That was when the two fell in love
.

When they escaped, Antonio took Elise with him and from that time on, he never let her go. They got married
a few months later and after a year, they had little Anton who was his father’s pride and joy. Nikos was here in Spain now for Anton’s first birthday.

Right on cue, Anton started to cry and Antonio left the room to grab his son. A moment later, he returned
and sat on the chair he previously vacated as she rocked his baby back to sleep.

“He’s adorable,” Nikos commented.

“He is,” his friend agreed.

“You know, you’re his godfather and you haven’t held him even once since he was born.”

Nikos laughed nervously. “He looked too fragile then. He still does now. I am afraid to drop him or squeeze too much.”

“You won’t. Come on, just give it a try.”

Before Nikos could reply or complain, he felt the weight of the baby in his arms and there was nothing he could do but to hold him securely so that he wouldn’t fall.

“Is this correct?” he asked nervously and Antonio laughed.

“A bit awkward but you’re fine.”

Nikos looked down and Anton’s eyes opened and gazed at him. The baby smiled and something twisted in his chest.

“It’s the best feeling in the world when I hold him in my arms. It’s like I am holding a miracle.”

“Yes,” Nikos gasped.

He didn’t know it but he was also smiling to the baby and swaying so he could be lulled to sleep.

“
Even more if that is your own son you are holding,” Antonio pointed out.

Nikos’ heart gave another squeeze as the thought hit him hard. What would it feel like if he held his son in his arms for the first time? What would it feel like seeing him the moment he was born? What would it feel like when his daughter held his hand? What would she look like? Would she have brown hair and brown eyes as well?

Nikos’ thoughts drifted towards Cassia...

Wait...why was he even thinking about her? They were
never
going to have a family together. Their marriage was not that sort! It was nothing but a business arrangement.

Nikos sighed as he looked at Anton’s perfect features.

Truth be told, he was jealous of Antonio. The man had something he wanted most:
a family
.

Nikos laughed to ease the tension.

“I can’t have that.”

“Why not? You have a perfectly lovely wife. Have you seen Cassia lately? She’s changed so much! I could hardly recognize her.”

“I haven’t seen her for four years. Before, we always saw each other for our anniversary. Just for appearances’ sake. She stopped coming when Costas had his heart attack. She did not even come when we were kid—“

“She was not informed,” Antonio cut him off.

Nikos scoffed.

“She just doesn’t care. She vowed to make my life a living hell, remember?”

“Nikos...she’s busy.”

“With what? Shopping? Wasting my money? Then it’s no wonder she’s beautiful now. Maybe she spent it all on plastic surgery. I see the accounts that are being sent to me. How come she needs eight new fucking houses? And just where does she spend millions of dollars?” he snarled.

“It’s for chari—“

“Save it! I don’t want to hear where she spends the money. It’s hers to do with as she pleases,” he replied.

The baby stirred in his arms and reacted to the hostile environment. It looked up at him with fear and something twisted in his chest yet again.

Before he knew it, he was crooning to comfort the child.

“Here...let me get him. I think it’s time for him to go back to Elise. Then you and I will talk.”

“There’s nothing for us to talk about. Not Cassia.”

“Hold that thought,” Antonio told him.

He carefully retrieved his son and walked out of the room. Nikos sat and resumed staring at the window.

For the first time in a long time, he let his thoughts drift back to his arranged wife.

How was she doing now?

A long time ago - he couldn’t remember when - he heard something about her name being linked to fashion. He couldn’t remember the details also but he remembered distinctly that it was about fashion. So was she
a style icon now? Is that where she spent all
their
money?

What was she doing with her life? How did she spend her time when she was not wasting money? Did she have a lover now?

He felt a surge of possessiveness go through him and he clenched his fists. He remembered their wedding night and the passionate way she responded to him. He remembered touching every inch of her and achieving her surrender.
She was still his
. No man should have touched her.

So she can’t have a lover, but you can?

He shook his head at his traitorous conscience. But it was right. He had no right for he didn’t honor his marriage vows either. He’d spent years dating several women and discarding them just like he did before he was married.

Yet there was one thing he couldn’t admit out loud.

It was that Cassia still haunted his thoughts whenever he was with them.

In bed, he remembered her. He remembered how she smelled, how soft her skin felt and the sound of her cries as he drove her higher and higher to her pleasure.

That night, ten years ago, he believed that they had a chance. But come morning, he was presented with more lies and deceit. So he cast her out and hurt her.

But his actions were justified, right?

Cassia was the reason why he has not found the girl he truly wanted to settle down with. Now, time was ticking for him. He was thirty-four years old and he still didn’t have a family.