The Billion-Dollar Marriage Contract (12 page)

Another pang of loneliness hit him in the chest and it was a heavy blow. He bowed his head and felt the cold touch of the glass on his forehead.

But then again, he did not deserve a family. How could he when he couldn’t even sleep at night? How could he sleep beside his wife without waking her up with his nightmares? How could he let his son sleep when he would be screaming through the night?

How could he find the right woman for him when he, himself, was a broken man?

Antonio arrived and sat.

“We have to talk.”

“You already said that earlier.”

“I always say that yet you never listen.”

Nikos sighed and then ran his hand through his hair in frustration. He sat on the chair opposite Antonio’s and placed his forearms on the table.

“What?” he hissed.

“I don’t like the way you’re living your life. It’s like you’re just being forced to exist.”

“I am. And how can you say that I’m not living my life? I have!
Andrade-Demakis International
is now the most successful company under my hands! I have worked hard for that and everyone can see the results. My hotel and restaurant business is also flourishing and I am spending my time trying to make it more successful! Now tell me again how I am not living.”

“That’s work. And you work very hard, Nikos. I know your work drives you. But I remember a certain man from the past. He had great visions and he always had enthusiasm and hope shining in his eyes as we planned for our future while we were still in the university. I don’t see that man now, Nikos. All I see is a robot programmed to work hard every day of his life with no emotion or enjoyment.”

“I am not a robot. I’m just a broken man. Nothing can fix me now and I will forever be haunted by what I suffered.”

“Then you’re an idiot. You have everything to live for, you just don’t see it. First of all, you have a marriage you should start now. You have a wife you think the worse of. But the truth is Cassia is one of the most kind-hearted people I know.”

Nikos scoffed. Now why did the conversation shift towards his
wife
once more?

“Kind-hearted spoiled brat?”

“That’s not true. You know if only you would look closer, you’d realize that all you believe about her is a lie. A lie you built so that you could distance yourself from her. You crave connection yet you shun everyone away, Nikos. And I am sick of it.”

“What do you want me to do?!” he snarled in agitation.

“For starters, you could go to Cassia. Apologize for the way you behaved. Ask her to for another chance for you and your marriage. This time, don’t mess it up. If you want a family of your own, do it now before it’s too late. Get to know her. Spend some time with her. And maybe you’ll find out she’s the one you’ve been looking for all along,” Antonio challenged

Nikos
was silent for a moment and then he threw his head back and laughed.

“I doubt that. If there’s someone out there for me, I haven’t met her yet.”

Antonio shook his head sadly.

“Well then, if you do not like that approach...let me remind you of this. You have to have an heir.
And if you do, your son or your daughter will inherit everything. Cassia is supposed to be the mother or else both corporations slip through your fingers. Let me tell you also that it has been ten years. Cassia is not getting any younger. She’s already twenty-nine and you are thirty-four. I really think it’s time for both of you to settle down.”

Nikos continued laughing.

“I don’t even see myself being with her. How can we start a family when we’re so hostile to each other? She hates my guts, Antonio. She would sooner stab me with a knife than go to bed with me.”

“Well, I can’t blame her. Did you ever give her a reason to like you? All you’ve been showing her is that asshole side of yours,” Antonio replied and Nikos glared at him.

“What do you want me to do?”

“I’ve been telling you that over and over but you don’t listen. My friend, what I want you to do is to start living your life again, and if you want what I have, better make up with your wife before it’s too late. As the saying goes:
You never know what you have until it is gone.
”

“Wise words as ever, Antonio. When I am talking to you it’s like I am talking to an old soul in the wrong generation. But no amount of wise words will make me change my mind about her. Not now, not ever.”

“An old soul in the wrong generation?” Antonio barked and then he laughed. “It’s just that I’ve been through so much in the past that it made me wiser.”

Nikos just sat back and nodded. He knew perfectly well what Antonio had been through. There was a time in Antonio’s life when he was in worse shape than him. But his friend had struggled through it and emerged a much better man.

Antonio stood up and then sighed. Slowly, he started to walk towards the door.

“Well, at least I tried,” he whispered under his breath.

“Stop matchmaking for the two of us Antonio. We’re like oil and water; we will
never
mix.”

“Is that really me you’re convincing, Nikos? Or is that yourself? What is it about Cassia that every time I mention her, you look as if you want to run far away yet your eyes light up with life at the same time?”

Nikos gritted his teeth and placed his head in his hands. Why did he get the feeling that something really terrible was about to happen? Why did he get this sudden premonition that something big was waiting for him in the future? And why did Antonio’s words feel like they were nothing but absolute truth?

“I’ll never be with her, Antonio. She’s not the one for me. Never have been, never will be.”

“What do you mean ‘he screwed up’?!?” Sebastian shouted.

“Something went wrong with one of the shipments. One of the cops smelled it and I think the entire mission was discovered and all the drugs were confiscated. Several of our people were arrested.”

“What do you mean by ‘something’? I want concrete answers! Our jobs and our lives are at stake when we commit errors! Do you know what this will cost us?!”

Sebastian stood up from his desk and towered over the man who stood in fear in front of him.

“I want answers and I want them now! Find me the person who made this mistake and we will make him pay!” he hissed.

“Right away, sir.” The terrified man backed away from Sebastian and made his way towards the door.

“Return here without the answers I am looking for and you are a dead man.”

November 8,2013
Nostos Restaurant
The Bellagio, Las Vegas

The deep sultry voice of the singer at the lounge accompanied by the beautiful chords of the piano and the violin made Cassia Andrade close her eyes and hum to one of her favorite songs:
When I Fall in Love
by Celine Dion.

“Would you like
another
glass of champagne, mademoiselle?” the waiter inquired.

Just like that, the serenity of the moment was shattered.

“I’m fine,” Cassia replied with a smile. She lost count of how many glasses of champagne she’d already had while waiting for Hector, who was already two hours late.

Cassia glanced at her watch and then sighed. She’d known Hector for almost ten years now. He was really a great guy. However there was one thing about him that she couldn’t categorize as good or bad:
his workaholic attitude.

She understood him for she herself came from poverty. Cassia knew that Hector just wanted to make his mark in the world and to never be poor and an outcast again, but sometimes, he was just pushing it too much. Like today, he was late again because something came up at work.

This was one of the things she disliked about Hector. He was always late, always busy. When he was with her, he’d frequently get a call and then he’d drop everything and go. Oftentimes, he promised that they’d just reschedule but that usually never happened.

Cassia loved Hector.

She really did.

But this was one of his least endearing qualities. Sometimes she didn’t know where she stood in his life. If they ever created a family, would Hector lessen his work hours so he could be with them?

Or were they going to continue to live a life like this and she’d just be adding children that would also beg for scraps of attention from their father?

Again Cassia closed her eyes and tried to let go of her negative feelings. She just focused on trying to listen to the song.

Instantly, she was taken back through time by her memories. In her mind’s eye, she saw her parents. Her mother and her father were both smiling at each other as they both danced around the kitchen while her father hummed this beautiful melody...

When her father saw that she was looking, he scooped her up into his arms and also danced with her.

“Do you know that this was the song that was playing when I first saw your mother?” her father whispered to her.

“It’s beautiful, daddy,” she giggled.

“Not as beautiful as you, princess.”

When Cassia opened her eyes again, she was back to reality – a reality wherein she wanted what her parents had but was almost sure that she was not going to find it.

Hector really tested her patience sometimes. However perfect he may seem to others, she always felt there was something lacking, something she was looking for that she couldn’t find in him.

“Daydreaming without me, princess?”

Cassia opened her eyes and saw Hector standing in front of her. He looked very handsome in a suit and with the ambient lights of the restaurant, he looked even more breathtaking.

“Hi, handsome,” she greeted.

Hector leaned down and placed a kiss on her lips.

“Cass...sorry I’m—“

Cassia stopped him from apologizing by placing her finger on his lips.

“No worries. I understand. It’s work,” she told him.

He nodded and exhaled very loudly. He leaned back in his chair and began rubbing his neck in a tired way.

“Got problems?” she asked.

“Yes. Competition is a hard game,” Hector replied.

Hector’s primary competition in his business was none other than her estranged husband, Nikos Demakis. Though Hector was cunning in business, Nikos was ruthless. He was called the Einstein of the Corporate World for a reason.

“I’m not worried. I know you got this.” Cassia smiled sweetly.

Hector returned her smile and then took her hand. He kissed the back of her
hand.

“You realize you’re the cause of my success, right? You’re the first person who believed in me, and because of that belief I’m where I am today.”

“I do understand that because that’s how I feel about you too.”

Hector’s entire face softened. His tiredness even seemed to fade away from his body at those words. He leaned forward again and there was this twinkle in his eyes.

“Cass...I know I’ve asked this a million times already. I know that your answer is always the same. But today, I am still hoping that it would be different. Cassia...would you want to be with me, in every sense of the way?”

Cassia’s breath caught in her throat again, just like every time Hector asked that question. All those times before she always told him no. She had several reasons and each of them was different every time: she was busy with college, she was just launching her career in the fashion industry, she wanted Hector to concentrate with his business first, she just launched her shop
Cassiopeia
, she wasn’t ready yet.

But another reason aside from those already mentioned was the fact that she just couldn’t let Nikos have his freedom and all of the money before. She promised to make his life a living hell but the only thing she has done so far was to be absent in his life, which didn’t really make a big difference.

When she fled Greece, she promised to herself that she’d have her revenge for all those times she was humiliated. But as time passed, she found herself less and less inclined towards that revenge. Her time and concentration went to her studies and then further on to her business.

Like all wounds, hers was healed by
time
.

Now, she realized that she had placed her life on hold for a long time just to spite Nikos. But it had no effect for the man had skin as tough as iron. For all she knew, he might’ve forgotten her already like the other women who came and went from his life.

Now, she was twenty-nine years old...

She had a successful career and she could already say that she reached her dreams. Now, she wanted a change in her life. She wanted to settle down with the man she loved and take a chance at happiness with him. She wanted to have a family. She wanted to have a child whom she would love as much as her parents loved her.

She was finally ready to let go of her need for vengeance, her hatred for Nikos Demakis and her life as the Andrade heiress.

She was ready to move on and take another giant leap of faith.

“I’m ready, Hector...and I want to be with you.”

Those were the words that Cassia wanted to tell Hector. But the man had waited too long for her already. She wanted to make it special for him also.

But she was nervous and she wasn’t good at these kinds of things and the only thing she was able to blurt out was: “Yes.”

The smile on Hector’s face disappeared and for a full minute, he sat there speechless with his jaw hanging open. Then, he shook his head and stared at her.

“S-say that again...Cass...I don’t think I heard you right.”

“I said yes, Hector,” she repeated.

Hector stood up so fast that the water before him spilled on the table and the glass rolled towards one side. In a reflex movement, Cassia also stood up to avoid getting wet. Before she could blink, she was enveloped in Hector’s arms and his lips were on hers.

She laughed while her eyes started to fill with tears of joy at Hector’s reaction.

“I’m going to make you happy, Cass. And for starters, I’ll try not to spend too much time at the office. I promise,” Hector whispered.

Cassia laughed and kissed Hector on the lips. “I’ll hold you to that promise, okay? Please don’t be late for the fashion show!”

“I’ll
never
miss it for the world.”

Hector turned around and faced the other people on the lounge.

“This wonderful woman has just agreed to marry me!” he shouted just as the beautiful song ended.

He smiled widely and gave her a kiss on the lips. The room erupted into applause and shouted their congratulations and best wishes for the newly-engaged couple.

Cassia stared lovingly into Hector’s beautiful eyes and wished that she would find whatever it was that she thought was missing from their relationship. Or that she could forget whatever it was so that nothing would impede their happiness anymore.

November 13, 2013
Nikos’ Penthouse
Las Vegas, Nevada

“Nikos Demakis speaking,” he answered curtly.

“Daaaarling...”
a seductive voice replied.

His mouth twitched as he recognized the voice of his
former French mistress, Marietta, on the other line.

“Hello. I haven’t heard from you in a while,” he replied with a lack of interest.

“I became busy. There was this movie I had to do. And I knew you were busy as well. How are you?”

“I’m good. Yourself?”

“Never better.Especially now that I am talking to you. I know this is totally random, but are you in Vegas by any chance?” Marietta purred.

“As a matter of fact, I am.”

“Perfect!” his mistress screeched.

He was in Las Vegas because of a business venture. His casino was losing profit because of his competition’s newest gimmicks. He had to retake the market so he was here personally to oversee the running of the casino. Aside from that, his personal assistant reminded him that in two days time, it was his tenth wedding anniversary with his
wife
.

He flinched as he remembered the word, like he did every time that her name was mentioned. He also sighed. He would have to get used to it now.

He also made a mental note to ask his personal assistant to call her secretary and schedule for lunch or dinner on their anniversary day. That will be the time he would tell her of his plans.

Those plans were settling down with her, trying to coexist in peace, getting to know each other, being in each other’s lives more often, and finally trying to build a family. He did not know how she would react to that but surely she would like the idea? It was she who wanted to marry him in the first place.

Yes, she was mad at him for what he did to her on their wedding. But surely, ten years was a long enough time to forgive and forget, right? Especially when he himself was willing to throw away their past, along with all the lies, and start anew?

“Nikos! Are you there?” Marietta’s heavily accented voice snapped him out of his musings.

“Yes.”

“I said will you meet me at MGM Grand later tonight? I am hosting this charity fashion show auction...then maybe we could grab some drinks afterwards?”

Nikos checked his watch and tried to remember if he had any meetings scheduled tonight.
When none came to mind, he decided that he also needed some company. Maybe Marietta was exactly what he needed to get his mind off things. If not, then this would be the perfect time to rid her of the notion that she’s going to be the next Mrs. Demakis.

“What time?” he asked her.

“The show starts at eight. Around ten, the auction will be done and it’s just the after-party.”

“I’ll be there at eight. I don’t have anything to do so I think I’d rather watch.”

“Perfect, darling! I’ll get you front stage tickets. I have to go. Call me when you’re there and I’ll meet you to give you tickets. Oh, and if you want to stay for the after party, bring a mask. It’s a masquerade ball. Till later, baby!”

And the line went dead.

Nikos placed his phone down, took off his diamond cuff links, his suit and then unbuttoned his shirt and removed his pants and shoes. He entered the bathroom and let the hot water slide down his skin as he placed his hands on the cold tiles of the wall.

He’d gone without socializing for quite some time now. This charity auction may be just what he needed to meet his friends once more and gain some new contacts for his business.