The Billion-Dollar Marriage Contract (14 page)

“One million dollars
,” Hector quipped.

Cassia and Mar
ietta both turned to look at Nikos to see if he would bid higher. The French model looked at Nikos with curiosity while Cassia looked at him with expectation in her eyes. When he did not bid further, disappointment flashed across those beautiful features.

Cassia shook her head and scolded herself for feeling this way.

Earlier tonight, she was so happy at the stunned expression on Nikos’ face. She was so happy with the scene she made. Her entire night was perfect and she couldn’t wish for anything more. The fact that Hector still made it just added to the joy that she was feeling.

But when Nikos bid for her kiss, she nearly fainted. It was as if something inside her was unlocked and she was back to the same girl that was infatuated with him years ago. It unlocked some sort of longing inside her and truthfully, she was overjoyed.

When she turned to look at him, their eyes met and she saw possession written across his features. It was the same expression she wore when he looked at her on their wedding night.

Finally, he was noticing her again.

Cassia reveled in it even though she knew it was wrong. 

With each bid against Hector, she was secretly thrilled. When Nikos was interviewed by the reporters and he wasn’t able to bid anymore, she was disappointed.

Cassia laughed and gave herself a mental shake.

How could she still feel something for that man after all he did? How dare she hope for something? Cassia closed her eyes. She told herself she was incredibly stupid and naive to feel this way. Hadn’t he hurt her enough? Why was she still holding out for even crumbs of affection from him? Had she not vowed to have her revenge? Had it not been ten years and she had finally moved on?

Had she not found love with Hector and agreed to be with him?

She was done with Nikos Demakis.

He had caused her enough heartache to last her a lifetime. She would do well to remember that so that seeing him would not resurrect any old feelings. Those feelings deserved to be locked in a steel vault then buried in the deepest part of the Pacific Ocean where it would never ever see the light of day again.

Feeling more composed, she looked at Hector and plastered a smile to her face. She even winked at him and the audience laughed.

“A kiss from the designer of Cassiopeia who looks really lovely tonight, by the way...for one million dollars! Going once...going twice...sold! To Mr. Hector Petrides!” Marietta announced.

Cassia laughed when Hector launched himself towards the stage to claim that kiss.

“You’re late,” she whispered.

“I’m sorry, princess...I’m trying hard. I really am. But today’s been a very unlucky day,” Hector groveled.

“Kiss me and it’ll all be better. After all, this particular kiss cost you a million dollars,” she teased.

“Ahh...such arrogance, milady,” Hector said with a small bow as he took her hand and pulled her closer towards him.

Hector then turned towards Marietta and announced loudly, “Oh and I’ll add that twenty thousand dollars too so that it’ll be closed at two million six hundred thousand dollars,” he even winked and the audience went wild.

Nikos turned his attention back to the auction when the guests started to clap and cheer. At the same time, he saw Hector Petrides race towards the stage and jump up towards Cassia.

Fuck it.
He was too late.

Because he was too preoccupied with the reporters who crowded his table he forgot all about the bidding. Now he lost against his business’ best competition and one of the men in the world that he hated the most.

He saw Cassia smile at Hector and the two exchanged whispers. Something tightened inside Nikos’ chest when he realized that the two had truly known each other for a long time now. They had an intimate look when they gazed at each other.

Were they lovers?

Before he could ponder the thought further, Hector’s fingers cupped Cassia’s chin and tilted her head upwards. He decided to look away for he was feeling so much rage and possessiveness that he could barely control himself.

But he just couldn’t do it.

He watched as Hector’s head dipped and his lips claimed Cassia’s. The moment their lips touched, he saw Cassia sigh and then close her eyes. It was like their wedding kiss all those years ago. He was drunk at their wedding but he clearly remembered that first kiss and that precious sigh. He also remembered all the passionate and timid kisses she gave him on their wedding night.

Now, it was not him she was sighing for but Hector Petrides.

Nikos looked away just as he felt something inside him clench and then
shatter
.

Was it his heart? Maybe?Maybe not.

Perhaps it was just all his
pride.

“S-sir...we can’t find them anywhere...” the man’s weak voice echoed across the small room in which he had been held for two days now.

“You know I do not tolerate incompetence in my team,” Sebastian said through clenched teeth.

He raised his fist once more and aimed another punch at the man’s already bloody and swollen face.

“Please...g-give m-me another ch-chance...” he stammered.

“There’ll be no second chances. Not even for me when it comes to something this big. We’re all dead men,” he whispered.

He retrieved his gun and smiled as he aimed it directly between the terrified man’s eyes. He opened his mouth to beg for his life but Sebastian didn’t give him that chance.

He laughed as he fired.

November 15, 2013
The King’s Suite, Royalty (Nikos’ Hotel)
New York

“Did Cassia confirm that she will come for dinner?” Nikos asked his personal assistant.

“Yes, sir.Mrs. Demakis confirmed that she will be attending dinner at 8pm,
Le Bernardin
restaurant. The whole restaurant is already reserved for both of you,” his efficient assistant told him.

“Good. And James? Have you ordered the flowers?”

“Yes sir. I have also called
Cartier
and asked for a selection of their most beautiful necklaces. I found a diamond and ruby necklace. Would that suffice?”

“Yes. I trust your choice. It’s always excellent,” Nikos complimented.

His assistant had been with him for over ten years now. He was more efficient than ever and for that, Nikos compensated him well. James pulled out his cell phone to confirm the purchase. Nikos’ would just drop by the store before dinner to pick it up. He glanced at his watch and it was only 4 pm. He still had to get a lot of work done before he could go to dinner with his
wife
.

“Have you finished the papers regarding the
Higeshima deal
?” he asked.

“Yes, sir. They are waiting at your desk.”

“Good. We have to get that finalized before I leave for Monaco next week.”

“Yes, sir.”

Nikos picked up the stack of papers on his desk and began to read. After the first few paragraphs, he became absorbed. It was as if the outer world ceased to exist and it was only him and his papers.

Work was the only thing that occupied his mind and tried to keep the nightmares at bay. So when he couldn’t sleep at night, he just poured more and more of himself into his work.

It felt like the blink of an eye but hours had passed and it was already time to leave.

He grabbed the keys to his
Lamborghini Aventador and made a mental note to pick up the flowers and the jewelry. Today was his tenth wedding anniversary with Cassia.

He snorted at the thought for he really did not feel married.

But all of that was now going to change...

November 15, 2013 (Earlier that day)
Cassia’s Penthouse Apartment
157 West 57
th
Street, New York City

Cassia placed her phone between her ear and her shoulder as she tried to organize a huge stack of papers neatly in an envelope. At the same time, she struggled into her high-heeled shoes.

“You’ve got the divorce papers?” the person on the other line asked.

“Yes, Hector. Got them.”

“And you know what to say already?”

“Ugh. Of course I do!” she shouted and Hector chuckled.

“All right then, good luck tonight princess. Break a leg. Bring home the bacon...all that jazz.”

This time, it was Cassia who laughed. “All right, then.”

“When this is done, we’ll go for that
Bora Bora
vacation I promised you. One week. And I won’t be bringing my cell phone or my laptop. I swear!”

“Mmm-hmm,” Cassia murmured in a disbelieving tone. “But I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt. If you bring any of that, I’ll throw it to the bottom of the ocean,” she warned

Hector’s deep chuckle echoed over the phone.

“Agreed, princess. I’m still in California. See you in two days for our celebratory dinner.”

“Yeah. Bye,” Cassia said with a smile.

She placed her phone in her bag and checked her desk for anything else she would need tonight. Then, she checked her reflection in the mirror. She placed light makeup only and wore a simple black dress with her high-heeled pumps. For her jewelry, there was a simple pearl necklace around her neck and the diamond-studded watch that Hector gave her around her wrist.

It was his first gift to her and he gave it after he made his first million-dollars. When he presented it to her, he told her it was his replacement for the watch that she gave him during her wedding day with Nikos. The value of her new watch was triple the value of the one she gave him.

To date, it was her most favorite jewelry piece
ever.

Every year, for their anniversary, Nikos sent her some jewelry.
Or maybe his assistant did. She didn’t see him as the type who would bother by going to a jewelry store and selecting a piece himself.

His assistant was who she always spoke with whenever it was about attending company business, declining social invitations or returning the gifts. Cassia really made it a point to speak to James, Nikos’ assistant, and not to Nikos himself.

And always, she sent the gifts back just like she did with the wedding and engagement ring he gave her all those years ago. She mailed those back to him the moment she set foot in America.

Now, it was their tenth wedding anniversary. A great feat for most couples. But not for them.For they
never
were truly married. It was all a great sham. A big fat lie.

But all of that was now going to change...

November 15, 2013, 8:00pm
Le Bernardin Restaurant
New York City

A limousine picked Cassia up and drove her straight to one of the finest restaurants in New York City. She cringed at the lavishness of the limousine but it was arranged by Nikos’ assistant and she just went along with it. While the limousine made its way through the heavy traffic, she mused about the lifestyle Nikos was used to.

He was born a billionaire and pampered like a prince. To him, this type of extravagance was just normal. But to her, to someone who was born in a lower middle class family and who just now reaped the rewards of her hard work, this was
a bit
extravagant
. And this extravagance reminded her of her grandfather’s ways.

As they got nearer to the restaurant, Cassia’s heart started to race. She opened her bag and sighed with relief when she saw the envelope that contained the divorce papers.

This was it.

The time had come. She was truly going to be free of Nikos Demakis. She was finally letting go of him, this sham of a marriage, her ties to her evil grandfather, and the money and status that came with her name.

She was finally saying goodbye to
Cassia Andrade-Demakis
and continuing her life as
Cassia Adrasteia.

All she needed was to get through this night.

But why did this feel like it was the hardest thing she was about to do in her entire life?

She jerked back to reality when the driver opened the door and held it for her.

“Okay, show time,” Cassia whispered to herself.

She then schooled her features into the expressionless mask she always wore when dealing with people she didn’t particularly like. She was not the scared little girl anymore who meekly stood by in a corner while she was insulted by everyone. She had backbone now and she would not let herself be treated in any manner less than what she deserved.

Cassia entered the restaurant and saw that it was empty. The lights were dim and there were several candles that filled the room with a soft glow. It was elegant yet not too much. On the far side of the restaurant, a stage was set-up and a female singer softly crooned a beautiful love song.

Usually, on a night like this, the restaurant would be crowded. But now, it was reserved for just two people. It would have been a romantic gesture had it not been from someone like Nikos Demakis.

She felt a wave of regret cross her entire body. Nikos was not the sort of person who would organize this. Or maybe not for her but for his numerous other lovers.

For him, she was the evil one; the antagonist to his life story. The reason he was married at an early age.

And to her, he would always be her infatuation gone horribly wrong.

Nikos waited patiently at the restaurant. He arrived early with the flowers and the jewelry. As usual, his assistant did an excellent job. Well, he had lots of practice because he was always the one who chose Nikos’ gifts for his mistresses.

He sat at the only table that was lit and asked for a bottle of wine. He sipped the finest
Le Bernardin
as he pondered on how his life would change from this night forward. He also thought of how to tell Cassia that he now wanted to give their relationship a try.

Should he say it to her directly? Should he sugar-coat his words?

The door opened and Nikos’ head whipped towards the entrance of the restaurant.

Cassia walked in as the exact epitome of class and elegance. His breath caught and he felt his mouth run dry at the sight. She wore a simple black dress and matched it with a pearl necklace that just made her neck seem longer and added an ethereal glow to her face.

Oh how she had changed from the Cassia he knew before.

He watched as she glanced at her surroundings, as if she could not believe what she was seeing. Just like that, he was taken back ten years ago when he took her to different places after their engagement was announced.

She looked at things as though it was her first time seeing it. She enjoyed the little things the most, as though she’d never encountered them before!

All the while, he thought it was an act.

How could an heiress not have been to one of the finest art galleries in Greece? How could someone like her not know how to act in a five-star restaurant?

He immediately pinned it down as something like a ploy to look innocent. And he hated her for it.

But now...he was slowly rethinking his judgment. She had not seen him yet but she took note of her surroundings as though the sights were the most fascinating things in the world. He also noticed the look of regret in her eyes before it was replaced by something like anger.

Her searching gaze finally found him and her features hardened. Gone was the awe in her eyes and now coldness took its place. She took quick steps towards him and before she was able to reach the table, he stood and held out the chair for her.

“Nikos,” she greeted.

“Happy anniversary,” he told her and handed her the huge bouquet of flowers.

“How thoughtful,” she said with a hint of sarcasm, fully aware that it was James who chose it.

But Nikos was unaware of her sarcasm. She glanced at the huge bouquet of roses and sniffed the elegant blooms. She couldn’t help it and a smile touched her lips at its beauty.

A waiter approached to take the bouquet and she gave it to him.

Nikos waved his hand and another waiter approached them and handed them menus.

“Have you been here before?” Nikos asked in order to start a conversation.

“No. Not yet. But I have heard of this place,” Cassia replied distractedly as she perused the menu.

“Then, let me order for you. The lady will have the Crab Salad. And I will have the
KindaiMaguro
,” Nikos told the waiter.

“Excellent choice sir.And for dessert? Or shall I ask again later?”

“Later will be fine.”

“Err…wait. Cancel the crab salad and I’ll just have the
Kobe Beef
, please,” she said with a smile.

“Excellent choice also, madam,” the waiter grinned.

“Their crab salad is the best,” Nikos pointed out with a frown after the waiter disappeared

He was used to ordering for his female companions and they always loved what he chose for them. Today, he chose the crab salad for Cassia because it was one of their best dishes. Also, he took in the fact that women usually were very conscious of their weight and tended to eat less.

“I can order for myself, thank you very much. Plus, I can’t eat that because I'm allergic to crabs,” Cassia said in a flat tone.

Once again, Nikos was struck with the realization that he knew nothing about the woman he was married to for ten years now.

“I apologize. I’ll keep that in mind.”

For a long while, there was silence between the two of them. They had nothing in common and they did not know each other at all. This was how their past dinners were.