The Billion-Dollar Marriage Contract(14)

“But above everything, what’s important is family. And today, Cassia and Nikos start their life together. Nikos and Cassia, may the company flourish under both of you and I hope that you have a happy and fruitful marriage! Nikos, take care of my granddaughter, eh? If you don’t, you’ll have to answer to me. Also, I am expecting a house filled with heirs in the very near future.” Costas winked and everyone chuckled.

Cassia, on the other hand, tried hard not to gag.

Costas raised his champagne flute and everyone followed.

“To Nikos and Cassia,” he toasted and everyone raised their glasses in salute and drank.

The host took back the microphone and made some more comments that had everyone laughing. Cassia barely heard it because she was too busy counting the bubbles on her champagne to occupy herself.

From the corner of her eye, she saw Nikos stand and offer his hand to her. She looked at him in puzzlement and he just shrugged.

“Time for the first dance as husband and wife,” he said.

She noticed that he didn’t slur as much now and knew that he was probably sobering up. It was great for she did not want him falling asleep on this dance.

She stood up and her heart started to beat wildly inside her chest. The moment Nikos touched her hand and placed it on his arm, her mind wandered back to their first dance. She recalled how much happiness she felt that night that one of the most handsome men in the room noticed her and was even gallant enough to save her from humiliation.

Oh how things have changed.

Last week she thought she was being married because Nikos took an interest in her. When she heard that, she was over the moon! Now, she knew that he was just being forced to wed her. Finding out about that felt like a nail had been wedged into her heart and all her hopes and dreams of a bright future were dashed to shards.

But then again everything was too good to be true and she should have seen that right from the start so that she could’ve avoided herself some heartache.

Cassia and Nikos reached the dance floor and the crowd started to clap.

The first few notes of the song were played by the orchestra and she closed her eyes in bliss. It was just so beautiful! It was one of the songs she loved so much. When she was a child, she told herself that when she married, she’d dance to this particular song: The Way You Look Tonight by Frank Sinatra.

She almost forgot that childhood vow but was glad that whoever arranged her wedding picked that beautiful tune. Well, she wasn’t allowed to meddle with arrangements regarding her own wedding as per her evil grandfather.

Nikos took her hand and she placed hers on his broad shoulder. They began to sway to the music. Nikos looked down at her with an unreadable expression in his green eyes. Curiously, it looked something in between wanting to kiss her and wanting to strangle the hell out of her. Cassia suspected it was the latter. He was being forced into this marriage and he didn’t want it. He never wanted her.

But she was going to correct that tomorrow.

After this wedding, she would talk to him and tell him about her plans. The only thing that she would ask for was help from him so that she could return to America, live there in peace and forget about the past months in her life as if they never happened.

And as per tradition, this dance was called the “Money Dance.” Guests approached and started pinning money on Cassia’s dress and Nikos’ suit. This was an old tradition that signified luck and prosperity in the marriage. Halfway through the dance, they were nearly covered with it.

Someone must’ve poked Nikos with a pin because he yelped and then cursed. And Cassia just couldn’t help it. She threw back her head and laughed. Nikos glared at her and then he, too, laughed. In that moment, Cassia found herself wishing that circumstances were different and that she was getting married to this great man for real.

While they danced, their guests started smashing their plates on the floor. It was another old tradition that signified wealth and abundance for the married couple. The tradition started in Ancient Greece and it was said to signify wealth because instead of being washed and reused, plates were thrown into the banquet or fireplace.

Cassia and Nikos both laughed as their guests truly enjoyed smashing their plates.



When Nikos looked at her, his eyes danced with laughter. She relaxed and smiled back at him. For a moment there, he seemed stunned. But the moment passed too quickly and the cold mask slipped back in place. Cassia’s face also fell and she almost wanted someone to poke Nikos with a pin once more just so she could see the other side of him again.

“Nikos... I need to talk to you.” Cassia finally found the nerve to say those words.

“Hmm? Can’t it wait? We have the rest of our lives after all,” Nikos brushed her off in a sarcastic tone.

Cassia heard the ice in his voice but she forced herself to understand. She placed herself in his shoes and if this was her, she’d be very bitter towards the marriage too. Maybe she’d also get herself drunk to go through with it.

Cassia sighed when Nikos let go of her hand.

The camera flashed and the photographer took several photos. She and Nikos posed for each one of them but her mind was running at a hundred miles per hour. Soon this night would end and she’d have to tell her husband about her plans. She just couldn’t wait to tell him and she was sure that the right words would come to her later this night. Or so she hoped.

The night wore on and Cassia remained in her seat. One time, she went towards the bar and had some drinks with Anna. They giggled over everything and had the time of their lives at pointing out the flaws of Nikos’ bitchy supermodel friends.

Nikos, on the other hand, partied as though he were a bachelor. He was with his friends and they hogged all the space in the bar. They kept on doing shots and daring each and everyone to do some stupid pranks. Cassia and Anna both rolled their eyes. But when she looked more closely, Nikos had this determined look on his face. Yes, he was joking with his friends and they were all drinking...but not him. What he had before him was a steaming mug that she concluded must have been coffee.

“Why is the bride all alone on a night like this?” Antonio drawled lazily and interrupted Cassia’s musings.

Cassia laughed and then slanted a look towards him.

“Maybe because my groom is having the time of his life,” she teased.

“Then maybe you should go get him?” Antonio suggested.

“No...look at him. He’s having so much fun. It would be like grabbing a candy from a baby. Besides, we’ll have lots of time for us afterwards,” she said, referring to the month long honeymoon that her grandfather has planned for the two of them.

“You’re right about that, Cassia...about this day—“ Cassia raised her hand to interrupt him for she knew where this conversation was leading: Antonio was going to apologize for Nikos but it was not his fault so she wanted to hear none of it.

“Save it. There’s no harm done. I should be thanking you. There wouldn’t have been a wedding without you,” Cassia said. And she meant it.

Antonio smiled with relief and decided to let go of the issue. Instead, they watched Nikos and the others in silence.

Hours passed and with each minute, Cassia grew even more bored. Usually, it was customary for the bride and the groom to disappear first because they just could not keep their hands off of each other another minute more. Usually, they’d be eager to start their honeymoon.

But not them.

There was no reason to rush because Nikos did not want his bride. They also did not have a flight booked tonight to go on their honeymoon. Tomorrow, they’d be using the Andrade private jet to fly to Bora Bora and spend a month there for their honeymoon; one that Cassia didn’t plan on having.

If she succeeded with her plan, tomorrow she’d be using the Andrade jet for a different business: flying to America after her divorce.

So she just sat there and waited for her groom to collect her. All the while, she wished that he wouldn’t be so drunk that he wouldn’t be able to understand her plans.

Finally, after what felt like forever, Nikos was dropped before her by his drunken friends.

“Time for me to claim my bride,” Nikos announced.

Cassia’s jaw dropped and she gulped back her fear. Now she knew why he didn’t drink like his friends: he was really looking forward to this part of their marriage.

She stood up and Nikos’ rowdy friends started saying green jokes about his performance in the bedroom. Cassia cringed with every word. If this was really her wedding and it was not arranged and her groom loved her, she’d be looking forward to the events of this night. But that was not the case so she felt nothing.

No excitement, no anticipation; nothing.

Nikos took her hand and led her to his suite with long, quick strides. He kicked the door open and carried her in his arms across the threshold. When the door closed behind them, Nikos pinned her towards the door and his lips swooped down and claimed hers.

At first, she tasted alcohol on his tongue but a few more seconds of being surrounded by his exquisite taste and touch, and all thoughts fled. He lifted both his hands and placed it on the door on either side of her head, effectively trapping her inside as he deepened the kiss.

Her heart started to race.

“Now you’re mine, Cassia...” Nikos murmured as he kissed a path down the side of her neck.