“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.
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.”
CHAPTER 10 - REunion
“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.