Marietta beamed at him all the while for she thought it was for her.
Nikos noticed it and made a mental note to sever all ties with her before he would go and talk to Cassia. Since he had known Marietta for a long time now, he couldn’t help thinking that the French supermodel-turned-actress believed that she was going to be a permanent fixture in his life someday.
But that was never going to happen.
He had to get things straight.
Nikos lifted his head and watched as several jewelry pieces were paraded for the auction. This time, he let the men who came here with their wives win the bidding. He thought that it will be more appreciated by the wives of his colleagues as a sweet gesture rather than let those beautiful gems just sit in his vault.
Nikos eyes darted towards the side of the stage and he saw Cassia smiling with tears in her eyes. Earlier that night, the charities where the proceeds of this auction would go to were introduced. An amount was set as a target. But because of the generosity of the men here, his own high bids and Cassia’s excellent designs, the target amount was met and even tripled.
The sight of the smile on her face moved something inside him but he quickly shook the feeling away.
“Thank you everyone for your generosity! Our target of five hundred thousand dollars has now been achieved! What’s more is that we now have one million and five hundred eighty thousand dollars! Now, can’t we close this at one million six hundred thousand dollars?” Marietta’s voice rang clear across the room. “How about a kiss from our beloved designer, Miss Cassiopeia for that twenty thousand dollars?” she suggested.
The guests chuckled and so did the designer herself. She threw her head back, exposing the long column of her neck, and then laughed.
The sound was like a soothing balm to his fractured spirit.
He was about to raise his hand and bid for that kiss when a voice beat him to it.
“I’ll take that kiss!”
Nikos’ turned towards the sound of the voice and he saw Hector Petrides with his hand raised in the air.
Rage blazed inside of him along with a surge of possessiveness. His earlier suspicion was pretty much confirmed: Hector and Cassia had some kind of relationship. His vision turned red and his hands clenched at his side. All his self-control went towards stopping himself from standing up and hitting the bastard in the face.
That was his wife Petrides is bidding a kiss for!
Nikos raised his hand.“One hundred thousand dollars.”
Marietta laughed and so did the entire crowd. They thought it was a joke and that he was simply being very charitable. It was true. But behind that reason, he did not want anyone else kissing Cassia. They may not have the perfect marriage but she was still his wife.
Besides, he hated Hector Petrides and didn’t want him to win.
Hector turned towards him and one corner of his lips turned upwards in a smile.
“One hundred and fifty thousand dollars.”
Hector just sealed his fate even further. There’d be no mercy for him now. Nikos would make sure his business went down.
“Three hundred,” Nikos retorted
“Wow. This is some sizzling competition. But I understand for Miss Cassiopeia is truly stunning in her gown. I thank her for also designing the gown that I am wearing. And to Mr. Demakis and Mr.Petrides, thank you so much for your kindness. That’s one hell of an expensive kiss, huh?” Marietta quipped.
She also winked at Nikos and he just ignored her.
People laughed some more but Nikos did not care. He’d even give a hundred million dollars just so that Hector could not kiss Cassia.
“Four hundred,” Hector said quickly.
Nikos decided to bid double.
“Eight hundred thousand dollars.”
Nikos noticed that Petrides looked uncomfortable now. He sat back in his chair and just smiled around at the people and even for the media who leapt into action and took several pictures.
He knew the headline for tomorrow’s gossip columns would be that he was interested in the famous designer of Cassiopeia. But what they did not know was that she was already his wife. A fact he also did not know when this night started.
“Mr. Demakis, a moment please?” one of the reporters approached him.
“Sure,” he replied with a smile. He darted one glance towards Cassia and Hector but Hector hadn’t bid yet. Maybe the bastard was still checking how much money he still had in his bank account.
“Rumors say that you are going to be racing at the Monte Carlo Grand Prix again this year after so many years of being out of the racing circuit. Is this true?”
Nikos smiled and the reporters waited with bated breaths.
“What can I say? Racing is my hobby and it shall forever be in my blood,” he replied with a smile.
At that answer, the reporters went wild and started throwing more questions left and right. Because of the noise they made, he did not hear Hector’s last bid. Because of his preoccupation, he forgot that he was bidding for a kiss from his own wife.
“One million dollars,” Hector quipped.
Cassia and Marietta 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.