The Billion-Dollar Marriage Contract (22 page)

The sun had nearly set
when
they found the cabin. When they approached, Nikos stilled.

“This place looks familiar,” he told her as he released her. He limped ahead of her towards the door and tried to push it open. It was locked. He lifted the flower pots beside the door and lifted the key. He held it up and smiled at Cassia.

“I was right. Antonio and I were held in the same place before. This was Elise’s cabin. And she still kept the key in the same place.”

“Elise?”

“Antonio’s wife. She was the daughter of one of the higher bosses of the drug cartel. But she helped us. When I was wounded, she tended to my injuries without anyone’s knowledge.”

Nikos slid the key inside the lock and cautiously turned the handle. When they were sure no one was inside, they went in and Nikos barred the door. He flopped down on the bed and dust flew everywhere.

“Everything is as I remember it. I really think no one was here during the past two years.”

“Okay then. Where can we find a lamp or something? We need to have some light before the sun sets. Hmm...there’s a fireplace here. Maybe something to start a fire?”

“
Ochi.
”He shook his head. “The smoke will be visible from afar. I think there’s a lamp by the table and a set of matches.”

He pointed at another small, dusty table that seemed to be some sort of writing desk.

Cassia lit the candle and placed it inside the lamp. She raised it high so she could see the inside of the cabin.

“How about water?”

“Elise and Antonio got water from a well behind this cabin.”

“Alrighty then. Now for some food,” Cassia muttered to herself as she opened the cabinets near the stove.

What she found inside were several canned goods. She lifted the light so she could read the expiration date. The fates must have been on their side right now for it had around three months more before it expired.

“Hungry for some pork and beans?” Cassia
joked as she faced Nikos who just raised an eyebrow at her. “Well, beggars can’t be choosers, Mr. Demakis,” she chastised.

Cassia opened another cabinet and there were medical supplies inside.

“Well, we are very lucky indeed. I’ll go get us some water and we can cleanse those wounds. But I’m afraid we’ll eat our dinner cold because we can’t build a fire.” She shrugged.

Before Nikos could offer to help, Cassia was already out the door carrying a small wooden bucket with her. She went to the well and tied the bucket to the rope. She laid it down carefully and gathered a small amount of water. She sniffed carefully to check if it was safe. She deemed it safe enough so she gathered more. Humming to herself, she went back to the cabin and poured it on the larger bucket by the fireplace.

It took six more trips before she filled it.

Nikos watched her as she worked. She rolled her sleeves up and took the bucket back and forth. He marveled at her strength and felt
frustrated that he couldn’t do anything to help her. He was so useless just like two years ago when he couldn’t have survived without Antonio and Elise.

Now, history repeated itself, and it was Cassia, his own wife, who he depended on for his survival.

Something clenched inside his chest at the thought of how weak he was. But as he looked at her, another totally different feeling assailed him. She was dirty and her shirt was torn and filled with blood. She had dark circles under her eyes and her skin was pale.

Yet no one seemed more beautiful.

“Please tell me there’s something I can do to help you,” Nikos told her after her sixth trip. His pride also couldn’t take any more beating.

“No. The water is filled now and I think this should last us through the night,” she replied.

She looked for a wash cloth and cleaned it by the sink. Then, she took the smaller bucket and knelt beside him by the pallet.

“Let’s get your wounds cleaned.
” She dabbed at his wounds with the cloth then placed some antiseptic over it.

He flinched every time but almost shot off the bed when she grabbed his hand.
She examined his wrist and Nikos watched her closely. Her eyes were still the most beautiful and vibrant he’s ever seen. Right now, they were filled with concern and curiosity. Her lips were still a temptation. It invited him to lean forward and capture it with his own.

She gently twisted his hand and pain shot up his arm. He couldn’t help the groan of pain that escaped his lips.

“This looks broken, Nikos. We would have to set this before the bone heals all wrong. You would have to bear with the pain for a while.”

“Wait. How about you? Have you cleaned your wound?” He pointed to her arm.

“Yes. I have already cleaned and re-bandaged it while I was gathering water from the well.”

Nikos looked at her incredulously. “Are you sure you know how to do this?”

She nodded.

“Wait! At least tell me how you know so that I can be sure.”

“I told you that when I was younger, I was passed from one foster home to another. Not all of them were nice. Some were physically abusive. I learned to do what needed to be done.” She left it at that and Nikos felt his rage climbing. His jaw clenched and he made a mental note to find those who hurt her and make them pay.

“
Trust me on this, Nikos. I have a splint here and we can tie it up afterwards.”

She looked at him with so much concern in her eyes that he just gave in.

“Please don’t scream,” Cassia said as held his hand. “On the count of three. One, two—“

She didn’t finish the count and tugged on his hand to reset the bone. He bit on his knuckles to prevent himself from crying out and then cursed continuously after.

“I thought you said on the count of three!” he hissed.

“Well, if I counted until three, you’d be all tense because you’re bracing yourself for the pain. It would be harder that way. On a positive note, the worst pain is over,” she told him as she carefully splinted his wrist and then taped it.

“If you can stand for a moment, I’d like to dust that bed before you suffocate in it.”

He obeyed. She dragged the mattress outside and pounded on it. Then, she took the blankets and shook them too. Nikos tried to help her fix the bed but she just swatted his hand away.

“Rest now. Dinner’s coming right up.”

Again, Nikos watched as his heiress wife hummed as she tidied the kitchen. When she deemed everything was clean, she set the table and opened the can of pork and beans.

Nikos marveled at how domestic everything seemed.

Cassia looked like she belonged in the kitchen and she wasn’t even squeamish about all the dirt. This was no behavior of an heiress, of someone used to living in luxury. Besides, she even tended to his wounds and placed a splint on his wrist. How had she known how to do all this?

He started to rethink his views about her being a spoiled heiress.

As they said
, actions spoke louder than words.

Cassia went to the bed and sat on the edge. She handed him his plate along with a spoon.

“Yum,” she said sarcastically as she took her first bite.

Nikos laughed and started eating too.

“Look on the bright side. You opened that yourself. At least you can be sure that it isn’t poisoned,” he told her.

“Well, I think some of my optimism is rubbing off on you. It’s nicer than you frowning and sulking all the time.”

“I do not frown nor do I sulk,” he contradicted.

“You’re doing it now,” Cassia pointed out and then she laughed once more.

Nikos couldn’t help but laugh too. Her laughter was so infectious and her acceptance of their situation humbled him.

“You’re more handsome when you smile,” Cassia blurted out before she could stop herself. She blushed and just finished the rest of her food to avoid saying more stupid things.

“Handsome, huh? Well, let me just say that you’ve also grown more beautiful over the years. Forgive me for not recognizing my own wife at the fashion show.”

Cassia blinked. At his words, the easy companionship she had with him faded. Instantly, she was reminded about their anniversary dinner wherein he callously declared that he now wanted them to live together and start a family to fulfill the terms of their contract.

It was like her happiness bubble was popped and doused with cold water.Abruptly, she got up and deposited her plate in the sink. She started scrubbing it like everything about it offended her.

“Did I say something wrong?”

“What? No. I was just thinking about something else. I found the phone by the way. But it’s solar powered and there are panels on the roof. Right now, there’s no charge and I think something’s wrong with the panels. So I guess we wait until tomorrow before we can make that call.”

“All right, then.
But it’s weird that there’s solar panels and even a phone in a cabin like this,” she laughed.

“Elise was always prepared. This was her cabin and that phone was what she used to help me and Antonio.
I also noticed the facility we were in. There’s no electricity on this island. It’s all solar powered and maybe Elise got hold of a panel or two.”

“She seems like a great woman,” Cassia said with a smile.

“She is,” he agreed.

Nikos looked at his wife with curiosity. What was going on in her mind right now that all the laughter suddenly died from her face? Was it him? Did he do something wrong?

He tried to recall his last words to her and found nothing. Still, she didn’t talk to him and the silence stretched on and on. There came a point that he couldn’t take it anymore. He racked his brain for topics for a good conversation.

“How did you get so handy with things? How do you know all this?” he gestured at the now clean room.

She sighed heavily. They have been through for what felt like a hundred times already. He never believed her once.

“I wasn’t really born into riches, Nikos. I already told you this. I was with my parents in America when they were alive. When they died and no one claimed me, not even Costas, I was sent to the foster system. I lived in different homes where I learned how to do housework so I could earn my keep.”

This was one of the lies she told him before. But was it really a lie?

“And about my wrist?”

“Mine’s been broken twice.”

“What happened?

She sighed. “I was pushed down the stairs twice,” she replied in a dead tone.

Then, she turned towards him.

“Why are you asking me all this, Nikos? I know you won’t believe me. I told you this before and you called me a liar. What’s changed?”

Nikos was at a loss for words.

When he was through thinking of all the things happening in his life recently, he found Cassia to be asleep on the moldy couch. He was too weak to carry her to the bed so he just covered her with a blanket.

He took a few more minutes just looking at her. Her features were relaxed and she was even more beautiful when she wasn’t glaring at him. He suddenly found himself smiling and before he knew it, he bent and placed a kiss on her forehead.

Nikos shook his head at his sudden burst of tenderness and returned to the bed. He was reluctant to close his eyes for he didn’t want to scream from his nightmares and alert their kidnappers to their location. So he just lay there and listened to her even breathing as she slept, watching for any signs of their captors.

Dawn came and the silence was interrupted with the chattering of Cassia’s teeth. Nikos
immediately stood up and brought his blanket to her and covered her with it. It was cold but they couldn’t build a fire for it would easily be seen by their enemies.

He tucked the blanket edges securely around Cassia but she still shook with the cold. Nikos muttered a string of curses when he felt that her skin was like ice.

He sat beside her on the sofa and gathered her in his arms. Her eyes immediately opened and panic set in.

“Shh...it’s me.” he whispered as he rocked her.

“N-n-nikos...can- we l-light that f-fire now?” she stammered.

“I’m so sorry. We can’t. They’d find us.”

“It’s s-s-o c-cold-d.”

“I know. Trust me on this?”

She frowned but nodded. He lifted the covers and heard her gasp of outrage as he slid in beside her.

Nikos pulled her to his chest and placed her cold hands on his neck. He gasped from feeling her icy fingers on his skin. He rubbed her arms and her back with his uninjured hand and then wrapped the blankets more securely around them.

Her entire body stiffened against him in protest but after a few minutes, she relaxed and sighed.

“That’s nice,” she whispered.

“Radiant warmer at your service,” he teased.

“Thanks.”

“Anytime, Cassia.”

After that, both of them fell asleep; warm and comfortable. Nikos didn’t plan on sleeping but with the feel of his wife in his arms and her exquisite vanilla scent he loved so much, the moment he closed his eyes, he was a goner.