Contract marriage: My billionaire’s cure

I slowly opened my eyes as I heard whispers around me. The blinding sunlight penetrating through the windows blurred my visions momentarily but quickly recovering I blinked several times to get a better sight.

I was wearing a hospital gown and several IV tubes were connected to my hands. I tried standing up but leaned back again as I felt a throbbing pain in my head.

“Oh dear. Please lean back on the pillow” My mom slowly pushed me to the bed.

I was surrounded by a doctor, several nurses, Jake, Blair, Mom and dad, Ally and Sarah.

But no Marcus.

“Mom where’s Marcus?”

Mom looked at dad before looking at me in pity.

“He won’t be coming”

“What do you mean he won’t be coming? Didn’t he come to the hospital?”

“No” My dad’s voice echoed through the room. “He didn’t”

I felt tears prick in my eyes. “H-he left me?”

“Yes. He left you and won’t be coming back again. Now stop thinking about him and think about your health first” My father said more authoritatively, annoyed at the mention of Marcus.

“Dad that can’t be” My eyes brimmed with tears as grief engulfed me. “Mom what should I do? I can’t live without him. I can’t-”

“Don’t you remember him slapping you?” My dad asked furiously.

“Dad, he’s not like that. I’m the one who triggered him” I tried explaining but my dad shook his head.

“No he was abused in the past. He only knows how to slap and hit. It was what he learned while growing up. He can’t control himself. It’s who he is. And I don’t want you to get hurt again”

“Dad don’t say such things. I know Marcus. He’s not like th-”

“Oh really? You know Marcus? Then you should have knows his mom was a part of the abusing. But you didn’t. He didn’t want to tell you. You know nothing of him”

My heart sank realizing the truth in his words. It was true. I knew nothing of him. He didn’t open up to me because he still didn’t trust me or maybe he doesn’t want to tell me the truth at all. But he couldn’t possibly leave me like this right?

“Dad-”

“Stop. Carlton already said that he will quickly send the divorce papers. It’s over now. We will do something about your company which is leaning on the Empires. But the marriage is nevertheless over”

“Please dad don’t say that. You can’t decide my life for me”

“I’m doing this for your best. You almost died Camilla. You almost died because of him. Don’t make me repeat myself again. It is over”

Dad walked out of the room leaving me to cry in pain. Ally sat beside me and patted my back to comfort me but the pain in my heart was too much to handle.

After sharing their well wishes Ally, Blair and Sarah left leaving me with Jake and Mom.

Mom leaned beside me on the bed and hugged me. “Mom is it true? Does he not want me anymore?”

“Camilla you just came back from a surgery. Don’t worry about anything else right now. Your health is important”

“M-mom I can’t live without him. I messed up. I messed up” I brought a hand over my eyes to hide myself in the darkness I have brought upon me.

“Camilla you are better without him” It was the first time I heard Jake speak after I woke up.

“Jake”

“No Camilla. H-he hates you. He doesn’t want you. It’s best if you forget him and move on” Jake hesitated and looked down as if he was feeling guilty.Ccontent © exclusive by Nô/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

“It’s my fault Jake. Not his”

“He raised his hand at you Camilla. And then you almost died. Don’t you care about us anymore? About how we are feeling right now? Is your life and your dignity not important ? He slapped you infront of the entire family. He degraded you, he called you names and humiliated you. That’s my limit. I don’t want to see you hurt again”

I tried to defend Marcus but I knew there was a truth in Jake’s words. Marcus’s words, his slap hurt me more than I could ever think of. He didn’t even care whether I lived or not. He left me, just like that.

He wasn’t the sweet, generous Marcus I knew. It wasn’t my Marcus and I made him become the person he was now.

I brought back the evil he feared, the evil that scarred his life. Maybe we are better without each other.

…

Nearly two months have passed and I was back to work. Our headquarters was finally renovated and the opening ceremony was to be held today.

Madeline visited me twice but she knew nothing of Marcus. Only that he left for France the day after my accident. I have been checking tabloids for the past few weeks to know any news about him but it was like he never existed. No one knew what he was doing.

His company was currently controlled by the directors of the Empire group. Luckily the Empire’s didn’t pull out from the business with the RJ’s because of the sky rocketing sales I have been having after the contest.

And in the meantime I got my company back from Anderson cooperations and became the sole owner once again.

“It’s beautiful” I kept my hands on my hips and looked up to stare at the building. I hardly recognised it since everything was changed from the inside and outside.

“Yes. It’s like we bought a new place” Sarah covered her eyes with her hand to gaze up at the building.

“We should go inside and get ready. Show me the guest list” Sarah handed me a file and we both walked inside. The event was to be held in a hall we have in our headquarters for the purpose of fashion shows. Yesterday we moved away the stage and replaced it with cocktail tables.

As I walked inside the media was already here adjusting their cameras in different angles. Staff members were running around giving out orders for the workers who were decorating the pillars. A red carpet was placed along the entrance leading to the hall decorated with gold and red lighting.

The tantalising aroma of food brought in by the catering service erupted a moan within me.

“Oh god that smells good. Can we go and take a bite?” I asked Sarah who was also inhaling the smell of the delicious food.

“And become too fat to wear our dresses? No thanks. We should probably go and get dressed. Your dressed is already prepared. Specially picked up by your most loving, the greatest and the coolest secretary of the entire world” Sarah kept her palms under a chin and looked at me like puss in boots.

I dramatically clapped like a cheerleader and dragged her upstairs to my room. Anna gave me a beautiful rose gold off shoulder beaded evening dress to catch the spotlight of the ceremony. Sarah wore a crystal sheer backless dress with a six inch heels to catch up to my height

“Why do you have to wear high heels? Now you look like 6 feet” Sarah complained as she walked downstairs beside me.

“This is a 3 inch heel. I can’t wear flats to a ceremony. By the way how tall are you?” I asked Sarah teasingly and she scowled before walking past me in fury.

She was just a bit over 5 feet and she hated it. I chuckled at her behaviour but suddenly my mood soured remembering the fight I had about heights with Marcus. After I cried that day he told me I was the best thing that has ever happened in his life and that he was nothing without me.

Was that all a lie? Did he truly forget me and moved on? Is he having another woman in France? The thought of another woman in his arms teared my heart into pieces. Just the mere thought gave me the urge to shrink back into a corner and cry.

I dreamt of a family with him. A happily ever after with him. But now all was gone.

I understand why he doesn’t want me in his life. So I hope he finds someone else who would truly understand and care for him instead of hurting him.

I knew I won’t ever be able to love another man again. He would be my first and last. And I had no problem with it. Someone as selfish as me deserves to be lonely.

Our relationship was a forced one by marriage. We weren’t meant to be. We weren’t each other’s choices. So this was the best chance for him to find the person he was destined to be with, the woman who would be his true wife.

Wiping away the tears in my eyes I walked down the stairs to the hall. The guest were already filling up the area while the media surrounded the entrance trying to grab the attention of the guests.

The director board of the RJ was already here. They nodded their head in contentment and I gave a small nod in return.

I searched the area to get a glimpse of the people from the Empire group who unexpectedly accepted our invitation.

My eyes landed on Mr. Anderson who was staring at me intently. He was surrounded by a group of people but he paid no attention to them. He looked at me in what seemed to be pain and sorrow.

I narrowed my eyes in confusion. Why does he look like he was in great pain? I scanned the group but Marcus was not there.

I didn’t expect him to be here since he had just vanished into thin air. But it’s never wrong to keep hopes.

After talking with several people I rushed to the bathroom to redo my make-up. As I left the bathroom I was suddenly stopped by Carlton Anderson.

“Mr. Anderson um.. why are you here? I mean did you not like the party? ” I fiddled with my dress as I didn’t know what to say. Jake said Mr. Anderson hated me and wanted me to divorce Marcus. But that was the last thing I wanted.

“Camilla” Carlton looked down and gulped loudly. “I-i Camilla-”

“What Mr. Anderson?” I asked, already worry filling me in.

“Camilla, Please help my son”