Contract marriage: My billionaire’s cure

“Here take this toffee. It’s tasty” the small girl gave him a toffee wrapped in a red cover.

“I don’t need it” he huffed looking away and sat down on the floor.

“This will help your wounds” a small pout was forming on the girls lips as she asked pleadingly.

“Barbara take your daughter away. She’s so annoying”

“I”m not” With that she balled her hand into a fist and lightly smacked his head.

“Ouch. It hurts”

“Liar”

“Why are you always bothering me?” he scowled still not looking at her.Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

“Because I am your sister” the girl grinned and clapped her hands happily.

“No you are not. You are our housemaid’s daughter and we don’t look alike”

“I don’t but my mom has the same eyes as you. They are green”

The boy scoffed and shook his head annoyed.

“There are many people with eyes similar to mine”

“I don’t care I’m you pretty little sister” she kept her hands under her chin and smiled brightly.

“You will never be my sister”

“Marcus you idiot!”

…

It was finally Friday.

We were in a room with a long table. The five judges sat before us. Marcus sat to my right and Taylor Harrington to my left.

We were discussing about the programs to be held everyday. The magazines and newspapers were full of the pictures that were taken on the photoshoot. The entire country was talking about the contest and they were eagerly waiting till it started.

“Mr. Anderson we are happy that you are also joining. It’s nice to see a new face in the fashion world. How has it been so far?”

I looked at Marcus as one of the judges, Olivia asked him a question. But he was staring at the sea thinking about something deeply.

“Mr. Anderson?” Olivia asked once again but Marcus didn’t seem to be paying attention.

I nudged his arm and whispered slowly.

“Marcus!”

He still didn’t realize that we were calling him.

Olivia looked at me in confusion and I gave her a small awkward smile.

“Marcus!” I whispered again but he didn’t hear. So I pinched his thigh and hissed angrily.

“Marcus you idiot!”

That caught his attention and he snapped his head towards me. He looked around and suddenly realised that everyone was staring at him.

“I-I’m sorry I seem to be unwell. Forgive me please”

“Mr. Anderson you can go and rest if you want. Health is more important than anything”

“Thank you” He slowly bent his head in respect and walked out.

I was shocked for a moment. What had happened to him? He never left in the middle of a meeting. And specially on an important day like this.

My mood soured as worry filled inside me. I was tapping my foot under the table impatiently, waiting for this meeting to end so that I could go to Marcus.

“Ok everything is done. I presume the opening ceremony will be held tonight?”

I nodded in a hurry eager to get out.

The guests for tonight would be arriving from ships and helicopters that belonged to the RJ. I had lot of preparing to do but all I could think about was how Marcus was doing.

As soon as everyone left I ran to my room but Marcus was not there. I searched the hallway and the lobby but still couldn’t find him. I jogged up the stairs and went to the deck. The deck was huge and I searched every corner of it.

And there in the corner, out of everyone’s sight, sat Marcus on the floor, his head leaning against the wall with his eyes closed. He looked so vulnerable and fragile as if he was in immense pain.

My eyes started watering as I stared at him. My heart clenched in pain to see him helpless. He didn’t open up to me and that’s what scared me about confessing to him. He still didn’t trust me enough to keep his secrets.

Tears started falling down to my cheeks and I ran to him wanting to engulf him in a warm hug telling him that he has me, that he was not alone. I knelt down in front of him and held him by his shoulders. He opened his eyes and my lips trembled seeing the sadness and pain in his glossy eyes.

“Marcus” I said in a broken voice and cupped his face in my hands.

He panicked as soon as he saw my tear stained face. He pulled me closer bringing me to his lap. He started wiping the tears away with his thumb, looking worried.

“Camilla why are you crying? Please don’t cry”

“Marcus why did you leave? Are you ok? Please tell me if something’s wrong. I can’t bear to see you in pain” My voice was quivering as I tried to talk through my sobs.

“Shh” He kept his index finger on my lips. “I’m not in pain”

“You are. Look at you. Did you remember a bad memory you had?” I tried wiping away the tears with my sleeves but they didn’t seem to be stopping anytime soon.

“I did not. I just remembered a good memory” he said with a small smile, reassuring me.

“You sure?” He nodded and looked at me with adoration glinting in his eyes.

“Don’t cry now. I’m ok”

“I don’t believe you” I said with a broken voice as I cried more. I was a Tsunami of tears right now but I didn’t care.

A small chuckle escaped his lips and he brought me closer and leaned my head on his chest. He pressed a soft kiss on my head and started stroking my hair while I cried into his chest, wetting his perfect shirt.

“Were you worried about me?” I slowly nodded to his question.

He cupped my face with his hands and leaned my head back to look at me.

He stared at my eyes for a while and mumbled quietly, almost to himself. “What would I do without you Camilla”

I was so emotional right now that I yearned for his touch with all my life. I wrapped my arms around him and buried my face in the crook of his neck. I trailed my fingers to the back of his head and played with the bottom tendrils of his hair.

He wrapped his arms around my waist and adjusted me so that I was pressed to his chest. He leaned his head against mine and I looked up to him to see his eyes slowly fluttering close.

I didn’t even notice how exhausted I was as my eyelids forcefully closed, drifting me off to a heavy sleep.

…

“Umm ma’am”

I woke up to someone clearing their throat. Slowly opening my eyes I saw Sarah standing with a smug look plastered on her face. Behind her the sun was already setting in the horizon, piercing the entire sky with a ray of red.

Marcus slightly stirred under me and I look down to see him slowly opening his eyes. I was still on his lap, pressed close to him.

“Ma’am the guests will be arriving in one hour”

My eyes bulged out of my sockets at her words. I looked at the time on Marcus’s watch and was rendered speechless.

We had slept on the deck for two freaking hours? And I only had one hour to prepare for the opening ceremony?

I quickly stood up feeling anxious. Marcus tried standing up but his legs had gone numb with me sitting on them for two hours. I held out my hand for him to take and he gladly took it. I pulled him up with all my strength and hurried to our room to get changed.

I quickly took a shower and walked out in my bathrobe gesturing Marcus to go in so I could change in the room.

I quickly changed into an off shoulder black fishtail evening dress with two inch high heels. I rolled my hair up elegantly into a French twist and attached silver pins to keep it in place.

Marcus came out wearing a suit. His black tie tucked under his dark waistcoat matching perfectly with the white dress shirt underneath.

I blushed furiously seeing how handsome he was. The smirk on his face widened as he saw me checking him out. I quickly turned to the mirror and started applying my makeup.

He walked over and stood behind me, absorbing every inch of me with his hypnotising eyes. From the mirror I saw him inch closer and place a kiss on my bare shoulder. His lips trailed from my shoulder to my neck to my ear lobe and gently bit it, teasing me with his tongue.

He wrapped his arm around my waist and turned me to him, my hands landing on his chest trying balance myself. He leaned in to kiss me but I held my index finger on his lips.

“Don’t. You will smudge the lipstick” his eyes faltered in defeat as I teased him.

Before he could say anything, I dragged him out the door.

The grand hall was extravagant with it’s heavenly decorations. Many actors and actresses were present to publicize the event. The media was already taking pictures of the people arriving at the red carpet.

All the models were fashionably dressed in the clothes each company had prepared. And the teams seemed to be interacting with each other peacefully than we expected.

Many groups such as RJ, Empire, YJ and Bolton’s were here. I saw Brandon and Clara talking to each other, almost yelling. Their faces were contorted in anger, ready to rip each other apart.

“What’s happening over there?” I nudged Marcus with my elbow and asked him.

“It’s best if we avoid them” Marcus grabbed my hand and walked to where his father and my father were.

There were both happy to see us holding hands. Unfortunately my mother and idiot of a brother couldn’t come since they were taking care of some business in the RJs. But they said they would come to see the contest when it was in Marcus’s hotel.

Through the corner of my eye, I saw Brandon and Clara having a heated conversation. Before the stupid cousins could create a scene, I walked over to them to stop whatever babyish act they were putting on.

But I suddenly felt a pain in my lower abdomen. I raked my brain to remember when the last time was and after realisation hit me, I ran to the bathroom cursing myself for forgetting it on such an important day.

Reaching the bathroom, my dreaded days became a reality on one of the most important days of my life.

I sighed loudly as I realised that I was probably stuck here for the rest of the night.

Because every girls’ nightmare decided to knock on my door today.