"The Billion-Dollar Marriage Contract" by Alyssa Urbano is available internationally through: Amazon, Kindle, Smashwords, CreateSpace, Barnes and Noble, Nook, Itunes/Ibooks.

For the Philippines, printing is per batch. You can pre-order and the books will be shipped to you.

Full details and links are on my blog: http://aerithsage.tumblr.com/tbdmc

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CHAPTER 5- WEDDING (Part 3)

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Cassia smiled amidst her tears.

“If there was only a way to escape this island...” Cassia mused.

“What if there is, would you take it?” Hector asked.

He sat up a little straighter and looked at Cassia directly in the eyes.

Cassia laughed, a hollow and bitter laugh.

“Me? Escape? That’s hard. My grandfather has this whole place locked down with his security. And no one would dare drive me out towards the dock. Even then, I’d have to wait for a boat to take me to the mainland and then wait for a plane. I don’t have any ticket or money with me...”

“I have a motorcycle. And I have a small boat I use to travel to the mainland. I can get you there. Speaking of the tickets...I have two. My girlfriend was supposed to return with me to America but we broke up. I can loan the extra ticket to you. Hmm...about money? I’m sure we can sell one bauble you have on you and there’ll be plenty of money to start a life back home. If you sell all of your jewelry, I am sure you could even go to college,” Hector explained with purpose.

In a flash, Cassia was already standing. Hope surged within her and for the first time, she started to believe that she could still make all her dreams come true.

“We can go home?” she said in a voice filled with longing.

“Yes,” came Hector’s determined reply.

“Let’s go!” Cassia eagerly exclaimed.

Hector threw the door open for her and the two of them dashed down three levels of a narrow, winding staircase. Cassia’s silk gown and her veil billowed in the wind as she ran.

And she never felt freer in all her years...

Cassia and Hector laughed as they both continued to run. Cassia slipped one time and Hector offered her his hand. Then hand in hand, they ran for their freedom...

Hector climbed in his motorcycle and it took a few tries before it was able to start.

While she was waiting for the motorcycle to start, doubts crept into her mind.

Was this truly the right thing to do?

If she fled, then Costas would win. The merger would not push through; Nikos would gain nothing and lose everything. But if she married Nikos today, and divorced him tomorrow stating that she was at fault and she had a lover...then she would get back at her grandfather. Nikos would get back the Demakis Shipping Corporation as their merger contract stated and her grandfather would be the one who lost everything.

After she had set everything right, then she could leave this life behind and go back to America where she could finally have the life she wanted.

“Let’s go, princess,” Hector said with a smile as he offered Cassia his hand to help her climb onto his motorcycle.

For a moment there, Cassia stood motionless as she debated what to do.

Freedom or revenge against her grandfather?

How could she choose when freedom was this close? When freedom just meant climbing on to Hector’s motorcycle and throwing all caution to the wind?

But as always, her good heart won over and she sadly shook her head.

“I am sorry, Hector...I have to set everything right. I have to marry him today. If I do that and divorce him tomorrow, all the money will go to him and my grandfather would be left with nothing. You see, it’s all because of Costas that all this happened to Nikos’ family. I have to correct all my grandfather’s mistakes. I have the power to do it and I will.”

“Is that it then...is money truly everything?”

“For them...not for me. Wait for me in America. I’ll try and find you. Hopefully I’ll be on my way there tomorrow or within the week after I shock the world with my divorce.”

“Such a kind heart, princess. Now I know why people step all over you. Just promise me one thing: never ever allow anyone to do that ever again. Hold your head high because you are better than all of them.”

“I promise. But you have to promise me something in return...”

“Anything, princess,” Hector replied.

Cassia smiled at the endearment.

She reached over to her left wrist and unclasped her diamond and sapphire-studded gold watch. It was supposed to be her “something old and blue” for her wedding. But right now, it looked as if it was some silly superstition. Her wedding was a sham and she needed no good-luck charm in this part of her life. Besides, it would be better suited for Hector’s purpose.

“Go and fulfill your dreams, and I still want to be present in that grand opening!” Cassia said with a tender smile as she reached forward and placed the watch in Hector’s stunned fingers.

“No! I can’t possibly accept this.”

“You are the first person who’s been kind to me in Greece. I have more where that came from and I know that you’ll put the money to good use. Think of this as a loan from me. And when you’re already making it big in the restaurant industry, you can always pay me back. And I won’t take no for an answer.”

“This is too much... I thank you for this gift. I vow that I will work harder and reach my dreams. And when the time comes that I’m making it big, I’ll buy you a treasure trove filled with these,” he promised.

“I’ll hold you to that promise.”

“Last chance for freedom, princess...come with me,” Hector said as he offered his hand once more.

It was tempting - oh, so tempting to just take his hand, forget everything and start a new life. But just like before, the other side of her won and Cassia shook her head.

“I really have to do this.”

“I understand. Well...see you in America!” Hector shouted over the roar of the motorcycle’s engine.

With a last salute towards Cassia, he sped off into the driveway and then into the city.

Cassia watched him go with heaviness in her heart.

When he was gone, she steeled herself and prepared to come back to her sham of a wedding. She would do this for Nikos’ family. She would make her grandfather pay for all the times that he manipulated people’s lives.

First Costas would pay...and then she’d be free.