Contract marriage: My billionaire’s cure

Marcus’s Pov

“I will make sure to hand over the divorce papers to you within this year. So remember this marriage will only last for another year and after that you and I will never see each other again”

I didn’t mean to hurt her but as her eyes brimmed with tears my heart clenched in pain. All I wanted was to keep her safe. Her tears made me feel guilty of what I was doing.

As I drove off, I felt my sister’s eyes on me. She mumbled something to herself but I couldn’t care less. I dropped her off at her grandparents house and left to see Camilla.

Should I apologize to her?

My mind was racing with different thoughts. I wanted to keep her safe but hurting her was not on my list. I went back to our house in hopes of explaining the reasons for my actions.

My past was not something that she should be entangled with. I needed to keep her away and safe. As I walked inside Camilla sprinted down dragging a suitcase with her. She had told me earlier that she would be moving out but I hadn’t realized that she would follow through with it.

As she left, I waited for her to turn back but she didn’t and I felt an unbearable longing creeping up my body.

…

It had been three days. Three days without her. I was confused with myself. I hadn’t known that her mere presence had calmed me for the past few weeks. Since she left, my nightmares became worse.

Madeline hadn’t talked to me since she came back. She thinks that it was all my fault that Camilla left. To be honest it was my fault. I was the one who pushed away but ironically, I was the one who was suffering.

She was nothing but a business deal but that thought hurt me. She had been nothing but kind to me and yet I had been the jerk I always was.

The first night after she left, I thought that I could manage without her. After my nightmares came as usual, I went and sat in front of the pool but for the first time in my life, the water didn’t seem to calm me down.

I trembled with panic, my hands shaking as I raked them through my hair. My nightmares flashed before my eyes even though I was awake. I looked around to see if there was anything or anyone to help me.

I looked around to see Camilla’s room on the first floor. I quickly jumped up and ran to her room. Her scent was still lingering in the air. As I draped her sheets around me , my body started calming down.

Since then I had been sleeping in her room. Her scent reminded me of the night when she asked me if I was doing fine. Since then those memories have been playing around my head each and every day and I feared it.

I couldn’t get attached to her. I couldn’t be this selfish to risk her own life for my happiness.

I know I wasn’t capable of loving anyone and I would not trust anyone with my heart but I felt a sense of responsibility towards her.

I was overjoyed when Steve reminded me of the engagement party that I had to attend with Camilla. Her company made my suit, matching her dress with my the dark blue tie.

I looked through the window and saw her walking towards the limousine. As she opened the door her lavender scent invaded my nostrils. She was beautiful in the dark blue dress, her hair flowing around her shoulders. To be fair, she looked beautiful in anything.

She avoided my eyes for the entire ride, even though I couldn’t stop staring at her. As we arrived at the venue, she got out before me. I saw her trembling figure in front of the flashing cameras and I felt angry. Angry at the reporters for scaring her.

I had always been a stone without emotions but she somehow found a way in. She was the only person in my life who had given me what I wanted. Those simple three words.

I quickly tugged her closer to me and dragged her to the corner of the hall. I felt eyes on me but I didn’t care as Camilla was having a problem breathing. All I wanted to do was comfort her, as she did to me.

I pulled her closer to my chest wrapping my arms around her.

I caressed her arm and leaned my forehead towards hers. My eyes fluttered closed and I enjoyed every second of her presence. But it only lasted for a while as she pulled back from my arms.

Without looking at me, she turned on her heel and marched towards the couple. I slowly followed her to avoid frightening her.

As I was talking to my father, I saw Camilla dragging the girl to the balcony. I picked up two wine glasses and walked towards them.

They seemed to be immersed in conversation and I had the urge to eavesdrop, but I soon realized that I should’ve minded my own business.

Every word that left Camilla’s mouth hurt me a lot more than I thought it would. I felt guilty. She helped me but what did I do?

I wanted to keep her safe but I was foolish enough to think that she would not hate me for that.

Emotions I hadn’t felt in such a long time crossed my heart. It ached, knowing that I pushed away someone who helped me.

But was she only someone who helped me and nothing else? Are my only feelings towards her guilt and responsibility?

These few weeks with her had brought a smile to my face even though I was unwilling to admit it.

My life had always been dull and boring. I shut everybody out including her. But surprisingly she was the only one I wanted to invite back into my life.

The words I said back at the store only meant to keep her away, not to hurt her. Day by day, I was getting attached to her cheerful personality and it scared me, knowing that my presence could hurt her.

I was angry at myself for hurting her. Just glancing at her conjured up so many emotions inside me. As I was staring at her, she caught my eye.

Her beautiful eyes made me hate myself more as I turned back and left the hall.

…

It had been two weeks since I last saw her.Published by Nôv'elD/rama.Org.

Are you okay? The words she asked me kept replaying in my head every time I thought of her.

I hadn’t known that those words I had yearned for for so long could change my entire life. Nobody had asked me that. Not even my dad after all I had gone through.

My sister was too young to care about me. And I didn’t want to be a burden to her. So I was all by myself even after the incident that wrecked my life.

But I thought I was used to loneliness until Camilla came into my life.

It was late at night and I was still at the office, not willing to go back to my empty house. My phone vibrated with a message. I looked at it to see a message from an unknown number.

“Your wife is very pretty.”

I panicked and called my security team instantly, which I had stationed near her building to keep an eye on her. Her safety was all that mattered.

“Sir there’s a power cut in the building. It’s very unusual in this neighborhood. Something is wrong”

“Where are you?”

“We are in the underground parking lot. Will you be coming sir?”

“Yes, wait there”

I took my coat and dashed to my car. As I neared the building, I saw my men running towards me. I tried calling Camilla a few times but her phone was off.

“Sir, should we go to her penthouse?”

She wouldn’t like me showing up out of nowhere. So I decided to call her again to make sure she was alright.

This time she picked up.

“Hello Camilla. I wan-”

I heard an ear piercing scream on the other end. Camilla’s scream. My hand started shaking in sheer panic and I dropped the phone.

“Stop struggling you bitch” I heard a man yell from the other end. Anger started boiling inside me as I heard her cry.

“GET THE POLICE NOW!” I yelled at my men as I sprinted inside.

Some of the generators were already fixed. Thankfully the elevator had started working. But the top floors still didn’t have power and I cursed myself for being late.

The police station was nearby. My men who were following me shouted that the police was on their way.

I soon got to her penthouse and tried to open the door but it was locked. As I was struggling with the door handle the police came behind me panting heavily.

One of the police officers took the fire extinguisher fixed to the wall beside the door and broke the door handle. I quickly pushed myself inside, only to meet a horrifying scene.

A man was holding Camilla by her throat, trying to slap her. My blood boiled furiously. I wanted to kill this man, but before I could do anything, the man shot at the police.

They fired back but missed since he was quick. He ran out of the door, my men and the police hot on his heels.

I looked at a bloodied Camilla lying on the floor. It was all my fault. I had done this. Guilt was eating me up as I looked at her.

I scooped her up in my arms and mumbled an apology. She felt so limp and fragile in my arms, blood streaming down her face and matting her hair.

She brought her hand up to my cheek . “You came”

Of course I would come for her. I mumbled another incoherent apology and took her outside, snuggling her closer.

I was never letting her go again. She was mine to protect. I was wrong all along. Pushing her away won’t keep her safe.

From now on I would do my best to protect her, not by distancing myself from her but by standing by her side through thick and thin.