Contract marriage: My billionaire’s cure

I was inside the private jet of the Empire’s ready to leave to France. Mr. Anderson didn’t give me lot of details other than Marcus was in great pain. And that was enough for me to stop everything and run back to him.

I told Sarah that I would be leaving and she said that she would handle everything in the event. My dad was mad but I cared less. I couldn’t bear the thought of something happening to Marcus.

I know he slapped me I know he humiliated me but if he regretted it that’s what mattered. If he truly felt sorry I’m willing to give a second chance to heal our relationship.

I know my family would consider me as a weak girl but holding grudges won’t benefit either of us. If he apologizes and tries his best to keep this relationship going I would consider forgiving him. And it was also my fault in bringing his mother. I’m also willing to ask for his forgiveness if both of us feel the same.

After a long flight we finally landed in Lyon. The driver drove us through a long winding path leading to a mansion built in Colossal structure that loomed behind the iron gates embedded with vines sprouting light pink roses. Behind the vast estate flows the river saone disrupting the eerie silence of the surrounding bewitching me with each passing second.

A butler opened my door and I got out while gaping at the captivating sight before me. But I was suddenly pulled out of my trance as I heard an ear piercing scream.

I looked at Mr. Anderson in alarm and he ran inside the mansion. I followed behind him and saw two women dressed in nurse uniform jogging down the stairs in a hurry. One nurse with an auburn hair held a knife covered in blood in her hand.

Behind them I saw a few men in suits close a huge mahogany door as an old man in a doctor coat came out looking equally startled. I narrowed my eyes in confusion. What the hell was happening here?

“Mr. Anderson he’s getting worse” The doctor spoke in a rich french accent as he hurried down the stairs.

“What is happening?” I asked dumbfounded.

“Mr. Dupont what’s going on?” Carlton asked the doctor with panic lacing his voice.

“Mr. Anderson, Marcus tried to cut his hand saying he used it to slap his wife”

“WHAT?” I shouted in horror.

“Um…Miss may I know who you are?” The doctor asked me with his eye brows raised in confusion.

“I-i’m”

“She’s his wife” Carlton spoke for me.

“Let me go to Marcus” I started running towards the stairs but the doctor stopped me.

“Mrs. Anderson stop! Marcus is not in a good state. He thinks he will hurt everyone. Specially you”

“I want to go please” I begged, tears falling down my face.

“Let’s have a talk before I let you go” The doctor gestured for me to follow him and unwillingly I walked behind him and sat on the large sofa in the middle.

“Please tell me what’s going on” I tried wiping away my tears but they wouldn’t stop.

“First of all I’m sorry for all the things I said about you Camilla” Carlton spoke as he sat down next to the doctor.

“I know I shouldn’t have decided on a divorce for you two. And I also wanted to thank you for not proceeding with it because Marcus can’t live without you. Camilla I’m deeply ashamed of the things I said to your father. Please forgive me”Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

“It’s okay Mr. Anderson. Can you please tell me about Marcus? How is he?”

The doctor sighed loudly and started to speak. “Marcus had a mental breakdown after he saw your lifelessly body. He thinks he did it. He thinks he’s just like his mother. I treated him when he was a little boy but it’s much worse now. All these years he saw nightmares of his mother but now he sees your body covered in blood over and over, every night. He calls your name each night and cries like the little boy he was. He hides himself in the corner and mumble that he will hurt you just like how his mother did to him. And today we got it out of our hands and he tried to hurt himself. Mrs. Anderson you are the only one who can help him. You are the only one who can show him that he is not alone. Please help us”

I kept my face on my palms and cried in pain. All these months he had been suffering and I was not there. He had been crying out for me and yet I thought that he was going around with other women enjoying a life without me. I was such a fool.

“Doctor what can I do?” I spoke through sobs, the agony burning me from within.

“We have to take small steps. First we need to show him that you are fine. Don’t try to rush and run to him. But show him that you are here for him”

The doctor kept on giving me instructions and I nodded my head in a hurry, eager to go to Marcus. “Doctor can I go now?”

“Okay. Come with me”

We walked up the stairs and the doctor slowly opened the large door. The room was big but dark as the beige curtains partly covered the huge windows behind it.

There, at the the corner of the room sat Marcus on the floor, curled up into a ball. His knees were pressed to his chest as he buried his face in it. His entire body was trembling while he rocked back and forth, blood gushing out of a clean cut on his left hand.

My heart throbbed in pain as I felt myself drown in the agony I created. Small shards of glass scraping my inner skin, trying to rip out the heart to weaken the grief igniting within me. It was too unbearable for me to even look at.

I fell down to my knees and closed my mouth with my hands to stop myself from crying. But a small whimper escaped my lips and Marcus looked up.

Suddenly his eyes widened upon seeing me. He quickly scrambled to the further back and looked at me in horror.

“Marcus-”

“No no get away from me. Go away”

“Marcus please”

“No no Camilla I will hurt you. I will hurt you again. I’m just like her. I killed you. You were- you were covered in blood. I killed you”

I scooted closer and sat in front of him. “Marcus look at me baby. Look at me. I’m fine” I begged in despair.

“No no” he closed his eyes and looked down, his fingers trembling in fear. I looked at the door and the doctor nodded at me and left. I was not to rush but I couldn’t control myself anymore.

“Camilla you had blood every. You were gone. Y-you left me. You left me” Marcus whispered in a low tone as hurt and pain filled his voice.

“No I’m here Marcus. I’m here for you. Please look at me” I hopelessly begged, tears staining my face, filling me with grief.

I touched his chin with the my finger tips and raised his head to look at me. “Marcus open your eyes”

He slowly opened his eyes and looked at me. I started crying more louder seeing the tears in his eyes. “Marcus I’m so-i’m so sorry”

“C-Camilla. You are really here?” He asked me, his eyes roaming around me to check if I was real.

I cupped his cheeks with both of my hands and nodded my head. “Yes, see I’m real”

He raised his hand and slowly wiped away the tears. “Don’t cry”

The corners of my lips tugged up into a small smile as I realized my Marcus was still here. The one who doesn’t like to see me cry.

“Then you don’t too”

His face gleamed in happiness and he gave the smallest but the most cutest smile I have ever seen. I laughed at his childishness and kissed his forheard.

Marcus stretched his legs and dragged me onto his lap. He wrapped his hands around my waist and brought me to his chest. “You are real”

“Yes I am”

“But I saw you, lying on the road cover-”

“That was in the past. I’m fine now” I gently kissed his cheek and leaned back on his chest.

“I’m-i’m sorry. I’m so sorry for everything I did and tell. I’m sorry” He closed his eyes and a drop of tear fell down to his cheeks. “I’m so sorry Camilla. It my fault-”

“Marcus don’t say that. It was my fault too. I’m sorry for bringing your mother and you don’t have to apologize anymore because I already forgave you. Please don’t cry. It breaks my heart” I said with a broken voice, struggling to control my own sorrow.

“Will you leave me again?”

“No I won’t. I will stick to you like a chewing gum” He gave a small chuckle and it made my heart flutter.

“Marcus you are bleeding. You need to put on some ointment” I started getting out of his lap but he dragged me back, looking alarmed.

“You are leaving me?” His face gleamed in fear, his fingers tightening around my wrist.

“What? No of course not. I’m just going downstairs to get the doctor”

“No don’t go. You will leave me. You will leave me” He sat me back on his lap and buried his face in my neck. And that was when I realized how much broken he was. I stroked his head and murmmed soothing words in his ear trying to comfort him.

Luckily the doctor opened the door and came in. He bandaged the wound before leaving.

“Why did you do this Marcus?” I touched his wounded hand and asked him. He gulped loudly and looked at me in guilt. “I was ashamed of what I did. I raised my hand to you. I-”

“Shh” I wrapped my arms around him and brought his head to my chest before he tear up again. “It’s okay”

“I promise I won’t do it again Camilla. I promise. Please don’t leave me” He begged and pressed closer to me.

“I know. I know you won’t do it again. That’s all that matters. Don’t think about again. Okay?”

He leaned back and nodded his head. “Okay let’s go to the bed now” I lifted him off the ground and dragged him on to the bed.

He leaned on the pillow and buried his face in the crook of my neck, tightening his hold around me. “I love you Camilla. I love you so much that I don’t know how to explain it”

“I know Marcus. And I love you too. Let’s forget about what happened in the past. Please don’t worry about it anymore. Sleep now” I kissed his head and caressed his hair while he slept in my arms like a baby.

What have I done? I should have looked for him. I should have known that something was wrong. I couldn’t bear the pain, knowing that Marcus suffered like this for two months.

He was a glass figurine, perfect for the eye but fragile underneath. I should have known.

…

I sat on the window sill and stared at Marcus who was reading a book. Three months have passed and he was finally back to how he was.

The first two weeks was the hardest because Marcus didn’t want to let go of my hand. Our food was brought to the room and he only released my hand when he or I went to the bathroom.

But also then I had to sit before the bathroom door and talk to him, reassuring him that I was still there and didn’t leave.

Then the other two weeks he let go of my hand but was afraid to let me out of the room. I didn’t complain about that since I got more time to spend with him. We sat by the window and read books everyday. Talked a lot, I cracked up some of Jake’s jokes to which he laughed hilariously.

And the next month he started going out of the room. We walked in his massive estate, rode horses that they have in their stables. Every evening we sat on the deck and stared at the flowing river to calm ourselves.

Even though I was in France I always had online conferences and was in touch with my company. Steve and Sarah visited once and was delighted to see Marcus and I together.

The third month we started going to the city. We visited all the possible tourist sites in Lyon. He also visited Mr. Dupont’s clinic for treatment which he hated with every inch of his body.

He and I both worked from online in the third month but he never stopped apologizing for the things happened on his birthday. To stop him I ordered a cake and we celebrated his birthday along with my birthday in his house with all the maids and security.

My heart warmed just by seeing him like this. Casually sitting on the window sill, reading a book like nothing else mattered. I leaned in and gently pecked his cheek. His lips tugged up into a small smile as he looked at me.

“What?”

“No I’m just happy to have you back”

He leaned in and gave a kiss on my lips. “Me too”

I was overjoyed to see him like this. These past few months pained me so much that I didn’t want to see him go through this again. Even though I failed many times in protecting him I will keep on trying. I will never give up on him.