Contract marriage: My billionaire’s cure

Wind brushed past me whispering in hush tones waking up the loved ones buried underneath. I stepped on the frosted brown leaves wincing as the smallest sound fell heavy on my ears.

The cold breeze humming and mumbling sending chills up my bare hands carrying two red roses for the fallen beloveds. My feet took me through the narrow path blending with the dark mist that circled around, mourning for the dead met with an unwanted fate.

I gripped my dark coat and wrapped it tightly around me as the temperature dropped. I skidded along the hollow graveyard stepping on twigs and leaves searching for the path that led me to them.

I came to a halt as my eyes fell on two tombstones that stood tall calling for an embrace of warmth. Slowly but quietly I sat on my knees before them. The wind circled around me howling in pain at the fate their companions met.

I kept a rose on each tombstone and my fingers grazed the engravings on each. Their names, the ones who sacrificed their lives will never be forgotten.

Barbara and Clara

…

Back to the day

I wanted to die.

What’s the point of living if you don’t have anyone to live for?

I closed my eyes and cried silently as grief consumed me ripping me from within.

But suddenly I was pushed back and fell on to the floor. All was blurry nothing was clear. But I saw two figures wearing paramedic uniforms shouting in panic, surrounding my baby.

“Hold his chin up”

I didn’t know what I was hearing or what was happening. But my distant hearing cleared and I heard sirens.

“Don’t gather around. Open the windows”

I blinked and blinked trying to clear my vision. Then I saw the man, Kyle lying on the floor bleeding from his head. My gaze fell on someone sitting before him, looking at the dead man in shock.

It was Marcus.

He was alive.

I glanced up and saw a policeman putting his gun back on his pouch.

“Again”

The paramedics shouted and then I heard the most sweetest voice ever.

Lucas crying.

He coughed and coughed and then cried.

“Quickly take him to the ambulance. The baby is alive. We need to get him to the hospital. Hurry!”

A woman carried the baby who was gasping for air, struggling to breath. Another man stood up and I held on to his leg.

“My baby…. Is he-is he….”

“He’s fine if we take him to the hospital quickly”

He released his leg from my grip and ran out the door. My gaze fell on Marcus who was staring at the door, his eyes held shock and pain.

“Mr and Mrs. Anderson please go down to the Ambulance. You both are in need of medical treatment” Another police officer said.

My mind didn’t grasp what was happening but I knew that my baby and my husband was still alive.

Tears fell down onto my cheeks in relief.

They were alive. They were alive.

“Mar…cu.. s” I called out his name with a broken voice.

Slowly getting up I walked over to him. I sat on his lap and leaned my head on his chest.

“Lucas stopped b-breathing” He whispered, his voice laced with pain.

“I killed him”

All strength had left me, I was even unable to open my mouth to deny that. I wrapped my hands around him tightly and held him close to me.

“Mr. Anderson it was a wise decision you made to call us as soon as you realised something was wrong. But now I need you both to go to the hospital and then we’ll come to take answers from you”

Marcus didn’t say anything. I couldn’t even bring myself to say anything. I was too shocked. We both were.

“Mr and Mrs Anderson if you don’t listen to us we have to drag you down because you both are bleeding quiet a lot”

My ears blocked his voice. Exhaustion took over me and I felt myself slowly drifting off to a long sleep.

Marcus didn’t respond but I heard him say,Copyright Nôv/el/Dra/ma.Org.

“It happened again”

…

It has been a week since that day and we were still at the hospital. After they took Lucas to the hospital he had been breathing through tubes for a whole week. It breaks my heart but I was happy to see him alive.

Today he was finally getting discharged. They removed his tubes and now he was sleeping peacefully on the bed. Marcus was lying next to him, leaning his head on the pillow staring at the baby.

It was what he had been doing this entire week. Staring at the baby through day and night, worrying something might happen to Lucas if he sleeps. Somedays he even held me close to him, not letting me get out of his grip.

Marcus didn’t speak to anyone this entire week. Only after Lucas’s tubes were removed he decided to speak and tell me about his past.

It was even painful to hear that he had gone through all of that when he was just a mere child.

After learning about his past I understood a lot of things about him. Why he always stares at pools, why he’s obsessed with glass walls, why he’s on edge whenever I cross roads and the reason for not letting me take Lucas near the bathtub.

I felt bad for Rebecca who was separated from her family. Her mother died but rest of her family was out there living somewhere. Marcus’s dad said they tried tracking them down but always came to a dead end whenever they try.

On that day Marcus had called the police after realising something was wrong as neither me nor Madeline picked up our phones. Luckily it was what saved us.

But Marcus doesn’t accept the fact that he saved us not hurt us. All these days he had been mumbling to himself saying it was all his fault.

What I felt most guilty about was that Madeline had fallen into a coma. After getting stabbed she fell with her head hitting on the table. It had caused a lot of damage and the doctors said she was barely alive but they also said she still had hope. And I prayed every day she would get better.

I was pulled out of my trance by a knock on the door. I glanced at Marcus who still lay on the bed like a lifelessly body. I heaved a long sigh and got up from the couch.

I opened the door and it was Marcus’s father standing behind it.

“Umm… I brought apples” He said shyly and I moved away giving him space to walk in.

“Thank you Mr. Anderson. You have helped us a lot”

It was true. If he wasn’t here I wouldn’t know how to deal with the Police and Marcus. Even in the past he had helped Marcus a lot.

There were many court trials they had to go through to prove that Marcus killed his step father for self defence. And Carlton had taken care of all of it.

When Marcus came to Carlton he didn’t even have basic education skills because his step father hadn’t let him go to a school. But Mr. Anderson gave him all the education he needed by homeschooling him and then later on sending him to a school.

He even searched doctors from all around the world to heal him.

Carlton walked inside and his eyes fell on Marcus. Instantly sadness washed over his face “I feel like a horrible father right now”

He sat on the couch and I sat across from him. “You are not Mr. Anderson”

But he shook his head.

“Camilla, last year after you were attacked several times Marcus started investigating the culprit. But I forced him to give that work to me. I had my men keeping an eye on everyone who held hatred towards Marcus. But we foolishly left Kyle out. We never thought he would hold grudges against Marcus for his daughter’s death. We thought he would hate his brother instead of Marcus who did nothing wrong. But Kaitlyn must have changed his mind. She doesn’t want Marcus to be happy. I should have known that. I’m sorry Camilla. I convinced Marcus several times that you were not in danger because I had everything under control but I was wrong. I’m sorry”

“Mr. Anderson everyone makes mistakes. You already did lot of things for Marcus. You helped him and gave him everything he need”

Carlton pursed his lips, as his face sank in sorrow. “But I failed to give him love” he slowly whispered, confusing me.

“You know, when he came to me he was just a little boy. And I had just inherited the empire group so I was a busy man. I couldn’t even find a wife for myself. Even though I gave Marcus a roof to live under I failed to give him the love he needed. Do you know when he started liking you?”

I shook my head.

“At the begining when I told him about the marriage he despised it but didn’t deny because he was grateful to me. He told me that he would hate you but you see, that didn’t happen. So one day I asked him what made him change”

I leaned forward, listening intently, curious to know his answer. This was a question I have been wondering a lot.

“He told me you asked him are you okay”

“What?” I asked dumbfounded.

“It was something he had been yearning to hear all his life, for someone to check if he was fine. And I realised even after all he had gone through I hadn’t even asked him those simple three words”

Hearing it I suddenly remembered how Marcus’s body tensed after I asked him that in Germany. It was the first time he hugged me and held me that close.

Carlton sighed and looked at Marcus again “Well, I came to check on Marcus and now that I have I shouldn’t be bothering you anymore. Is there anything else I can do for you Camilla?”

“Umm…I would like to visit Barbara’s and Clara’s grave”

Carlton stared at me for a moment and then nodded his head. “I’ll send my driver to you”

After Carlton left I walked over to the bed and sat next to Marcus. I ran my fingers through his soft hair, caressing it.

“Marcus don’t blame yourself. We all are alive because you saved us”

He was silent for a moment and then spoke “But it all happened because of me”

“It won’t happen again. Kyle is dead and we’ll keep an eye on everyone else who we think is a threat. Please Marcus don’t think it’s your fault”

Without replying Marcus buried his face in the pillow and I heard him cry.

Tears pricked in my eyes seeing him like this.

Marcus was a strong man from the outside but fragile from the inside. And I loved every bit of it. I don’t care if other men didn’t cry but I’m happy that Marcus let out his emotions instead of holding it in and pretending to be someone else.

Crying doesn’t make men weaker it just shows who they really are. It shows that sometimes they need comfort just like any other girl would and it doesn’t make them any less of a man but someone caring and understanding.

I kissed the back of his head and leaned my head on his shoulder, hugging him as he let out his pain.

“We are all fine”