September 22, 2003
The Amphitrite (Nikos’ Yacht)
Somewhere in the Greek Coast

***RIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIING***

Nikos turned and then groaned at the shrill ringing of his cell phone.

Who would dare interrupt him when he said that he didn’t want to be disturbed and that all his calls and meetings be cancelled? He picked up a pillow and placed it over his head to drown out the noise.

“I think you better get that, Cherie,” the woman beside him purred in a heavy French accent. He lifted the covers and stared at her exquisite features. She smiled at him and it was the smile of someone well-satisfied.

Her hair was tousled and her cheeks were still flushed from their recent bout of lovemaking. He smiled at her and she launched herself up his body and began kissing him eagerly. She was a renowned French supermodel and she was his latest mistress.

Nikos felt his body responding to her expert caress and he almost gave in. But they were interrupted once more by the incessant ringing of his phone.

He sighed and then placed one last kiss on her lips and stood up to retrieve his phone.

“Nikos Demakis. And this better be important,” he growled.

His grandfather’s laughter echoed in his ears.

“Nikos. I assure you that this is important,” Stavros Demakis answered his only grandson.

“Nice hearing from you, Pappou... How are you?”

“Fine, my boy, but I am afraid I need to cut your vacation short. I need you here at the office as soon as possible. You know the current state of our company and I have some things I must discuss with you.”

Nikos pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes in a gesture of exasperation. He had planned his weekend with Marietta, for a really long time now. He had pursued her relentlessly but it was a long time before she succumbed to him. He wanted to cherish this moment of triumph when she was finally his.

But his time with her would have to be cut short for his grandfather requested his presence immediately.

“All right, Pappou...I will meet you in time for dinner,” Nikos answered.

“Good. See you, son,” Stavros replied and then cut the line.

Nikos ruffled his hair and then turned back to his pouting mistress. “I’m sorry but I have to go,” he said as he reached for the drawer beside his bed and opened it. “For you.” He opened a jewelry case that nestled a beautiful emerald necklace.

“Oui! C'est beau! C'est parfait! Merci!” she squealed as she showered him with kisses. Nikos laughed and quickly flipped her onto her back, rubbing his hardening shaft against her.

“I think we still have some time for you to thank me properly before I leave.”

Several Hours Later
Demakis Corporation Headquarters
The Penthouse Suite

Stavros Demakis inspected his grandson from head to toe while he approached.

He noted the arrogant strides Nikos took and how he seemed to radiate power and authority with every step. He recognized that stance and it brought him several memories from his past when he was the same age as his grandson.

Stavros smiled in welcome while he shifted to hide the newspaper he was reading before Nikos arrived. It featured his grandson once more and the rumors that he was dating some French supermodel. Stavros knew Nikos’ lifestyle even if his grandson didn’t communicate with him often. It was not needed when he read about it in the papers almost every week.

Who could fault the boy for doing that anyway?

He was rich and he was young. Even though he was only twenty four years old, he already graduated from Harvard with a business degree. Right now, Nikos had his own money from buying and selling in the stock market. He also managed his own businesses while working for the Demakis Corporation.

Stavros then wondered how he was going to break the news to his grandson.

“Pappou,” Nikos greeted and he gave his grandfather a tight hug.

Stavros chuckled and patted Nikos’ back.

“How have you been?”

“Excellent, my boy. And you?”

“Never better,” Nikos replied with a smile.

Stavros walked towards his desk and indicated for Nikos to sit. Nikos folded his tall frame into the couch in front of the desk and awaited his grandfather’s words.

“Nikos...you are aware of the situation of our company currently, right?”

Anger flashed quickly in Nikos’ eyes and his entire body seemed to grow taut.

“Yes,” he said through clenched teeth.

“It seems as if Costas Andrade has finally pushed us to our last limits,” he breathed.

Stavros sighed, leaned back in his chair and pinched the bridge of his nose.

“Let’s change the topic here first, Nikos. Have you met the Andrade girl? What do you think of her?”

“She’s different from the women in her circle. She seems naive about this kind of world. Wait... Pappou, if you are thinking about asking me to date that Andrade girl to get her grandfather to be more amenable to us, you are probably wrong. I’d just end up breaking the poor girl’s heart and Costas’ wrath will be upon us further. Nothing will be left for us, not even the clothes on our backs,” Nikos replied with humor.

Stavros sighed once more. His grandson spoke the truth. But the Andrade heiress was also their only way out of this tight mess.

“Nikos... Costas has offered us a way out.”

Nikos leaned forward in his chair and regarded his grandfather with a curious gaze.

“What do you mean?”

“Nikos there’s no easy way to say this...”

“Just say it straight to me, Pappou. You’ve never been one who beat around the bush,” Nikos chuckled.

“Alright. Costas offers a merger of Demakis and Andrade Shipping. And we’d still be able to gain control of our company.”

Nikos snorted. “That sounds like something the devil would offer in exchange for your soul.”

“Ahh...but then it is not my soul he wants, Nikos...it is yours.”

“Me? What the hell do I have to do with this? Why would he want me?” Nikos exclaimed.

There was a knock on the door and Stavros pressed a button on the side of his desk for it to open. His secretary came in with two cups of coffee. Stavros noticed the way that her eyes roamed all over Nikos and also the come-hither glances she threw his way.

Nikos just raised an eyebrow and turned the corner of his lips upwards in a smile. The secretary looked almost ready to faint.

Stavros coughed. “That would be all, Lydia. Thank you.”

The secretary flushed a deep red and quickly exited the room.

Stavros sipped his coffee slowly in an attempt to postpone the inevitable for a little bit more. Another sigh escaped his lips and he leaned forward and looked at his only grandson and heir in the eye.

“Costas offers a merger that would save our company in return for you marrying the Andrade girl.”

Nikos looked momentarily stunned. He took a deep breath and Stavros could see his hands shaking as he held his coffee cup.

“Say that again...” Nikos implored. His voice was barely a whisper.

“I apologize for this Nikos, but it is the only way. Marriage.”

“This is his revenge on you, right? You stole his bride and now he wants to curtail my freedom? And what does he even gain from this?!” Nikos stood up and began pacing the length of the room.

“I don’t know. But from what I’ve read in the contract, there must be no divorce. Or else, the one who is at fault will lose all the money. Another one of the conditions is that you have to have a child and that child will inherit everything. Costas wants the fate of the companies tied to your marriage with his granddaughter.”

“This is unbelievable!” Nikos spat.

“Right now, the entire Demakis fortune is in your hands, Nikos. What you do with that would determine our company’s future.”

Nikos ran a hand through his hair in frustration at his grandfather’s words.

“I refuse! Pappou, I have my own businesses. They are flourishing! We will never become poor. I can still maintain this lifestyle that we have! I will get everything back for you one by one. This I vow! And I will make Costas Andrade pay!” Nikos vowed solemnly.

“I know you are a very smart man Nikos. And that you are very good with this business. But Demakis Shipping has been in our family for generations. I understand why you do not want to be saddled with this marriage. It just saddens me that there’s nothing else I can do and that the whole business will become lost in my hands. I wanted you to inherit this. I wanted to see you sit at its helm and make it prosper even more...but I might not for this would be the end of our ancestors’ hardships,” Stavros whispered weakly.

He leaned back in his chair and Nikos noticed that his entire body seemed to sag. Gone was the ruthless business tycoon and in its place was just a frail old man. Nikos felt his chest tighten and he immediately regretted his words. But still, it was a huge sacrifice for him to make.

“Pappou...you cannot ask this of me,” Nikos pleaded.

“I understand, Nikos. No one should impose something this big on you. And I will not hold this against you. Just go...I will talk to Costas tonight,” he said in a defeated tone.

“Pappou--”

“Go, Nikos. I will deal with this,” Stavros said and then pressed the button that opened the door once more.

Then, he rotated his chair and stared out of the window so that he would not be able to see his grandson leave, taking all hopes for the company with him. And Nikos Demakis turned his back and left his grandfather’s office with a very heavy heart.

But before Nikos closed the door, he heard one last defeated sigh from his grandfather which tore at his heart.