A few hours later...

“Shit, Nikos!”

“Wake up, goddammit!”

“Nikos!”

Nikos reluctantly opened his eyes and lifted his head. However, his brain felt as though it was laden with lead. He groaned and then closed his eyes and flung his arm across his face to block out the light.

However, his agony was doubled when the owner of the persistent voice started to shake him.

“Damn it, Nikos! It’s your wedding! You should not be like this!” Antonio lectured as he ran his fingers through his hair in frustration.

He loosened his bowtie and released the buttons on his cuffs so he could move more freely and help his friend. While he did this, he also cursed fluently in Spanish.

He hauled Nikos to his feet and dragged him towards the bed, muttering curses as he tried to figure out what to do. He checked his watch and knew that the groom was definitely going to be late for his own wedding.

Antonio sighed in frustration and then walked outside of the room to call for Nikos’ bodyguards. Three of them entered the room and he quickly started barking out orders.

“Strip him and then get him to the bathroom. Bathe the alcohol off him,” he instructed. The bodyguards look baffled but they quickly hid their expressions when they saw the state that Nikos was currently in. They set to work and Antonio helped them carry Nikos to the bathroom. Then, he stepped out for he was also afraid to ruin his own tux for the wedding.

“You’re going to pay for this one day, Nikos,” Antonio growled low.

He exited the room to deliver the news to Nikos’ bride and to her grandfather who was known for his ruthless temper. Antonio hated to be the bearer of bad news but there was no one else to do it.

Well, wish me luck.

Two Hours Later...

“Come on, drink a little more,” Antonio urged as he handed the barely-awake Nikos some more coffee.

“Nooo. Lemme lone,” Nikos slurred

“I can’t do that! You are very late for your own wedding!” Antonio shouted in extreme frustration.

It only heightened another notch when Nikos started to laugh.

“Zat’s the point! I don wanna go to that wedding!”

Antonio had the sudden urge to slap his best friend.

“You can’t do that! We have been over this a thousand times already! Look at me Nikos,” Antonio commanded and then tugged on the lapels of Nikos’ jacket so that he would be forced to look at him.

Nikos’ head lolled but he was able to look at his friend.

“Your grandfather’s whole company depends on your marrying this girl. Remember your plans? You were going to do it and then you were going to do your best to raise your company from the shambles it’s in. One day it can be independent from Andrade International and you can have your divorce and live the life you wanted. But for now, you have got to go through with this wedding!”

Nikos leaned back across the couch and closed his eyes.

His friend’s words finally penetrated his haze-filled mind. He remembered the things he had to do and all the responsibilities that were in his shoulders.

“How? How am I to marry like this?” Nikos asked, his voice barely a whisper.

“That’s what a best man is for,” Antonio smirked as he clapped his friend on the shoulder.

Nikos accepted the cup of coffee and began to drink. He winced at the extra strong coffee his best man prepared for him.

“You know, Cassia is really beautiful today... You should see her.”

“I know she’s beautiful...but that’ll be doubled coz I’m hammered,” he teased and both of them laughed.

“Let’s go do this, then?”

“Let’s go,” Antonio replied with a determined grin.

Two hours later, Nikos had enough coffee to be able to stand up straight. The room didn’t spin anymore but instead, he felt terribly drowsy.

“Look now, Nikos. Here she comes, your bride,” Antonio ordered.

Nikos lifted his head from his brief nap on his best man’s shoulder and tried to look as attentive as he could as his bride walked down the aisle. However, he found himself nodding off to sleep every couple of seconds or so and just woke up when Antonio nudged him in the ribs.

Nikos opened his red eyes and tried to squint to see his bride. But his vision was blurred and all he could see was the white dress and the veil she wore. He couldn’t even make out the details of the dress to compliment her on it. She walked beside her grandfather who beamed like an idiot.

That was the last thing he saw before he dozed off once more.