November 15, 2003

Antoniou Winery

The Island of Santorini, Greece

The signing of the marriage certificates was over.

Cassia was well and truly married to Nikos.

She breathed a huge sigh of relief mingled with embarrassment and horror over her current situation. She cast a furtive glance towards her groom who was now leaning on his best man as he started to fall asleep yet again.

Antonio led Nikos to the middle of the room where the photographer wanted to snap some photos of the bride and groom. Cassia couldn’t help but be amazed as Nikos managed to stand by himself for a few minutes and even pose for the shots. Next came the shots with the family and with friends and with people she didn’t even know. There were also shots with the people who laughed at her. Through it all, she plastered a smile to her face and kept on counting down the hours until this sham was over.

Antonio nudged Nikos and he opened his red eyes and blinked. It was time for them to move to the reception area. The people already formed lines to throw rice, rose petals and salt and sugar over their heads as a symbol of good fortune for their marriage.

Cassia smiled as they walked through it all. Nikos, on the other hand, did his best to try and walk straight as congratulations and felicitations were thrown at them from left and right from their guests. Cassia tried to keep a straight face as everyone congratulated her on her marriage and wished them the best but what she really was thinking was that this marriage would only last for a day.

Tomorrow, she would be free.

Tomorrow, she’d divorce Nikos.

She knew she’d shock the whole world but she cared only about shocking her grandfather and making him lose in his elaborate revenge scheme.

She just had to go through the humiliation of this day and then she’s done. She could go back to America and live her dreams.

The sun started to set and immediately the place looked different. Dozens of lanterns were lit and the pool on the other side of the balcony was filled with floating candles. Servants entered the room and the balcony was transformed quickly and efficiently into a reception area.

The seats were removed and a dance floor was set up. Behind the dance floor, a high table was placed and Cassia and Nikos sat on the middle. The instant Nikos was seated Cassia noticed that he fell asleep yet again.

She let him sleep and just watched their guests silently. Beside the pool the bar was opened and their guests started flocking towards it for drinks. She wanted to go there and get a drink for herself to help her last through the night but then the photographer appeared and wanted to snap a few more photos.

This time, Cassia nudged Nikos and when he opened his eyes, she pointed at the photographer. He seemed to understand and moved his chair closer to hers. She watched him force a smile to his lips and wrap one arm around her.

A dozen flashes went off and Cassia blinked several times to regain her vision. When the photographer moved away, Nikos quickly let go of her and leaned across the table. He stared at Antonio who was now approaching and he had another steaming mug of coffee in his hands.

“Drink this,” Antonio handed Nikos the coffee.

Nikos drank it and he seemed to become a bit more sober after a few minutes. Antonio pulled up a chair, sat beside him, and the two started to converse in hushed tones. Cassia turned to look at the other side of the room and tried to entertain herself.

People started making speeches about them and said their wishes for their marriage. Some were very serious but some were not at all. Those came from Nikos’ friends. They made several jokes about settling down and married life that Cassia cringed with every word of it.

After hearing several derogatory speeches or “jokes” as they termed it from Nikos’ friends, she just stopped listening altogether.

When a waiter passed by with some champagne, she took the opportunity to grab a glass. It was just right in time for it was Costas’ turn to speak.

“To our guests, I bid you welcome. Today is a very special day for it marks a new beginning for all of us. Today, my only granddaughter and heir married one of the most brilliant minds in business. Welcome to the family, Nikos,” Costas started.

Everyone launched into applause at his words and Cassia resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

She heard Nikos snort and she wanted to do the same.

“This day is also important for this is the day that Demakis International merges with Andrade Shipping. For this, I welcome yet another set of family in the form of thousands of employees across the globe. With Nikos and my granddaughter at the helm, I know that it will be a guaranteed success,” he continued and everyone gave a louder round of applause.

“But above everything, what’s important is family. And today, Cassia and Nikos start their life together. Nikos and Cassia, may the company flourish under both of you and I hope that you have a happy and fruitful marriage! Nikos, take care of my granddaughter, eh? If you don’t, you’ll have to answer to me. Also, I am expecting a house filled with heirs in the very near future.” Costas winked and everyone chuckled.

Cassia, on the other hand, tried hard not to gag.

Costas raised his champagne flute and everyone followed.

“To Nikos and Cassia,” he toasted and everyone raised their glasses in salute and drank.

The host took back the microphone and made some more comments that had everyone laughing. Cassia barely heard it because she was too busy counting the bubbles on her champagne to occupy herself.

From the corner of her eye, she saw Nikos stand and offer his hand to her. She looked at him in puzzlement and he just shrugged.

“Time for the first dance as husband and wife,” he said.

She noticed that he didn’t slur as much now and knew that he was probably sobering up. It was great for she did not want him falling asleep on this dance.

She stood up and her heart started to beat wildly inside her chest. The moment Nikos touched her hand and placed it on his arm, her mind wandered back to their first dance. She recalled how much happiness she felt that night that one of the most handsome men in the room noticed her and was even gallant enough to save her from humiliation.

Oh how things have changed.

Last week she thought she was being married because Nikos took an interest in her. When she heard that, she was over the moon! Now, she knew that he was just being forced to wed her. Finding out about that felt like a nail had been wedged into her heart and all her hopes and dreams of a bright future were dashed to shards.

But then again everything was too good to be true and she should have seen that right from the start so that she could’ve avoided herself some heartache.

Cassia and Nikos reached the dance floor and the crowd started to clap.

The first few notes of the song were played by the orchestra and she closed her eyes in bliss. It was just so beautiful! It was one of the songs she loved so much. When she was a child, she told herself that when she married, she’d dance to this particular song: The Way You Look Tonight by Frank Sinatra.

She almost forgot that childhood vow but was glad that whoever arranged her wedding picked that beautiful tune. Well, she wasn’t allowed to meddle with arrangements regarding her own wedding as per her evil grandfather.

Nikos took her hand and she placed hers on his broad shoulder. They began to sway to the music. Nikos looked down at her with an unreadable expression in his green eyes. Curiously, it looked something in between wanting to kiss her and wanting to strangle the hell out of her. Cassia suspected it was the latter. He was being forced into this marriage and he didn’t want it. He never wanted her.

But she was going to correct that tomorrow.

After this wedding, she would talk to him and tell him about her plans. The only thing that she would ask for was help from him so that she could return to America, live there in peace and forget about the past months in her life as if they never happened.

And as per tradition, this dance was called the “Money Dance.” Guests approached and started pinning money on Cassia’s dress and Nikos’ suit. This was an old tradition that signified luck and prosperity in the marriage. Halfway through the dance, they were nearly covered with it.

Someone must’ve poked Nikos with a pin because he yelped and then cursed. And Cassia just couldn’t help it. She threw back her head and laughed. Nikos glared at her and then he, too, laughed. In that moment, Cassia found herself wishing that circumstances were different and that she was getting married to this great man for real.

While they danced, their guests started smashing their plates on the floor. It was another old tradition that signified wealth and abundance for the married couple. The tradition started in Ancient Greece and it was said to signify wealth because instead of being washed and reused, plates were thrown into the banquet or fireplace.

Cassia and Nikos both laughed as their guests truly enjoyed smashing their plates.