Marriage to a Tyrant Billionaire

MESS

The strong slap fell on Raquel’s cheeks, while she was sitting opposite to her parents. It came from her father who was enrage, but in spite of the pain she bear, Raquel remain stoic as if it didn’t just hurt her.

She was used to this. This was nothing new for her.

“It was just a simple request, yet you are still useless!” The older Roswell was impatient, he was scowling at her. “You had been married to David for months, yet you couldn’t even get some money from him! If you needed to kneel, kneel and beg! Do everything, you useless piece of junk!” Her father said in annoyance. “The only good thing about you is that you are married to a rich man, so f*****g go back to your house and be a f*****g wife!”

“Yes, Pa.” Raquel quietly stood up.

She was about to leave, when somebody hold her arms. It was her mother. She knew that hell would continue for her.

“Understand your father, after all you owe us for where you are now, Raquel.”

She wanted to vomit in disgust. She wanted to shove her away, but she remain there motionless.

She owe nothing to no one. Raquel isn’t indebted to anybody. She wanted to scream her frustration and misery, but she remain prim, her anger and grudge buried, because she knew how much this two person in front of her would only made her suffer more.

All she needed to do was listen, f*****g listen and get some money from David.

Earlier said than done.

‘Get money from your rich husband. Beg for him. Seduce him, if you needed to. Kneel, if that is what he ask and needs.’ Hearing them over and over again, Raquel soon find herself hating more and more the man named David.

David Smith, the rich husband who broke her until she was battered.

“I will, Mom.” Was all she said, before she found herself hailing a cab, and crying herself at the back of the taxi.

“Where to, Madame?”

“At the Smith residence, please.”

There’s no use crying now.

**

When they arrived at home, Raquel was greeted with silence. The lady of the house was gone and her sister was who knows where. Perhaps, her and her husband are both together all along. After all, they are the one who are suppose to get married.

She bitterly smile.

Taking a deep breathe, she sat at the edge of their bed.

She won’t seduce him, but she can do things.

She was just tired getting hit by her father. She hated it. Raquel hated the fact that she was helpless here. Tears streamed on her eyes.

That’s when the door of her room—their room was pushed open. It was David, who blew out an irritated breathe upon seeing her crying.

“What?”

“I—” When she lifted her head, she was stopped upon seeing that he wasn’t alone.

On his arms clings Grace, who was eyeing her as if she were a dirt on her soles.

“If it wasn’t my gold digger sister.” Her words were like venom.

She gritted her teeth.

“Just say what you need.” He was eyeing her mockingly. “You need money, right?”

Raquel gulp down the shame.

“Yes, I needed money.”

“Oh c’mon, are you really going to give her some?” Grace scrunched her nose. “Who knows what kind of things she is going to use your money for.”

“Shh, I’ll handle it, baby.” Their display of affection made her disgusted.

But she needed to gulp down her pride. It was for her. It was for her parents to leave her alone for some time.

“Well, got yourself some dime, b***h, but you should know that you must pay the price.” He spat out, before leaving the room with her sister.

Raquel shut down her eyes tightly. Genuine tears fell from her orbs. Shakily moving to grab a cheque and write down an amount that won’t bother David, but would make her parents happy.

**

When she gave the cheque to his father, she was relieved upon seeing that greedy look on his eyes.

“I should go.” Raquel stood up. “David would look for me, and I needed to return quick.”

“Yes, take care of him.” Her father smiled, pleas. “Follow his whims, and do everything to make him satisfied, dear.”

He sounded sweet, sugar-coated words that were like poison, and it made her wanted to vomit. It was if he had not just slap and force Raquel to beg for money.

She only nodded her head.

“Raquel.”

She turn to look at her mother.

“Yes, ma?”

She knew what was coming.

“I think it’s my turn to ask now, right?” Her voice was soft, she was almost affectionate, but Raquel knew the nature of her mother. “I’ve saw some expensive things on your house when I visited last week, why don’t you sell some and buy me some bags that I was trying to get my hands on? I was hoping that you could grant my request, dear.”

The searing pain from her hold made her arms throb. Seeing how her mother would react if she dare say no, she was force to only nodded her head.

“I’ll do what I can, Ma.”

Her face instantly erupted with glee.

“Oh my god! Thank you, Raq!”

When she went outside, Raquel was weary. Meeting her parents took a toll on her, what more if they knew that they should ask Grace for money and caprices, because it seems like her husband fancy her more than his wife.

She was not bitter, because she loves David. All she felt was hate, that unending loathsome that was eating her alive.

Then out of nowhere, a car pulled beside her.

Raquel hastened her steps, that’s when a soft baritone yet familiar voice call for her name.

“Raquel?”

She felt her heart dropped for a second. She couldn’t go wrong.

“Raquel.”

Glued, she slowly turned to face the car, and unconsciously stepping behind to see the man she never knew she would ever run again.

Eliot. It was Eliot Duke.

“I was right, it was you.” Eliot’s smile broaden.

He quickly stop the engine of his car and meet her outside. While Raquel was lost, Eliot seems pleas. As if he was happy to see her. He was in delight, while she was still in shocked.

“Hey, are you alright? Did I scare you?” A frown made its way to his face.

The Raquel in front of him looks wary, and… somewhat scared.

“What are you doing here?” That was the first thing she said.

Raquel looks terrified

“Did I do something to scare you?” Eliot couldn’t help, but ask.

For some reason he was worried.

“Can I drive you?” No. “To your home, I mean.”

No, it wasn’t right.

Them, meeting there wasn’t right from the very beginning.

“No.” Raquel reprimanded herself.

She couldn’t get involved to Eliot, but she won’t deny the fact that meeting him now had stirred something inside her chest.

Eliot lips parted in surprise at her straightforward answer. He was not expecting that, but he manage to pulled himself together. The night they shared came back crumbling into pieces. She wasn’t happy to see him. Perhaps, Raquel did not enjoy it the way he did.

“I’m sorry, if I just approach you.” His words were empty, his voice lost its glee. “I’ll get going now. Take care of yourself, Ms. Roswell—.”

“It’s Mrs. Smith.” Raquel was blunt.

“Oh…” If he was surprise earlier, Eliot was more than stunned.

When he turned his back, he felt funny.

“Mrs…” He trailed off, shaking his head in disbelief, while Raquel watched him leave.

She watched him walk away until he was gone, and that’s when the mask she wore crumbled, leaving the frail Raquel and her heart who also mourn and yearns for that stranger.

“Eliot…”

Raquel knew for a fact that Eliot is somebody, a sin from that island she must forget, but her heart couldn’t. The memories of the night they shared would came back, on how much she moaned with pleasure, forgetting the marriage she was forced to, while they were together.

Eliot Duke made her forget every pain, and the torment meant to made her suffer. When she rejected him, Raquel knew it ended, that the fate that was playing between them was already cut in loose. Not until seeing the great Eliot Duke in the flesh to the charity ball she had accompanied her mother.

“Tired of forcing yourself to smile, Mrs. Smith?” Eliot’s voice filled her ears, and unconsciously, Raquel stepped away from him. “Am I really that scary, huh?”

She hardened her resolve.

Don’t do anything silly. Raquel was begging herself. Don’t do something that would only hurt you badly at the end. She reminded herself about what happened to David that night before the whole world knew that they had spend the night together.

Sensing that she didn’t wanted to talk, Eliot released a sigh, the hardened composure relaxing for a bit. He stared outside of the garden.

“I looked for you, when you left me that morning.” He professed, and there is this pang that twitched inside his chest, because it might be the last time he would be able to see her…again. “I went back to Bali hoping to see you there, but you never came back. You were gone, it was as if you just disappeared out of nowhere not wanting to be found, but yet… I do, I found you, Raq.” He took a deep breathe. “A few months would be enough to forget you. I could go back and hook up with some women, but I couldn’t…it was always, I always search for you everywhere…”

Her chest hurt. His confession wanted her to take another risk, but she stop herself. Raquel was tired hoping. A happy ending isn’t meant for her. If she run with Eliot, she knew how that happiness would be crushed and torn at the end of the day. David would made sure that she would always suffer more than what she can take.

“Raquel, I—”

“There you are! I’ve been looking for you everywhere, Eliot!” A voice of a woman interfered the two.

Raquel took that moment to leave without glancing back on her shoulder. Quick on her feet as if escaping Eliot was enough.

She was rooting that he was committed, but then, how can she deny the other part of her, which seems oppose to the idea of Eliot Duke being bounded? But compared to her, Eliot deserve a young woman, a free woman whom he can marry someday.

“Where did you go?” Her mother hissed, when she catch a glimpse of her.

“Just outside…” Raquel lied through her teeth.

Her mother rolled her eyes.

“I told you not to leave my side, but anyway, be quick and write me a cheque.” She seems to be in a rush. “I couldn’t let some of my amigas getting ahead of me.”

“Ma...” Raquel trailed off. “I don’t have any money.”

“Of course you have.” Her mother clicked her tongue.

“B—but Ma, I really don’t have any money—”

“Hush!” Her mother scowled at her. “Write a cheque now!”

Left with no choice, Raquel handed a cheque towards the organizer. She unconsciously locked her eyes with Eliot who offered her a smile, but she looked away. Beside him was that woman who was eyeing the male rather affectionately.

Raquel knew that look.

“Oh my, if it wasn’t for Mrs. Smiths donation!” The host seems pleas. “A round of applause for her!”

The guest whispered against with each other.

Raquel smiled shyly.

She was ready to leave, but she were stop hearing some things from the women who were eyeing her from head to toe.

“Gold digger. If it wasn’t for David’s money…”

“Right, as if we didn’t know that she came from a poor family.” Followed by a shake of their head.

Raquel clenched her jaw, but didn’t say anything.

She goes to her mother, her eyes were losing its emotions again.

Seeing that Raquel was treating him as if he were a stranger, Eliot let out a sigh. It’s funny how the great Billionaire of Jewelry Enterprises is being rejected, and was chasing after a married woman he couldn’t wrapped his fingers around.

“Are you okay?” Cherry touched his shoulder affectionately. “Do you need anything? Drinks, or what?”

“I’m not just feeling well.” He lied.

“Do you want me to drive you home?” Cherry seems worried.

“No, it’s fine.” Eliot was ppolite. “A friend of mine is picking me up—”

“Eliot!” And out of nowhere, another call gets between the two.

It was another woman. Cherry’s expression turned sour.

“Charity.” Eliot smiled at the latter.

“Hey, you asked me to pick you up?” Charity was grinning, when her eyes meet Cherry’s annoyed face, it was like her grin broadens. “Oh, I didn’t know you were with someone.”

“Sorry about that, I am not just feeling well.” When Eliot turned to look at Cherry, the woman’s expression changed.

Charity wanted to laugh hard, but she hold herself back.

“By the way, Cherry meet Charity, she’s a friend of mine—”

“More than a friend.” Charity was amused.

“O—oh, well, please to meet you.” Cherry accept the hand she offered, but there was this contempt on her smile. “By the way, are you feeling alright now, Eliot? If you want, you can stay with me in my room.”

“I can’t, we’re leaving soon—”

“—or not.” Charity gave Eliot a cheeky grin. “I’ll just check something.”

“Wait…”

But she was already gone.

“So…? What about dinner?” Cherry pushed her luck.

Eliot shook his head.

“My schedule is already packed up.”

“I can wait.”

She just wouldn’t give up, huh? Eliot thought.

He didn’t want to be rude, but he also didn’t want to give Cherry a hopeless chance that he might be interested to her.

“Look, Cherry, I appreciate you really, but I’m into someone else, and I wanted for us to work. I’m sorry.”

But the woman doesn’t seem faze, she smiled more coquettishly and run her fingertips to her chest. “I don’t mind.” She was biting her lips. “I could be your dirty little secret, Eliot, and nobody would know, even her…”

“I’m not that kind of guy you were looking for.” With that said, he pushed her hand away from his chest.

Cherry’s face changes.

“What if I ask my father to pulled his investment from your company, hmmm?” Cherry was desperate using the investment card on him.

“Your father knows better that pulling his shares would leave him no chance to invest on my company again.” With that said, Eliot stepped away from her. “Excuse me.”

When he left her alone, Cherry was annoyed, she was irritated that any of her charms and advances were not working.

But Eliot’s eyes were already directed to Raquel.