The Wrong Bride

Running From The Beast

Everyone was quiet. No one knew what had just happened.

When she did not answer he raised his voice, "Tell me who are you? What the hell are you doing here?".

He then turned to his mother, "where is Maria, I asked you to bring her with you didn't I?"

"What are you saying Damian? She is standing in front of you. Have you lost your mind?", his mother said.

"She is not Maria", he was adamant.

"She is Maria", his mother said.

Mr. Petrakis who has stayed quiet till now lost his patience, "Have you gone bewildered Costas? She is right in front of you".

"She is not Maria".

"She is Maria. Do you think I would not recognize my own daughter? She is Maria, my daughter and the woman you married yesterday. Hell, you spent the whole night with her".

"The woman I married and spent the night is not her. I don't know who she was but the woman yesterday was someone else", he yelled.

His eyes now had turned red. "And I don't know what game you are playing Petrakis, but I don't take being played very well, you know that".

Seeing the situation going out of control, Mrs. Costas intervened, "there's no need to create a scene in the registrar's office. Let's go outside and talk".

They went outside.

Damianos all the while was staring at Maria with fury. His lips were a thin line. He was in full rage. Maria looked at him once then turned her eyes away thankful for the presence of her parents. God knew what would have happened should he have found her alone.

Mrs. Costas was worried about the ruckus her son was creating. So before anyone could say anything she said, "listen Damian, I don't know what confusions you are having, but this is Maria. This is the girl you have married. I have taken her from her room and brought here myself".

All this confusion, vexed Damianos very much, he said exasperated, " I don't care what you all say, this", he pointed towards Maria with venom in his eyes, " is not the girl who was with me last night and she is not whom I married".

"And if anyone don't agree, then you can see the wedding photographs", he finished.

"Fine then we'll see the photos”, said Mr. Petrakis.

They checked the photographs but not in a single photo the bride was seen without a veil.

"What can we do now we have no proof", said Mrs. Costas.

"Oh, to hell with the proof I escorted my daughter from her room to the hall. I know. Your son has gone crazy", said Mr. Petrakis aghast at the turn of events.

"Careful Petrakis", Mr. Santos Costas, Damianos's father warned, " my son is not a man to jump around making false claims. If he is saying something then it must have a reason. Proof or not I believe my son".

"Thanks Dad, but I happen to have a proof".

He took out his phone and opened a photo. He then showed the image to his father. His father watched the picture for some time, then looked at Maria then back.

"When did you took this picture?", he asked his son.

"Yesterday, when my bride was sleeping", he said with a challenging smirk on his face.

"Show us the photo",

The all looked at the photo.

"This is.... Elly", exclaimed Mrs. Petrakis.

Mr. and Mrs. Petrakis looked at each other. Then they both turned to Maria, "Maria what was Elly doing in Damianos's bed last night?".

When you are surrounded from all the side, what can you possibly do. Other than... Give in.

#*#*#*

I woke up at 10:30 in the morning. I could barely get any sleep last night so I had crashed to bed as soon as I came home.

I went to do my morning routine.

While showering I started thinking about last night. For some reasons, I have a heaviness in my heart but I couldn't place the reason why. Well, I know why. Much as I deny, I liked the way he talked to me, looked at me with those black, consuming eyes fully on me, it makes me wish, for the first time in my life, that I was in Maria's place.

I must say Maria is a lucky girl. Damianos is... Well I don't know what he is. But I'm sure it will take some time to take him out of my mind.

My thoughts were interrupted, by my phone's buzzing outside. I was still not finished with showering so I ignored it. It kept on buzzing two three times and then went silent.

After I was finished with showering, I came out of the showering stall and started wiping my body with a towel when I heard the doorbell ring. It kept on ringing. I thought why is Eddy not opening the door.

Finally, I wrapped an olive green towel around my body and came out to open the door. As I came out Eddy was also coming out of his room, his hair was damp that means he was also showering. But unlike me, he was fully dressed.

"You were showering too", I said suddenly a little conscious because this is the first time Eddy was seeing me in a towel.

"Yeah", he said turning red as he went to the door to open it.

He opened the door. On the door Maria was standing with red eyes.

"Maria what are you doing here? And why are you looking like this, have you been crying?", I said, horrified at her state.

But she didn't say anything. Just when I took one step to go near her, right then Damianos appeared on the door.

My heart skipped a beat. He looked so beautiful, so magnificent and so angry.

If I thought Maria was looking horrible then he was looking worse. Although his eyes were not red, he was not shaking. No, scratch that, he was shaking but not with fear but with rage.

He was looking ready to kill. His nostrils were flaring, his lips were in a thin line and he was looking directly at me.

He looked at me from top to bottom and his mouth turned with disgust. I then realized the state I was in, clad in only a towel with a man beside me while the other man whom I had married only yesterday stood in front of me.

I must be giving a very wrong impression.

I was thinking of a plan to escape him. Just then an idea came to my mind. No, it was not a foolproof FBI class plan. It was rather a simple one.

Run to my bedroom, lock the door and wait for everyone specially him to leave.

So that is what I did. Or rather tried to do. The moment I turned and took a step, a strong hand held my wrist and prevented me from leaving. I turned to find him holding my wrist.

How he managed to walk from the main door to across the hall in a mere fraction of seconds, I have no idea.

"Where do you think you are going?", he half yelled.

"Who are you? What are you doing in my apartment?", okay not a very good comeback.

"Oh, so you don't know who I am? I will freaking remind you who I am", he jerked my hand so that I was face to face with him.

"Hey don't touch me, who the hell do you think you are?", I said in a very feeble voice.

"Elly let it go. He knows everything. He has found out", Maria said in defeat.

After hearing Maria, I realized that the cat is not only out of the bag but is jumping, pouncing, looking at me with rage filled eyes.

I looked at him. Waiting for the thunder to burst. But he said nothing. Except.

"I am giving you 10 minutes. Get dressed, pack your bags and come downstairs. And 10 minutes, not a second more", he said and turned to leave.

What? He is asking me to pack? I thought he was going to yell at me, maybe send us to the police for fraud. But packing and going downstairs with him? And where the hell he wants to take me?

"Wait, who do you think you are?", Eddy intervened, "Elly is not going anywhere with you".

After hearing that, he stopped in his path and turned. Without saying anything he went towards Eddy and held his throat in a tight grip.

Maria took a sharp breath. And I was standing dumbstruck at the scene. Eddy looked ill-equipped to deal with the situation. Obviously, what can a twenty-three years old college student do against a 28 years old billionaire. Not to mention a strong, muscular, gym trained 28 years old billionaire.

I know Eddy would never be able to win against Damianos.

But apparently Eddy did not know that. Because he said, "I will not let you take Elly. Fine you want to fight, then let's fight". Eddy pushed Damianos which led to a momentary loss of balance of Damianos.

But Damianos wasn't to be defeated by this. He said in a very quiet, very serious tone, "Edward Hastings, is it? A bachelor in Physics and now going to get a master’s degree too. Both of which are paid by a scholarship. Because the fees I'm sure your parents cannot afford".

"What do you mea..."

"Uh, don't interrupt, I don't like being interrupted. So where was I, uh yes, so if for some reason they stop your scholarship then I think it will be very difficult for you to continue your studies. Wouldn't it?”, he said with a half-smile but his eyes were still expressionless.

It was an open threat. I knew Eddy come from a very simple family. His parents cannot afford the fees that's why he needs the scholarship.

Eddy stood dumb hearing his threat. Obviously, he has nothing to say anymore. The scholarship is very important for him. I thought Damianos was a nice man but hearing his threat I think I had made a wrong opinion of him.

Damianos then turned to me, "ten minutes", and he walked out.

After he was gone Eddy looked at me with apology in his eyes. Oh, poor Eddy why was he feeling guilty. It was all Maria and mine fault. He was against it from the beginning.

I looked for Maria, she was in the balcony, smoking. She was in a withdrawal state. So, I finally decided to get dressed and pack.

I came down. It was past ten minutes. Damianos was there leaning against his black Mercedes, arms crossed. From a distance he was looking casual but when I approached him, I saw his hawk like eyes observing my every move. I suddenly felt conscious, I was wearing a white top and blue jeans with sneaker. I had left my wet hair open to dry, which were now half dried.

As I came closer, he got up from that position. He came towards me, took the bag harshly from my hands and threw it on the floor. Then he yanked my arms forcefully and turned me so that I was standing with my back on the car.

Then he came close to me and said in a dark half suppressed rage, "You're late. I don't tolerate disobeying my order. Am I clear?".

I stood, too shocked to say anything. "Yes or no?", he asked more harshly.

"Yes", I said.

"Good then get inside the car"

"But where are..."

"I said get inside the car", he said. I knew better than to question him so I went inside.

I got inside the car. The driver who was till now sitting on the front seat of the car got out, picked my bag and put it inside. Damianos also entered to sit beside me.

It was not the first time I was sitting with him in a car. In fact, during the first time we were more alone as there was no driver with us that time.

But that time I was conveniently hiding behind the Maria facade. But today I am all me. And I am sitting next to a very angry male.

After some time, he asked in an angry detached voice, " that boy, who is he?"

"I thought you know everything about him", I said in a rhetorical tone.

"I mean what is he to you?", he said in a dark voice.

"He is just a friend"

"What kind of friend?"

"Just a friend. And a very nice friend".

"A friend with whom you share an apartment and lag around naked. I say he is more than just a friend. Or maybe you give this kind of treatment to every friend of yours. It must be a real treat to be your friend", his tone was careless but when I turned to look at him, I found him looking at me. His face was taut, and his eyes were accusing.

"I wasn't naked I was wearing a towel since I was showering. And don't make any conclusions about me without knowing me. When you will get to know me, you will realize that I'm not that kind of girl. I don't even have any friends besides Maria and Eddy", I was appalled at his conclusion.

I don't know why but I don't want Damianos to think the worst of me. It shouldn't even matter because he himself is not a saint. But I don't like him thinking like that about me.

"Well I don't need to get to know you to know you will do nothing of that sort. You will not be allowed to do anything that is even remotely out of line", he said in a determined tone

"Speaking of which, what is the address of your aunt?", he asked.

"My aunt? Why?” I asked confused why he wants to know about my aunt. More importantly how he knows about my aunt.

"Well we need a living relative", he looked at me, "to get our marriage registered".

#*#*#*