A Billionaire’s Bargain;The Wedding Contract

Eleanor's Point of View My stomach tightened to the point of near vomiting. My fingers gripped tightly around the phone as I held it against my ear while gazing into the break room mirror to see my reflection; purple and black hues swirled above my head in an ever-evolving blur of movement. Freya frowned in frustration. "He won't respond," Freya thought to herself. As I was about to end our call, a gruff voice called out, "Hello?" I ignored him as well and began hanging up. At that moment, another gruff voice spoke up: "Hey, honey! "Sorry to bother you, but I just wanted to remind you—our cruise leaves tomorrow at five, and we need to arrive at the port," I stated, trying my hardest not to sound too anxious; the lump in my throat made swallowing difficult for me. "Sure, sure. Tomorrow at five. Listen, I have to go." Before the line ceased operating, there was a hearty laugh from within the speakerphone. Who were they? Freya hissed. "He must just be another customer at the bar," I replied to her, even as my stomach quaked with discomfort. After all, Harrison was someone I trusted completely. Still, I took a deep breath and tucked my phone safely away in my apron pocket. "What has he done now?" Beatrice's voice caught me off guard, so I turned around quickly. To my dismay, her arms were crossed tightly behind her with wide eyes in irritation—the fiery orange hue above her was impossible to overlook! "He's just busy at work," I murmured to my friend. Beatrice laughed. "Exactly. Because working double shifts for two weeks straight just to buy this cruise wasn't enough, he should at least answer his phone properly!" "What can I say?" was all I could think about at that moment, having worked so hard on his birthday present. "He didn't force me," I replied. "I did it because I enjoy doing nice things for those close to me." Beatrice clicked her nails against the counter in anticipation. "Well, when this all blows up, I'll be here. Love you, sugar." She turned and left, leaving me slumped over in my chair with my head in my hands. This trip must help! Harrison had become distant lately, and I couldn't figure out why. I had known him forever; we'd grown up together, fell in love in high school, and were married shortly after graduation. At that point he was affectionate and attentive. However, life circumstances eventually pulled us apart, and eventually divorce ensued. Seven days of sailing were sure to do the trick. Albion was absolutely magnificent. My research revealed that the owner was one of the youngest billionaires worldwide, with his suite on board being permanently reserved. Not that I could ever afford such an item. Luxury was something else entirely, though. People like him probably never gave it much thought, while for me this experience had nearly worth my life's work. Harrison and I were looking forward to an amazing adventure together. But it would all be worth it. I felt beautiful for the first time in months as the ocean breeze caressed my hair from my shoulders, my deep green dress glinting under its golden light. "Eleanor! Ah yes! Sweetie pie!" As I turned around, my face lit up. Harrison was weaving through the crowd with his suitcase dragging behind, bumping into people on both sides. An enthusiastic smile lit up his face; excitement overtook him as it seemed that this trip actually brought joy for him. As I got closer, however, a flash of red ran through the yellow hue, and my smile faltered. What had that been about? "What are you wearing?" His eyes flickered over me and asked. "I bought it for the cruise. "Don't you like it?" I glanced down and smoothed over my dress. "Don't you?" He made an uncomfortable expression. "It's okay, though." Just look around: you seem different from everyone else." As I looked around at the other women boarding, most wore short, flashy dresses that exposed more skin than mine did, and my stomach tightened in disgust. "I'll bear that in mind next time," I murmured, crossing my arms over my waist. Harrison grunted and grabbed my hand, pulling me forward as he cut to the front of the boarding line despite any disgruntled murmurings around us. "Welcome aboard!" an enthusiastic crew member exclaimed with great warmth. "Tonight in our main ballroom will be the Twilight Gala; we hope that we see all our passengers there!" Harrison immediately answered my question for us both. "Yes! Absolutely! That is absolutely correct!" I was enchanted by the ballroom, yet I couldn't appreciate its beauty due to my obsession with not falling flat on my face in the heels Harrison insisted I purchase from the ship's boutique. He chose an even worse dress for me—a lemon yellow halter with a plunging neckline that made me hyperaware of every glance in the room. Harrison grinned as he pulled me onto the dance floor. "Don't you find this amazing? When was the last time we danced?" "Too long," I stammered, thinking to myself that not enough time had elapsed to complete it. The music was fast, and the beat was pounding, unlike the slow, elegant waltzes I expected. People crowded together tightly, moving in ways that made my skin crawl. Harrison grabbed my waist with both hands, leading me into an unfamiliar rhythm I was barely capable of keeping up with. My movements were awkward and stiff. But his attention wasn't on my dancing; rather, it was directed elsewhere—possibly more subtly. Pink flashed through the yellow cloud above his head; I hadn't seen that color for quite some time now. Lust. I haven't seen that shade since last time. His hands lowered, fingers tightening. I tensed, pushing his hands away with an anxious laugh. "What's wrong?" He inquired in my ear. "I need a brief break," I murmured to myself as I released myself from my chair and left. As soon as I stepped off of the dance floor, my nerves immediately calmed down. But as soon as I turned back around, my stomach dropped. Harrison found himself pressing against another woman, his hands resting lightly on her hips as their bodies moved too closely together. Their bodies moved closer together as well, with an inky blue cloud above Harrison matching perfectly the color of her hair. Freya frowned, but I took a deep breath. Dancing had always been fun—hadn't it? Freya spat? Lie to yourself; lying will only deepen the problem. He isn't our mate; leave him. I took a deep breath. This wasn't going to be easy; wedding plans had already started being made. Harrison was my love. As I began my retreat, I took a breather outside. The sea air cooled my face as I leaned against the railing to gaze upon an endless ocean horizon. "Will you marry me?" A deep voice rang through the night. My curiosity peaked. I turned. One man kneeled on the deck with his hand clutching an exquisite diamond ring; beside him stood a woman who crossed her arms protectively. "Edmund, I told you. I am not ready." She turned on her heel and left. "Whatever it takes," exhaled the man. He stood, the moonlight striking his face. I took a deep breath. He was the most beautiful man I had ever seen.