“I knew it was too good to be true...”

“Stop this right now, Cassia! Get a hold of yourself! You know your grandfather hates you. He just said those things to ruin your day! You should not let him do that!” Anna screeched as she started pacing the room in frustration.

Cassia walked towards one of the couches and then sat. She stared at the floor and started to cry silently. A thousand thoughts flitted through her mind at the moment but the one taking the forefront was that all that her grandfather said was true.

Maybe Nikos was truly coerced with this marriage so he would be able to save his family’s company. Maybe he just couldn’t think of marrying her that he drank and drank until he got so wasted he couldn’t even attend his own wedding.

Cassia sighed and tried to stop more tears from falling. There were hundreds of guests all waiting at the balcony. All of them were rich and famous. Most of them were Nikos’ friends and the people who humiliated her before when she tried to fit in with this kind of lifestyle. By now they must’ve known what truly happened.

She was sure that by now their voices were hoarse from laughing at her.

“Cass! Stop it already! You’ll ruin your make-up! And I am sure that this wedding is going to push through! Your grandfather is wrong, okay? Let’s just trust that Antonio will be able to fix this. I’m just going to go and check out the status of things. Maybe he needs some help to get Nikos settled. Stay here, okay? I’ll be back as soon as I can,” Anna instructed.

Cassia heard the words of her friend but she was too numb to answer or to even nod. She just stared straight ahead and wished for her humiliation to end.

After what felt like an eternity later, the door opened and she looked up.

A young man with sandy-blonde hair and the bluest eyes she’s ever seen entered the room. He was so tall and he looked incredibly handsome. He was wearing a waiter’s uniform and held a tray in those two hands. When Cassia looked at him, he did a double take and almost dropped the tray of used glasses that he was carrying.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know this room was occupied,” he told her.

“It’s fine. Do you need me to leave?” Cassia sniffled.

“No ma’am...it’s fine...you are welcome to stay here and I’ll be the one leaving,” he replied.

Cassia heard his footsteps and then assumed he was gone so she let her tears fall once more.

What surprised her was when a shadow loomed over her. She looked up and saw the waiter with his hand held out as he offered her a handkerchief.

“T-thanks...” Cassia stammered.

She accepted the item and then used it to wipe away her tears.

“You can also blow your nose if you want to,” the waiter said in a teasing tone.

Cassia couldn’t help it and a bubble of laughter spilled from her lips.

“There, that’s the smile I’ve been waiting for. You know, brides should smile on their wedding day...not cry like their heart is broken.”

“Not this bride,” Cassia whispered under her breath.

Indeed, her heart truly was broken. The waiter seemed to have read her thoughts somehow and sighed.

“I heard what happened and I am sorry for it,” he told her.

“Thank you,” Cassia replied curtly.

“Would you mind if I sit here?” the waiter asked as he indicated the opposite edge of the sofa.

Cassia shook her head and she felt the other side of the sofa depress as he sat down.

“My name is Hector, by the way. Would you mind if I asked for your name?”

“My name is Cassia...”

“They say that the best thing to do when you’re feeling nervous or in an unhappy situation is to talk about it. I hope I am not overstepping any boundaries ma’am but I would really like to help. I could lend my listening ear to you,” Hector said with a warm smile.

Cassia wasn’t able to reply for a long time for she was pondering what to tell him. She was very glad that he was here to take her mind off some things but she just didn’t know what to say. It was definitely a long story and one that only seemed to happen in soap operas.

Hector mistook it for her unwillingness to talk and he stood up. Cassia quickly grabbed his hand and tugged it so that he would be forced to sit on the sofa once more.

“No! I am sorry. It’s just that I am thinking of how I should say things to you...”

“It’s alright, take your time,” Hector replied and then he leaned back on the sofa and stared at the ceiling.

“Today, I thought I’d be marrying Nikos Demakis, a man almost every woman wants. And I thought I was special because he wanted me too. I thought he was able to see through my ugly face, my half-Greek, half-American background. I thought he was able to see that I am not as shallow as those dumb blondes and that I could have a very intelligent conversation with him,” Cassia said and then more tears started to fall.

She used Hector’s handkerchief to wipe all those away.

“Hmm...may I be blunt?”

“Y-yes,” Cassia stammered.

“First, I do not think that you are ugly. You are very beautiful. I just don’t think that blonde hair suits you and I do not think that is the original color of your hair. Second, what is wrong with being half-Greek, half-American? I am half-Greek, half-American and I think there’s nothing wrong with that. Third, I see the intelligence shining through your eyes. If you were given the opportunity to do whatever you want to do, what would it be?”

“I want to become a fashion designer,” Cassia replied with all of her heart.

“Then why not go to college and make those dreams come true?”

“My grandfather won’t allow it.”

Cassia sighed. Hector was silent.

“What about you? Did you grow up here in Greece?” she asked.

“Yes. But this is actually my last day of work and my last day here in Greece. Later this day I’m going back to America and I’ll be trying to make all of my dreams come true.”

“What are those dreams?”

“I want to have my own business. I’d start with a few restaurants. I’m a really good cook, have I told you that? If there was time, I’d cook something for you and I’m sure you wouldn’t cry again,” he bragged.

Cassia laughed and something softened in Hector’s eyes. He, too, smiled and the overall mood suddenly became light.

“I hope all your dreams come true. Invite me to the grand opening of your first restaurant. Okay? I want to taste that food you are bragging about.”

“I most definitely will invite you. But I think that’s still a long time in the future. Of course, capital is hard to come by. I need a big one for my business.”

Again there was a huge amount of silence between the two of them.

“If a groom gets drunk on his wedding day, what does that mean? Be blunt please. I can handle it.”

“Maybe his friends just played a prank on him...” Hector answered first to lighten the mood.

“Or?”

“...Or maybe he needed the confidence that the alcohol brings,” Hector shrugged.

He flinched when he saw pain come back to Cassia’s eyes.

“He really needed that to marry someone like me.”

“No...don’t put yourself down like that. Never ever see yourself through other people’s eyes. If at first you do not respect and believe in yourself then other people won’t either and they’ll continue putting you down. You must show the world what you are capable of. Show them that you are better than those airheads,” Hector lectured.

Cassia smiled amidst her tears.

“If there was only a way to escape this island...” Cassia mused.

“What if there is, would you take it?” Hector asked.

He sat up a little straighter and looked at Cassia directly in the eyes.

Cassia laughed, a hollow and bitter laugh.

“Me? Escape? That’s hard. My grandfather has this whole place locked down with his security. And no one would dare drive me out towards the dock. Even then, I’d have to wait for a boat to take me to the mainland and then wait for a plane. I don’t have any ticket or money with me...”

“I have a motorcycle. And I have a small boat I use to travel to the mainland. I can get you there. Speaking of the tickets...I have two. My girlfriend was supposed to return with me to America but we broke up. I can loan the extra ticket to you. Hmm...about money? I’m sure we can sell one bauble you have on you and there’ll be plenty of money to start a life back home. If you sell all of your jewelry, I am sure you could even go to college,” Hector explained with purpose.

In a flash, Cassia was already standing. Hope surged within her and for the first time, she started to believe that she could still make all her dreams come true.

“We can go home?” she said in a voice filled with longing.

“Yes,” came Hector’s determined reply.

“Let’s go!” Cassia eagerly exclaimed.

Hector threw the door open for her and the two of them dashed down three levels of a narrow, winding staircase. Cassia’s silk gown and her veil billowed in the wind as she ran.

And she never felt freer in all her years...

Cassia and Hector laughed as they both continued to run. Cassia slipped one time and Hector offered her his hand. Then hand in hand, they ran for their freedom...

Hector climbed in his motorcycle and it took a few tries before it was able to start.

While she was waiting for the motorcycle to start, doubts crept into her mind.

Was this truly the right thing to do?

If she fled, then Costas would win. The merger would not push through; Nikos would gain nothing and lose everything. But if she married Nikos today, and divorced him tomorrow stating that she was at fault and she had a lover...then she would get back at her grandfather. Nikos would get back the Demakis Shipping Corporation as their merger contract stated and her grandfather would be the one who lost everything.

After she had set everything right, then she could leave this life behind and go back to America where she could finally have the life she wanted.

“Let’s go, princess,” Hector said with a smile as he offered Cassia his hand to help her climb onto his motorcycle.

For a moment there, Cassia stood motionless as she debated what to do.

Freedom or revenge against her grandfather?

How could she choose when freedom was this close? When freedom just meant climbing on to Hector’s motorcycle and throwing all caution to the wind?

But as always, her good heart won over and she sadly shook her head.

“I am sorry, Hector...I have to set everything right. I have to marry him today. If I do that and divorce him tomorrow, all the money will go to him and my grandfather would be left with nothing. You see, it’s all because of Costas that all this happened to Nikos’ family. I have to correct all my grandfather’s mistakes. I have the power to do it and I will.”

“Is that it then...is money truly everything?”

“For them...not for me. Wait for me in America. I’ll try and find you. Hopefully I’ll be on my way there tomorrow or within the week after I shock the world with my divorce.”

“Such a kind heart, princess. Now I know why people step all over you. Just promise me one thing: never ever allow anyone to do that ever again. Hold your head high because you are better than all of them.”

“I promise. But you have to promise me something in return...”

“Anything, princess,” Hector replied.

Cassia smiled at the endearment.

She reached over to her left wrist and unclasped her diamond and sapphire-studded gold watch. It was supposed to be her “something old and blue” for her wedding. But right now, it looked as if it was some silly superstition. Her wedding was a sham and she needed no good-luck charm in this part of her life. Besides, it would be better suited for Hector’s purpose.

“Go and fulfill your dreams, and I still want to be present in that grand opening!” Cassia said with a tender smile as she reached forward and placed the watch in Hector’s stunned fingers.

“No! I can’t possibly accept this.”

“You are the first person who’s been kind to me in Greece. I have more where that came from and I know that you’ll put the money to good use. Think of this as a loan from me. And when you’re already making it big in the restaurant industry, you can always pay me back. And I won’t take no for an answer.”

“This is too much... I thank you for this gift. I vow that I will work harder and reach my dreams. And when the time comes that I’m making it big, I’ll buy you a treasure trove filled with these,” he promised.

“I’ll hold you to that promise.”

“Last chance for freedom, princess...come with me,” Hector said as he offered his hand once more.

It was tempting - oh, so tempting to just take his hand, forget everything and start a new life. But just like before, the other side of her won and Cassia shook her head.

“I really have to do this.”

“I understand. Well...see you in America!” Hector shouted over the roar of the motorcycle’s engine.

With a last salute towards Cassia, he sped off into the driveway and then into the city.

Cassia watched him go with heaviness in her heart.

When he was gone, she steeled herself and prepared to come back to her sham of a wedding. She would do this for Nikos’ family. She would make her grandfather pay for all the times that he manipulated people’s lives.

First Costas would pay...and then she’d be free.