A contract marriage for the billionaire playboy

The wedding of the year was on the covers of every magazine and newspaper in Moscow. The blogs and social networks have been talking about nothing else since the news of Dimitri Vassiliev's wedding began to circulate.

More than the news of the sudden marriage, the bride was the subject that attracted the most attention. A rich young woman with a terrible reputation, completely without talent, who tried to become an actress at all costs, and who was constantly involved in scandals, Juliana was what everyone called a social climber.

Nobody knew about her past, nor the origin of her fortune... but the fact was that the girl had managed to hook and tie the most desired bachelor of the moment.

Nothing in that relationship seemed to make sense to those who knew Juliana, and even less to those who knew Dimitri. But the fact was that a wedding had happened.

***

Facing his own reflection in the mirror, Dimitri could only think of Filippa, the woman for whom he would not think twice about giving up his bachelorhood.

The truth is that while he was tying the knot on that damned tie, he felt like he was going to the gallows. The more time goes by, every day, the pressure for him to take control of the family business increases. And this was definitely not in Dimitri's plans, even if sometimes Filippa insisted that accepting his fate once and for all was the best decision he could make.

Dimitri took a deep breath as he finished getting ready in front of the mirror, impeccably lining up his navy blue suit. In his mind, the thoughts and memories were like incessant whirlwinds that made his head throb slightly. Staring at his own eyes in his reflection, Dimitri picked up the glass of whiskey and turned away, not even caring.

Juliana watched as her brown curls cascaded delicately over her shoulders, and the white dress, tailored in a lightweight fabric, outlined her curves perfectly. And it was a fact, Juliana approved of what she saw. The black eyeliner highlighted her intense blue eyes, one of her trademarks.

While waiting for his fiancée, Dimitri mulled over his emotions, feeling the tension and anger take over every inch of his body.

"Man, you need to get a grip..."

Almost at the same instant, Dimitri turns Juliana around. And as much as his mind said otherwise, his body had reacted to the sight of that beautiful woman and her perfect curves approaching him. If he hated the situation he was up to his neck in, deep down, even if he insisted he didn't, he felt he wanted her more than he should.

Juliana had stood firm in her decision to marry Dimitri. And not for a second had she felt any shadow of insecurity within herself.

As they approached each other, Juliana felt herself enveloped by the smell of Dimitri's perfume, but she didn't allow herself to become involved with him or what he represented at that moment. She shouldn't, couldn't, and didn't want to fall in love. Not with this man.

With the marriage contract before them, and surrounded by the richest and most powerful people they knew, Juliana and Dimitri were playing a role... or at least trying in every way to look like they were happy to be united.

Juliana signed first, a courtesy, a completely unnecessary gesture of chivalry. And then, avoiding looking at her, Dimitri took the pen and signed, completely against his will, the nuptial contract.

The moment he finished signing, the meeting of Dimitri and Juliana's eyes was inevitable. She was not intimidated by that man who tried so hard to show her indifference, contempt and coldness.

Dimitri, upon meeting Juliana's gaze, felt anger run through his veins. But at the same time, he felt his body longing for the woman before his eyes, now his wife.

It was done.

They were officially married.

Juliana, with a triumphant smile on her lips and an impetuous look in her eyes, offered her hand to her now husband so that together they could leave that damned den of vipers. Reluctantly, Dimitri touched the delicate skin of the woman beside him, deep inside, fearing what small gestures like this could cause from then on.

***

The room reserved for the couple's wedding night was sumptuous, the most expensive suite had been prepared for Dimitri and Juliana.

Everything had to look real.

Everything had to be perfect.

But the truth was that Juliana and Dimitri were nothing more than two complete strangers to each other. Except for the attraction they inevitably felt for each other, nothing about this marriage was real.

As soon as they entered the suite, Dimitri took off his jacket, which he threw carelessly onto the sofa, and on a table near the window with a privileged view of the city, his inseparable black suitcase was waiting for him.

Juliana watched apprehensively while Dimitri slowly, without saying a single word, went to the table where his briefcase was and opened it, removing what was clearly a contract.

Juliana felt a shiver run through her body.

Dimitri felt the possibility of taking back the reins of his life.

"Sign it."

He said unceremoniously.

"What's this?"

"Our divorce contract."

Juliana took the contract in her hands, trying to keep her hands steady, trying hard not to show the nervousness that was taking over her at that moment.

"Not without reading it first."

"Stop being pathetic, Juliana."

"And not before a month."

"How's that? This has to be some kind of joke. We have an agreement!"

"And all I ask from you is thirty days. Not a day more, not a day less."

"And what reason would I have to continue this circus for another thirty days?"

"The same reasons that led me to accept this marriage proposal."

Dimitri was silent for a moment.

Deep down he knew that continuing the farce of marriage for another thirty days meant pretending with Juliana for longer than he thought possible. But this seemed like a challenge to him... and it was not in his nature to refuse a challenge.

"All right, then. Thirty days, Juliana. No more than that."

As soon as he said these words, the girl took the pen and signed the document in his hands.

"In thirty days you will have your divorce contract back."

Dimitri nodded, and with his thoughts racing, trying to imagine what Juliana was up to.

"Why would she ask me to keep this marriage going for another thirty days? It doesn't make the slightest sense..."

Dimitri's mind was spinning, his thoughts were racing, he felt more and more anger at that damned situation, he felt more and more anger at the woman who was now his wife, but nothing compared to what he felt for knowing that he did not have, at that moment, control of his own life... but he would not bend. He would ask absolutely nothing. He would stay away from Juliana, and that was a non-negotiable clause for him.

While the wedding party continued in the ballroom of the luxurious hotel, Juliana and Dimitri felt the hate running through their veins. A few hours passed, and silence continued to reign between Juliana and Dimitri.

Juliana could clearly see how much a wedding was not part of the playboy's plans. He kept his distance, and she could feel how much her presence there bothered him, how unbearable the idea of being married to her was to Dimitri.

After a while, in which nothing happened and they remained untouched, Dimitri and Juliana returned to the hall where everyone was. They needed to be convincing.

The moment they found themselves in the middle of the guests, Dimitri could not believe his eyes: Filippa. A shiver ran through his body as soon as he laid eyes on the woman who was making his head swim. She approached him shamelessly, her deep cleavage in a red dress made the playboy's heart race.

"Dimitri, darling. I heard about your wedding and decided to come back to personally deliver my most sincere good wishes to you two lovebirds!"

At her words, Dimitri felt the eyes around him completely on them. Everyone was whispering and raising questions. The buzz in the room was unbearable as hatred coursed through his veins. And before he was able to reason, blinded by rage, Dimitri took Juliana by the arm and without anyone having time for any questioning, left the ballroom with her, directly to the car parked in front of the hotel, leaving everyone present completely stunned.

Without any kindness, Dimitri pushed Juliana into the car.

"Hey! Take it easy! You're hurting me!"

"You're hurting me! Fuck you!"

And saying this, Dimitri accelerated the car, making the tires sing and the smell of burning rubber take over the interior of the vehicle, making Juliana cough.

"As if I was to blame for all this shit!"

"Isn't it, Juliana? Don't you?"

"None of us are here because we want to be!"

"Don't be that way!"

And before Juliana could understand what was going on, Dimitri put on the brakes, opened the door and pushed her out, kicking her.

Juliana, lying on the ground alone in the middle of the road, still wearing her wedding dress, felt despair take over her, bringing her to tears.

Without a cell phone, without money, without knowing where to go or what to do, Juliana took off her heels that were hurting her already swollen and sore feet and began to walk aimlessly along the road ahead of her as tears blurred her vision.

The cars passing on the road honked at Juliana, while the drivers shouted obscenities at her. Cold and fear overcame her as she shrugged her shoulders and hugged herself in an attempt to keep warm.

"Juliana!"

A vehicle had slowed down, following her steps on the road, and as she heard her name, Juliana felt relief replace the despair she felt as she recognized the voice of Patrick, Dimitri's brother, calling her name.

"Come on, Juliana. I'll take you home."

Without saying a word, and without any other possibility, Juliana got into the car and drove home... whatever that meant.

***

Juliana was awakened by the sound of the shower.

Slowly she felt her consciousness returning, without having any control over it, as she felt her head throbbing, and the sour smell that invaded her nostrils made her stomach turn and bile rise up into her throat. He tried to open his eyes, but as soon as the dim light from the lamp reached his eyes, the pain was more intense than he could bear.

Nothing made sense when he managed to glance quickly around the room. He couldn't recognize anything in that place. And that made it absolutely certain that he had never been there before.

He tried desperately and uselessly to remember how he got there.

He wondered what this place was and whose room he was in.

And the sound of the shower being turned off made her heart race desperately, wondering who was there and what else might have happened? Why had someone taken her there?

The memories came back to her mind like completely disconnected flashes.

The wedding.

The contract.

The divorce contract.

The wedding party, the guests.

Filippa.

Until the moment she was practically dragged to the car by Dimitri.

The cold, dark, lonely road.

The fear that took over every inch of her body.

And then: Patrick.

But she still didn't know how she got there. And while she tried to remember where she was and how she had gotten to that completely unknown place, Juliana saw Patrick coming out of the bathroom.

His dark hair and body still damp from the hot water, wrapped in a black towel from the waist down, while drops of water slowly dripped down his healed abdomen, attracted Juliana's still confused but attentive and curious gaze, which, despite everything, recognized how handsome and attractive Patrick was.

The headache was unbearable. And all Juliana wanted was to stay in the dark and in silence. She just wanted to find out that everything she remembered was just a bad dream, and that her life was still the same as before. She wanted to find out that she hadn't gotten married, that she hadn't been kicked out of a car still dressed as a bride, that she hadn't been left alone on a deserted road... but when she opened her eyes, all she saw was a completely strange place, where she had never been before, and of this Juliana was sure.

As if sensing that he was being watched, Patrick looked at Juliana and smiled.

"You woke up quickly. I thought you would sleep longer."

"Where am I?"

"At home."

"Clearly this isn't my home."

"It has been since you married my brother, little sister-in-law."

"And why am I here... and... why am I here with you and not with Dimitri?"

As these questions echoed unanswered in her mind, Juliana realized that she was wearing only panties and a bra... on Dimitri's brother's bed.

Frightened that she didn't know what had happened, Juliana looked around the room, and as she saw her wedding dress completely dirty and lying in the other corner of the room, the memory that she had married an arrogant playboy for a contract was like a punch in her stomach. To think that she would have to endure this marriage for another thirty long days was more than Juliana considered herself capable of enduring in the midst of a hangover.

"It's a complicated story... but..."

"What happened, Patrick?"

"After I found you on that road, all alone and dressed as a bride, we came here. And as I was pouring myself a shot of whiskey..."

The memories came back like magic in Juliana's mind as Patrick slowly told her what had happened.

"Considering this horrible headache, I deduce that I insisted on drinking with you."

"Evidently..."

"And then?"

"And then we drank... we drank a lot. And you started to cry and cry and cry, and the more you cried, the more you drank. Until..."

As she listened to Patrick's words, Juliana looked at the ends of her hair, which were completely stuck together, and judging by the smell impregnated in her body, and the horrible taste in her mouth

"I threw up."

"Vomited. All over me. On my expensive Italian suit, practically from head to toe. And then, I had to take a shower here... impossible to leave, to get in the car completely covered in vomit."

"I need a shower urgently, or I'll end up vomiting again. Sorry about the suit."

"Brother-in-laws are for these things."

Juliana made an attempt to get up, but felt her head spinning, and sat down on the bed again. Patrick quickly ran to the girl to support her, before she simply fell.

Juliana, embarrassed because she was only in lingerie, tried to push Patrick away, pushing him away from her as he insisted on helping her. At that very moment Dimitri opened the door.

"Patrick? Juliana? What the hell is going on here?"

"It's not what you're thinking, brother."

"I don't even need to think about the truth. I can see it."

As he watched the pitiful scene of his brother in a towel, fresh out of the shower, and Juliana standing there in just her panties and bra... and in the background the completely unmade and messy bed, there was only one possibility of what could have happened a few minutes ago.

In Dimitri's mind, everything was starting to make sense. And without saying a word about what he had just seen, Dimitri began to put together the pieces that formed an intricate puzzle.

Without taking his eyes off his brother, Dimitri held the door open.

"Get out, Patrick."

"Dimitri..."

"Now, Patrick!"

The tension between the two was palpable, Juliana could feel it from afar. And before going towards the door, without looking at Dimitri, Patrick whispered in Juliana's ear.

"I know your secrets, Juliana. And this is not a threat, it's a warning!"

And without saying anything else, and without protesting, he walked to the door, without even looking back, without even looking at Juliana or Dimitri. With only his towel on, and before leaving, as if delivering one last blow to an opponent, Patrick stared at Juliana in a way that made her feel intimidated, threatened. Patrick's words made Juliana shiver, completely afraid.

Juliana felt chills run through her entire body, as she tried to remember something she might have said to Patrick while she was drunk... and heard Patrick's words echoing over and over in her head.

"I know your secrets, Juliana."

"I know your secrets, Juliana."

"I know your secrets, Juliana."

"I know your secrets, Juliana."

She had lost her peace. And she felt that she had also lost her security. She felt vulnerable, she felt exposed...in ways she had never even imagined possible. The thoughts kept echoing...

"It's a warning!"

"It's a warning!"

"It's a warning!"

"It's a warning!"

With effort and without any help from Dimitri, who now seemed to hate her even more, if that could be possible, Juliana went to the bathroom, and as she looked in the mirror, what she saw was a pitiful image of herself.

In her eyes Juliana could only see unanswered questions: What did Patrick know about her? Why had he tried to intimidate her before leaving the room? She was no longer sure that she was safe. The uncertainty of what Patrick knew about her, the countless possibilities of what Juliana could have told him while she was completely drunk, seemed like a tornado in her mind, quickly destroying her mental sanity.

Completely terrified and panic-stricken at not knowing what Patrick knew about her, Juliana allowed herself to linger in the shower longer than necessary. She didn't want to face Dimitri's eyes. She didn't want to think about everything that had happened in the last few hours.

She decided that she would leave the bathroom as soon as everything was quiet, and maybe, who knows, Dimitri was already asleep.

But as soon as he returned to his room, Dimitri was standing there in front of the window, looking out, on his back. The suitcases already packed beside the suite door had Juliana confused... but it was a fact that she understood what was happening.

"I have done my part, Juliana. We are married. I expect to receive the signed divorce contract within thirty days. Nothing more than that."

"Why do you hate me, Dimitri?"

"You, Juliana, are the reason for my misfortune. Because of you, I saw everything I had crumble before my eyes without being able to do anything about it. Because of you, Juliana, I lost everything. And I hate you for it."

The contempt in his eyes was as clear as water to Juliana... and deep inside she knew the reason for such hatred.

Juliana knew what this marriage to Dimitri represented. She knew what the divorce, which would happen in thirty days, meant. But nothing compared to what she felt when she thought about what Patrick knew about her. But nothing hurt more than the desire to have her freedom back, which ran and burned in her veins.

***

It was already night, and Juliana was still completely alone, Dimitri had left just after dawn, and until that moment, he had not even given any sign of life.

Juliana was completely bored when she decided to enter his room. She had often found herself wondering what the playboy was like in private, what secrets he hid in his room...

Juliana had stayed longer than necessary in front of the door, wondering if she should really do that, invade the privacy of the man she would live with for only a few more days and who she didn't intend to see again in her life. Juliana had held the doorknob of the bedroom door for longer than it would take to open it. And the instant she succumbed to curiosity, in a breath of air, Juliana was hit by Dimitri's scent, which made her heart race.

Before she could regret it even more, Juliana closed the door and ran to her own room, and was not surprised to find that her cheeks were red.

And there, aware of her transgression, and of the sensations she felt being aroused in her innermost being, she decided that the best thing she could do was to remain in her room, as far away from her husband as she could by contract.

Juliana couldn't stop thinking about what Patrick knew about her, the thought of what she herself might have told him while she was drunk haunted her. She knew the risks she was taking if her secrets were revealed ahead of time.

Restless, being completely consumed by her thoughts, completely terrified at the thought of what Patrick knew and what she might do, Juliana was pacing back and forth in her room, when she suddenly heard Patrick's voice in the hallway.

This was the opportunity she needed to confront him, and she would not miss this chance.

In a rush, almost on the verge of despair, which she was desperately trying to hide, Juliana opened the door and followed the sound of Patrick's steady footsteps and voice, which was already on the stairs.

"Patrick!"

"Little sister-in-law, what a surprise! After three days you decided to come out of hiding?"

"What do you know about me, Patrick?"

"Are you worried, Juliana?"

"What secrets do you know about me, Patrick?"

Her head spun around in search of an answer to disguise her concern, but nothing came to mind, nothing that made sense at least.

"Don't look so worried, my dear, when the time is right you will know? By the way, I believe your attire is completely inappropriate for the party.", Patrick checked the time on the rolex on his wrist. "We're even late."

"What party?"

"Didn't your husband tell you? Typical Dimitri to do that. Let's go. Change your clothes. We'll go together."

"What party is this, Patrick?"

"Don't ask so many questions, girl. And hurry up, I don't have all night to wait for the princess."

"Party? What the hell kind of party is this that they didn't even tell me about?"

In her mind, thousands of thoughts went back and forth, none of them making sense. But she knew that if Dimitri was at the family party alone, soon their marriage would be questioned, and that was completely out of the question.

"I'll be back in a minute."

Juliana hurried back to her room, and in her closet she looked for a dress that would fit her, she needed to at least feel safe.

Juliana felt her hands sweat, completely cold. The idea of not knowing what she would face at that damned party made her tense and anxious, more than she wanted to be.