disclaimer: "i do not own yugioh."

"talk"

'thoughts'

"So, seto is coming over today?" a dark voice, well hidden in shadows spoke.

"Yeah." Marik replied.

"You have done well boy." The dark voice chuckled. "How more time do you need?"

"Not much. Tonight is all I need." marik said smiling.

"What about devlin?"

"What about him?" marik said, looking around.

"About the deal you made with him. That was never decided."

"So?"

"SO?" the man roared in a dangerous voice. "May I remind you that I picked you up from the dump, gave you clothes, money, a company to run, everything you needed to achieve your goal. But I made myself clear the first day that it was all for a price."

"I remember." Marik said.

"Then you must also know that double-crossing me will only cause you to lose what you've worked so hard to get."

"I understand."

"Then rethink your strategy."

"I don't have to." marik said. "I told devlin I will hand kaiba corp. to him, but that doesn't mean I will. Kaiba corp. belongs to you and it will remain that way."

"Good boy. I have waited many years for this day to come."

"Me too. And after tonight, I'll finally have her. Then you can have kaiba corp." marik said and walked away.

Seto waited fro tea to come out of the room. He was waiting downstairs for her to go to marik's party. He was wearing a black suit with a navy blue dress shirt. Footsteps turned his attentions to a figure walking gracefully down the stairs. It was tea. She was wearing a beautiful black dress with one strap over her shoulder. Her long hair was hanging loosely, making her even more beautiful, if possible. His mouth hung open. They had been married for 6 months now, but he was still surprised t his luck. How did he manage to get an angel like her?

Tea smiled at his reaction.

"Hey seto, how do I look?" she coyly asked.

Gorgeous, breathtaking, beautiful, delicious, undeniable sexy, I can go one all night." Seto smirked and she blushed.

"Alright. Enough." She said and he smiled.

"Let's go." He held out his arm or her, which she accepted. They walked towards the limo.

Marik stood in the balcony, over the grand hall where the party was being held. He stood above them, wearing a black suit as well, watching everything and everyone. He w2as well concealed by the shadows so no one could see him. Very eye was searching for him, but his eyes were thirsty for someone, who was still to arrive. And she did. He watched from his corner as she appeared, holding his hand. All the reporters and media quickly surrounded them, hiding them from the other guests, but not from him. He growled in anger as he watched seto kaiba smooth talk the reporters with confidence and that smug look on his face.

Tea sighed in relief as the reporters left them. Seto had to answer many questions, but later in the night. She smiled at her husband and squeezed his hand. A smile appeared on his face as they walked up to a table and sat down. She glanced around and saw many familiar faces. Yugi, joey, tristen and bakura sat on one table. They waved at them and continued chatting. Then there were serenity and mai, who sat with duke and another gentleman, though tea believed he was hardly a gentleman.

"I wonder what's devlin doing here." Seto said, glaring at duke.

"Why?" tea causally asked. She hadn't heard much from him, after that night.

"He's broke. His company is in ruins, all thanks to me." he smirked.

"Maybe he hopes to strike a deal tonight. Many company presidents and CEO's are here." Tea said.

"I'll make sure he doesn't get a single penny." Seto said determinedly. "I will make him pay for what he did to you all his life."

"Oh seto, that's so sweet of you. But I think you should cut him some slack." Tea said and seto only frowned.

"Stupid bastard. Here he comes." Seto said.

"Who?" tea asked and looked up. Her heart jumped and got stuck in her throat. Marik was coming.

Reporters surrounded him as soon as he appeared, asking him questions about the deal with kaiba corp. and the affect it will have on the business world. Tea noticed that he confidently answered all the questions and shooed the reporters away. For a moment, his eyes locked with tea's. It was as if time was frozen. But she quickly looked away, pang forming in her chest. Unknown fear crept in her chest, making it hard for her to breath.

"You okay tea?" seto asked from besides her, noticing her pale face.

"Yeah. Just need some water." Tea said quickly and grabbed a glass.

"If you're not feeling well, we can cancel this and go home." Seto said and tea smiled at his concern.

"I'm fine seto. Don't worry." She said and her hand reached up to caress his cheek.

"Ahem." A voice startled them both. It was marik.

"Mr. Kaiba, I'm so glad you could make it." He said, smiling in a businessman like manner. "And you brought your lovely wife with you as well."

"You have nice arrangement here I must say." Seto said, eyeing marik, whose eyes were transfixed on tea, who seemed very uncomfortable with that.

"Nothing less then perfect for the best." Marik smirked.

"Well said." Seto said.

"The papers will be here to be signed very soon." Marik said to seto and turned to Tea.

"I hope you enjoy the party." Marik said kissing her knuckles briefly and then excused himself. Seto turned to tea.

"I am gonna kill him if he looks at you that way one more time."

"Calm down seto. The media is here and is just waiting for some misfortune to happen." Tea said.

"Hmm. And there will be if he doesn't keep his hands off you." seto said. Tea sighed and nervously tucked her hair behind her ear.

Marik had done much more then just aggravate seto. While holding her hand, he slipped a piece of paper in her palm. Tea hadn't dared to look at it or tell seto. She knew he would just explode. But she was curious as to what was on the paper. But how to look without getting caught?

Marik walked up to the table that was occupied by serenity and mai.

"Hello ladies. Enjoying the party?" he smiled.

"Oh yes. It's fabulous." Serenity said cheerfully.

Well, you wouldn't mind doing me a favor, would you?" he innocently asked.

"Oh no, not at all. I am always willing to help a charming man." Serenity said, tracing a finger on his chest. He smirked.

"Good." he said and whispered something in her ear. A confused crossed her face, which was replaced by an evil smile later on.

"Ok." She said. "But you will have to pay me later."

"Sure. Anytime." He said and walked towards the middle of the hall.

"Ladies and gentlemen." He said in the microphone. Everyone turned to look at him.

"I thank you all for coming here to witness the signing of the biggest contract ever in the history of both kaiba corp. and G. corp. but enough talk. The papers are here. So Mr. Kaiba, if you could kindly come up here." The cameras turned towards seto and tea. Seto put on his emotionless mask, stood up and walked towards marik.

"After you Mr. Kaiba." Marik said with a smile on his face. Seto frowned but signed the contract. Why did he feel like this was a mistake? After that, marik signed it and both men shook hands as many cameras flashed.

Tea took the opportunity to look at the slip of paper marik had placed in her hand.

'Rm. 204' she read in her mind. Did he want her to come to his room? Was he insane? She turned to look at seto again. He was surrounded by reporters who were ambushing him with questions. Marik, however, was nowhere to be seen. Her eyes searched for him. She found him, staring right back at her. Their eyes met and he walked up the stairs. Tea thought for a moment and then stood up as well.

She knew marik and also knew he wouldn't rest until he got what he wanted. He wouldn't listen to anyone but her. So she would tell him. She would talk to him and tell him that she had no feelings for him whatsoever. She loved seto with her heart and soul and was happy with her marriage. Also, she had some questions for him.

Room 204. That's where he was. She grabbed the knob to open it, but stopped and knocked first.

"Come in." came his voice from inside. She took a deep breath and stepped in the room. He sat in a chair right in front of her, waiting for her.

"Hi." She said slowly.

"Close the door." He commanded, locking eyes with her. She did as she was told and walked further in.

"Marik." She started to say, but he stopped her. He stood up and walked towards her.

"Tea, I knew you would come. I just knew that you wouldn't forget me, or the love we shared. I'm so happy. And i have to say, you look gorgeous." He said and extended his hand to touch her. But she shirked away from his touch. This surprised him.

"Something wrong?" he asked.

"Of course something is wrong. What happened to you? She said.

"Nothing had happened to me tea. I'm still the same man you fell in love with. All that's changed in my clothes and my status upon which your father rejected me."

"How did you manage to own a company in Britain?"

"I had help. After you… well after that, I went to England. There I met a man who offered me all this and asked for nothing more then loyalty in return. It seemed like a good deal to me so I agreed. And look at where I am now." marik answered.

"Oh. Then you must have been able to pay for ishizu's treatment." Tea said and a pained look flickered in his eyes.

"How have you been tea?" he gently asked, ignoring her statement.

"Perfectly happy." She said. Her words cut through his heart like warm knife through butter, but he ignored it.

"How have you been?" she asked him.

"Lonely." He replied.

"Why? Isn't ishizu with you?" she asked.

"Ishizu… is dead." He slowly said and tea covered her mouth in horror. Ishizu was dead? That couldn't be.

"Marik." She whispered.

"She couldn't bear it." Marik said sadly, remembering the event. "She had been so much happier when she found about… us. But when she heard about your marriage, her weak heart couldn't take the news. She died of heart failure."

"Oh marik, I'm so sorry." Tea said with tears streaming down her face.

"That day, everyone left me. First you and then ishizu. I was all alone tea, alone and heartbroken." Marik whispered. Tea walked up to him, and slowly wrapped her arms around him in a comforting hug. She knew how it felt to lose a family member. After all, she had lost her mother at a very young age.

"I am sorry marik." She said again. He buried his face in her hair and hugged her closer to him.

"Oh tea, I have missed you so much. I have thought about you every second of my life." Marik said and tea quickly pushed him away.

"What are you saying marik?" she asked him, fearing the answer.

"I loved you tea, and I still do." Marik said, much to tea's horror. Marik continued on. "I did all this to get to you. And the only reason I'm here is to make you mine again."

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