Forced Marriage: Escaping Her Monster

"Oww..." Emma covered her face with her hand unable to bear the bright light. "Close 'em!" she shouted.

"Hmm..." Harold sat beside her and checked her face, fixing her hair that was all over her face. "The bruise on your face got healed. What about the bruise to your ego? I heard that the lumberjack didn't call you?"

He then wiped his hand on the sheets. "Eww! Your hair... you really need a shower, sis!" He looked at the nasty sheet with disgust, "And a new sheet." 

"Get lost!" Emma gritted her teeth and turned to show her back to Harold. "If he hears that you visited me, he won't come for me. Just leave," she waved her hand. "It's not like I like to stay in this stink. It is necessary."

"Necessary?" Harold chuckled. "Why?"

"He hasn't sent my Thanksgiving pocket money yet. And I call him every day, but he doesn't answer. If I-"

"My pitiful sis," Harold petted her hair. "He doesn't have time to think about you anymore. He is going all around town, on dates with that woman. I heard a lot of money is getting transferred to her account and-"

"What?" Emma sat up and her eyes went red out of anger. "dates?"

  "And guess what? He hired a PR firm for his company."

"What? I told him PR companies are scams!" Emma clenched the sheets.

"Guess who changed her mind?" Harold smirked. 

He didn't know if he should be happy to see his sister's defeated look or angry to see Jeremy wising up.

Harold clenched his jaws.

He used to be the favorite only child until Emma came. And Emma became his father's favorite. After that car accident incident, Emma's favor dropped with their father. And finally, he started looking at him.

But then the bastard child that no one respected started getting the recognition as his influential backers were revealed. And using that bastard, Emma climbed up in ranks. Since his father needs Jeremy's influence and among their family members, Jeremy treats only Emma as a human, Emma had to be pandered to. 

He - the firstborn, is always getting ignored. 

Yes, his father says he loves him more, but he is nothing more than a puppet in his father's hands. He couldn't even breathe without his father's permission. He had to marry a b*tch because she had status and he is trapped.

And if Jeremy's ignoring Emma, that means their father won't have much use with her. She still has her husband with all those juicy connections but he hates her to his guts.

Emma's reign in the family is over!

But... Jeremy... that bastard! 

He cannot succeed. He cannot be happy!

Emma stretched with a smirk. 

"Jerlina... Jerlina Hopkins..."

She thought by pulling away, that stupid lumberjack will come back to her as usual. But it seems like that bitch is using this chance to seduce him.

That stupid always falls for love and loyalty!

"What's with the money?" Emma asked suddenly remembering.

"It seems like he wants to transfer half of his profit to her account each month. There are some disagreements in the accounts department and the directors were involved. Some of the directors are opposed to it. But he is adamant. You know how he is... He'll get it done if he wants it." Harold explained.

His father tried to get a share of the sweet millions from his company using Emma. That guy didn't budge and never spent a cent of the company money on Emma even. All the money he spends on Emma is from his personal account. As a CEO he gets a good amount of salary after all. 

Emma, this stings, right? 

Emma scoffed. "When I asked him to give me a job in his company so that I can get access to his company's secrets, he told me to start in the mailroom. But she... she is already his secretary and she is entitled to half of his company?" Emma got furious.

"And the rumors in the town, they are doing nothing. People only say good things about her. They "watched her grow up" and they "know her". Apparently, she is a "nice girl". I didn't think that the frump is so clever and she did her own PR knowing what you'd plan. Even Tara was asked to stop talking about that woman..."

Harold's heart felt a little happy seeing Emma's face twitching with anger.

That's right, sis... Get angry. Eliminate that woman. Eliminate her before she bears Jeremy a child.

"And guess what?" Harold smirked. "That little company she owns... Guess who gave a lump order..."

"Who?" Emma squinted her eyes. 

"Mikhail," Harold wriggled his brows. "Two batches of orders were already delivered and the details of the deal are kept tight. Who knows how much she was paid?"

"What?" Emma was shocked. 

That lumberjack is now helping her with her company? And she will get richer with her company? 

That cannot be allowed!

Harold leaned closer. "Cr*p! You really need a shower," his face contorted with disgust. "If you're like this, how will your husband get near you?"

"Get lost!" Emma got down from the bed pushing him aside. "Worry about you, bro!" she sneered. "How is the treatment for your infertility going? Does dad know yet? He still thinks you'll provide him with an heir."

With a smirk, she looked at him. Gerard isn't even living with her anymore since his mother brought him to her home to take care of him. And even if he is with her, it's not like he's going to be nice to her.

As long as he doesn't go back to that witch, anything is fine!

"You f*cking-" Harold got up to hit Emma but she ran out of the room. 

-----

Jerlina rolled in the bed as it was tough to sleep. Her back hurt a lot and the cramps were severe than usual. Even the pain medications weren't of much help.

She prepared breakfast. That's it. She didn't even tend to the garden that day and since it is Sunday, she didn't even have to go to work. She rested the whole day. 

In the morning, she fell asleep in the swing chair Jeremy made for her. They've installed the chair he made with his hands, on the balcony with soft cushions. The chair can seat two people freely and she found napping there very pleasant.

Of course, when she was woken up for lunch, she was on the bed and nicely covered. She had a hot pack, a bar of dark chocolate, and a hearty meal waiting for her. 

Of course, the man with the prettiest blue eyes and a dashing beard was also a bonus to look at while she ate on the bed. 

She fell asleep once more and Jeremy woke her up for dinner. She wanted to take a walk and got downstairs to have dinner. 

That poor man sat with her as she bawled her eyes out watching "The Notebook" just because it was playing.

"It's not an awful movie, but you didn't have to cry this much..." he said wiping her tears and passing her the fresh popcorn he made for her. 

Well, what does he know? It's THE NOTEBOOK!

And now she is on the bed unable to sleep. She didn't want him to touch her some time ago because she felt like it. And now she regretted seeing him sleeping at a safe distance from her.

"Can't sleep? What do you need?" he asked and she was touched.

"Nothing... I just wanted to look at you..." she scooted closer to him. He chuckled sweetly. 

"Does it hurt?" he placed his hand at the small of her back and the warmth from his hand made her relieved. 

"Just keep your hand there for a while," she said and he hummed. 

And with his fingers, he gently massaged her lower back and she could sense all the pain going away.

"Ahn," she moaned. 

"There... right there..."

"No, don't pull back..." 

"Right there, Yes!" 

"God! You're good..."

"Your fingers..."

Her voice was husky as she spoke in a hushed tone. She really liked the massage. She scooted closer to him and as her warm breath tickled his chest, she didn't know what she was doing to him.