Forced Marriage: Escaping Her Monster

Mikhail checked his watch encrusted with diamonds one more time. The minute hand had only moved a little, but for him, it felt like an eternity,

Why hasn't Rose called yet?

She was surprised her request to meet her great-grandfather was granted this early and she left him in a hurry to be able to be in Jonathan Erling's ancestral home. 

He was terrified to let her leave alone for some reason and asked her to be careful. She'd call or send messages every hour so that he'd be rest assured. 

The last message he received was when she was about to meet Jonathan Erling but it has been four hours after that and he received no calls. 

Well, there was one message that said that everything went well and that she'd be busy for some time.

Everything should be fine, but for some reason, his heart was restless.

-----

Jerlina opened the window to let some cold air in as she felt hot. Being in love is not so nice. She was caught grinning like a fool at Jeremy's computer by Scarlett sometime before and she's been sighing for the umptieth time today after checking the time.

It's nearly afternoon. Why isn't he here yet?

Jerlina called him and his line didn't connect. She didn't know what happened with him and her heart started to beat erratically.

Could he be in danger?

She called Bobby and his phone didn't connect either. She didn't want to stress out Scarlett in case it is nothing and decided to find Charlie. 

He always stays close to her since his job is to look after her. And she knew if she asks him he'd find out if there is trouble.

"There was a small accident in one of the logging sites and Jeremy and Bobby both are there containing the situation. It's the forest and the signal won't be great there," Charlie explained to her and Jerlina sighed in relief.

"And I got something interesting about Amanda Prescott," Charlie winked and Jerlina walked closer. "Guess who she shared house with?"

"...Emma?" Jerlina asked.

"Hmm," Charlie shrugged, "Tara."

Jerlina's eyes widenend. "Tara?" 

"Yeah, they were sorority sisters. They lived together for just one year, but they knew each other," Charlie added.

Jerlina always wondered this. Amanda was naive in her way of thinking about Joel. People don't usually think of a ganglord that way, right? Only novel male leads will act differently with the woman they are "supposed" to fall for. What made Amanda think that she'd become special for Joel?

Tara wanted me out of her way and used Amanda? This way, Amanda won't become a thorn in her side since Joel won't bother with someone who hurt his mother. And for some reason, Tara thought that negative stories about me would make me back off from Jeremy?

And how would Tara benefit from that? My past is not a secret from Joel. This will not change his love for me. 

Something is not right here...

Jerlina has met Tara on more than one occasion and Tara is very smart but a bit hot-headed. Usually, hot-headed people are not very good manipulators since they cannot control their emotions that well.

If so... 

"Is there any reason to believe that Tara met with Amanda recently?" Jerlina asked.

  "You don't think Tara was behind Amanda?" Charlie asked and Jerlina nodded.

"There was a get-together of the sorority sisters recently... But I get it. You doubt Tara will go this far and this kind of thing... using others... It usually is Emma, right?"

Jerlina nodded with a sigh. She knew Charlie is a smart guy and he'd understand her. He didn't disappoint.

"I'll look into it more. And... I heard TJ sent that guy to the hospital once more?" Charlie asked. 

"Yeah... he... he deserved it." Jerlina didn't want to explain it more. 

Charlie didn't want to pry seeing her discomfort addressing this issue. Even the guy's parents were trying to sweep that issue under the carpet. He could guess what that guy must have done.

Charlie fisted his hands and clenched his jaws as he regretted letting Gerard go. As a brother to many sisters nothing irks him more than when a man acts improperly with a woman.

I should have killed that sissy that day! How could he hurt the squirrel?

"Thanks, Charlie," Jerlina smiled. Seeing him getting mad at her made her feel warm. These few months, she has gained a lot of people who care for her genuinely.

"By the way, we're delivering the last shipment to the bar and I'll be going along," Jerlina reminded Charlie with a smile and got back to the office room.

-----

Jeremy looked at his phone with a frown. The signal's terrible. He looked up and the sky was gloomy. 

It was already afternoon and he knew Jerlina wanted to deliver the products herself.

There was something in his gut that told him to go with her.

He looked around and they got the guy in the truck carefully. The temperature is starting to get low and due to the fog, there was an accident involving one of his employees. He had to be here to make the necessary precautions to make sure he is fine.

"He lost some blood, and he seems fine already," Bobby said walking to him carefully.

The ground was uneven, muddy, and slippery. Roots were peeking out with big leaves that are would be slippery making this a dangerous place. But then they are used to handle such dangers as they grew up working here.

"I've already called for the ambulance and they'd be on the way. Let's take a scan just to be sure since he hit his head..." 

As Jeremy was speaking, Bobby suddenly slipped and started rolling down the slope.

"Bobby!" Jeremy shouted, "Help! Bobby fell!" 

Jeremy and others got down the slope. Jeremy was the first to reach Bobby. Bobby was lying with his face buried in the mud and he was not responding to his calls.

"Bobby!" Jeremy carefully rolled him over.

His heart stopped seeing Bobby covered in blood. His head was split open and blood was oozing out. But what made Jeremy panic was the piece of a sharp branch stuck on his chest and blood was flowing out.

"Bobby... Bobby, speak to me..." he tried to wake him up. "No! Don't touch anything," he shouted at a young guy who tried to pull out the wood.

Jeremy tried to pull out his phone from his pocket to call for an ambulance but his hand shook.

We already have an ambulance. There will be paramedics...

"Bobby! Talk to me, buddy..." his eyes watered. "Come on! Lift him! Carefully... Don't move him much... careful..."

Jeremy kept on talking. "Hey, Bobby... don't scare me... Buddy... What am I going to tell Scar and Cia... Come on buddy... wake up!"

Jeremy helped carry Bobby and the ambulance arrived at the right time for Bobby.

The paramedics took charge immediately and they started giving him first aid. The other guy was checked and he was cleared.

  Like a blinded horse, Jeremy got inside the ambulance with the stretcher.