Forced Marriage: Escaping Her Monster

"How did you even bring me out of the country without a passport?" Jerlina asked the question that was bugging her for a long time.

Mikhail chuckled, "Rules, laws... they don't exist for everyone, Ms. Hopkins. Some can fly above them all, like eagles..."

"Or like the hagfish," Jerlina couldn't help but say it. "People just avoid them because they don't want to get drenched in slime."

Have I become one of those hagfish?

"Ah..." Mikhail looked to the front.

"So Rose..?" She asked.

"I have no idea why she's being held. I wanted to contact those people, but they aren't answering me," he let out a sigh.

Jerlina noticed that Mikhail isn't his usual today. He even missed a spot while shaving and his eyes looked tired. 

He's handsome...

But Joel is manlier and rugged and strong and funnier...

Ugh! I miss him! 

Wake up soon, love!

And Mikhail...

He must really love Rose deeply. But Alexander truly hates Rose. More than Rose, he hates her family the most. 

That's unfortunate!

"Maybe I can stand in front of Jonathan and shout, 'Set my friend Rose free!'" Jerlina said pointing her finger to the front.

Mikhail chuckled seeing the animate Jerlina,"What? Like Moses in front of the Pharoh?" he held his abdomen as he couldn't stop laughing.

"Yeah..." Jerlina laughed along. She figured he might be referring the Moses from the good book and not the Moses who shook a baby in front of an entire town.

"Friend, huh?" Mikhail took in a deep breath.

"We're cousins, in fact, right?" Jerlina thought he was correcting her, but how grateful his glance was he figured he was thanking her for trusting Rose.

"I don't know Rose as much as you do, Mikhail. But you're someone Joel trusts and if you trust Rose, I don't have any problem trusting her either," she spoke from her heart.

They reached the ICU by then and Jerlina walked a bit faster to have a look at Jeremy. He was still in deep sleep. 

Please, heal faster and better, Joel. I want to hear your voice.

"Did you get any information from Charlie? How is Bobby? And, I'll need a phone. Ah... I don't have any money on me yet but I request you to-"

"You don't have to request Ms. Hopkins, "Mikhail interjected her. "Just give a list and we'd get it for you," he said with a smile.

"And Bobby is fine. I received news from Charlie that Bobby is out of danger and he has had a slightly tough recovery since he had a concussion and a lung perforation... But he'd be fine. And other things... Since this involves the President and the Erling name, they'll try to cover it up or find a scapegoat. The news organizations are currently calling it gang violence and arrests are being made." 

Bobby is fine! 

Jerlina sighed in relief.

"Scapegoat? Will Joel's people get blamed?" she didn't want that to happen.

"No, Charlie made sure their people are safe. For now, Moses Mosely and Wyatt are announced as the main perpetrators."

"But Wyatt helped me!" Jerlina didn't want Wyatt to get caught.

He wants to leave it all and he should be given a chance of redemption for the sake of his children.

"Don't worry about Wyatt. He's a notorious arms dealer and he has enough connections to save himself. He disappeared for now. Moses too. They'd escape until they are killed. They know too many secrets and they won't be caught alive," Mikhail spoke as a matter of fact.

"Who knows how many big shots' heads will roll once they are caught and they start singing like a canary?" he shrugged.

"Oh?" Jerlina always found the underworld very scary. It's like a very dark and icky place with no way out.

Why do people get trapped there? For easy money? But isn't life worth more?

And Joel... His intention was not to make money but to save others. He is not actually in the underworld, he's more like the gatekeeper. Someone who can stand in both worlds without getting affected.

Mikhail saw although Jerlina was talking to him, her eyes ended up at Jeremy often.

To think his love has actually succeeded... Why am I feeling jealous?

Stupid!

Grandpa will approve of Rose soon too! 

If he can accept Jerlina for Jeremy although she is from the Erling family, he can accept Rose too, right?

-----

"We are promised millions in compensation from the government and they are approving the funds pretty soon..." Charlie paused seeing Scarlett looking distant.

Cia was in her arms and from yesterday Cia hadn't left her hands. He couldn't figure out if it was Cia who is not letting go of her mother or if is Scar afraid to let her baby down.

"All those damages... I heard papa Fred died?" Scarlett asked.

"Yeah... he shouldn't have been in the crowd considering he has asthma. The pepper spray bombs made him suffocate and-"

"It is not going to make national news? The local news is reporting it as gang violence? The cops stood in solidarity with the gangs, Charlie! How can it be let to pass?" Scarlett couldn't accept it.

Charlie didn't find it fair too, but there are a lot of issues surrounding this and the wisest thing would be to let it go. The more they talk about it, the more everything will get complicated. 

For now, the top priority is to make Peyton return to normal.

"Some are not happy that this all happened for Jeremy's wife," Charlie pressed his lips.

"Can they even be blamed, Charlie? I can't say that our town was the model town, but a damage this level... When was the last time this happened?" she furrowed her brows.

"Scar! How could you?" Charlie was surprised by Scarlett's question. "Riots worse than this have happened and that too for no reason at all. At least this-"

"Oh, shut up, Charlie! What has she ever done for us? Our people suffered for her. Jerry got hurt for her and she... she didn't even care about a baby and was just... if not for Wyatt it is doubtful if I'd be holding my Cia like this now..." Scarlett's eyes misted.

"Scar..?" Charlie was tongue-tied.

Is she thinking that Jerlina didn't do enough to protect Cia?

"You know what would have happened if Jerlina-"

"Yeah, yeah..." Scarlett rolled her eyes. "What? He'd have dropped her? Or was she scared that she'd get shot? Hours passed and there wasn't even one phone call from her!"

"Scar..!"

"Whatever, Charlie... Take care of everyone..."  Scar walked inside the ward room and Charlie stood there stupefied.

Where will this lead to?

He stood frozen for some time in deep thoughts and turned to leave.

"Sorry-" he almost clashed with someone and he scowled seeing the figure in front of him.

"Charlie!" Emma smiled. 

"What are you-"

"I heard Bobby was admitted here and I came for a visit... see!" she showed the fruit basket.

Charlie stepped aside to let her pass. Watching Emma walking with a skip in her steps, he rubbed his chest.

How much did Emma hear?