Forced Marriage: Escaping Her Monster

Jeremy stared at his phone with a smirk. 

He pays billions in federal taxes each year without funneling it elsewhere and their state's income is in the billions because of him. If he starts a foundation, that would greatly reduce the amount he pays in taxes. And it is not even illegal. Every rich businessman has a foundation for this purpose. 

He will use his money for causes he deems worthy of his money. But the government will not get his money anymore.

Whose fault is that? Did they arrest my wife under the President's order to hand her over to the Viper? Well, f*ck you Mr. President! You're not going to get a cent of my money anymore. How are you going to explain everything to your donors who face loss because of my decision? And how will you make me pay taxes again? 

I have a lumber business. No one can make me go bankrupt! A lot of businesses depend on me; a lot of businesses whose owners lobby with your people and you cannot make them angry too. 

I always had the trump card and yet, I tried to not cause any fuss out of the goodness in my heart. But you didn't want me being good to you.

Heh! Suffer, scums! 

Jeremy leaned on the bed and sank into his thoughts. If Bobby's fall was not an accident, someone who was working there at that time must have caused the accident.

Was he one of my men too? What's with my men suddenly acting against me? Who gave them the courage? And how did Viper's men know about Foxy's secrets?

Jeremy's phone rang and it was Mark. He answered it and it was his usual drivel and he asked about his health. Jeremy suddenly had an upsetting feeling in his heart.

Till now, it has been Mark who asked him to fight and spill blood to stop the violence in the area. But he didn't heed his advice because he promised Jerlina that he won't kill anymore. 

But I changed my mind because of her. Does Mark has a hand in what happened with her?

"Mark, I've always respected you because you've been the one who influenced me in bringing change to Peyton. But I've never once trusted you completely and has taken everything you say with a grain of salt. And if I find that you had anything to do with what happened with my wife, I am not going to be patient with you," Jeremy said in a deep voice. 

He closed his eyes hearing Mark laughing from the other end. 

"You got me, Jerry... I had a hand in it...Have you wised up yet? Only by spilling blood, you can cleanse a place dirtied with blood... Viper won't survive. He's already caught by Erling's people. And I heard Wyatt disappeared. There is going to be peace soon, Jerry! Once you cleanse every scum, there will be peace..." Mark laughed.

"Your wife...I always knew she was someone from the Erling family and I thought she cannot be killed...But I never thought that someone from the Erling family would try to kill her... Matilda Kingsley- that's her name."

Mark ended the call before Jeremy could say anything and Jeremy fisted his hand. It seemed like Mark just sat and watched everything burning around him without trying to do anything about it. Should he be faulted for that? Would knowing earlier made anything better? Didn't Volkonsky keep silent with the truth too? 

Maybe knowing her lineage wouldn't have made a difference.

  But Matilda Kingsley... Who is she?

A quick google search revealed who she is and Jeremy smirked.

I know how to ruin your reputation, art museum owner!

As he was planning on how to get Matilda, he got a call and it was his mom,

"Mom!" he answered her call with a cheer. He's been talking to his mom daily on Jerlina's phone but he didn't know why she called him at his number. 

Dr. Kruger asked him general things but for Jeremy, it seemed like his mom is hiding something from him.

"Mom. Do you want to tell me something?" he asked and there was silence from the other end.

"Are you happy, Jeremy?" his mom asked after a while. "Are you happy with your wife?"

"I am very happy, mom," Jeremy said from his heart. "She's fallen for me and she is taking really good care of me... almost as good as you," he chuckled. 

"You silver-tongued rascal!" Dr. Kruger laughed along. "Then I'll talk to you later."

"Okay, mom," Jeremy ended the call. 

Dr. Kruger placed her phone on the table. She picked the report on her table and leaned back on the chair. 

The results from the report is such a shattering news and she thought it would be better to inform Jeremy about it first. But hearing how happy he is, she couldn't bear to spoil his good mood. 

What should I do? Should I bury this secret forever? Would that be for the best?

But is it my decision to make?

What should I do?

-----

Scarlett placing her hand on her cheek, watched Emma speaking non-stop about her married life as if they are in bliss. 

And of course after a while, Emma couldn't help but being up Jerlina. 

"Why do you hate Jerlina, Emma?" Scarlett asked. 

"I don't!" Emma made her best I-don't-know-what-you-are-talking-about face.

"I hate her because she with that awful face of hers can make anyone believe that she is far more superior and best... She's such an uppity..."

Scarlett started speaking and Emma still maintained her discretion. Scarlett got bored. It was funny for her because she couldn't even find much to talk bad about Jerlina. She had to resort to mock the way Jerlina's eyes disappear when she laughs. 

"How is Cia?" Emma brought up the baby and Scarlett fisted her hand.

She understood how good Emma is at manipulating. Whenever she talks about Jerlina, she'd bring up Cia so that she could connect to the trauma Cia faced "because of Jerlina". 

What a b*tch!

"Cia is fine..." Scarlett said bowing her head hiding her smirk. "But every time I saw Jerlina's baby's grave... I want to destroy it! And that Jerlina... she left it in charge of me... Am I her servant?... I hate going to that balcony... And I hate looking after that rose bush... Her dead baby deserves that protection? But my baby..."

Scarlett noticed that Emma is getting affected hearing that.

"Oh, I am sorry to rub salt in your wounds... It should be more devastating for you to hear about it, right? Jerlina was the only one who carried your husband's baby... It was unfortunate he couldn't even see that baby's face... And now, he became infertile and..." Scarlett twisted the knife she stabbed in Emma's heart.