Forced Marriage: Escaping Her Monster

The moment those words left Jonathan's mouth, Matilda started to laugh once more. 

"Kill me, heir of Aniko," she laughed. "She ruined my grandmother's life, and you ruined mine…" 

"Slap her for mentioning my Anni's name," Jonathan shouted and he held his chest. 

One of the guards did what he was told and with blood dripping from the corner of her lips Matilda still laughed.

"Why not? Aniko! Aniko the b*tch!" Aniko the-"

The guard covered her mouth. 

"Sire, please don't stress yourself," Gordon tried to calm Jonathan who was breathing heavily as he couldn't accept someone brazenly calling his beloved names in front of him.

Jerlina looked at Matilda and her eyes were filled with hate, fury, and vitriol. For a moment Jerlina thought that Matilda is provoking Jonathan purposefully.

Jonathan was still trying to engage with Matilda not minding Gordon's struggles to bring him back. Jerlina stepped to the front.

"Great-grandpa, I am hungry. Can we have dinner after I freshen up a bit?" She covered Matilda from his view with her smiling face.

"My dear…" Jonathan's face brightened. "Then I'll wait for you."

He then turned to Gordon and asked him to take him away.

Gordon let out a sigh. Nodding at Jerlina with a satisfied smile, he pushed the wheelchair away from the commotion. Jerlina followed them with her eyes and she saw a well-dressed man who seemed to be in his fifties watching her. But the moment her eyes met with his, he averted his eyes.

Who is he?

She saw Jonathan mumbling something to that man and that man nodded with a smile. Jerlina turned to look at Jeremy as his big hand ended up on her back. 

"You want to take a shower?" Jeremy whispered in her ears. 

They were all dressed for this meeting for evening tea but nothing went as they wished for. He knew Jerlina won't like to stay in that wrinkled dress any longer. It's too bad since she liked that dress he chose for her.

But she should compose herself and he wanted to make sure that she is feeling better in private.

"Hello, I am Samuel Erling, the youngest son of the grandsire. If you please follow me, I'll show you your place of accommodation," he spoke politely. 

"Sure, thanks," Jeremy was the one who answered.

"It's my pleasure meeting you," Samuel held out his hand for a shake and Jeremy shook his hand.

"The pleasure's us'," Jeremy smiled.

Jerlina saw that both men were holding on to the other's hand firmly, possibly to affirm their superiority. 

Samuel Erling… huh..?

Jerlina thought for a moment and recognized him as the CEO of the biggest conglomerate owned by the Erling family. It is also said that he will take his father's place once he passes.

So he's the heir to the Erling fortune, huh… Wonder if he is finding me as a threat to his inheritance.

"Take them and the husband and keep them safe in the basement. Don't give them anything until further instructions," Samuel told the guard regarding Matilda and her family.

Jeremy held Jerlina's hand and they were led through the hallways and towards a grand staircase. Jerlina turned to see Matilda and Ronald Kingsley getting dragged away by the guards. Matilda's mouth was taped shut and Ronald had fainted as they dragged them through the floor.

Well… they deserve it.

"Your luggage is already in the room. Ring the bell if you need anything and dinner will be in an hour," Samuel said politely before closing the door and leaving. 

Jerlina looked around the large room. It had dim lighting but it was very aesthetically pleasing with the gothic architecture. The floor had colorful tiles and the woodworks were spectacular. The pillars and the arches were beautifully carved.

She smiled as Jeremy's eyes got drawn to the pillars first. 

"They're beautiful," he said as he gently caressed the wood. "It's old but they've maintained it perfectly… Hmm, strong…" he knocked on the wood. 

Jerlina's eyes got drawn to the big gothic-style bed near the window. It had beautiful red and gold brocaded sheets and from the canopy above curtains were hanging. 

For a moment she imagined herself as a medieval princess. And then she shivered.

Eww… No!

Jeremy noticed Jerlina looking at the bed and his lips curved up.

"Is my wife already thinking about what we can do in that bed?" he hugged her from behind.

"What?" Jerlina leaned on him and chuckled. "That's what you think seeing this bed? It's not even our bed."

"Does it matter if it is our bed?" he bit her earlobe. "You didn't care about that back then when we- Ahhh!"

He screamed as Jerlina pinched his hand. 

"Shut up," Jerlina gritted her teeth. 

"You are mean, Jeryl," he pouted. "You always shut me up when I say something you don't like even if it is the truth…" 

Jerlina couldn't retort him and ended up giggling. She tried to get out of his hold but he hugged her close.

"How are you feeling?" he asked.

Jerlina stopped struggling and turned and hugged him.

"I feel like… This is not a family, Joel… It's more of a… medieval castle with plots and betrayals lurking behind these exquisite pillars… I think all this resplendence… I feel like it is just a façade to deceive the hatred and filth in the minds of the people living here…" she sighed.

Matilda was someone who grew up in this place and she turned out heartless. It probably is because she never had any good role models. And Jonathan… although Matilda is his blood, he had no regrets to punish her. True, he did it for her, but even then that didn't sit right with Jerlina.

She had the feeling that people in this family have to walk on eggshells to not go against the wishes of the patriarch. Even if he is right or wrong they will have to just listen to him. 

That is not a family; that's tyranny!

"Most wealthy and big families are like this…" Jeremy said. He could understand what Jerlina means. 

"But Alexander is not like that…" Jerlina said. 

She lived there these days and she realized how much he is like her grandpa although he doesn't speak his mind. 

"Hmm…" Jeremy nodded. "I think that's why he got along well with your grandpa."

"Yeah…" Jerlina sighed. "Anyhow… I don't want to be part of this family or whatever this is…" she pointed around. "I think this is what my grandpa warned me against and not wealth as it is. Not everyone wealthy turns out this way…" 

"Then we'll see what we can do about it, right?" Jeremy agreed with her.

  He could see that she is trying to process everything around her and it will take some time. He understood it all early in his life and he will help her in whatever way she wants to. 

Although she says she doesn't like this place, she won't stop from meeting Jonathan Erling after how he conducted himself with her.

She is not someone who can deny the wish of an old man after all.