Forced Marriage: Escaping Her Monster

For a moment, Jerlina wondered if she had traveled to the past as she walked through that musty-smelling, rat-infested tunnel. Water dripped from the roof of the tunnel and she walked closer to Jeremy who was holding an umbrella for her. 

Rose was asked to go back and Samuel joined them with some other men who appeared like trained navy seals or something. They were wearing boots and they walked without making any noise. Their eyes were forward and they seemed to be very aware of the surroundings. 

The flickering light bulbs at the sides of the tunnel made her realize that she is still in a period where there is electricity. 

After their tour and the tea, they told them that they are going to meet Viper. Although Jerlina didn't have any desire to meet him, she just wanted to give a smug smile at him and brag that she has escaped.

She held Jeremy's hand. She wanted to see Jeremy punch Viper's face enough to hurt him but not kill him. He should suffer for days before he dies. 

After walking through the uneven stone steps, they reached a  place that probably is an actual dungeon. It smelled terrible, like sewage. She didn't know if Jonathan purposefully redirects the sewage here to give an actual dungeon feel. 

Well… It's possible from what I've heard about him.

"I now see why your plan for Viper will get approved," Jerlina whispered in Jeremy's ears and he was startled. 

"What are you thinking?" Jerlina asked.

"Nothing…" Jeremy was too involved in looking around. "Maybe we should buy a caslte with hidden tunnels and dungeons…" he spoke without even realizing it. 

"How about a moat?" Jerlina asked hiding her laughter. 

They can buy a castle if he likes it. She, on the other hand, was already imagining him in ancient clothes to go with the castle. 

Well… how would he look in armor? 

Oh my! He'd be amazing.With his broadsword and shield… I could be a Princess and we can recreate the meme with the knight and the Princess. 

Wow!

But more than that, Joel would look much better in Regency attire. He'd be hotter than Mr. Darcy! 

Jerlina imagined Jeremy in a loose white shirt and dark trousers. Or, If he went formal – a frock coat and a hat.

Ooohooo! His brown hair and his blue eyes, that smile…

Good bye, Mr. Darcy! I won't drool over you anymore. I have my Joel!

Ahahahaha!

She laughed in her heart. 

Next Halloween Joel's going to be Mr. Darcy and I am going to be Ms. Elizabeth Bennet!

Imagine him saying, "You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you." To me…

Eeeek! I'll melt to a puddle by his feet.

And I'll say, "I felt that you were the last man in the world on whom I could ever be prevailed on to marry."

Ah… I used to feel this way about him before. And now…

Jeremy turned to his side and watched his little wife with a silly grin on her face. He had no idea what she was thinking. If he didn't know her and he sees a woman smiling like that on the road-

Wait… is she drooling? Why?

Whatever! I know she did not escape from a mental asylum. She's my smart wife who turns silly at times.

What a cutie!

Jeremy wrapped his arm around her waist to hold her steadily. The floor is uneven and his wife seems to be in her own world. He didn't want her to fall over and break her teeth. She doesn't like dentists either. 

Jerlina came to as Jeremy's hand wrapped around her waist. She giggled and almost tripped on a rat that scurried across. 

"Careful!" Jeremy held her. 

Have days of less sleep finally caught to my wife? Is she in desperate need of a rest? Jeremy wondered.

"Joel," Jerlina held him around his waist and looked at him with a smile. Samuel who was walking in front of them stopped in front of a room/ cage with metal bars for one side of the wall. There was a small window at one side and a little light seeped in. Other than that, there was no other light in that room.

Jeremy noticed a dark figure on the floor and fisted his hands. He could recognize the figure by the silhouette. 

Moses Mosely!

"Ugh! Not again," he mumbled as he heard footsteps approaching. His voice was filled with desolation and hopelessness.

Viper was on the wet floor lying on his back. A rat was biting his fingers and even then he laid there not shooing it away. There was a small wooden plate by the side that had some gooey stuff filled. It seemed like he didn't like to eat that and they were the leftovers. 

They are giving him the respect he deserves!

Jeremy was happy in his heart. If he was arrested by the cops, they have to treat him in a humane way per law. But here…

Getting treated like a worm is what he deserves!

Jerlina didn't even look around. Her eyes were fixed on the hunky side profile of her husband, who in her mind is not dressed as Mr. Darcy.

  "There is a stubbornness about me that never can bear to be frightened at the will of others. My courage always rises at every attempt to intimidate me." Jerlina recited another quote of Elizabeth, and Jeremy looked at her. 

His wife still had that silly grin and her eyes were shimmering with joy. And that phrase… How much it is right about her! That day, she wasn't intimidated but stood courageous and faced Viper and everyone else. 

My wife is amazing!

"I know," he smiled and bent and placed a kiss on her lips. For a moment he forgot everything else and only his little wife was in his eyes; her and her silly grin.

"That's not it…" Jerlina pouted. "It's a quote from-"

She heard some noise followed by the the room turning bright with the focus lights. She covered her eyes as they got adjusted to the bright light and she looked at the direction a very eerie and despondent laugh came from. 

The wheeze in that laugh reminded her of that day. The grin on her face disappeared and it got replaced by a scowl.

"Hello there, Viper!" She smirked. "Fancy meeting you here!" she looked around the place that looked like a pig sty.

Well, these days even pig stys are cleaner than this place!

"How is your vacation going?" She sneered.  Viper was still laughing. But his eyes looked empty and hollow. 

"Shut it!" Samuel kicked the iron bar and Viper crawled and tried to grab Samuel's shoes. 

"Sir, please... Kill me... Don't leave me with him..." he pointed at Jeremy.

Only then Jerlina turned and looked at Jeremy. A chill passed through her spine seeing him enraged and scowling.

Is he the god of death?

But deep in her heart, she still was admiring him.

My husband.... He's mad! And still he is handsome.