Forced Marriage: Escaping Her Monster

"Well, you look beautiful," Jeremy admired Jerlina as she stepped out from the closet.

"I do?" Jerlina couldn't hide her smile. 

She didn't think of herself as a very beautiful woman by any means. She had a lot of insecurities and doubts. She was told that she is beautiful by a lot of people. But she never took it to heart. 

But every time Jeremy tells her that she is beautiful, for some reason she started to believe it. She didn't know how his words carry more weight than others.

"Choose me a suit," Jeremy asked Jerlina. 

"I thought I was not your mother," Jerlina curled her lips.. 

"You are my mother," Jeremy grinned ear to ear with no shame. 

Jerlina went in to get him a suit. After making sure that his new suit matched her dress, both of them stepped out.

  Jerlina out of respect apologized to everyone waiting for them at the table. Jeremy was just staring at her lips with a thirsty smile. His hand was making circles at her lower back and thus he left no one to imagine what made them arrive late. 

They were seated and this time Jeremy was seated opposite to her. Jerlina found this arrangement better since she could look at her husband more.

Throughout lunch, Jerlina heard the songs of her favorite pop music star. She loved his songs and it made her lunch pleasant. She thought someone here must be a fan of his and that's why they chose to play all of his songs. 

Only halfway through lunch, when they were serving the third course, did she notice a little platform by the side near the window with a little setup. And there he was…

*Clang*

She dropped her fork.

"Ahaha…I thought you'd never notice!" Jonathan smiled patting her back. 

"He…" Jerlina couldn't speak. "…is here…I've…"

"When we were talking last night, your husband told me that you're a fan of his music and so we asked him to join us for lunch," Samuel was the one who answered.

Jerlina grimaced as she failed to try to give a smile. 

She did know that popular artists do private birthday parties if they are paid in the millions. But for a normal lunch?

Just what kind of life do these people lead? How did they bring him here within some hours? Just how much is he paid?

Just for me? They went through all the trouble just for me?

  "Ah… You face… It's worth it," Jonathan said and Jerlina looked at Jeremy. 

With a pleasant smile, he raised his glass.     

Well…It seems like I am a spoiled child. I never was the one who got spoiled. I was the one who adjusted to any situation and watched others getting pampered. I always got the leftovers and now…

I have people around me who would spend millions just to bring an artist I like for me to listen to for a few hours. 

And this feeling that there are people who'd go to this extent to get me what I like without me asking for it…

It is nice.

Should I get accustomed to it?

Jerlina's eyes reddened a bit. 

She looked at Jeremy. It seemed like ever since she met him again, her life had done a 180 degrees turn. She has felt what pure, unadulterated love means and she is getting to know more and more people who love her.

"Thank you, Great-grandpa," Jerlina held Jonathan's hand. 

"Oh, it's all Samuel!" Jonathan waved his hand. "What do I know about this music. Jazz is much better. And I hate gingers. They are…" Jonathan went on bashing people with red hair. 

Jerlina got uncomfortable and looked around to see if anyone will stop him but it seemed like no one would dare to. She looked at the artist and he pretended he didn't hear. Or maybe he didn't hear. But Jerlina felt bad for him.

"But no one can control the color of their hair, great-grandpa. And everyone is human and we are all the same. We cannot judge people by their attributes that cannot be changed," she said.

Please don't talk bad about someone right in front of their face! 

The whole table went silent for some time and Jerlina wondered if she over stepped by schooling a man belonging to a different century. Plus he is very rich and no one bothered to correct him till now. He probably speaks whatever comes to his mind and people would just let it pass since he is wealthy and powerful.

Jonathan laughed. It was not a hearty laugh but it seemed like he was offended. 

Okay! 

Jerlina pressed her lips. She did not regret saying what she said. 

"I am this way, Jerlina. This is the way I lived!" Jonathan said. "I am not going to change after all this time. So save your breath," he smiled but Jerlina could sense the anger in them.

Guess, advising him is the line I cannot cross. 

"I really hate gingers," Jonathan mumbled.

Or… he just hates gingers and gets mad because I spoke for them?

Well, whatever!

Jerlina didn't speak about it anymore and started to concentrate on eating. Everyone at the table was stressed and Jerlina could feel it. There was a stifling silence except for the sound of the music and the noise of the cutleries. 

"I once had a nanny who was a ginger," Jonathan spoke and everyone looked at him. "She… she was not a nice lady…" 

That's all he said and Jerlina wondered if he had a trauma involving that woman. But that doesn't exempt him from talking bad about other people who happen to have the same color of hair as her.

But she didn't want to judge him. She already said what she wanted to say and she'll just end it there. 

After lunch, Jerlina wanted to take a picture with the artist, alone, for keepsake. 

But no… apparently since she is married now, she had to share all her keepsakes with her husband (Jeremy's words).

And so she took the picture with Jeremy standing in between the artist and her. 

If Jerlina was some hard-core fan, she'd have fought with her husband but she didn't care much. But she decided to find out who Jeremy admires. Maybe she could stand between that person and him one day.

They all went to the media room after that. It was a big hall the size of a medium-sized theatre with a very big screen and they had beds as seats for some reason. 

Well, it made Jeremy smile in a naughty way seeing the beds!

They all got seated and Jeremy was not that pleased they were in the front. 

"I wanted the one at the dark corner in the back," he mumbled with a sly smile. 

Jerlina just sighed. 

This guy!

"What are they going to play?" Jerlina asked.

"Guess?" Jeremy leaned and whispered in her ear.

"Our wedding video?" Jerlina asked remembering him saying that they wanted to watch their wedding video.

Seeing him nod, she got excited. 

With a glass of wine in her hand, she waited for it to start.