Forced Marriage: Escaping Her Monster

"If you help Ashley get back together with Charlie… I'll tell you all about Emma…" Tara said in a hushed tone.

Jerlina's eyebrows twitched. 

"Must everything be a dealing, Tara? Can't you ask help and leave it as it is?" She asked. 

And now she didn't want to talk to Charlie anymore. 

Jerlina left the café leaving the perplexed Tara behind. When she talked to Jeremy about her weird conversation with Tara, Jeremy started to laugh.

"Women are complicated, aren't they? I find it hard to believe you can get along with Scarlett though…"

"Stop laughing, idiot!" Jerlina hit his arm. "Scarlett is a good woman and she gets me."

"You could have made a deal with her though… to get information about Emma..?" Jeremy said and Jerlina blinked. 

That is exactly what Scarlett is going to say! And she's going to give me an earful… Did I miss my chance?

"Well, I didn't think about it that way… When Tara said that, all I could think was… how easily she chooses one friend over the other… For Ashley, she is willing to throw around the secrets of Emma. And someday she will choose Emma over Ashley… I just didn't want to do anything with a person like her…"  Jerlina said what was in her heart.

Jeremy hummed and observed her. She is the same person as always. She couldn't do anything cunning. Or maybe she just doesn't care about gossiping that much. 

My wife… My love!

"Come to think of it… If she broke up with Emma…" Jerlina rubbed her chin.

Jerlina could imagine by the way Emma acted saying that Gerard is a billionaire that she won't bother with Tara or Ashley anymore. She just had a feeling Emma would think that they would be too lowly for her as friends and would try to get a new friends circle. 

Maybe she already said something to Tara? But Emma would be careful with Tara if she knows her secrets, right? Would Tara have more secrets to hide? 

Hmm… Interesting.

"What?" Jeremy got intrigued seeing his wife's thinking face. She looked so cute thinking so deeply.

"Nothing…" Jerlina shrugged. "You won't find it interesting. I'll talk about it to Scarlett," she got up from her seat and walked to the window. "Why did you call me here?" she asked.

His office here had an amazing view of the port and the ocean. They could see the ships anchored and the lighthouse at the distance. It had big windows and it would bring in the natural light. 

He got here by working hard! 

She smiled as his arm wrapped around her waist. Jeremy could see her reflection on the glass and her contagious smile affected him too. 

"Why can't you talk to me about it?" he asked. 

He wondered if she is finding it difficult to talk about Emma to him thinking that he might get hurt.

"About what?"  Jerlina placed her hand over his hand and leaned on his broad shoulder. 

"About Emma," he explained, gently rubbing her abdomen. She was complaining of cramps in the noon. Now she looks fine.

"You find it easy to talk to Scarlett about it?" he added sensing that she is confused.

Only after he said that did Jerlina realize what he is talking about. 

"Oh, that? Some things are better when talking with a woman. That's it. Your wife likes to gossip with Scarlett better than gossiping with you," she said and he chuckled. 

"That's it?" he asked and Jerlina nodded. 

"What more could there be? You are boring. You never refute what I say," Jerlina sighed. 

"That's true… Have more fun with Scarlett," he kissed her head.

"Oh, how understanding…" Jerlina smiled. 

"I am…" he chuckled. 

Jerlina proceeded to watch the horizon in his embrace.

"Hey, Jer…" he whispered in her ear. "I am going to do you here one day."

"Oh?" Jerlina shrugged. 

This guy never fails to say this word. "I will do you here', 'I will do you there'…blah, blah…

As if I'd let him!

"I built this office from the bottom up and I earned the office at the top floor, Jeryl. And now, I got you too. I deserve a f*ck here…" he said.

Jerlina turned and looked at him. His blue eyes had a soft glimmer but he looked more determined than ever.

Is this a pride and dominance thing? She thought. 

"How romantic! Not!" she shrugged.

"Don't worry, I'll buy you a rose first," he whispered in her ear making her end up laughing.

"You're a silly guy, Joel. Do you think a rose will change my mind?" she asked raising her brows.

"No," his magnetic voice vibrated in her ears making her insides feel weird. "I won't even need a rose to turn you on."

"Get lost!" she pushed him away and walked to her seat.

He is not wrong.

-----

Since she forgot to buy Jeremy Christmas presents, Jerlina decided to buy him Valentine's day gifts as early as she could so that she won't forget about it. 

She had been thinking hard for the past few days on what to  gift him. In the end, she decided on a necklace. Although Jeremy doesn't wear jewelry, he likes wearing his wedding band all the time and she thought if she bought him a necklace, he'd wear it. 

She even decided to make it her own design to have a personal touch to it. This is the first time she is going to gift him after all and she has a month's time.

When she asked Scarlett, she told her about a designer in the city who would help her with that. Jerlina after lying to Jeremy that she is going to her company drove to the city. Scarlett already got her an appointment. 

The designer's studio was in a commercial building and as Jerlina was waiting for the elevator, she felt a familiar figure walking towards her. 

Even without turning to her side, she could identify that person with her peripheral vision.

Gerard! What is he doing here?

She was in no mood to talk to him. The last time she met him, he tried to do a disgusting thing to her. 

"You're not even going to greet me, Jer?" he asked.

His tone held a lot of pain and it only made her feel irked. She decided not to use the elevator and got to the stairs. But when he followed him there, she started to feel a little scared.

I should have brought Charlie with me!

"Jer, stop!" he ran behind her as she climbed the stairs. 

"Are you scared of  me?"