Forced Marriage: Escaping Her Monster

"I should have known, right?" Jerlina let out a sigh looking around.

They have reached the property she had inherited from her great-grandmother. And it has seven sets around the place. And she was informed several of the rooms have different settings too.

Along with top magazine photographers, her over-enthusiastic great-grandfather has arranged an Oscar-winning cinematographer and fashion designer for the photo shoot. Photo shoots, actually, that were scheduled to span over three days. 

"You should have!" Jeremy shrugged. He couldn't control his smile seeing the bewilderment in her eyes. 

Ah… It was worth it. She deserves this…

He prepared everything meticulously for her. The sets and the arrangements are his doing. Jonathan Erling got the photographers and cinematographers. 

Seeing one of the sets being a pirate ship, a dystopian world with life-like zombie dolls, and another set was spaceships, robots, and lightsabers, Jerlina turned and looked at Jeremy.

"You did it, didn't you?" 

She squinted her eyes and stared at him as he shook his head in the negative. "Who in their right mind would take a wedding photo shoot with zombies?" he asked as if he had nothing to do with it.

"I know, my husband would," Jerlina shook her head. "Unbelievable…" she walked around and checked. 

"Why? We'd be perfect as Han Solo and Princess Leia!" he walked behind her. 

Jerlina did think that they'd be perfect in all attires. Both of them are good-looking anyway. 

But zombies? Seriously?

Only after seeing the gardens and Victorian settings did she relax. 

At least there will be some normal pictures too.

"Didn't you want to run holding your dress? Wouldn't that place be suitable for that?" Jeremy pointed at the set that imitated ancient Greek temples. 

"Yeah," she smiled. "It would be perfect! Thank you, Joel!"

Well, she had nothing much to do, and she was up for it. And it was a nice distraction after the stressful few weeks they had back at home. 

She has started to show a little and she loved her pregnancy. Her morning sickness has subsided a bit and she wasn't very tired. She thought Jeremy would throw a fit after a while, but oddly, he was very interested in donning the various costumes for the various photo shoots. 

The photos came out very awesomely.  Money can buy a lot of awesome things. She was glad she has the money now.

She particularly loved the picture of them that was a dark silhouette with the sun setting behind them. And this is another picture of Jeremy kneeling in front of her and kissing her belly.

Well, for some reason, he is still under the impression that they are going to have a daughter and after a while, Jerlina wanted to smash something on his head to make him accept the truth. Her words aren't getting through that thick skull of his anyway.

But she loved him and held back her urge to hit him. 

He's going to faint seeing the baby after he is born!

Jerlina and Jeremy stayed there for an entire week after all the photoshoots were done. The editing of the picture will take almost a month as they said, but they send some prototype pictures. And even they were very good. 

"Jeryl… Let's hang this picture in our bedroom behind our bed, alright?" Jeremy showed her a picture of him and she dressed as pirates standing on the bow of a wooden ship.

"This one?" Jerlina laughed. "How about this one?" She showed the picture of them dressed in vintage attire. He was in a crisp suit and hat while she was in a poofy dress that was a trademark during the 1950s. "Or this one? We look pretty like Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet!"

"Who is this Mr. Darcy you keep on talking about?" he asked and Jerlina found that was the perfect time to watch Pride and Prejudice with her husband. She enjoyed it and couldn't stop her giggles every time Mr. Darcy appeared. Jeremy slept halfway through the movie. 

"How long is he going to walk through that field? Can't she run and catch up with him or something?" he yawned. "And… They got together! What a twist!" he said sarcastically after waking up for the last five minutes and Jerlina rolled her eyes.

Still, it was fun watching the movie with him.

  In the end, they decided to hang a collage of all the pictures they liked. All the pictures were perfect anyway; even the zombie ones. Jeremy looked cool with his unkempt look and an eye patch, holding an ax.

They left for Rosandale for the charity ball arranged by the Princess Royal of Rosandale. Jerlina was a little nervous to attend a charity ball of this grandeur, being arranged by a Princess and all, but Jeremy was calm and cool.

They had arranged a place if stay in a Hotel for the attendees of the Charity ball. It was time for them to leave for the ball.

"You sure don't want to become the King, Joel?" She asked as she fixed his tie. He never learns how to fix his tie. "You are made for that role," she smiled.

Her husband looks kingly, alright? And he does have the administrative capabilities to run a Kingdom. 

"I do?" he shrugged. "I'd rather be a CEO," he smiled. 

He truly has no wish to be the ruler. But he wished to support the country of his forefathers in any way he can. 

If he becomes King, will he have time to lie on his wife's lap or tinker in the shed?

Ah, right! I have a crib to finish! That beautiful crib shaped like a flower… Fit for my Princess!

Jeremy's hand ended up on her belly. 

"Tell me if you feel uneasy or if you need anything. We can leave. Don't suffer silently," he kissed her forehead. 

"Okay, you've sent our auction item, right?" Jerlina asked. 

There was supposed to be an auction and a dance ball with dinner. Although this is a charity ball, this is somewhere the richest of the richest congregate and show off their wealth and try their best to socialize and create more connections.

Alexander Volkonsky was invited to the ball too and he said they can meet at the ball directly.

She had no idea what she should do, but she gave one of the prized possessions of the Hamilton family for auction – The etched glass vase that was made by the Hamilton family before the war. So it was vintage and rare since that was a single piece. 

"I did," Jeremy held her hand. "And make sure to introduce yourself as Hamilton," he told her. 

Jerlina rolled her eyes. "But I am your wife."

"It's for your company! Making connections is important…" he went on with his lecture and Jerlina sat silently in the car. 

She is Jerlina Fitzgerald, alright! She will introduce herself as such. And others will have to recognize her as the CEO of Hamilton Glassware and for that, she will try her best. She doesn't have to change her name to sell her products.

They reached the venue and since they had already opted for non-alcoholic drinks for her, she was offered a juice. Jeremy got his drink and Jerlina looked around to see the meticulous planning. They entered the auction hall and sat in the seats allotted for them. 

"Can you find Alexander, Joel?" Jerlina asked and he shook his head. 

The auction started and Jerlina figured out where Alexander was when the vase was at display. As it was introduced as a prized vase from the Hamilton family, many started bidding. And one of them was Alexander Volkonsky. And another old man bid for the vase too and after a while, it became a bidding war between those two old men. 

"If Alexander liked that vase that much, I could have given it to him for free…" Jerlina whispered to Jeremy and he laughed.

"That's not it. He is getting Jerome Brunton riled up to spend on your company's product. Jerome Brunton is the god-emperor of the business world. If he buys your vase, that would give you the greatest exposure…" Jeremy whispered in her ear. 

"Ten million… going thrice… for Mr. Jerome Brunton!" the auctioneer rang the bell and the vase was sold.

Jerlina was not that surprised that a vase that won't sell for five figures in e-bay sold for ten million in this auction.

Wealthy people, man! They do sh*t like this! Not to mention this is an auction for charity. They spent money like water.

Since they attended the auction, Jerlina decided to participate and got a set of diamond cufflinks worn by a former president of their country. 

"For your help in the process of manufacturing our baby," Jerlina whispered in his eyes for him to blush. 

"I did not say that," he bowed his head. His wife has been mocking him with this ever since the ultrasound. 

What a silly woman!

"You did!" Jerlina giggled in his ears. 

The auction was over and after the dinner, the dance ball started and something unexpected happened.