Forced Marriage: Escaping Her Monster

Jeremy deliberated if he should go and bring her back to have his talk. He wanted to know what they are talking about. 

As he was about to turn to sneak to the garden, sudden darkness rose in front of him and he almost punched the dark head that popped up.

"Whatcha doin', Jerry?" 

Even after knowing it's Scarlett, he wanted to punch that grinning face.

"She is interested in someone very much," She smiled and he pulled down the window. But Scarlett was quick to stop him by holding the window. 

"Get lost, Scar. Don't you have a baby to look after?" he turned to leave. He did want to know who she is interested in but he didn't want to beg Scarlett for answers.

Geez! I didn't believe the phrase "men marry their mothers" until Bobby married Scarlett. Daisy and Scarlett are the same gossip-lovers.

"She's has a lot of questions to ask about...It's fine if you don't want to know. By the way, she still isn't talking about her wedding. What is that about? Does she even know? I thought she'd ask me to be her matron of honor."

Jeremy paused. He suddenly had an idea.

"Scar, she still hasn't bought her dress. Can you-"

"WHAT!!!" Scarlett shouted as if the world around her is ending. "You gotta be kidding me! How can she not have her wedding dress yet..." she went on rambling about how hard it will be to get a wedding dress at the last moment.

Jeremy didn't know wedding dresses are different from other dresses. He was thinking that you go in and get the one you like and leave. But that seems to be not the case for wedding dresses.

"Just... try. She needs a dress or two. Even I bought my suit but she... Talk to her in a way that she is not... you know..?" he scratched the back of his head and Scarlett found him pitiful.

Their wedding is not a regular one, is it?

  "I'll take care of it," she said and held out her hand.

"What?" he asked knowing well what she wants.

"I'll pay for her dresses. One for the wedding and another for the reception."

Scarlett wasn't backing off. "Cia would be cute in a flower girl dress and I need a dress to match-"

"Ask your husband," Jeremy wasn't backing off and Scarlett didn't lose her smile.

After an intense negotiation for one long minute, with Scarlett playing with the "I know who Jerlina is interested in" card, Jeremy handed over his black card to Scarlett.

"Your dress must not cost more than ten percent of the cost of Luna's dress. Remember that." He said while parting with his card. 

He pretended to be angry, but his heart was filled with glee.

She is interested in me! She is talking about me!

"I know someone. Don't worry. Jerlina will shine like the moon that day," Scarlett left with a spring in her steps keeping the card safe.

Jeremy knew Scarlett will make sure Jerlina gets the perfect dress and so he stopped worrying. If he went with her, it would be hard for him to convince her to buy an expensive dress. But now that Scarlett is involved, it would be different.

Scarlett won't buy a dress costing less than $1000 thinking he's the one paying. But what she doesn't know is that ever since she got married, Bobby will pay him back every cent Scarlett got from him.

Hehe... My Luna is worthy to wear a dress costing $10,000! 

Just then, he received a call from Emma and he answered it with a smile. Emma's been a great help by introducing him to a wedding planner. And the wedding planner said how deeply involved Emma was in the arrangements and that she checks on her a lot.

Emma is very excited about the wedding!

"Jerry, you changed the flower arrangements?" she asked. "I thought that many flowers won't be suited for the venue. And I thought we were keeping the cost of the wedding under $50, 000 since we don't want to tease the ones after Jerlina. I just learned that the catering cost per head is over $1000? It was just $250 for my wedding and it was impressive! Why do they charge that much for your wedding? Are they going to serve gold? Jerry, what if those bad guys get pissed off by how defiantly you celebrate your wedding and come at Jerlina aggressively? Won't they..."

  Emma went on and Jeremy listened with a smile. 

How much she cares for Jerlina's safety! She might be inconsiderate at times, but she is good at heart.

"That's fine, Emma... I thought about it. If I don't spend money on my own wedding, that would cause speculations and doubts. Also, I want to spend money. It's my wedding with Jerlina!" he smiled. "It's not like I am going to get married again, anyway."

Emma sitting on the bed, twisted the bedsheet as her face twisted with anger. He is spending four times the money he spent on my wedding? For her? And what is he blabbering about not getting married again? Did that b*tch really accept him and he thinks they'll live happily ever after?

"Not married again..? Jerry... I heard that you liked her for a long time... Is that true? Because I never-"

"It is true..." Jeremy took in a deep breath. " She is my first love and I can never like anyone as much as I like her," he told her the truth. "So, be gentle with her. Don't do the same mistake as last time. I cannot watch her unhappy face."

Now that she knows, she will act accordingly with Jerlina. 

Emma gritted her teeth. He's gone this far? He is telling me what to do?

"But she is in love with-"

"I know, Emma. And I don't care. And... I wanted to..."

He wanted to confirm whether Emma liked Gerard still, but decided to trust her. She confirmed that she had no feelings for Gerard even before her wedding.

But feelings change and if she falls for Gerard and he reciprocated the feelings, won't that clear a way for me?

"Emma, you'll tell me if someone steals your heart, won't you?" he asked her.

"Jerry!" Emma's voice carried a little shyness. "I'm not thinking about that now. But... when there comes a time, you'll be the first one I'll tell. I promise," she said.

"Good girl. I'll send $2000 to your account. Buy a dress for the wedding, alright?" he ended the call with a smile hearing her happy screech.

Emma threw her phone on the bed with a grunt as her smile vanished. She was not at all pleased. She was already in a bad mood after Gerard acting distant with her and now Jerry is changing too. 

How much more can I take? I am getting wronged by everyone. 

Jerry used to not be open with his feelings and now he dares to tell it to me with no shame. And he spends money like water because it is his wedding. 

He wasn't that extravagant with my wedding, telling me that it is not a "real" wedding! But he can spend money on his fake wedding? What a selfish jerk!

It's all that b*tch's fault. I wonder what she is telling that moron for him to advise me. Me! He dared to tell ME what to do!

She fumed. By then she received a notification from her bank that her account has been credited with $3000 and her mood got a little better.

He still cares for me!

But then she suddenly got an idea. She called Gerard. As usual, he didn't answer her call, but she made sure he gets an extra amount of notifications to force him to answer the call.

He was really angry when he answered after her fifty-three missed calls in twenty minutes.

"How about we pretend to get along? That way Jerlina will be jealous-"

As she was speaking, the call ended and she called him again. Her call went straight to voicemail.

Did he block me? 

She stood up and paced to and fro. And just then she received a call from her mother-in-law and hearing what she has to say, her lips curved up.