Forced Marriage: Escaping Her Monster

"That's Duke when he was a puppy..."

Jerlina's heart almost jumped out of her chest hearing Jeremy's voice right by her ear. She hadn't realized that he was standing behind her. Or maybe she stared at that picture for too long. 

His hand reached and grabbed the photograph. 

"Isn't he cute here..?" he chuckled gently. "He's my lucky charm."

Only after he rescued this dog from an addict, he met Jerlina and his life changed after that. And that's why he considered him as his lucky charm. And although huskies are said to be working dogs and not guard dogs, Duke is smart and he can do what is asked of him. 

Jeremy stood beside Jerlina and she saw the genuine smile on his face. He must love that mean-looking dog – she thought. And that dog loves him too.

"He should be over ten now, right?" Jerlina asked.

"Yes, but how did you guess?" he asked with his eyes wide.

Oops! I cannot tell Jeremy that I guessed Duke's age by the style of the beard he had back then!

"So is Earl Duke's grandson?" she asked another question.

"No, he's his son," Jeremy chuckled. "Isn't the son of a Duke an Earl?" he asked.

"I thought it is Marquees... I may be wrong... Isn't it King->  Prince-> Marquess -> Earl -> Viscount -> Baron...But to think of it, there are no Marquess in the British Royal Family, is there? There is The Queen, Princes, Dukes, Earls and so on... So maybe you're right," she shrugged.

"Mmm," he smiled at her. 

Look at her having knowledge about everything! She is smart!

  "Is this Charlie?" she asked shuffling through the other photographs. "Isn't this the bear we have at the office garden? Did he carve it..? With a CHAINSAW?" her eyes widened and her jaws dropped.

"Yes, he's good at it. He participates in competitions and he wins always. The bear was the first of his work that got a winning prize..."

Jeremy went on and Jerlina saw the pride in his eyes. He was genuinely happy that one of his people got recognition for his skills. 

"...he gained his nickname because of this..." Jeremy said and Jerlina bowed her head.

Here I thought it was because he kills their dissenters with a chainsaw. I'm such a...

"What did you think of his nickname?" Jeremy asked seeing her bowing her head with shame.

"Nothing," Jerlina shrugged.

"You thought it was because he's a chainsaw murderer, right? Right?" Jeremy asked grabbing her chin to make her look at him.

"No!" Jerlina lied glaring at Jeremy but she could feel her face getting red out of embarrassment.

Jeremy laughed. "You're too honest, honey buns... You can't even lie properly. Look at your face! It has 'I'm a liar' neon blinking lights on 'em..." he made a blinking gesture with his hands while having a bright smile that reached his eyes.

"Let go," Jerlina pushed his hand away as she didn't want to be teased. "What do you want for breakfast?" she ran away.

"Come on... Don't be shy... Jerlina!" Jeremy ran behind her. "You can tell me... I won't tell Charlie!"

-----

That day in the office, everyone acted a little sneaky as Jerlina noted. Jerlina wondered what it was, but other than the arrival of a lawyer from the Corporate Office, nothing was different from their usual itinerary. 

Jeremy told her that Tara Cummings, a lawyer who was sent for a negotiation with a foreign company is arriving here for her reports. Jerlina found it odd that Jeremy is not handling it at the Corporate office. But he said that she is from Peyton and after her report, he'd send her home to rest. 

During lunch, Jerlina noticed the women were all gossiping looking at her. Some had a sad look when they looked at Jerlina and some had a weird look as if they were saying 'watch out'.

"Is Tara Cummings Jeremy's girlfriend?" Jerlina asked Scarlett and she paused the choo-choo train traveling towards baby Cia's mouth.

"Really?" Scarlett's eyes were judgemental. "You're smart, but you're dumb. You were right to figure out Tara and Jeremy have something, but Jeremy...Do you think he's the type to have a girlfriend when he has a wife?"

"So she's an ex?" Jerlina asked. She wondered if Jeremy broke up with Tara to marry her. If that's the case, then she'd feel really bad.

"You dummy!" Scarlett hit Jerlina in the head. "He never was interested in dating for a long time until he met you. Ever since he met you a decade ago, he never dated a girl. He'd hire hookers at times and even they... you saw one of them, right?"

"Oww!" Jerlina rubbed her head. 

So Tara is having one-sided feelings towards Jeremy? And...

That woman she saw that night, resembled me a lot!

  Ugh!

He didn't want to date other girls because he couldn't get over me and he didn't want to cheat another woman by thinking about me? But he hired hookers resembling me because... 

Oh sh*t! 

I really don't want to think about it now.

Sh*t! Stop working, brain!

She tried hard to not think about it, but she thought about it anyway.

Sh*t!

He loves me deeply and uncontrollably.

Somehow that realization gave her a fright so big, her palms sweated. 

"So, does Emma like Tara for Jeremy?" Jerlina asked. She held hope that if Emma likes Tara, it won't be hard for Jeremy to accept Tara.

  "Emma?" Scarlett scoffed. "Me personally... I think Emma would prefer Jeremy to be a childless bachelor funding only her forever," she whispered.

"That's..." a serious accusation – Jerlina thought. 

She did think that Emma is that screwed. But she didn't think Scarlett would say the same. Jeremy has almost a billion to his name and that amount of money will make people go all crazy.

But for Emma...there is no proof that she is thinking that way, at least for now. And I did warn him!

"That's why take it on yourself and save Jeremy from the clutches of Emma. Sleep with him...You're our hero! Save this land from the wicked witch of..." Scarlett started her usual drivel and Jerlina muted her as usual.

"Don't mind Tara. Don't reply to her and pretend like she's air. She'll go away," Scarlett advised Jerlina before she returned back to the office.

Jerlina heard some noise inside Jeremy's office and she guessed Tara is here. She knocked as usual and entered. 

Jeremy was standing in front of the table with a document. There was a woman by his side. 

She saw that woman she guessed is Tara. Wearing an Armani suit, she was taller than Jerlina by three inches, had tan skin and brown eyes, and thick brown hair. Her skin was smooth like butter and she had a nice fragrance.

They look good together - Jerlina thought.

Tara met eyes with Jerlina and her lips curled to a smirk.

"So, it is you," Tara said. "Watch this."

Before Jerlina could say a word, Tara pulled Jeremy by the collar and stood on her tiptoes trying to kiss Jeremy.

Okay...