Forced Marriage: Escaping Her Monster

"Why did you hide that you have a phone?" Jerlina looked at Jeremy and he scratched the back of his head with a grin.

"It's not like I forbade you to use your phone," Jerlina added and the corners of Jeremy's lips twitched.

"Are you even hurting, Joel?" she asked and she sighed as he blinked his eyes.

Jerlina shook her head and she apologized to the doctors and the staff she had to disturb because her dear husband wanted to lie to her.

"Not you," Jerlina stopped Mikhail who tried to slip out with the doctor.

"Me?" he pointed at himself with raised eyebrows and a grimace.

"Yes, you, Mr. Mikhail Volkonsky," Jerlina smiled.

And so, the three of them sat down for a talk.

Mikhail told her about the deal Gordon made with her, Jerlina told Jermey about her meeting with Gordon and the short meeting with Jonathan Sinclair and Jeremy told her how he is making phone calls behind her back to get back at those who are responsible for the attack on her.

As they talked, Jerlina and Jeremy both realized that none of them found what the other did as offensive. What made them a little upset is that the fact that they hid it from them. Well, only Jerlina was a little upset and Jeremy seemed to not care that she didn't tell him about Jonathan Erling.

And since they knew they have some more to talk, privately, they decided to handle the lovesick Mikhail first.

"I am not that mad, Mikhail, for what you did... because you seem to understand the seriousness of this issue... but you could have talked to me and we could have worked it through rather than you sending my pictures without my knowledge," Jerlina said and Mikhail nodded.

"I understand and I am profoundly sorry for making that decision out of desperation, he said with bowed head and hand on his heart.

"Now, we cannot give in entirely to blackmailers..." Jerlina scratched the tip of her nose. "We make better deals with them," she added and Mikhail looked at her stunned.

Jeremy laughed and wrapped his arms around her shoulders. "My hustler wife," he kissed her cheek. His fingers have already started to slide on her chest, casually as if it was an accident.

But Jerlina knew that was not an accident!

"Shut up," Jerlina with a smile, pushed her chuckling husband who is trying to get handsy, away from her.

There is another person here for goodness' sake! Can't he keep his hands to himself for some time?

"Send a message to Gordon that you have a minute-long recording of me talking to my husband about my great-grandfather that you recorded secretly. And when he responds, ask for a video call with Rose. Don't agree for anything less than ten minutes. Wait patiently as long as it takes. He'll come around," Jerlina said with a shrug.

Mikhail's face bloomed with a smile. Everyone can say that Jonathan Erling is borderline obsessed with Jerlina and this plan might actually work.

"Give me your phone," Jerlina got Mikhail's phone and made a recording.

Jeremy couldn't hold back his laughter as he saw her keeping the phone at the distance and talking in a soft voice from the distance to ensure it wouldseem like Mikhail actually recorded it in secret.

My little wife really goes the extra distance to make everything believable!

"3...2...1..." Jerlina gave the thumbs-up signal at Mikhail and he pressed the record button.

"I am scared to go meet my great-grandfather, Joel... "

"But..." Jeremy had to play ball.

"Yeah...He probably loves me for real, but... Isn't that because of his wife? He called me by his wife's name..."

"He's old and..." Jeremy gritted his teeth not to end up laughing. He felt like he was rehearsing a play or something.

"Maybe...I want to not believe that he killed my grandma... Grandpa was happy with her and she was taking good care of my dad. If he cared for his grandson, all he had to do was to let them be! But... he is holding Rose right now... How can I trust him..?"

That is all she said and made the cut signal and Mikhail ended the recording.

"Start the negotiation with an hour!" Jerlina told Mikhail as he left the room with a happy grin.

"Shoot for the sky, right?" Mikhail gave the okay signal and closed the room softly before leaving.

Immediately after Mikhail left, Jerlina was pulled into a hug. She leaned on his shoulders as his big hand rested on her back.

"You're really not mad, Joel?" she asked.

"No," he kissed her head. "Honestly, it was surprising to find out you are from the powerful Erling family, but... I am glad, Jeryl," his hug tightened. "I am glad you're you even after knowing that you're the great-granddaughter of a billionaire and is entitled to billions."

"What are you saying? Of course, I am me! How else am I going to act?" She looked at him and he pecked her lips.

"I know," he smiled.

She is not someone who changes according to her financial status. She's always the same person; genuinely kind and cute!

"You're so busy taking care of the company, me, and other stuff. I know you didn't hide it intentionally. But I, on the other hand..." he pressed his lips.

"You didn't have to hide the fact that you had a phone, Joel. Now you make me wonder if you have a lot to hide from me..."

"Not a lot..." Jeremy fixed the bunch of hair hanging on her cheek behind her ears. "Just some..."

"You put pressure on firing Brian's wife, didn't you?" Jerlina looked at him and he let out a sigh.

"There should be order in the pack, Jeryl. If I, as the alpha, am compassionate always, they'll start to think that I have gotten weak. And Brian got money from Viper to make Bobby fall and he thought by killing you he can get more money. What he did was betrayal and technically I shouldn't be letting him leave alive... But..."

"I get it..." Jerlina leaned on his chest. His voice was filled with sadness and not spite.

He let him live because he has kids. He punishes but not destroys. He is a great leader, alright?

God! I love him!

"For the rest of his life, he'll have to look over his shoulders. The moment any of my men sees him, he'll be dead," Jeremy added.

Jerlina said nothing and listened to his steady heartbeat.

In a way, this punishment might seem a little. Jeremy let him live for the sake of his kids, but Brian didn't consider Scar and Cia when he hurt Bobby. And he actually got Joel hurt.

"I hope he has a very short and painful life, Joel... But don't get your hands dirty. I bet karma will get him," she said and Jeremy smiled.

Guess, my wife can get angry and wish ill on others too...

She is lovely!

"And I am going with you to meet Jonathan Erling," he added and Jerlina sat straight.