Forced Marriage: Escaping Her Monster

"These two'¦" Jeremy muttered and held Jerlina who was about to roll down from the couch.

Jerlina and Scarlett were cuddling together on the couch and Jerlina was at the edge of the couch with half of her back hanging out.

Jeremy immediately picked her up and she opened her eyes a bit, smiled, closed her eyes, and fell asleep again. Bobby tried to wake up Scarlett but she pulled him closer.

"Bobby'¦" she smiled and pulled the collar of his shirt and kissed him. "My love," she whispered and wrapped her hands around his neck. "Come, baby, sleep with me'¦" she wanted him to lie beside her.  Jeremy started laughing.

"Forget whatever we talked about downstairs," Bobby told Jeremy.

"Use the bed in the guest bedroom. Don't stink up my media room," Jeremy left the room with a salute." And don't forget Cia. We'll be in our room."

He knew these two all his life. Bobby is not someone who doesn't understand Scarlett and Scarlett is not someone who would hurt Bobby. Jeremy could only sigh. With a lot of stressful events happening around, it is not unusual for everyone to get depressed. And Bobby has been a little down after his accident at the end of last year. Added with the death of his mother and now with the reveal that she was murdered cruelly by someone he considered as his sister'¦ anyone would be screwed up.

But he knew they will survive this. They have years of understanding between them and this setback won't cause a lot of damage to their marriage. They love each other.

Jeremy placed Jerlina carefully on the bed. Placing a kiss on her forehead, he walked to the bathroom to take a shower. As the warm water streaked down, relaxing his muscles, he went through those moments on the balcony. He rested his shaking hand on the wall and closed his eyes to let the water wash away the dried blood that was left in his skin after the scratches made by Emma.

He heard a click at the bathroom door and he got alert. He looked through the shower door to see Jerlina walking in. "Are you okay?" he asked peeking his head out. "I thought you were sleeping...?"

"Uh-huh!" Jerlina nodded and with her back to him, started undressing.

Jeremy who was about to close the shower door paused. He watched her undressing. He loved watching her undress for many reasons. And today it made him feel more loved as she is going to join him in the shower. As she was about to turn back, he went inside and pretended to be showering till then and that he was not leering at her till then. He didn't even stop to think that she would have found out that he was leering at her with the sound of the water.

His lips curved to a smile when he felt her hands wrapping around him. She then proceeded to touch all over his chest ever so gently. As her naughty hands ended up closer to his pecks, he slapped his hands over them to stop her from further exploring.

"What are you doing?" he asked holding his smile.

He surely was not in the mood for making love, but he knew his wife's little touches might provoke him. He wanted to make sure to know if she is up or it before he gets excited all alone.

"I am washing you," she got her hands out of grip and got the soap.

Jeremy looked at her and with a smile, she started washing him up. He had a feeling that she is not doing it in a sexual way but to check him up. Her hands lingered more on his scratches and as her fingers washed over his scratches, he felt washed over, although he was a little disappointed, he could not help but admire Jerlina's thoughtfulness.

He wouldn't have let her check his wounds or he would have most probably never talked to her about what happened today, She knows it and she is opening him up in a gentle way.

Well, he married a smart one.

He hugged her.

"Wait! Let me finish'¦" she giggled and he got the soap from her hand.

"My turn!"

He spread the lather all over her soft body to his heart's content. And it seemed like she couldn't hold back for his touches either.  Wrapping her hands around his neck, she kissed him.

"I am glad you're fine, Joel'¦ I am truly glad."

After hearing what Scarlett said, that Emma and her father were there with a plan, she thought about it a lot. What could they have planned? They would have taken the life of Jeremy if they could. On the balcony too a lot could have gone wrong, but Jeremy is fine. And that is the most important thing for her,

"I was thinking about you as you told me to. Otherwise I would have killed her with my two hands, Jerlina'¦ I am sorry others are saying that I did it under your manipulation. I will try and-"

"Never mind, Joel'¦" Jerlina shook her head. She tried to take a step back but she skipped and Jeremy held her thankfully.

"Maybe we should talk in the bedroom," Jeremy said and Jerlina agreed.

Showers are slippery.

Jerlina wrapped a bathrobe and walked out. Jeremy took one of his wife's towels and wiped himself clean. Wearing his briefs, he walked to the bed. Jerlina joined him after she finished her night routine.

"As I was saying," Jerlina leaned on Jeremy's chest covering their legs with the duvet. "I don't care what others say, Joel. I don't want you to hold back or suppress rumors. I don't care. If the truth about what Emma did to me comes out, I don't mind. Just do whatever. You cannot be implicated in any way in Emma's death. Let everyone know what a psycho she is'¦ I know she won't know what happens to her name after her death, but'¦ I would feel vindicated. Bobby would too, you know, after everything'¦ He couldn't even get punishment for his mother's killer because she died."

"But your past relationship will come out and some people might scrutinize your character and'¦" Jeremy looked at her surprised. She is a very private person. Even her social media posts would be very generic and rare. He wondered why she would have no problem letting others know about her miscarriage among other things.

"Joel," Jerlina looked at him. "You can never become the brother who killed his sister or pushed her to suicide or whatever'¦ Everyone should know and remember Emma as this vindictive psychopath who killed herself only to frame you."

Jeremy nodded and pulled her closer to his chest. He has never seen this much hate on her face before, but it made him happy to see his wife giving her all for his sake.

He decided to listen to her. She is right. Emma doesn't deserve to be laid to the ground as some pitiful woman who died unfairly. Well, but it has to be handled delicately.

It is achievable. But it will take time. The security footage he submitted to the cops cannot be released now. He can give out a statement through his lawyer, but doing so this close to her death would seem very inconsiderate and backfire. He can spread rumors that this happened. But how well will it all work out?

I should find a way'¦

"And Joel one more thing," Jerlina leaned closer to his face. "I love you. I don't care much about what happened on that balcony. My love for you won't change even if you are responsible for Emma's death. I love you. And I am not going to lose you. So if you are having some kind of guilty feelings for the sister who tried to murder me, get over it. I am not going to be very considerate towards you."

"Oh, really?" Jeremy pushed her down and got over her. "Look at you speaking as if you are a different person'¦" he smirked.

After making sure that he is in a good mental state, she is proudly proclaiming this.

Ah, I love her!

He leaned for a kiss.

At that moment, he heard his dogs barking loudly.

An Intruder?