Forced Marriage: Escaping Her Monster

"I didn't finish my assignment... But it was the deadline and that teacher will reduce marks for tardiness. I knew I had to submit something if I have to get my scholarship... That day Emma asked me to take a printout of her assignment and I..." Jerlina took in a deep breath, rubbing her temples. Her head hurt remembering the mistake she did.

"I took two copies and...I was wrong..." she looked at Scarlett and she had no change in expression when she expected disgust. "I thought I could replace it with my own the next day, but the teacher started correcting the same day and he found out two exactly same assignments... Plagiarism is considered a crime and it would lead to immediate expulsion from the school... The matter was immediately informed to the Principal. I was up for a scholarship – I needed that scholarship..."

"So you lied even after Emma begged you to tell the truth?" Scarlett asked. At least that's what Emma said and Jerlina's story is the same.

"She begged me to tell the truth, and I knew the truth will come out. I was preparing to beg the Principal for leniency in the punishment. See, since it was a printout, Emma's computer is bound to have the original file. I took the printouts and it can be easily proved that I was the one who copied..." Jerlina looked at Scarlett and her eyes widened.

"Of course..." Scarlett only then realized it shouldn't have been hard for Emma to prove that she did the assignment. But she didn't and that means...

"But then, this other guy who always competes with me for first place and scholarship came to the Principal's office... He said that Emma bullied him to write her assignments for her. He said all the assignments submitted by Emma after she joined this high school were done by him. He even showed the proof from his computer. He also said this assignment was originally done by me and that he copied my assignment from the computer I used in the library and sent it to Emma because he was sick of doing Emma's work for her...He apologized and..."

"Ah...So that's what happened..." Scarlett smirked and slapped the steering wheel.

Emma hid this itsy-bitsy detail in her sob story to prove Jerlina was the devil incarnate. Emma used that guy and when the guy was fed up, he used the issue with Jerlina to free himself and turned it against Emma. Somehow in the battle between that guy and Emma, Jerlina was saved from the accusation of plagiarism.

"But..." Jerlina continued. "I asked him to tell the truth that he didn't copy from me and it was he who wrote that assignment. But he wanted me to have that assignment. He was pissed because Emma never fulfilled her promise of going on a date with him if he finished her assignments for him. And so, he did what he did. And I... I needed that scholarship and I kept mum...I was wrong..."

"You were not wrong! Emma was wrong and she got what she deserved!" Scarlett patted Jerlina's back.

"She didn't bully him and if I didn't copy her assignment nothing would have come out. She got a permanent record for something she didn't do...And she vowed to get back at me. She said her brother will definitely ruin me... That guy got into an accident at that time and broke his arm. So I..."

"You thought Jerry hurt that guy and was out to get you next?" Scarlett laughed holding her stomach. Jerlina looked at Scarlett, laughing as if she was mocking her.

"You have no idea how scared I was back then..." she mumbled only to get laughed at more.

"He must have known it all... He called you a hustler and was more impressed with you for your will to survive...Haha... So this was why...He spent some money on Emma and that's it... He never let her bring up that incident again. That guy kept everything about you locked in his heart and savored them... Hurt you? Like he can..."

"So he really was not mad at me? So why did he..."

Jerlina stopped continuing with her question. The answer is pretty clear, isn't it?

He liked me and followed me around. He was not my type and I wouldn't have liked him back. But had I known his intentions, I would have politely rejected him and made sure he knows that he has no chance with me.

Maybe I should tell him now. He doesn't have to do anything for me. He will get nothing in return.

"Jerry... he may seem emotional and as someone who blindly follows his heart, but he is very rational..." Scarlett started the car.

"He knows being nice always will not do. It's a dog-eat-dog world. And Emma really didn't lose anything, did she? Her father got her a seat in the university she wanted to get in, and she wasn't expelled. But if it were you who got caught, you definitely would have been expelled. In a way, it was self-defense. Many will say it is wrong, maybe it IS wrong. But not in Jerry's book!"

Jerlina was of differing opinion. What she did was wrong and she strongly believes that the end does not justify the means. And so she tried to be honest all her life.

But he is not like that.

"Let me tell you one thing, Jerlina... just get to know him a little. He is not a bad guy." Scarlett said patting her hand and Jerlina nodded half-heartedly.

The people around TJ love him so much and they justify everything he does because he does so for the "greater good", "survival", and whatnot. Maybe that is how he survived. He was kidnapped and judging by the scars on his body, he might have suffered a great deal and this is the way he chose to survive.

I can never understand him. And there is no need for me to understand someone who took my baby from me!

Scarlett introduced Jerlina to everyone in the office and the salespersons in the shop in the front that sold various lumber products.

Maybe because they had an idea that Jerlina was TJ's wife, they all stared at her and started mumbling among themselves. Scarlett went to her work and

Jerlina felt alienated and she went to TJ's office. Closing the blinds, she sat on the only chair in the room which was an old leather armchair behind the strong Oak table.

Her head hurt. She didn't know why Emma lied about her brother. It happened even before the plagiarism incident. So right from the start, Emma was lying to her.

She rested her head on the table.

TJ... He liked me, but why? Why did he choose to side with me in the past when Emma was in the right? And why is he siding with her now?

Does he think whatever means he uses to get me is right because he likes me? Will he ever let me go? Can I trust his words?