Forced Marriage: Escaping Her Monster

Jerlina was silent all the way to the store. After lunch, Scarlett with great excitement came to her and asked her to go with her to get a wedding dress. Jerlina was hesitant at first, but Scarlett explained that it is important.

Jerlina had to agree. For her sake and the sake of other innocents, she has to go through the wedding. She didn't want to die and she especially didn't want others to get killed getting mistaken for her.

If being Jeremy's wife can protect her, why refuse that offer?

Yeah, it's just a dress that happens to be white. I have to wear that dress on that particular day and pretend to say a few lines. Let's get this over with.

"Scar... Will this shop have $500 dresses?" Jerlina asked seeing that high-end boutique. "Why don't we go to Merchants street where there are affordable-"

"$500?"Scarlett raised her brows in surprise.

"Yes, that is too much for a dress worn only once. We can rent a dress. Do you know a good-"

"I cannot wear a $50 dress and I definitely won't wear a rental dress when Jerry's paying. Come on, get down," Scarlett glared at her.

Jerlina didn't understand why Scarlett is getting angry. "You can buy something expensive. I don't want-"

"You don't understand, Jerlina. If you buy a $500 dress, I get a $50 dress and I want a $2000 dress. So just follow me." She got down and Jerlina followed with a shrug. She didn't understand a thing Scarlett was saying.

They were welcomed very warmly and it seemed like the owner of the boutique is an old acquaintance of Scarlett from her modeling days. The boutique had separate sections for wedding dresses, bridesmaid dresses, flower girl dresses, and mother of bride dresses.

The whole ambience of the boutique was very pleasant and that gave Jerlina the creeps. That place didn't look like they'll have anything less than $1000.

Scarlett was talking in French with the boutique lady and Jerlina was impressed. What she didn't know is that Scarlett was telling the lady to cut off one zero to the price of the dress when presented to Jerlina. Scarlett knew Jerlina won't go higher than three digits for her dress, but that won't be enough.

I have a black card for f*ck sake! It would be a shame to the card to purchase anything less than $20,000.

Then Jerlina and Scarlett were brought to a storage place where there were a blinding amount of white dresses. Jerlina thought she'd be fine being in that place, but it did hurt her.

This is not how I thought I'd end up buying a wedding dress – as a farce.

They said they cannot get her a new dress and select one from the sample pieces since the wedding is near. Jerlina didn't care either way. Since Jerlina was of average height and thin build, a lot of dresses fit her.

"Not Princess fit, she'd look like a cake topper!"

"That dress makes her look like an elementary school girl!"

"Where are her b**bs?"

"This dress ate her!"

"This dress ruins her figure... She has a nice figure, don't ruin it. Come on!"

After changing to ten dresses Jerlina lost her patience. Somehow the twelfth time was a charm and that dress made Scarlett cry for some reason. Jerlina didn't even look at herself in the mirror as she was tired. But the dress was comfortable to wear.

"How much?" Jerlina asked.

"$1450,"  the salesperson replied and Jerlina didn't want to buy such an expensive dress to wear a single time.

"Okay! Let's select some more and try!" Scarlett stood up rubbing her palms and Jerlina was genuinely scared.

"It's fine. I L-O-V-E this dress. This is A-okay!" Jerlina grinned widely. She really didn't want to try another ten dresses.

Scarlett is scary!

And so without her knowledge, Jerlina had bought a $14,500 dress for her wedding out of Jeremy's pockets. Scarlett was happy she has $1450 to spend. That was a lot more than she expected.

And then they chose a veil for another ten minutes and undergarments for half-an-hour and shoes for fifteen minutes. Jerlina, who never takes this much time to shop felt tired and wanted to leave.

As she looked around, in the mother of the bride section, she saw a familiar figure.

Isn't that Gerard's mom? And is that Emma with her? Yuck!

"They have some beautiful tiaras. Do you want to take a look?" Scarlett asked and Jerlina shook her head.

"No. Let's leave."

"What's wrong?" Scarlett could see Jerlina was pale and asked.

"Gerard's mother is here with Emma," she whispered. She was not in the mood for Emma's phoniness and Martha's snarkiness now.

"Oh?" Scarlett looked around and found them. She was not scared to face them, but for Jerlina's sake, she decided to leave.

"Then we can leave. I'll go pay for everything first," she left with the salesperson.

Jerlina snorted seeing that woman acting as if Emma was a rare treasure, like a sculpture made of gold. She acted as if she takes her eyes of Emma for one moment someone would steal her. And Emma seemed to be enjoying that kind of attention.

Whatever!

Jerlina leaned on the wall near the elevator, waiting for Scarlett. She closed her eyes and gently massaged her temples as her head started to throb in pain.

Suddenly she felt someone yanking her and she yelped. It was Martha and she dragged her to a corner and Jerlina pulled her hand out of her grip and glared at her.

"What are you doing here? Are you here stalking Emma? Are you planning to hurt her thinking you can replace her? Just-"

"Hello, excuse me!" Jerlina knitted her brows interjecting Martha who had started to babble nonsense. "Who is stalking who? I was here first-"

"Heh, you think I should believe you can afford to shop here? A nobody like you?" she snorted and Jerlina shook her head and turned to leave.

She thought she'd be offended, but she wasn't. She pitied that woman who seemed to have lost her marbles.

"Stop! Where are you leaving?" Martha grabbed Jerlina's arms and Jerlina turned to look at her.

"What?"

"Why did you lie? You're fine enough to wander around and why did you lie to my son that you had a..." she looked around and whispered, "miscarriage?"

"Lied about my..?" Jerlina felt a sharp pain in her heart. "Is that what Gerard told you or is it your interpretation?" she asked taking in a deep breath.

Her fingers started to tremble and her palms went cold. She didn't know if it was because of her anger or because of recalling the pain she went through that day.

Who'd lie about such a thing? How heartless is this woman?