Forced Marriage: Escaping Her Monster

"You don't have any plans for him, do you?" Jeremy asked. "Something along the lines of living this way would be worse than death- like you suggested for Matilda?" Jeremy asked placing his hand on her cheek.

"Were you disappointed by what I suggested for her?" Jerlina asked. She could sense that he is not very impressed.

"Disappointed? No!" he shook his head. "I would have disappointed had you forgiven her. But what you suggested…" he looked at the ceiling lying on his back.

Jerlina looked at him to see what his thoughts were. She felt content for the punishment she gave Matilda. But it seems like her husband has different view on it and she wanted to know what it is.

"I once saw a movie… there might be a lot of movies like that…" he turned at her. "A group of guys hurt a beast in self-defense. They had a chance to kill that beast, but they left it in the woods and returned to their own lives. But the beast survived. Gathering its strength, it started to hunt each on of those guys when they least expected it. The movie ended with one of the guys killing the beast but a lot of hassle could have avoided had they killed the beast when they had a chance. They knew it was evil and still due to carelessness let the beast survive only to their detriment…"

"Hmm… makes sense," Jerlina understood his point.

He thinks when someone was a danger to them it is better to end them rather than giving them a chance to retaliate. She came up with s solution based on her emotions but he thinks with his rationale.

"But do you think she'll find anyone by her side when Jonathan openly denounces her?" She asked. "Without money or her biggest backing, how long will she survive as she is? And I did ask them to kill her son. I don't think they'd spare her husband either… A disgraced former owner of an art museum… How far will she go?"

"Hmm…" Jeremy kissed her forehead and hugged her. "Did you want her to feel the same way you did?" he asked.

Now he understood what she was thinking when she suggested that. He thought it was blindy her principle not to kill anyone. She told him not to kill after all.

"It's okay now," he hugged her and rubbed her back as she went silent. "You have me. I won't leave you alone, ever."

"You were there for me back then too… rather awkwardly…" Jerlina wiped the tears at the corners of her eyes.

"Yeah… but you didn't know…" he kissed her head. It seems like those days are still haunting her.

"And now I know," Jerlina took in a deep breath and faced him. His eyes looked sad and she was touched that he is feeling sad for her. "And I know that I will be happy and safe by your side," she added.

He smiled. He smiled until the fine lines of wrinkles around his eyes got pronounced. Seeing him smile like that, she got happy too.

Maybe he was lost for words he didn't say anything else. But he kissed her and Jerlina leaned on his arms and closed her eyes.

"Do you have any suggestions for Viper?" he asked.

"He cannot live," Jerlina answered almost immediately. "But I want him to suffer too. I still cannot get the image of him shaking baby Cia upside down out of my mind. It still angers me sooo much," she gritted her teeth and Jeremy sighed.

"That's what angers you so much?" he asked.

More than getting threatened with weapons, what angers her is this… Why am I not surprised?

"Yes… You didn't see it, Joel… You didn't hear her wail… Poor baby… I know how she is pampered by everyone and that savage… he…" she gritted her teeth once more. "And he left Scar to get… I can't wish an easy death on him… But he should die… I am so confused. Think of something!" she poked his cheek.

She was angry and she wanted him to get angry like her and handle Viper.

"Fine. How about this?" Jeremy held her finger poking his cheek. He then whispered his plan.

Jerlina felt the hair on his skin standing up hearing his plan for Viper.

"But… in the townsquare? Can they pull it off?" Jerlina asked.

She liked his plan although it was violent; very violent. Even she wouldn't be able to witness them execute this punishment. She'd definitely puke and surely this would send a strong lesson to whoever trying to go against them.

But…

"They can! Viper threatened you in the townsquare, he made baby Cia cry in the townsquare and isn't it fitting for him to die there?" Jeremy didn't care about anything else.

"But won't everyone watch it? Even kids from the town? They'd be already scared with the riot that happened some days back. Must they witness this too? What are we teaching them? That it is okay to torture someone who hurt you publicly? Won't they turn psychotic? If we do it in the townsquare maybe we should just execute him with bullets.." she said.

"Ah… the kids…" Only then Jeremy thought about that issue. "Alright, I'll think more about it…" Jeremy lied back.

Now she has confused him. He cannot ignore her concern too. Exposing kids to violence is never good.

"Your phone is blinking," Jerlina said as she noticed it.

"It's Mike," Jeremy was not very enthusiastic in answering his phone.

"Answer him," Jerlina pinched his arm and tried to get his phone.

"Hsss," Jeremy hissed and pushed her on the bed. "What's your hurry?" Jeremy bit her neck.

"You nasty…" with a fake anger, Jerlina wiped her neck. "Eew…you drooled on me," with her eyebrows furrowed she wiped his hand on his shirt.

"Me? Nasty?" Jeremy chuckled evily. "I'll show you what nasty men do," he straddled on top of her and started to tickle her.

"Stop!" Jerlina laughed.

She felt that feeling unbearable and she wanted to get angry at him but she couldn't stop laughing.

The entire room echoed the laughter of Jerlina.

"Time out!" Jerlina gave up first and he lied beside her. She poured herself a cup of warm water as her throat went dry. "Want some?" she passed some for Jeremy and he drank it.

"Just answer him and pass him the good news. Ask him if he's coming here tomorrow…" Jerlina told him.

"You're happy," he said and Jerlina caught the dryness in his tone.

"Are you jealous?" she asked. "Of Mike?"

"Hmpf!" he turned his face. "No. I know he thinks of you as his sister."

"So why are you salty?" Jerlina asked.

"I'm not!" Jeremy lied back on the bed showing her back to him.

With a giggle, Jerlina hugged his back.

"Hmpf!" Jeremy pretended to not like her hug. But she tightened her hold.

"I love you, Joel" she whispered and she smiled as he held her hand.

Turning to face her, he kissed her forehead. "Love you too."

The ignored phone kept on blinking.