Forced Marriage: Escaping Her Monster

"Hello, guys," Emma waved with a smile and a shrug as if they are meeting up for a vacation. She then fixed the black veil she was covering her hair with a pout. "Sorry I was too loud. I hope I am not late." She then spoke in a hushed voice fixing her dress as Jerlina glared at her.

Jerlina wanted to throw up seeing half of Emma's boobs out. Scarlett sitting in the first row with a bowed head gritted her teeth.

Who would announce themselves at a funeral? Not to mention, this is a Church! Narcissistic b*tch! Has to be the bride at the wedding and the corpse at the funeral! Why did she even come here? Who invited her?

Jerlina and Jeremy were in the second row leaving place for Daisy's family. And there was one place left for one of Bobby's uncles who went out for a smoke. Jerlina could see Scarlett is getting madder.

"Send her out," Jeremy realized Emma is making everyone uncomfortable and asked Jerlina. He thought he'd get soft once he sees her face but right now he wanted to grab her by the hair and throw her out.

Was she always this senseless? She was, wasn't she? I just ignored her.

"I'll see what I can do…" Jerlina stood up.

It is a Church and it is a funeral and she cannot ask someone to leave. But she can help others from the nuisance. She looked around and there were some empty seats at the back of the Church. She was about to ask Emma to sit in the back but Emma shamelessly walked to the front and sat at the seat left for Bobby's uncle.

Before Jerlina could say anything, the Priest started the service And Jerlina kept her silence. Scarlett looked at her and Jerlina gave an apologetic shrug. Scarlett nodded. It's not like Scarlett cannot understand Emma.

Jerlina who doesn't get angry often found everything about Emma repulsive.

Who wears fishnet stockings to a funeral and why is she wearing a plunging neckline dress during winter for a funeral? Did she think this is a-

Oh, Jerlina! You are in the house of God. And you're here to remember Daisy. Stop thinking about Emma.

Jerlina told herself and calmed herself down. She noticed Jeremy's mom stressing up seeing Emma and she held her hand. She never liked her anyway.

Jeremy was the one who gave the Eulogy and everyone ended up in tears. The service was over and they carried Daisy to the grave and there was another small ceremony.

Bobby was barely standing and there were no eyes without tears. Bobby refused to eat because of grief and Scarlett had to remind him of Cia before every meal. Jerlina watched everything and her heart got heavy. Joel was helping her here and there but she would find him staring at the wall at times.Charlie acted as if nothing has changed and he helped her a lot.

Men! Can't they cry and get it over?

That's what she did. She cried her heart out one night and she could cope to an extent. But getting stressed all the time gave her headaches. She hugged Dr. Kruger who was sobbing by her side.

Dr. Kruger's sickness started to act up. She has lost two of her dearest friends in a short time after all. Jerlina begged her to come to live with them but she refused. She didn't know what to do in this regard.

Rest in Peace, Daisy… I'll sorely miss you.

We all do.

Jerlina couldn't find Emma here and she was relieved. She heard some people grumble that Emma was acting disrespectful, Jerlina figured since no one welcomed Emma, she must have left.

After the burial ceremony, Jerlina stood under the tree to wait for Jeremy to join her. He and Dr.Kruger were by the grave with Bobby and Scarlett. She stepped aside to take a pill for her headache. She felt too heavy standing by the grave as her memories of her father's funeral surfaced.

"Oooh! It's so cold…"

Rubbing her arms with her hands, Emma ran towards her and Jerlina rolled her eyes swallowing the painkiller.

"Lend me your coat for some time, Jer…I didn't think it would be this cold," Emma said and without any reservation reached for Jerlina's coat button to remove it.

"What are you doing, Emma?" Jerlina slapped her hand away. "It's my coat!"

"You've gotten really brave these days, huh?" Emma did not like getting slapped and asked gritting her teeth. And then she mumbled something but Jerlina couldn't hear it.

"How much do you want for that piece of shit coat?"

The condescending tone of her voice made Jerlina angry.

"A pound of your flesh," Jerlina said and walked away from Emma and towards Jeremy.

She didn't think talking to Emma would lead to anything productive. Rather, it might lead her to danger.

Emma gritted her teeth and followed her.

"So you've been married to for how long now..?" Emma asked. "When are you going to try for a baby? Wasn't that the pill you took?"

Jerlina didn't want to answer her. She had a lot of words on the tip of her tongue. After spending days with old people who speak their minds even if it would hurt others, she found it hard to keep her thoughts to herself.

But she shouldn't. She didn't want to start something at a funeral. Daisy does not deserve this.

"We are trying for a baby," Emma said and Jerlina stopped.

Isn't Gerard infertile or something? Eh?

She wanted to ask her but she swallowed her words. It is not her problem.

"Yo, Emma… How much for a bj? A boob job?"

One of the guys asked in a hushed voice and Emma covered her chest. Jerlina glared at that guy and he scampered away scared.

She might hate Emma but she won't accept harassment of any woman.

"How dare- Give me your coat, Jer!" Emma gritted her teeth. "How can you watch me getting ridiculed like this?"

Emma tried to pull her coat and Jerlina pulled herself out of her grip.

"I can watch you getting ridiculed," Jerlina smiled. "Just like I watched how you damaged a rose planter thinking that it was my baby's grave."

She didn't watch. But she lied. She saw Emma's face getting pale. And shamefully, she was pleased seeing that.

"Didn't you try to blame Scar, Emma? Poor you… No one told you there were cameras? How dare they, right? Shouldn't they have turned the cameras off for you to vent your anger? On a dead child? And how dare they inform Joel with proof, right? And how dare Joel believe what he saw in a video, right?" Jerlina clenched her jaws.

Emma's eyes widened.

So there were cameras? Is that why that lumberjack got mad at me?

And she understands me well.

How is it my fault when I was framed?

"So you've known," Emma scoffed. "Did that b*tch set me up?"

There wasn't an ounce of regret or remorse in her eyes.. She was getting angry at Scarlett.