Forced Marriage: Escaping Her Monster

Could this be just a coincidence?

  Jerlina shrugged it off. It's not like it is still the feudal period and certain symbols are owned only by certain people. Anyone can use any symbol unless they are copyrighted.

Maybe I should check if the logo is copyrighted? I just found that particular logo hidden in grandpa's belongings and I asked uncle Pat to use it for our company. Uncle was not pleased at first, but he agreed anyway since I insisted.

Hehe... can I belong to some family who secretly rules the underworld or am I the heir to a very rich conglomerate? 

That would be great! It would certainly be a very interesting "rags to riches" story.

But no... that kind of acquired money never stays. Everyone knows what they say about those who won the lottery. Most of them lose it!

Jerlina, let's get rich by working hard! That way, you'll know how to handle your money.

But wait...someone's trying to kill me...

Could this be related to that? 

The sudden reveal of "friendship" between uncle Pat and Volkonsky, the sudden threat to my life, the way I was treated by my uncle's family for as long as I remember...

Am I really a secret heir and someone is trying to kill me to have the money for themselves?

What does uncle know?

"... beautiful, Missy!"

Jerlina was pulled out of her thoughts by the trembling fingers of aunt Becky holding her cheeks. She saw Aunt Becky, Daisy, and even Scarlett with clouded eyes.

  Jerlina stood up and took a look at herself in the floor-length mirror.

A pure white mermaid-style fitted gown accentuating her curves, even her non-existing bosom looked filled up because of the underwear Scarlett chose, the fitting veil, the sparkling tiara, her hair with gentle waves in the color of...

"Kayla is amazing... Jerlina's hair takes the prize!" Daisy said looking at Jerlina's hair. "She was right. Rather than platinum blonde, this silverish... icy platinum makes her look like an angel! She is an angel by heart after all. Her hair only brought it out!"

"For sure...she's like a goddess who descended from the moon... A Moon Goddess!" Scarlett agreed and Jerlina sighed.

An angel, huh? A Moon Goddess?

She stared at the mirror. She did look very good. She really didn't think she'd rock this color, but here she is...

Why don't hairstylists listen to what they are asked of? Why do they always do what they please? Then why did she ask me which color I want? 

Sniff! Sniff!

Jerlina pouted. She knew... with Jeremy calling her 'Luna' and all, he'd think she chose this hair color to suit in the role of his mate.

But I didn't!

My fate... nothing goes as I wish...

Wait, will Gerard be here?

-----

In the hospital, Emma ended the call with her father with a grunt. She didn't know how she'd bring Mikhail Volkonsky to the wedding, to have her father take pictures with him. 

Although that lumberjack is stupid, he is smart when it comes to certain things. He never let her father near any of the Volkonsky although he knew them for years. 

But a wedding is not the same – her father says. Apparently, he met Mike while he was at a cake shop and Mike said that he is not attending the wedding. That cannot be allowed to happen according to her father. 

'I need to be together with Mikail for enough pictures to be taken. Make sure to bring him to the wedding. Didn't he have feelings for you a long time ago? Use it!'

These words are spoken by her beloved father. That man never cares for anything but his connections. He'd p*mp his daughter for that!

And Mikhail having feelings for her – that is one of her embellished truths! Even if Mikhail liked her in the past, he is not classless to fall for a married woman.

What should I do?

"Jer..."

She felt Gerard's hand reaching for her. He couldn't even open his eyes well and the room had dim lighting making him look frail. "Who were you talking to? You sounded stressed..."

"No one important, Gerry," Emma leaned on his pillow, her heart skipped a beat by how gentle he sounded. "how are you feeling?"

"Terrible..." he gave a light chuckle. "Oww... it hurts if I laugh..." Gerard winced and Emma traced her finger through his forehead.

"You'll be better soon, Gerry. Don't worry..."

Emma gritted her teeth and trailed her finger through his straight nose. Since yesterday, she started using Jerlina's perfume and this guy who is dozed high with morphine thinks she is Jerlina.

So he talks this gently to Jerlina? The love dripping on his lips...

Why? Why her? Why not me? Why can't he love me?

Her fingers ended on his lips. 

"I love you so much, Gerry," she kissed his lips, but her eyes had no affection in them.

  "Me too, Jer," he kissed her back.

Jer...Jer... every word he speaks is Jer! That b*tch! 

How can I let her live peacefully?

She dialed her brother, Harold, "Tell them to send me that champagne color dress. I heard the bride chose that color for her wedding dress," she smirked. "And Mikhail... where is he?"

-----

"Jerlina tied it better," Jeremy said with a grunt fixing his tie looking in the mirror. 

"Then ask her, you ungrateful piece of sh!t!" Bobby punched his abdomen making Jeremy grunt. The groom's room was filled with men and each were figuring out how to knot their ties and where to pin the flowers.

"Someone's looking dashing!"

That cheerful voice made everyone turn.

"Mikhail, my brother!" Jeremy's face lit up and he gave a tight hug and a strong pat on the back. 

"Fix my tie," Jeremy pushed Mikhail and pointed at his tie.

"Why? That's perfect!" Mikhail took a look. "Let me take a picture to send my grandpa..." he pulled out his phone and started taking pictures.

"Come on, everyone...  join the groom... Smile... Lift him..."

Mikhail with a big smile started taking pictures and the room became loud and noisy.

After a while, everyone started to leave sensing Mikhail had something to say to Jeremy.

"I thought you weren't attending," Jeremy asked fixing his hair.

Jerlina was right! This hairstyle does suit me.

"Grandpa changed his mind at the last minute. Now I am supposed to live stream your wedding for him..." Mikhail shrugged with a smile.

His grandpa might be unreasonable and unbearable at times, but he loved him.

Jeremy watched Mikhail through the mirror. "That's great! He could have attended directly though... Whatever... I'll ask to change the seating arrangement-

"Jeremy...I'll only stay until the ceremony and..." he bit his lips and put his hands inside his trouser pockets.

"What?" Jeremy turned to look at Mikhail.

"Speak your mind, Mike," Jeremy patted his shoulder seeing his hesitation. 

"About Emma... I think she's..."

"She's here?" Jeremy knitted his brows.

He specifically asked her to stay away after Bobby suggested (under Scar's influence) that it won't be wise to have Emma here considering the history between Emma and Jerlina.