"She thinks you killed Luca, she'll trust you because of that."He gritted his teeth, "I trust her. Don't try anything funny."Vincent casually prepared his bowl of cereal."I won't. It's your life anyway but don't forget the sacrifices your family made to make this possible.""What do you mean?"*"King!" Isla called cheerfully on seeing him come into her office."What are you doing?" He queried, seeing her going through numerous photos, all of young men."Oh, checking out who my husband will be" she answered innocently, pouting her classic red lips, "you see, I was infected by Joan. You know, she's so righteousness conscious and she does everything right..." She pushed a stack of photos away with a shake of her head and began going through a new stack, "she attends Mass so religiously... So I decided to emulate her. I now go to SS Joachim and Anne and I'm trying to mend my ways. One of them is abstaining from premarital sex. It'll shock you to know I'm still a virgin. Uhuh, I see yo
She took a step higher and came face to face with...Those eyes... They weren't Merlione's. She had seen them so many times on TV and...King!He smiled at her.Her mouth fell open.*"Mr. King Johannson, do you take..."She almost laughed at the way the Priest whispered his name so the congregation wouldn't hear.She was sure if the others heard his name, the Church would erupt in chaos. His name was forbidden among the Fritzgetalds."Yes."She stifled her laughter again at his perfect imitation of Merlione's voice."Miss Bernadette Miley Yusuf, do you take...""Yes."As the others wondered why the microphone was having problems..."I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss your bride."She melted in King's arms and let him remind her of their love, once old but now reignited.★A day before...King paced restlessly in his bedroom, his eyes running aggressively through a document."No... no... no.."He hadn't realized how deep the trap Merlione had set for them. He had known all
"I married King Johannson, you hear me!? I married him! The Priest mentioned his name, not yours! I said yes to him!"Merlione's grin widened if it was possible. He spun around, withdrawing a file from the top of the vanity, and held it up for her to see."Whose name is written on our marriage certificate?"*She rushed to him but the certificate disappeared."Destroying it won't make a difference. I'll just get another from the registry."She collapsed, her tear glands finally functioning.She was finished, everything had gone down the drain. Nine years of waiting for the right moment so she could free herself just disappeared in a puff. She just lost everything, she just lost her freedom and... Her sobs increased. She just lost him, the hope she had clung to all these years. She just lost King Johannson."I'm sorry," Merlione's voice broke through her bitter haze, "I had no choice. It was the only way I could get you to truly be happy on our day. I had a hunch you still loved him an
"Merlione" She called drily, "there's no need to apologize because you got what you wanted. It's fine to have desires. We're married now. You're happy and you feel very great for getting it done, that's good, that's great. Please help me get the plate washed. It's part of a married man's duty." She smiled at the last word then walked out. She paused halfway."Since we're married now and you have nothing to fear, I'm free to contact whomever I like, right?"She didn't wait for his answer.*Merlione shrugged after she left, a pleased smile present on his handsome face. It would take a while, he thought, taking the used plate to the sink, but she would eventually come around. She couldn't possibly hate him for life. She'd grow to love him and then they'll have the most beautiful family. He whistled happily.Joan took the first car she saw and left the irritatingly gigantic house she now lived in. It took her a thirty minutes drive to get to Vincent's house and walking up to the door, sh
She always swallowed everything in and cried till her body was drained of fluid then she got up and pretended everything was fine.She looked up to Heaven and vowed. Even if it was the last thing she did, she'll fight for her and King's freedom.Making that decision, she got off the floor with a smile. The Fritzgeralds family had it coming.*"I told you; I told you! I warned you not to add that in the agreement yet you did. Look at the outcome now!" Merlione hollered, in front of his aunt and uncle."Stop being such a kid," Josephine snapped, "do you really think she'll never divorce you? Don't believe her religious crap.""Well, yes, I believe her. That's why they fought so hard so we'll never get married.""But you're married now," His uncle, Steve, reminded him.He fought the smile that forced its way up his face. He sighed, taking a seat on a side stool."I hate that I had to use such methods to get her. It's annoying seeing the hatred in her eyes whenever she looks at me which i
"Ok, but I'll like to remind you that until this case is resolved, you are still, as it is, married to Merlione Fritzgerald and it is holy that you remain faithful to your vows."She smiled, "Yes, Father."He rose. She did too."You don't mind if I pray for you?"*She returned to her current temporal house, as she chose to call it, after spending some time in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel. She put on her nicest dress, applied makeup which she seldomly did, wore her best heels, and styled her hair until she looked the part of a queen.She sat in the living room and waited for Merlione to return. Once he walked through the front door, she stood and made to walk past him. He grabbed unto her arm."Where are you going dressed like this?"★Merlione's mouth dropped open at the sight of Bernadette. She looked... beautiful was an understatement. He wasn't sure he had ever seen her dress so much. He snapped back to his senses as she walked past, her rosy perfume tickling his nostrils. He grab
"There's something else. Your father...""Sold me off? I know that. I received documents today that stated I'm no longer enslaved to them and neither are you and I under any threat. I'm simply just married to him with the condition that I can never divorce him.""Like you would ever." He scoffed.She smiled. Patience, King, patience; I'm coming for you.*She posed and smiled the brightest as the media drowned them with camera flashes and endless questions. Her arm in Merlione's, he led her carefully through the sea of paparazzi and important figures to the hall where the business dinner was being held. It was a week since their wedding.The expensively decorated eating area was to the right while the guests milled about on the left, greeting each other and making business friendships. The first eyes she made contact with were that of King's. He was invited, along with Frederico.He was chatting with an older man. A stinkingly rich one, she realized, seeing his face. She couldn't reme
She thought of going to see King but the memory of Vincent's cold face crossed out the thought. She visited Isla instead.*"Surprise, surprise." Isla's eyes were wide as she ushered her into her modest penthouse in the early afternoon of a Monday. The house was pretty small but comfy. A set of mismatched couches in the middle, an eating area to the right, a TV at the center, a few flowers in antique vases kept at strategic corners, and a treadmill close to a door she assumed led to the room."I checked you at work but I was told you wouldn't be at work for the rest of the week. Is there a problem?"Isla laughed, passing her a glass of water after she sat on one of the couches, "Must there be a problem?""No, but one doesn't just take a leave from work, do they?"Isla wrinkled her nose. She looked pretty. Her long red hair was now shoulder length and she looked very relaxed at home in pajama shorts and a too baggy T-shirt."Ok," She plopped down beside her and tucked her legs in, "I