LOGINShare
Chapter 12 ~ The life I live
Last Updated:
2024-10-18 01:40:55
Clara J. StariHi guys, it's your girl, Clara. Thank you for stopping by, and please do live a like, follow and comment on this book. Let me know what you think. Your every word counts.
Related chapters
Mary Johnson ~ The Paid Bride Chapter 13 ~ The - not-so- good things
~~~~Before I knew it, time flew by. By the end of my two-year stay in London, which was November 10, 2009, I had close to Twenty-Five thousand dollars sitting in my bank account.Can you imagine the joy? And no, I didn’t spend a single dime of it! Who would’ve thought that the same Mary Johnson, who left Chicago in early 2007 with nothing to her name, would have that kind of money saved up?"Well, Mary, good job," I said, giving myself a mental pat on the back.With Rachael out of town for her studies, I became something of a new daughter in the Berry household. It was strange but also nice.James and I grew closer, too—so much so that they even let me drive Rachael’s car. Now, don’t ask how I learned to drive. Trust me, you don’t want to know. Let’s just say, the less said about my early driving adventures, the better! But hey, I didn’t crash anything, so that’s a win, right?Rachael wa
Last Updated : 2024-10-18Mary Johnson ~ The Paid Bride Chapter 14 ~ Emptiness
~~~~“What is wrong with this a-hole?” I almost yelled out as I fired back at her. “Jesus, Rachael, keep your voice down! What the hell?” I glared at her, noting how the other patrons in the café were starting to take notice. “What are you trying to do, huh? Why don’t you just grab a microphone and announce my poor hygiene to the world? That would be better, you stupid—”“Mary, stop!” Rachael interjected, looking a bit taken aback. “Look, I understand what—”“Understand?” I cut her off, my anger bubbling over. “Please, Rachael, spare me the lectures. You come here with your fancy drinks and your glamorous life, and you expect me to just jump into that? I can’t afford to be carefree like you!” I retorted. “So believe me when I say you understand nothing about my situation.”“Oh, really?” She crossed her arms, raising an eyebrow. “Is that what you’re saying now?”“For Christ’s sake, Rachael, yes!” I turned to her, my voice rising. “Do you know what it feels like as a woman to bathe once
Last Updated : 2024-10-20Mary Johnson ~ The Paid Bride Chapter 15 ~ Family struggle
~~~~Rachael was quiet for a moment, biting her lip in frustration. “Okay, I deserve that,” she muttered, just loud enough for me to hear.I halted and turned back to her, sarcasm dripping from my voice. "Oh, you think? I would never imagine."“Oh, damn it.” Rachael groaned in a completely unladylike way, grabbing my arms and forcing me to face her. “Listen to me, Mary. When I said those things, I didn’t mean them the way your stubborn head is probably interpreting them right now. It’s because I care about you. I know how hard you’re working for your family’s sake. I just want you to do something for yourself for once. That’s all.”I sighed, brushing a hand through my hair in frustration. Of course, I knew what she meant. I understood exactly what she was trying to tell me, but part of me just didn’t want to hear it.Not now, not when it felt like everything was undoing inside
Last Updated : 2024-10-20Mary Johnson ~ The Paid Bride Chapter 16 - Papa’s surgery
~~~~~While I was still trying to figure out why the doctor suddenly cared about my personal details, the idiot opened his mouth and asked,"What school did you graduate from, if I may?"I’ve got to admit, that question threw me off balance for a second. Seriously?"No, you may not," I shot back, my patience running thin. "With all due respect, I don’t see how my educational background is any of your business, doc.""Oh, of course, it's not," he replied, clearly unaware of the anger in my voice. "It’s just that the way you're talking makes me think you must be a doctor—or at least a surgeon. Am I wrong?"Son of a... Did he really just go there?I took a deep breath, trying to keep my temper in check. Do you think I’d let your crappy hands near my father if that were true?"Let me get this straight," I said, voice dripping with sarcasm. "You think, if I were a doctor, I’d let an uncertain sur
Last Updated : 2024-10-22Mary Johnson ~ The Paid Bride Chapter 17 ~ A New Trouble
~~~~The following week I was happy, but that happiness was short-lived.It’s true what they say: when one problem is solved, another one raises its ugly head.The following month was a nightmare, especially after Mr. and Mrs. Berry suddenly decided to sell their farmland and move to the Philippines for a fresh start. I was completely blindsided by this news; no one bothered to tell me about it.Of course, Rachael already knew. They were opening a new branch over there and placing the one here under new management.With their absence and support gone, I realized that someone like me—without any qualifications for restaurant work or any other work for that matter—would struggle to make ends meet.Rachael didn’t mention any of this to me. Was it forgetfulness? I had no idea.But by the time they finally decided to inform me, everything was already set. I knew it was time for me to move on.Out of love and kindness, Mr. and Mrs. Berry offered to take me with them. It was a generous oppor
Last Updated : 2024-10-25Mary Johnson ~ The Paid Bride Chapter 18 ~ The New beginning
~~~~And I was right.I arrived in New York on a Sunday, but this time, I wasn’t in a rush to find a place or a job. I rented a little cottage for a month, just in case things went south again. The following Monday, I headed over to the restaurant address.As I walked in, I spotted the front clerk, a formidable woman with a no-nonsense look. She was typing furiously on her keyboard, and the moment I approached her, I took a deep breath. Here goes nothing.“Hi, I’m here for the job opening,” I said, trying to sound confident.Without even looking up, she waved me closer. “And you are…?”“Uh, just a hopeful candidate,” I replied, trying to maintain a casual tone.She finally looked at me, narrowed her eyes, and said, “Hopeful, huh? We’ll see about that.”Before I knew it, she had jumped out from behind her desk and took my hand like she was leading me to the gallows. “Come on! We don’t have all day!”“Wait! I thought I was supposed to interview or something?” I yelped, trying to pull ba
Last Updated : 2024-10-26Mary Johnson ~ The Paid Bride Chapter 19 ~ Where Silence Ends
~~~~Ah! This junkie bitch.“Is this some kind of joke?” I spat angrily, marching to the door to flick on the light.“Seriously, can you not be a killjoy all the time, Madam Fussy Pants?” Clara shot back, wrapping the bed cover around her drugged-up, naked body.“Killjoy? You know what? Never mind. I will not take this crap anymore. You want to screw each other? Fine by me, but please do it somewhere else! You’re not the only one renting this place!” I snapped.“Then move out,” her half-naked boyfriend chimed in, lounging on the bed like he owned the place.“Yeah, much better. Why didn’t I think of that before?” Clara agreed with a smirk, her eyes glinting mischievously.I shot him a glare. “I wasn’t talking to you, asshole. So stay out of it.”“What did you just say to me?” he growled, rising from the bed with a menacing stride.I stood my ground, staring him down, refusing to be shaken. “You heard me.”“You slut…” he began, raising his hand as if to strike, but Clara intervened just
Last Updated : 2024-10-27Mary Johnson ~ The Paid Bride Chapter 20 ~The Proposer
~~~~Halfway down the stairs, Clara's boyfriend and his gang were lounging, the air thick with smoke from some hard drugs. I hurried past, doing my best to ignore them, even when he called out, "Oh, you work on Saturdays now? How lovely."At his comment, I threw him the'middle finger salute' without even looking back and continued out of the complex. Their chuckles followed me, and I couldn't help but wish they'd all choke on their cigars.I arrived at the restaurant right on time—exactly 7:00 AM—and just as I predicted, the silver-haired lady was already seated with the manager. She looked younger than when I’d last seen her, and that threw me off for a moment.“There she is,” the manager declared as I approached. “I told you, she always keeps to time.” He turned to me, raising an eyebrow. “And she’s pissed.”I let out an exasperated sigh, trying to mask my annoyance. “No, I’m not. This is my usual face,” I lied, even though it was obvious to anyone who paid attention that I was more
Last Updated : 2024-10-27
Latest chapter
Mary Johnson ~ The Paid Bride Chapter 86 ~ Let the Game begins
~~~~~“This is just not my day,” I muttered under my breath, rubbing my temple before grabbing my phone. With a sigh, I dialed Sam’s number.The phone barely rang twice before he picked up. “Hello, ma’am. You on your way now?” he asked, straight to the point.I exhaled sharply, already exhausted. “No, Sam. As a matter of fact, there’s a change of plan,” I said in frustration.“Oh…” Sam hesitated for a moment before continuing, “but we can’t send them back… the plane is already in the air.”I rolled my eyes, pinching the bridge of my nose. “What? Of course, we’re not sending them back, Sam. Just—please—go to the airport and pick them up.”“Oh, okay,” he said quickly. “Should I drive them to the hostel?”“No. God, no,” I replied, exasperated. “Take them to the house, and whatever you do, don’t mention my name or say anything about meeting me. I still want it to be a surprise. When I’m done here, I’ll come to you, okay?”“Okay, Ma
Mary Johnson ~ The Paid Bride Chapter 85 ~ Collateral Damage
~~~~~ Nora, the ever-so-composed, always-in-control Nora Black, was crying. Tears silently slipped down her cheeks, her chest rising and falling with quiet, restrained sobs.For a brief moment, guilt twisted in my stomach. But then, I reminded myself—this wasn’t my fault. None of this was my doing.Before I could say anything, she started speaking again.“I’m sorry!” she choked out between sobs. “It’s just that I’m scared, Mary,” she admitted, her voice trembling. “I’ve spent years protecting this family and its reputation, doing whatever it took. But to just watch it crumble like this… I don’t think I can handle it.”Her sobs grew heavier as she covered her face with both hands, shoulders shaking. “But this isn’t just about my reputation.”I folded my arms, unimpressed. “Oh, isn’t it?”She lifted her head, eyes red and glossy. “Eric is an idiot, I know that. But this… this is more than just a scandal. Diana has the entire media on her side now. If she keeps pushing this narrative, s
Mary Johnson ~ The Paid Bride Chapter 84 ~ Where the Heart lies
~~~~After my conversation with Dad, Mom called me with her conditions for accepting the deal. Since there was no real deal to begin with, I agreed without hesitation. The only thing that mattered was getting them out of Chicago.The following weeks were spent preparing for my family’s relocation. While pretending not to know what was happening, I focused on finalizing the renovations on their new home, making sure every detail was perfect. For the first time since I left home, I could finally do things on my own without begging or struggling. The excitement of it all nearly made me forget about Diana and her damn pregnancy.Everything was ready now. But I had chosen not to tell Nora or the Blacks about my family’s move—not yet, at least. It wasn’t necessary for them to know until the time was right.I called Sam to confirm the arrangements. “Everything is set on my end,” he assured me.“Should I pick them up at the airport?” he asked.“No, I want to be the one to do that. You’ve done
Mary Johnson ~ The Paid Bride Chapter 83 ~ The Gloves are off
~~~~That witch! So this was her plan all along…All right, Diana Lockwood, two can play this game. I was going to leave you and Eric alone, let you both wallow in your little mess, but since you want to fight dirty—let’s go. After all, I’m a farm girl. I’ve dealt with all kinds of dirt.“Mrs. Black, cat got your tongue?” Berry sneered, her lips curling in satisfaction.I turned my gaze to her, my anger simmering just beneath the surface. “No, dear. I’m just in absolute shock at what I’m looking at.”She smirked. “So what? Are you saying you’ve never seen this test result before? Because that’s not what Lockwood told me.” She leaned forward slightly. “I understand your feud, but seriously… are you going to deny this?”Diana…“Deny?” I let out a soft chuckle, leaning back in my chair. “Sweetheart, I hav
Mary Johnson ~ The Paid Bride Chapter 82 ~ Continuation
Continuations~~~~~Before he could finish, my fist collided with his face. The crack of knuckles against bone was satisfying... handling farming tools for years taught me a lot of ways to put men like this in place.He stumbled back, cursing."How dare you?" I snapped, heat rushing through my veins.The first guy finally turned, his expression darkening as his gaze moved from his partner's bleeding nose to me."You hit me?" His voice was dangerously low, his eyes a furious shade of red.Sam just stared, mouth slightly open."Ahhh, I’m not about to let myself be talked down to by assholes who don’t even know the first thing about manners." My pulse thrummed as I stormed toward a nearby table, one decorated with expensive glassware and an overpriced bottle of wine.Without hesitation, I grabbed the bottle and—Bang!My hand slammed onto the table, sending everything crashi
Mary Johnson ~ The Paid Bride Chapter 82 ~ A strange wind
~~~~“Wakey, wakey, sleeping beauty.” Nora’s voice drifted through my haze of sleep as she yanked open the curtains. Sunlight slashed through the room, stabbing at my closed eyelids. I groaned, rolling over, tugging the blanket higher over my head.“Hmmmm… Let me sleep, please.” My voice came out rough, raw from last night’s crying.Nora stilled for a second before asking. “Your voice is hoarse. Did you cry again?”I clenched my jaw. Silence.She sighed, the sound heavy, almost tired. “I’d love to leave you alone, but you need to get up and go about your business.” A pause. Then, softer, “You’ve been sleeping too much lately. Are you sure you’re alright?”The worries in her voice affected me more than I expected. I opened my eyes just a sliver, meeting her gaze.“I’m fine,” I muttered. “Just tired.”Liar.Nora crossed her arms, tilting her head, studying me the way she always did when she knew I was full of shit. The room smelled like faded perfume and sleep, my pillow still damps fr
Mary Johnson ~ The Paid Bride Chapter 81 ~ Broken Home
~~~Ignoring the many eyes staring at me, I sat quietly on the sofa.“Hmmm.” I sighed, scrolling through my phone. “It’s a beautiful day!” I smiled to myself.Just then, the so-called boss’s phone rang. He glanced at me, then back at the screen. After a few rings, he finally picked up.“Hello?” His voice was low and hesitant. “What? No, sir… I-I didn’t… it wasn’t—”I couldn’t hear the other side of the conversation, but with how his face kept losing color and the way he suddenly shot up, trying to explain himself, I knew one thing—Big Joe had worked his magic.For the next few minutes, there was nothing but yelling, frantic excuses, and a lot of cursing. Then, the call ended abruptly.I turned my head toward the boss, and damn—he was sweating buckets.“Wow… You look pale. Are you okay?” I asked with a forced smile.Sam, who had been watching the scene unfold, frowned. “Boss? Is everything alright?”The man let out a shaky breath before collapsing back into his seat. But then, as if jo
Mary Johnson ~ The Paid Bride Chapter 80 ~ A new Order
~~~~We stepped out of the restaurant and got into the car. He started the engine, and soon, we were on the road.Despite the cold wind rushing through the window, my insides burned. The music blared from the car speakers—so loud that passing vehicles could probably hear it—but it wasn’t enough to drown out my thoughts.No matter how hard I tried to push it aside, the pain lingered. Eric was nowhere to be found. I hadn’t asked about him, but he hadn’t bothered to come see me either. No messages. No calls. No attempts to explain or persuade me.I guess that’s how much I meant to him.I swallowed hard, forcing back the tears threatening to spill. I loved him. He was the first man—besides my father—that I had ever truly loved. My mother only ever loved one man in her life, and I thought it would be the same for me.But I guess true love doesn’t exist.I shook my head, pushing the thou
Mary Johnson ~ The Paid Bride Chapter 79 ~ More than self
TWO WEEKS LATER~~~Nora let out a heavy sigh as she sat beside Mary’s bed, watching the fragile figure that hadn't moved much in days. If she didn’t know better, she would have thought Mary had passed away—she barely ate, barely spoke, barely even reacted to anything. It had been two weeks since everything unraveled, and yet, Mary remained stuck in this same spot, lost in a silence that worried Nora more than she wanted to admit.She hadn’t heard from Eric. The only update she got was from Doctor Rex a few days ago—he confirmed that nothing unusual was found in Eric’s blood. Still, he had taken extra samples just in case something had been missed.Nora sighed again and shook her head. “Oh, come on, Mary. How long are you going to stay like this?” she asked, nudging Mary’s arm gently. “It’s a beautiful morning. The birds are chirping, the sun is shining. Get up already.”**
