LOGINShare
Chapter 15 ~ Family struggle
Last Updated:
2024-10-20 15:00:03~~~~
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
Related chapters
Mary 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 : 2024-10-27Mary Johnson ~ The Paid Bride Chapter 21 ~ A Costly Deception
~~~ “You’re quiet?” Mrs. Black asked, her sharp eyes studying me closely.Of course, I was silent—how could anyone just respond to such a bombshell? I could tell she doubted me the moment I said I didn’t know her family.To her, that probably only confirmed her low opinion. She took another sip of her wine, seemingly unbothered by my shock. “Well, it’s fine. You don’t need to say anything. As long as you understand what I’m talking about, then that’s good enough.”I finally managed to clear the lump in my throat, forcing a polite smile. “Sorry, ma’am, I don’t mean to be rude, but I’m finding it very difficult to understand your words. You want me to act as a wife for your son? I mean, it’s kind of funny, right? Wouldn’t it just be easier for him to get married?” I chuckled nervously.Her expression hardened, the politeness in her tone disappearing. “Don’t act smart with me, young lady. After all, if you were indeed smart, you wouldn’t be in the position where I found you.”The chill
Last Updated : 2024-10-30Mary Johnson ~ The Paid Bride Chapter 22 ~ The Raged Mary
~~~~Clara, still standing at the doorway with her shopping bags, chuckled to herself like she’d just won a marathon, completely unaware of the chaos inside me. Meanwhile, I sat on the floor, staring blankly at her, my mind numb and heart heavy.“Wow! What happened here? Did we get robbed?” she asked, a smile playing on her lips, as if it were a joke.I kept staring at her, my gaze fixed on those bags—my stolen money. I struggled to push myself up, my legs shaking beneath me. As I approached her, tears silently streamed down my face.“Clara,” my voice trembled, barely above a whisper, “where did you go, and what are you holding?”Her eyes widened, clearly not expecting to see me there. “Oh shit! Damn, Mary, you scared the hell out of me!” she laughed nervously. “Why are you back already? I thought you were at work,” she stammered, her voice laced with poorly concealed guilt.She was pretending not to know I was in. Fine. Play it cool, Mary. I forced myself to keep my voice steady. “Ye
Last Updated : 2024-11-01Mary Johnson ~ The Paid Bride Chapter 23 ~ The Deal
~~~~~Turning to me with rage, he demanded, “What did you just say to me?” His eyes darkened as he gripped my neck harder. “I think it’s best I kill you now, since you clearly don’t know your place. And just so you know, I don’t feel bad fucking a corpse,” he sneered, pressing both hands down on my throat.“Great, because I won’t feel bad killing you either,” I hissed, glaring at him. Summoning the last of my strength, I kicked him hard in the groin. He winced in pain, his grip loosening just enough for me to breathe. Desperate, I reached for the hand mirror on the nearby cabinet.Without hesitation, I smashed it into his face. He staggered, trying to regain his balance, but as he lunged at me, I didn’t hesitate. I grabbed a shard of the broken mirror and drove it into his hand, the jagged edges sinking deep. He screamed and collapsed to the ground, clutching his bleeding hand.I stood over him, panting and trembling as I forced ragged breaths through my nose. Seeing her boyfriend dow
Last Updated : 2024-11-02
Latest chapter
Mary Johnson ~ The Paid Bride Chapter 76 ~ When I love you hurts
~~~~I sat there, frozen. My body felt like it had turned to stone, but inside, everything was breaking. My chest ached like someone had reached in and ripped my heart out with their bare hands. The room felt smaller, suffocating, the walls pressing in, squeezing the air from my lungs.And then—he walked in.Eric.Nora shot up the moment she saw him, relief flooding her voice. “You’re here,” she breathed out, like his arrival could magically fix what had just happened. “Can you please explain what’s going on… so we don’t misunderstand?”He didn’t even acknowledge her. His eyes were locked on mine, reading the devastation painted all over my face. In two quick strides, he was in front of me. Then, without hesitation—he dropped to his knees.“My love…” His voice was soft, careful, pleading. His hands found mine, warm and firm, as if he thought holding on tight enough could keep me from slipping away. “I don’t know what Diana told you, but please, don’t believe her lies.”Lies.That word
Mary Johnson ~ The Paid Bride Chapter 75 ~ Lies that we tell ourselves
~~~~I stared at her like she had grown two heads. “I don’t know… maybe some busboy or a security guard? How the hell am I supposed to know who got your bitch ass pregnant?” I snapped.She let out a dry, humorless laugh. “Hah. Very funny,” she spat, rolling her eyes. “Well, since you couldn’t guess, let me spell it out for you…” She leaned in slightly, her smile stretching wider, almost taunting. “The man who got me pregnant is none other than Eric Black—my one and only.”My stomach twisted, but I didn’t let it show.“What?” I barked. “Is this some kind of joke?” My hands clenched and unclenched at my sides. “It’s not funny.”“Oh, I wish it was,” she said, her tone suddenly shifting. “After spending a week in the hospital because the meds I normally take for my health suddenly started me
Mary Johnson ~ The Paid Bride Chapter 74 ~ Deceptive in Nature
~~~~~TWO WEEKS LATER“I'm tired of being too serious all the time. Nothing wrong with acting like a baby once in a while.” I let out a dramatic sigh, dropping deeper into the mattress like some tragic heroine in a period drama. Today made it exactly two weeks since Eric left for that sudden meeting.That night, after dropping me off, he called—sounding way too serious for my liking—saying the meeting had taken an unexpected turn. Apparently, he had to catch a flight to London that very night. And when I, in my most patient, understanding, and totally not annoyed voice, asked how long he’d be gone, he casually dropped two weeks like it was nothing.Two whole fucking weeks.At the time, I had sighed naturally, waved my hand, and said, “Fine, go.” Because I was the supportive wife or whatever.Now? Now, I was regretting my entire existence.I missed him—his presence, his teasing, even his stupid little smirks that made me want to both kiss and strangle him.But on the bright side, I was
Mary Johnson ~ The Paid Bride Chapter 73 ~ Make my heart your home
~~~~For a long moment, I just stood there, staring at the land, the reality of it sinking in. The warmth of the sun kissed my skin, the scent of soil and fresh greenery filling my lungs.This wasn’t just a piece of land—it was a future, a life I never thought I’d have but here we are.I turned back to Eric, my heart still racing.“No, I’m not joking,” he said, his voice firm. “Since you’ll be dealing with the entire company and not just me, we need to make this formal. After this, we’ll need to drop by the office—there are some documents you’ll need to sign.”He trailed off, and then burst into laughter when he saw the expression on my face.“So, I’m guessing you like it?”“Like it?” I let out a breathless laugh, my chest tight with an overwhelming joy. “I fucking love it, you crazy man!”&ldquo
Mary Johnson ~ The Paid Bride Chapter 72 ~ Yours to Grow
~~~~After that mind-blowing office sex, Eric stuck to me like glue—kissing, touching, and stealing every opportunity to have his hands on me. It became a routine for me to visit him in his office without an invitation, and he never seemed to mind.The following week, his father’s will was finally handed over to him. His stepbrother and mother had no say in the matter, and the victory felt odd. Mrs. Nora hugged me countless times, whispering her thanks in my ear, her friendliness kind of surprise me but I didn’t say anything.For a while, I half-expected a call from her—maybe to remind me of the contract or to end it altogether. But no such call came. Neither Eric nor his mother brought up the topic again, and eventually, I let it slip to the back of my mind. At least for now, I just wanted to enjoy this new love I had found.But that wasn’t even the issue anymore.For some reason, Eric had developed a habit of draggin
Mary Johnson ~ The Paid Bride Chapter 71 ~ Dearing
~~~~I watched as he stripped me bare, he left no part unturned with his mouth, as his hand moved down to my sex.A strange sensation coursed through me—deeper, more intense than the first time, while my whole body was stirred.I bit down on my hand, desperately trying to stifle my moans, but it was useless. The pleasure was too intense, too consuming, as I felt his fingers slide into my wet fold.“Don’t hold it in, my love,” he whispered against my skin, his voice soaked with raw desire. “As much as I want to bury myself inside you, hearing your moans is what I long for. I want you to beg for more.”His fingers plunged deep, curling right enough for him to find my sweet spot, igniting a fire that spread through my entire body. A sinful moan tore from my lips, shattering any restraint I had left.“Eric… Aaaahhh,” I gasped, my back arching as pleasure coiled tightly within me. “Don&
Mary Johnson ~ The Paid Bride Chapter 70 ~ More than a contract
~~~~~But there were too many things that didn’t make sense, and I wasn’t going to find the answers until I asked him.I must have given myself away because Eric turned to me, his brows knitting together.“What is it?” he asked, catching onto my confused expression.I hesitated before sighing. “Ugh… It’s just… A few days ago, your mother called. She mentioned something about your uncle agreeing to pass the will to you and wanted me to inform you about the family meeting this weekend.” I paused, watching him closely, but he didn’t react—not even a drop of surprise.“She was happy,” I continued, searching his face for any hint of emotion. “And the way she kept thanking me, it felt like she was serious… even though it hasn’t been six months yet.”Still nothing.I exhaled, deciding to just lay it all out. “Earlier, you said something about this being more than the contract.” I bit my lip. “I’m confused. Does that mean we have to end the contract now, or do we wait until the six months are
Mary Johnson ~ The Paid Bride Chapter 69 ~ Severing Ties
~~~~~Carol stood at the other end of the room, leaving Shalom and Kira to answer to Eric, who looked absolutely livid.With a loud and controlled voice as he asked, “Which one of you called my wife a street hooker?”I stood beside him, watching as Kira glanced at Shalom before turning back to Eric, completely unfazed.“I did,” she said without a hint of remorse. “I mean, just look at the way she’s dressed—ugh, anyone can tell.” She rolled her eyes before adding with a scoff, “And please, what do you mean your wife? If you’re going to marry anyone, it’s obviously going to be Diana. Everyone knows that. Not some random nobody.”A loud gasp escaped Mrs. Carol, and I swore I saw Eric’s fingers twitch; he barely controlled his anger.Oh, that’s it.I had tolerated enough from the Lockwood’s. Clearly, Diana wasn’t the only one with a few screws loose. It was becoming painfully obvious that she h
Mary Johnson ~ The Paid Bride Chapter 68 ~ I am the wife
~~~~I knew no matter who I was to him; I couldn’t just walk in unannounced. So, I pulled out my phone and sent him a message: “On my way now.” It wasn’t long before he replied, “Then come, I’m waiting.”I exhaled slowly, taking a deep breath. Meeting your lover—or husband—with coworkers is always a bit nerve-wracking. Sure, they might have seen Diana before, but if they saw me… I sighed as the car pulled over in front of the huge building.Come on, you’re Mary Black, wife to the handsome Eric Black. Pull yourself together and show them why he chose you over Lockwood, I thought, steeling myself for what lay ahead.With that thought in mind, I got out of the car while the driver followed behind me. I stepped into the building, and couldn’t help but think, Oh wow… it’s like a little slice of paradise on earth. Of course, I couldn’t admire i
