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Chapter 51 - Continuation
Terakhir Diperbarui:
2025-01-16 14:00:58-----
Me stopping half way didn't stop his devious mind from figuring it out, because the next thing he said was--"Too Late."I turned to respond, but just then, the driver returned, and the awkward silence resumed.The rest of the ride was filled with quiet glances between us, my embarrassment only growing. I just wanted to get home as quickly as possible.From the moment I opened my eyes this morning, it felt like my prayers were finally coming true.We were home! I was relieved, mostly because the awkward silence between us was beginning to get to me. But just as I turned to ask if it was okay to grab my things from the car trunk, his phone rang. I glanced at the caller ID—Diana.The moment I saw the name, I cursed under my breath, wishing I hadn’t. It wasn’t just the caller that made me feel like crap; it was the sudden change in Eric’s expression. His face lit up with a happiness I hadn’t seen earlier. It was so much more than the
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Mary Johnson ~ The Paid Bride Chapter 52 - Misunderstanding
~~~~~Did he seriously just ask that? The man who’s spent the last month ignoring me, treating this fake marriage like a business deal? The same man who constantly reminded me of my duty, my so-called worth, and never failed to draw the line between me and his precious Diana? That same man is asking what now?I was pissed. “What do you mean by ‘conclusions’? Even a blind man could see it.”“Oh, really?” His tone was sharp, mocking.“Yes!” I snapped. “You were never really happy about going out with me today. I bet you were forced away from Diana because of me, and that must’ve annoyed the hell out of you. You’d rather be with her, wouldn’t you?” I stared him down, waiting for him to deny it. But no. Instead, he laughed.“Is that what this is about? Did my call with Diana earlier get under your skin, Mary?” He stepped back slightly, giving me some space—but his tone was anything but gentle.“What…” I began, fumbling for words.“Since when did Diana become an issue for you?” he a
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-22Mary Johnson ~ The Paid Bride Chapter 52 - Continuation
-----Meanwhile, Eric was storming toward the library, his jaw clenched and his fists tight. His mind was a chaotic mess. ‘There was a spark between us. So what the hell went wrong?’ He pondered as he shoved the doors open with such force that the house seemed to tremble. “Damn it!” he growled in frustration. Slamming the door shut behind him, he collapsed onto the sofa, running a hand through his hair.For a moment, he stared blankly at the floor before pulling out his phone. Earlier, while at the restaurant, the manager had sent him a picture—a curious one that he hadn’t had the time to examine properly until now. With a sigh, he opened the file on his phone.It was a picture of him and Mary at the mall. They were holding each other closely, almost like a real couple. Her face pressed near his chest, his arm wrapped protectively around her waist. The intimacy captured in the moment was undeniable, even to him.Eric leaned back, a
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-23Mary Johnson ~ The Paid Bride Chapter 53 - I yearn for you
~~~~Eric sighed hard, shaking his head in wonder. “Sure… I’ll come find out for myself,” he muttered, staring at the phone in his hand before standing up from the couch.“Hmmm, where are you going?” Diana asked suddenly, appearing out of nowhere, all dolled up and looking beautiful, but it did little to stir any emotion in him.“Oh… home,” he smiled, trying to sound casual.“Why?” she questioned, a hint of curiosity in her voice.He turned to her, raising an eyebrow. “Why...?”She moved closer to him, her movements slow and seductive. “You promised to stay with me the whole day. So you leaving means you’re breaking a promise,” she smiled sweetly.Eric sighed. There was a time when that smile meant something to him, but right now… the only thought swirling in his mind was the crazy woman named Mary.He was confused. How could someone he shared nothing with come to mean this much to him? Only a few days ago, things were different. Something was wrong. He shook his head. This i
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-24Mary Johnson ~ The Paid Bride Chapter 54 ~ The one I want
~~~~I was still in my room, unaware of the commotion outside or the fact that Eric was heading straight for me.“Well, I look beautiful in this outfit,” I thought, admiring myself in the mirror. “I should take a picture.” Just as I bent down to grab my phone, the door was suddenly pushed open with a strong force, and then bam… it slammed shut.I spun around in shock, my hair whipping around me. Eric stood in the doorway, his intense gaze locked onto me. My heart thudded in my chest.“What are you doing here? You’re not supposed to be here..." I snapped, knowing that Diana was somewhere out there, probably waiting for him—or coming after him.“This is my house,” he replied calmly.“Well, this is my room, and I’d like to be alone in it,” I shot back, trying to mask the unease that was creeping up on me.He remained silent for a moment before speaking again. “How are you feeling?”“What do you mean? How am I feeling? Why wouldn’t I be feeling okay?” I responded, irritation rising.“I do
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-27Mary Johnson ~ The Paid Bride Chapter 55 ~ You are mine
~~~~Eric pulled Mary closer, his arms wrapping around her, pulling her tightly against him. Her chest pressed against his, and she could feel the heat of his body through their clothes. Mary's eyes fluttered, half-lidded, as the world around her seemed to slow down. His lips looked small from afar, but now that she was this close, she could see their fullness, their shape—perfectly sculpted, inviting.She could feel his breath against her skin, warm and steady, as he nudged his nose against hers. It was as if the space between them was no longer important; it was just the two of them, locked in this fragile moment. Their mouths met softly, lazily, as if the kiss was more of a question than an answer.Her eyelids grew heavy, the weight of them almost too much to bear. She wanted to open her eyes, to take in everything—the intensity in his dark eyes, the mess of his hairline that seemed to call out to her. She wanted to remember it, to savor it, becau
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-27Mary Johnson ~ The Paid Bride Chapter 55 ~ Continuation
Continuation~~~~~~Eric's mind was still clouded as he drove Diana out of the mansion at her request. “You seem happy,” she remarked, her voice dripping with curiosity.“Should I be frowning?” he asked, his tone irked.“Of course not,” she replied, but then her gaze sharpened. “But why were you in her room, Eric?”Despite the fact that Diana had been outside the door, she hadn’t heard their moans as they kissed. Good. He wasn’t about to let her know what had really been going on. “Nothing… I just needed to talk something out with her,” he lied, though not entirely. He did talk to her, but their lips did most of the talking. A grin tugged at the corner of his mouth.Diana wasn’t buying it. “Then why did you have to lock the door if you were just talking? You should have left it open.”Suddenly, Eric slammed on the brakes, bringing
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-27Mary Johnson ~ The Paid Bride Chapter 56 ~ Who I belong to
~~~~~Later that day, Eric stormed into my room, his eyes blazing red like a wildfire. I gasped in shock as he hurled his phone against the wall, smashing it into pieces.“What the hell, Eric? What happened?” I asked, my voice trembling with worry as I rushed to him.He was pacing back and forth like a caged animal, his fists clenched at his sides. “I can’t believe she’d pull this off! How dare that—” His words cut off as he trembled with uncontainable anger, struggling to find the words to express himself.“Eric?” I reached for his face, forcing him to meet my gaze. “Take a deep breath and calm down,” I said softly, though my heart raced at the sight of him like this.He was like a raging bull, veins bulging as his chest heaved. Gently, I took his hand in mine. “Come with me,” I said, leading him to the sofa.Once he sank into the cushions, I offered him a reassuring smile. “Better?” I asked, keeping my tone gentle.“Only if you kiss me,” he replied, a weary smirk tugging at his lips
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-29Mary Johnson ~ The Paid Bride Chapter 56 ~ Continuation
~~~~Eric was shocked at the question because he wasn't expecting it, but... Placing his cup down. “It’s not just that. There’s more to this… and it’s all tied to why I can’t just pack up and leave for New York.”“Oh! Now that we are talking about this, I do remember your mother mentioning something about that. So, I’ll need to show myself in order for him to believe us to be a real couple, right?” I asked."Yes... seems so,” he replied.I stood up. “Well, that means our honeymoon is also coming to an end. Seeing that his return is sooner than expected, we need to pack,” I told him.He hastily grabbed my hand as I attempted to walk past him and pulled me close to him. In this position, with me standing and him sitting down with his head close to my belly, he looked up at me. “You are not mad at me?” he asked.“Eh? Why would I be?” I said as
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-29
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Mary Johnson ~ The Paid Bride Chapter 89 ~ Pay back is a bitch!
~~~~Berry’s face turned red, her eyes dark with filled with anger—so dark they looked like they could swallow someone whole.“You didn’t just say that to me,” she seethed.“Oh yes, I did,” I replied smoothly.A few chuckles resounded from the crowd.“Oh, Mrs. Berristky is done for,” someone muttered, barely suppressing a laugh.“Hmmm… I think it’s best if we switch the interviewer for a while,” the manager suddenly suggested, his tone carefully neutral.“Oh, I’m cool with that,” I said, reclining into my chair.Now that I thought about it, there were three people sitting in front of me. The manager, Berry, and a third woman with sleek raven-black hair. Unlike the others, she wasn’t smiling, and for some reason, that bothered me.“Alright then,” the manager smiled as Berry reluctantly passed the interview booklet to the woman.I turned to her with a curious smirk. “So… what do I call you
Mary Johnson ~ The Paid Bride Chapter 88 ~ Me against the world
~~~~~As I sat there in silence, debating how to answer without dragging my family into this mess, Berry mistook it for hesitation—maybe even shame.After all, why would a family as powerful as the Blacks associate with a nobody? A farm girl, no less. A nobody would’ve been easier to accept, but this? This was just unbelievable to people like her.But then again, did it even matter how I answered?“Listen, Mrs. Black,” Berry continued, her tone changing into something almost sympathetic. “There’s no need to feel embarrassed. If you don’t know what to say, we—”“No, that’s not it.” I cut her off, straightening up. “I’m just wondering why that’s even a question.”She blinked. “Excuse me?”“I love farming,” I said casually. “I eat a lot of vegetables&md
Mary Johnson ~ The Paid Bride Chapter 87 ~ Continuation
Continuations~~~~I took a deep breath, but it did little to cool the fire raging inside me. Fear of what may come? That can go straight to hell. The only thing that mattered was what Eric had been put through—all because of this.I exhaled sharply as the manager and the press welcomed me onto the stage."Thanks," I muttered, my tone carrying a restrained anger.Berry, the fucking interviewer, smiled. "Well, it’s good to see you, Madam Black," she said smoothly. "You look a little tense—relax, this isn't a war." She turned to the camera, flashing another rehearsed smile.I let out a short, humorless laugh. "Ha! You should have thought of that before messing with my family." My words were sharp and unfiltered, like a blade. I didn’t give a damn about the cameras right now.Before today, I had planned to handle this interview with self-control and diplomacy. But after finding out what that little slut did to Eric? Change of plans.Berry’s expression faltered for a split second before s
Mary Johnson ~ The Paid Bride Chapter 87 ~ Protecting what is dear
~~~~Eric let out a heavy sigh, his head shifting from left to right as he scanned the room. He needed to know if he was alone. His body felt like it had been through hell—like he had been asleep for an eternity.When he first set out to uncover the truth about whether Diana had drugged him, he confronted her directly. She denied it. So he went for test after test, check-up after check-up. But every result came back the same—no trace of any drug in his system.That didn’t sit right with him.Being someone allergic to most drugs, he knew something was wrong. His body had felt different that night—off in a way he couldn’t explain.Desperate for answers, he had his blood drawn nearly twenty times across different hospitals, in different states. Still, nothing. Frustrated and exhausted, he finally took his mother’s advice and flew to France for a final attempt at finding the truth.But once again—nothing. No drugs. No toxins. No explanation.By then, he was so weak he could barely stand.
Mary Johnson ~ The Paid Bride Chapter 86 ~ Continuation
Continuation~~~~While I was still bracing myself, a man who appeared to be the manager of the event approached her. “Ah, Ms. Nora, I’m glad you could make it,” he said, extending a hand.“Me too,” Nora responded confidently, shaking his hand.“Well, the stage is this way. The selected reporters are already here,” he informed her. Then, with barely concealed anticipation, he added, “Are you ready for this?” There was no sympathy in his voice—if anything, he sounded eager to watch her crumble; I just sat down there watching their exchange in silent, waiting for my queue to step in.Nora, fully aware of their intentions, simply smiled, feigning ignorance.“What?” she asked, tilting her head.“The interview, I mean. Are you ready for it?” he rephrased his question, his tone filled with artificial politeness. “We can always improvise,&
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
