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Chapter 60 ~ Loving you
Last Updated:
2025-02-11 13:18:38
Clara J. StariThanks for stopping by.
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Mary Johnson ~ The Paid Bride Chapter 60 ~ Continuation
~~~~~Earlier?What is she talking about? I paused for a moment, unsure of what she was referring to. Then it clicked—"It’s alright, Mrs. Lola," I said with a reassuring smile. "I know there wasn’t much you could do. So, it’s fine."I glanced over and noticed Eric talking with his mother. Turning back to Mrs. Lola, I added, "Just help me look out for him, okay? If you notice anything wrong, call Mrs. Nora or me. Alright?""Okay, Madam. You can count on me," she said firmly, with a determined expression, one that made me wonder if I made the right decision.But then again. "Thank you," I replied with a nod.I walked towards the car. As soon as Eric spotted me, his face lit up with a smile, and he reached out for me."I’m going to miss you," he whispered. Before I could respond, his lips captured mine in a kiss—bold and unapologetic, right in front of everyone, including his mother.
Last Updated : 2025-02-11Mary Johnson ~ The Paid Bride Chapter 61 ~ Meeting Big Joe
~~~~ Mrs. Nora continues staring at me. “Why are you surprised? Even though Eric failed to tell you, this is the most important aspect of your job, and one you can’t afford to fail,” She explained, with a calm and calculating tone. “You see, the man we’re going to meet is the one in charge of my late husband’s will, and you must do everything in your power to convince him that you and my son are truly married. I believe the two weeks we’re spending there will be enough to get the job done.” She finished her little speech and got into the car, leaving me frozen on the spot. My legs refused to move as her words settled in. The stakes had just gotten higher, and my carefully laid plans for my parents were now on hold, yet again. Mrs. Nora rolled down the window, her expression now filled with impatience. “Well, hurry up and get in. We don’t have all day,” she snapped, punctuating her command as she opened and close the car door with a loud slam. “This cannot be happening,” I muttere
Last Updated : 2025-02-12Mary Johnson ~ The Paid Bride Chapter 62 ~ Empty Space
~~~~~---- But seriously, am I expected to just dive into this right now? I mean, I just got here. Shouldn’t I at least be allowed to take a breather? A rest, maybe? The thought circled in my mind as I turned to Mrs. Nora, my eyes silently screaming for help.She caught on instantly. “Hmmm, Joe...” she began, her tone light but pointed. “She just spent an exhausting amount of time on the flight. Don’t you think it would’ve been better to let her freshen up first before diving into the interrogations? You’re not in the force anymore, you know.”“What? I beg your pardon,” he shot back, his tone defensive. Then he turned to me with a smile that didn’t quite mask his annoyance. “Ignore her. I’m just excited to see that beyond the Lockwood name, there’s someone else.”He paused, forcing a chuckle. “Okay, maybe that was a little too much.”Y
Last Updated : 2025-02-12Mary Johnson ~ The Paid Bride Chapter 63 ~ How we meant?
~~~~Back in New York"Shit! What should we do now?" I burst out in frustration as I sat across from Mrs. Nora, her white hair gleaming under the sunlight streaming in through the window. She looked maddeningly calm, as if this whole ordeal was a minor inconvenience."I don’t know, Mary, but whatever you're thinking, don’t do it," she said, her tone measured but firm. "You need to think this through. I know Joe; he can spot deception from a mile away.""No kidding," I muttered, running a hand through my hair. My nerves were shot. It had been three long weeks, and I still hadn’t figured out how to handle Mr. Joe's relentless curiosity. Every day felt like a countdown to some interrogation scene I wasn’t prepared for.I wanted to leave—desperately. But one wrong move could unravel everything. The problem was, I didn’t even have the answers he was demanding. How did Eric and I meet? Why did we decide to get married?
Last Updated : 2025-02-13Mary Johnson ~ The Paid Bride Chapter 63 ~ Continuation
~~~~"Hello? Eric, is that you?" Nora asked as she recognized the slightly out-of-breath man on the other end of the line."Yes, who is this?" Eric replied, his voice a little sluggish."Hmmm, it's your mother, Eric. Don't you have my number?" She asked, raising an eyebrow in surprise. "Are you okay?""Oh, yes! Mother, sorry about that... I feel a little tipsy," he responded. "And I just woke up from a rather long sleep," he added, sounding like he was trying to gather his bearings."Oh, that's funny. You're not one to drink yourself into a stupor. What happened?" she asked, in curiosity."I wish I had the answer to that," Eric sighed, his tone heavy. "Anyway... you were supposed to call me the moment your plans landed in New York. It's been three weeks, almost a month. Why haven't I heard from you guys?" He questioned; the frustration in his voice was unmistakable."I don't think I'm in the best position to answer that," Nora replied
Last Updated : 2025-02-13Mary Johnson ~ The Paid Bride Chapter 64 ~ Deceptions
~~~~Eric rubbed his temples as he sat up in confusion. The room reeked of alcohol and regret, and the scattered clothes on the floor told a story he couldn’t piece together. Letting out a sharp breath, he dragged himself out of the bed, his body aching as if it carried the sins of the night before.He stepped into the cold shower, hoping the icy water would snap him out of this daze. As the water hit his skin, he clenched his fists, letting the chill wash away the haze of frustration. "What the hell happened last night? And why can’t I remember a thing?" he muttered angrily.After drying off, he picked up his crumpled clothes from the floor, pulling them on piece by piece. His movements were deliberate, almost mechanical, as if grounding himself in the routine could help him regain control. Once dressed, he ran his hand through his damp hair, trying to shake off the haunting confusion.His gaze shifted to the bed. Diana lay there, her face peaceful, her hair sprawled across the pillo
Last Updated : 2025-02-21Mary Johnson ~ The Paid Bride Chapter 65 ~ I know him
~~~~~I took a deep breath as I stepped into Big Joe’s so-called "chamber of interrogations." The name alone sent a chill down my spine, but I forced a bright, fake smile onto my face."Good morning to you, sir," I greeted politely.Big Joe barely glanced up from the large newspaper in his hands. "Ah, good morning to you too. I see you finally stopped running," he said, his voice deep with amusement.I let out a nervous chuckle. "Ha-ha, running? No such thing. I was just… taking my time. You know, I really love spending time with you," I added with an exaggerated smile, lying through my teeth."Ah, that’s good to know," he said, finally lowering the newspaper and eyeing me with a smirk."So, can we start now?" I asked, eager to get this over with.Big Joe let out a hearty laugh. "Hahaha, relax, dear. I’m not about to put a knife to your throat."Easy for you to say."Of course," I said, forcing myself to stay composed."Well then, let’s get on with it," he said, finally setting the ne
Last Updated : 2025-03-08Mary Johnson ~ The Paid Bride Chapter 65 ~ Continuation
~~Continuation~~Shit. Now what? I didn't even know that was how I sounded. I scrambled to correct myself. "No, of course not," I said quickly. And that was the truth.I exhaled, choosing my words carefully. "I’ve seen Diana. I’ve seen the way he behaves with her. And despite me not trying to win him over or fight for something that never belonged to me, he still looked in my direction. He chose me. Isn't that a sign that, despite his feelings, Diana was never truly what he wanted?"Big Joe exhaled sharply, then leaned back in his chair."Huh," he muttered. "What a strong faith you have in your beliefs."I forced a small smile. "All thanks to my parents," I replied, though my palms were already sweaty.Shit. Is it over now? I wondered, my heart hammering in my chest.He didn’t move or speak at first—just stared at
Last Updated : 2025-03-08
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Continuations~~~~~~By the time morning came, I woke up feeling like I’d been hit by a truck. My muscles ached from all the running around, and mentally, I was just drained. I needed a moment. I needed to breathe.Without thinking too much, I got up and headed to the bathroom. “I’m beat,” I murmured as I slipped out of my nightwear and sank into the bathtub. There’s nothing more relaxing than soaking in rose-scented hot water. It’s heaven—like my bones were finally sighing in relief.I stayed there longer than I planned, just letting the heat melt everything away. When I finally got out, towel wrapped around me, I caught sight of the chaos I left behind the night before—twenty different outfits scattered across the bed.I sighed again.The thought of going to Black’s Enterprise had kept me up most of the night. It’s been months since I last saw Eric. And after that little stunt I p
Mary Johnson ~ The Paid Bride Chapter 96 ~ My love for you
~~~~~After that day, I spent the following week with my family—taking them out, making sure they got used to the new environment.I still needed to convince my mother that this place was far better than that dump.Although, to avoid confusion and the media, I had to take them to places where I wasn’t well recognized, always covering my face with sunglasses.Despite the fact that my family was here, and I was happy seeing the way Lisa and Lora’s eyes sparkled at the sight of the new clothes, shoes, and accessories I got for them, I couldn’t shake this feeling deep in my chest. Despite the joy of being reunited with my family, I felt... disconnected, like I was smiling on the outside but drowning inside.Since that call from Nora, my mind and heart have been a storm of confusion and guilt. I pretended to be okay for the sake of my family, but no matter how many times I told myself to focus on them, my thoughts kept circling back to Eric.I worried about his health. I wondered if he wa
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Continuations~~~~~~My ring… my wedding ring.I thought I’d hidden it well.He held it out to me, his hand hovering in the air, while I just stood there, staring at it like it had grown teeth. My fingers didn’t move.Sighing, he gently took my hand and placed the ring in my palm. Then, keeping his hand over mine, he looked straight at me.“You’re grown now, Mary. And there’s a part of you—no matter how much we love you—that we no longer know,” he said calmly, but with a heaviness in his voice that only a father could carry. “Still, no matter how old you get, there are some decisions you shouldn’t make without talking to us first. You know that, right?”Shit. He figured it out just from the ring?“Yes, Papa… I do,” I murmured, nodding. “And I promise, when the time is right, I’ll tell you everything… all the parts of me you don’t know yet. But please, for now… just don’t tell Mother. Not yet.”“Of course,” he said gently. “I’ll wait until you’re ready to talk. But don’t take too long,
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~~~~But of course, my mother wasn’t done. She never was. She always loved having the final say.Just to confirm my suspicion, she turned back to me, arms folded and tone firmer than ever.“Yes, I’ll say it again… we’re not settling here,” she stated with finality. “After we’ve saved enough, we’re going back home—and that’s final.”“Okay, I know I’m not supposed to interrupt when the elders are talking, but…” Lisa cut in, raising her hand a little.“Sorry, but I’m not going back to Chicago,” she announced plainly.“Me too,” Lora added quickly. “I like it here.”“Enough,” Mom snapped at them, her voice sharp. “This isn’t up for discussion.”I turned to my father, desperate.“Dad! You’re not saying anything. Are you seriously going to let all
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Mary Johnson ~ The Paid Bride Chapter 92 ~ Reunion
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Mary Johnson ~ The Paid Bride Chapter 91~ Jump Start
~~~~Lockwood Mansion“Hahaha! Oh my God! My stomach—ha-ha!” Ruth, Diana’s secretary, laughed so hard she collapsed onto the floor, clutching her sides. “I swear, that woman is a superwoman! Jesus—did you hear everything she said?” She gasped between breaths, turning to Diana.But Diana was far from amused.“How dare that bitch!?” she roared, her face contorted in rage. She stormed around her lavish apartment, knocking over a glass from the coffee table. “I’M NOT A DAMN DRUG ADDICT!” she screamed.Still laughing, Ruth wiped a tear from the corner of her eye. “Did you see the way she flipped everything on you and that reporter? I mean—damn! That was brutal.”Diana whirled around, her glare sharp enough to cut steel. “You’re not helping,
