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Chapter 7 ~ The not-so-new Day
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2024-10-14 16:37:08Related chapters
Mary Johnson ~ The Paid Bride Chapter 8 ~ The trip
~~~~I sat down on my bed, my heart heavy as I glanced at my already-packed bag—though, honestly, there wasn’t much to pack. Tomorrow I would be leaving for London, and yet, here I was, grappling with the fact that Mom still hadn’t come around.Seriously, that woman could be stubborn. It was like trying to move a mountain just to get her to see my side. I understood she was trying to protect me; she loved me fiercely. But come on! One of us had to take a step forward for the sake of the family, and since she wasn’t ready to acknowledge that she might be wrong, I knew it was up to me to be the mature one and settle this once and for all.She was my mother, after all, and I hated the thought of leaving things unresolved between us. I pushed myself up, plastered on a confident face that felt more like a mask than anything, and walked out of my room. When I got to the sitting room, I found Mom on the sofa, lost in thought, her brow furrowed like she was trying to solve the world’s most co
Last Updated : 2024-10-15Mary Johnson ~ The Paid Bride Chapter 9 ~ The trip 2
~~~~Noticing my sudden pale expression, Rachael rushed over, catching my slumping body just before I hit the floor. "Whoa, whoa, Mary, calm down!" she said, her eyes wide with concern. "When I said 'change of plans,' I didn’t mean you’re not coming with me to London!" She blurted the words out in a rush.Confused, I blinked rapidly. “What?!”Sighing dramatically, she rolled her eyes. “Yeah, the time has been changed. Can you believe it?” She added with a playful grin, completely oblivious to the shock I’d just endured.Annoyed, I shot her a glare before reaching up to smack the back of her head. “Seriously? You had me thinking my entire life just crumbled in front of me! By now, I thought you'd at least learn how to speak properly, but clearly, I was wrong.”“Sorry….” she muttered, clearly realizing just how shocked I’d been. “But really, are you ready? W
Last Updated : 2024-10-15Mary Johnson ~ The Paid Bride Chapter 10 ~ London at last
~~~~“Yes,” Rachael replied with a big smirk.“Bloody hell…” I groaned, raising my head and blinking at the sight of the London airport. I slumped back down, disbelief washing over me. “I can’t believe I slept through the entire flight! I wanted to admire the sky from way up close. This was my first time on a plane, for Pete’s sake!” I turned to Rachael, my voice rising with frustration. “Why didn’t you wake me up?”Rachael just gave me one of her infamous grins. “Well, my dear, because I slept off too! And also, I figured it’d be best if you were well-rested for the adventure ahead,” she said with a little wink.“Well-rested, you say? Like I needed that right now?” I huffed, rolling my eyes at her. She just laughed at my outburst, clearly enjoying herself.We hurried through the airport to baggage claim, where a driver was waiting for us. The moment Rachael spotted him, she broke into a wide smile, and it was obvious they were well-acquainted. The way they greeted each other with a
Last Updated : 2024-10-16Mary Johnson ~ The Paid Bride Chapter 11 ~ My New Home
~~~I didn’t know how long I slept, but when I opened my eyes, the water had gone cold.“Ah! Dinner!” I exclaimed, startled by how much time had passed. I quickly stood up from the bathtub, rinsing off the remaining soap from my body one last time before stepping out.I felt like a completely different person—clean, fresh, and oddly lighter, as though the weight of my past had been washed away along with the dirt.“Okay, Mary, time to face the next chapter of your life,” I whispered to myself with a soft smile while towel-drying my hair.With that thought in mind, I hurried downstairs to join Rachael and her brother for dinner.As soon as I entered the dining room, the smell hit me—crispy chicken, just like she’d promised. I was practically drooling on the floor.Jeez, I can’t even remember the last time I had something like this... wait, scratch that, I’ve never had anyt
Last Updated : 2024-10-17Mary Johnson ~ The Paid Bride Chapter 11 ~~Continuation~~
~~Continuation~~******Okay, this is bullshit.Fun aside, this whole sitting idle thing was really starting to get on my nerves. I was never one to sit still and do nothing.I sighed deeply, staring at the flowering vines climbing up the window. “Tomorrow will make it two weeks since I’ve been here, and Rachael’s parents will be coming back from their trip. Although I’m kind of nervous, I believe everything will be alright.”I glanced at my new belongings in the white closet. Honestly, if anyone had told me back in Chicago that a day would come when I, Mary Johnson, the nobody, would have new shoes, trousers, dresses, or even underwear that wasn’t torn or worn out, I would have chased them around the whole city, calling them a liar.But here I was, inside my spacious room, surrounded by clothes in every color and size imaginable, from brands I’d only ever heard about in passing. Shoes, necklaces&mda
Last Updated : 2024-10-17Mary Johnson ~ The Paid Bride Chapter 12 ~ The life I live
~~~~I blinked several times while staring at her, my heart racing. “Oh! Y-yeah, I just thought... that maybe it was possible... I mean, if I could be given a chance to work with you at your restaurant. But it’s okay if that’s not possible.” What are you mumbling about, Mary? I questioned myself as I forced out a smile at her.Instead of replying, Mrs. Berry just stared at me, her expression inscrutable. It was obvious what she was thinking. I mean, there’s no way a school dropout like me—well, not really a dropout; I just didn’t go to higher institutions—would be allowed to work in a fancy, expensive restaurant like hers. Just to confirm my thoughts, she finally spoke.“Well, when it comes to my restaurants, I do take my time to employ individuals.” She paused, leaning closer, her eyes narrowing slightly. “Rachael told me you dropped out of school, yeah?”Great, here we go. “Well, not really! I just didn’t further!” I stumbled over my words, trying to sound more confident than I felt
Last Updated : 2024-10-18Mary 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 : 2024-10-20
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Mary Johnson ~ The Paid Bride Chapter 44 ~ Continuation
Continuation*****Eric just stared at her for a while, his gaze intense as he processed her words. He half-expected her to suggest bringing her family over, especially when she mentioned needing help with the farming. But she didn’t. She seemed serious about it.Looking at her now, he couldn’t deny that with his influence, the products from the farm could definitely have a great turnout. He had nearly a hundred restaurant owners in his circle, not to mention the ones he personally owned, and chefs as close friends and business partners who would undoubtedly be interested. But still… he needed to do some groundwork before proceeding.Turning to the woman sitting before him, her eyes shining with anticipation, he finally spoke. “Well, I like the idea. It’ll bring in a lot of income. But it won’t be easy at first. The Black Enterprise has always dealt with electronics, fashion, stock markets, cars, housing, , land sales,
Mary Johnson ~ The Paid Bride Chapter 44 ~ Business Partner
~~~~What did she say? Did he hear wrong? Eric questioned himself as he wiped the tea off his lips, and then turned to Mary. “Come again? I didn’t catch that,” he said, his voice filled with genuine confusion, though a clue of curiosity stayed behind his sharp gaze.**I laughed a bit. “Just a second…” I stood with our cups of cold tea and walked over to the door, finding a maid. “Take this back to the kitchen and tell Mrs. Lola to get us another cup of hot coffee. Oh… tell her to come with the kettle, okay?” This was going to be a long day.“Okay, madam,” the maid replied and left.I went back to Eric, who hadn’t just watched me going and coming. “Sorry, what did you say?” I asked knowingly.He crossed his arms along his chest. “You said something, not me,” he responded. “Let’s hear it again,” he demanded.“Oh, I
Mary Johnson ~ The Paid Bride Chapter 43 ~ Manipulated
~~~~Eric listened to Mary, her words slowly unraveling a side of her he hadn’t expected. She had clearly gone through so much, yet her strength and selflessness stood out more than anything else. It was like watching a movie, and the fact that he was so engrossed surprised him. He had never been one for sentimental tales, but there was something about hers that gripped him.When she spoke of giving up her own dreams for her siblings, it struck him deeply. He wouldn't have made that choice, no matter the circumstances. Sacrificing a dream? That was something he couldn't fathom. And yet, Mary had done it. Not out of obligation, but out of love for her family. She wasn’t just brave because of the action—she was brave because it was her character, her personality. It was who she was."That was brave, Mary Johnson," he said, shaking his head in disbelief. "Even I wouldn’t do something like that, no matter what was at stake."**** “I know…” I said, my voice softening, “I just couldn’t let
Mary Johnson ~ The Paid Bride Chapter 42 ~ Continuation
Continuation...~~~~Ah! This motherfucker...I stared at him, feeling an odd mix of irritation and relief. Fine, I thought. Might as well give him something. “Hope you’re ready for it,” I whispered. “I wasn’t born in Canada. Hell, I didn’t even know it existed until a few years ago.”He looked up, his curiosity piqued. “Then, where were you born?”I sighed, glancing at his attentive face. “Chicago,” I replied, watching him take that in.“So, some of the information about you was correct, then?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.“Not exactly,” I said with a slight smile, taking a sip of my coffee. “I come from a family of five, my parents included. They were, and still are, farmers. My mom and dad loved farming so much that even if they were sick, they’d be out there in the fields.”He placed the si
Mary Johnson ~ The Paid Bride Chapter 42 ~ For Them, I Rise
~~~~For the first few minutes, Eric was genuinely stunned as he watched Mary handle the pen with surprising ease. The confidence in her grip, the way her hand moved across the paper—it was like she’d been doing this all her life. According to the information in her documents, she supposedly had no formal education, so he’d assumed she wouldn’t even know how to spell her own name.It wasn't exactly far-fetched; he’d met countless people who acted smart and seemed well-educated, only to crumble when asked to prove it. Maybe she was the same—just putting on an act. After all, if his mother really had picked her off the street, she wouldn’t have a polished background. And, honestly, someone with an education wouldn’t take on a job like this, right? No matter how much they were being paid.His thoughts unraveled further as she handed him the paper, and he glanced over her writing, expecting to see sloppy handwriting and spelling errors. Instead, he was met with some
Mary Johnson ~ The Paid Bride Chapter 41 - Continuation
Continuations ~~~~~Eric regathered me for a second before replying. “Hmmm, no, not really; I just wanted to get that off my chest. To get this right, I want us to start all over.”“What? You want us to get married again?” I asked, shocked.“What? No, that’s not what I meant,” he replied hastily.“Good, because there’s no way I could go through that again,” I said, shivering at the thought. “Woooo, nope, never. I don’t even want to think about it.”“Pffffffff, oh come on, it wasn’t that bad,” he said, clearly enjoying my outburst.“Are you kidding me? It was more than bad. It was a total nightmare for me!” I finished, staring at him. For some reason, he had a weird look on his face. "Anyways, it’s getting late, and I need to move,” I said, starting to get up. But then he suddenly gripped my hands.“You don&rsqu
Mary Johnson ~ The Paid Bride Chapter 41 ~ A New Deal
~~~~Eric froze in place, staring down at the woman beneath him. This was the first time since their wedding that he was really seeing her up close. Her plush lips—he had never noticed just how enticing they looked until now. Damn, he felt an undeniable pull toward them.He could feel her heart racing against his chest, its rapid tempo echoing in his ears. She was warm and vibrantly alive. He raised his eyes to her face, noting the shocked expression carved there.Was she scared? Excited? He couldn't quite tell, but the way her heart pounded made it clear she sensed what was about to happen.Just then, Mrs. Lola's voice broke through from outside the library. Eric felt a wave of relief wash over him, grateful for the distraction because if he hadn’t been interrupted, he might have done something impulsive. But before he could respond to her—“Yes… for Pete’s sake, just come in, will you?” Mary yelled, her
Mary Johnson ~ The Paid Bride Chapter 40 ~ Butterflies
~~~~The next morning, I woke up with a resolve fit for a nation. Now that Eric wanted to cut the whole thing off, it was time for me to move out. With the money in my account, I could do a lot, but I needed to disappear before James came for me.Ignoring Mrs. Lola, who stared at me with a mix of concern and curiosity, I stormed off, brushing aside her offer of help. “I can take care of my own things,” I murmured to myself, the determination surging within me.“No doubt you can.” A male voice resounded from the corridor.Turning, I found Eric standing there, his glorious morning cuteness disarming even in my fury. “Morning,” I managed to say, forcing myself to focus on packing.“Morning,” he replied, running a hand through his tousled hair. “Are you going somewhere?”I shot him a glare. “What do you mean, ‘if I’m going somewhere? We were supposed to be in New York
Mary Johnson ~ The Paid Bride Chapter 39 - A Turn of Event
~~~~Nora Black collapsed to the floor, wine spilling everywhere as she struggled to process what she’d just witnessed. She wasn’t sure if she should laugh or cry. “What… did… I just…?” she murmured, glancing around the empty room. She slapped her own cheek lightly, wondering if this was real or some drunken hallucination.After drinking herself into a stupor, Nora had braced herself for the brutal truths she expected Mary—and the press—to expose. But what she heard instead shocked her to the core.“No. My marriage into the Black family is not a scam.” Mary had declared live.At first, she couldn’t believe it. She leaned in closer to the TV, turning up the volume just to make sure she hadn’t misheard. This was indeed a live broadcast, and the world was watching Mary’s violent stand against that redheaded journalist, Rachel Berry.Her fearlessness and poise left Nora stunned, almost instantly sobering her up as her phone began to buzz nonstop.Call after call, reporters from all over w
