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Chapter 77 ~ More than Love
Last Updated:
2025-04-04 06:37:19
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Mary Johnson ~ The Paid Bride Chapter 78 ~ Love is never enough
Present Day~~~Eric slumped onto the sofa, his head in his hands. His heart pounded against his ribs, each beat packed with regret. He could still feel the haze from that night, the dizziness that crept in after taking that damn drink. Then—blackout.And then, her.Diana. In his bed. Naked.His stomach twisted at the memory. He couldn’t recall how it happened, only that it did. But the rage he felt that morning? That, he remembered clearly. The way his entire body shook when he saw her lying beside him. The way his voice broke with anger when he threatened her before storming out.And yet, here he was, drowning in the realization that his happy life was about to end.She wanted to destroy his home. His marriage. His life.His mother was right—he needed to do something before it was too late.Eric shot up from the sofa, his jaw clenched as he headed for the door. But before he could re
Last Updated : 2025-04-04Mary Johnson ~ The Paid Bride Chapter 1 ~ The Johnsons
~~~~~Being the first child of a Chicago farmer isn’t exactly a walk in the park.Picture this: Heartaches, body pains, barely enough food to go round, the constant struggles to stay sane, and the daily grind of farm life. It’s like living in a soap opera, but with more mud and fewer dramatic pauses.I’m Mary Johnson, the proud firstborn of Mr. and Mrs. Becky Johnson.My parents are the epitome of hardworking citizens: devoted Christians who places a value on big and small things.We live in what you might call a "charming" little cottage that’s really more of a glorified shed, and a tiny patch of farmland not too far from the bright lights of Illinois.We weren’t rolling in dough, but hey, we had just enough to keep the pantry stocked. Well, that was the case until my siblings came into the picture.Lisa and Lora weren’t twins, but they sure look and act like it. They’ve won the admiration of everyone around them because of how brave and intelligent they were.Honestly, though, once
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~~~~Instead of answering her, I cried harder, then Lisa worriedly asked, “Was it something I said?” She looked from dad to mom and then back to me, about to tear up, “I am sorry, I didn’t.”When I saw the single tear in her eyes, I hurried to her side and called her into my arms, I hugged her tightly “Oh Lisa,” I said between tears,, “it is not something you did, I am so, so sorry.”“What? I don’t understand. Why are you apologizing? You did nothing wrong.” She said, confused.“No, I did everything wrong.” I sob as I hold her face up; I can’t let them be driven to an edge this early. “Can you ever forgive me?” I asked in tears.Lisa took my hand from her face, she teared up as well, and Lora followed, “Of course, big sis.” She sniffled and added, “I forgive whatever you think you did wrong.” She smiled, and it was the best.“Thank you,” I said and stood, and patted both her and Lora’s heads.“Mary.” Father, who had been quiet, called me.“Yes, papa?” I answered as I dried my tears.“
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~~~~Instead of replying, Mom just stared at me, utterly speechless. Her expression was like a storm waiting to break; she was clearly furious, but words seemed to fail her. I couldn’t blame her—after all, I’m the model daughter who rarely talks back. When I do, it’s as if some mischievous spirit has suddenly possessed me.Dad, as usual, kept right on eating, pretending he hadn’t heard a word. But I caught the faintest smile tugging at the corner of his lips.Finally, Mom turned to him and demanded, “Aren’t you going to say anything about this?”Choking back his laughter, Dad replied, “What do you mean 'say anything’? Isn’t that what you’re already doing?”“Daniel Johnson?” Mom used his full name, a clear sign she was furious. “You’re just going to let our daughter decide not to go to college? Worse, you’re backing her up? Are you serious?”Dad sighed, clearly worn out, and countered, mimicking Mom’s tone, “Becky Johnson, I don’t see you doing anything.”Lisa and Lora burst into laugh
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Latest chapter
Mary Johnson ~ The Paid Bride Chapter 78 ~ Love is never enough
Present Day~~~Eric slumped onto the sofa, his head in his hands. His heart pounded against his ribs, each beat packed with regret. He could still feel the haze from that night, the dizziness that crept in after taking that damn drink. Then—blackout.And then, her.Diana. In his bed. Naked.His stomach twisted at the memory. He couldn’t recall how it happened, only that it did. But the rage he felt that morning? That, he remembered clearly. The way his entire body shook when he saw her lying beside him. The way his voice broke with anger when he threatened her before storming out.And yet, here he was, drowning in the realization that his happy life was about to end.She wanted to destroy his home. His marriage. His life.His mother was right—he needed to do something before it was too late.Eric shot up from the sofa, his jaw clenched as he headed for the door. But before he could re
Mary Johnson ~ The Paid Bride Chapter 77 ~ More than Love
A Few Months Ago~~~~Eric got into his car with a heavy heart, but his gaze still remained on the towering Lockwood Empire building. Diana was right. There was a time when they had been inseparable, when no one—not even his own parents—could have torn them apart.If someone had told him back then that he’d one day feel nothing for her, he would’ve laughed in their face. But here he was, sitting behind the wheel, feeling... nothing.Well, almost nothing.He couldn't deny that he still cared for her, but that was all it was—just care, a leftover feeling that held no warmth, no depth. The love he once had for her, the kind that had consumed him, was gone. Now, her presence felt suffocating, her voice grating, her pain... an inconvenience.Still, he hated seeing her like this.Cursing under his breath, he pulled out his phone, hesitating for just a second before dialing her number."Hope I don’t regret this..." he muttered.The line rang, and then—“Wow, Eric,” Diana’s voice came through
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
