Lahat ng Kabanata ng Mary Johnson ~ The Paid Bride: Kabanata 41 - Kabanata 50

~~~~But the media wasn’t the only one on edge; Eric and Nora Black were perched on the edge of their seats as they each watched the big screen from their respective homes. They knew that if the world were to find out about what they had done, it would spell disaster for their family for generations to come.The moment the press asked Mary about her marriage to the Blacks, Nora felt her heart leap into her throat. “No… I can’t watch this,” she said, pushing herself up from her seat. “Or I’ll die of a heart attack. I can’t believe I trusted her enough to choose her. I thought she was different. How could she do this to me?” she cursed. “I’m going to ruin her,” she swore, storming over to the bar. Pouring herself a drink—one that was high in alcohol—she muttered, “If this whole thing doesn’t kill me, I hope this wine does,” before downing the entire bottle.In Ca

~~~~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

~~~~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

~~~~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

~~~~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