"No way. Mam, I made one mistake. One mistake. From 16, I have been the sole breadwinner for my family. My father's freckle's ability to keep his job made it difficult to put food on the table or a roof over our heads. I gave up my studies and worked on my bones. I put my sister through college. But ever since I turned twenty-five, my parents started nagging me to get married. Just to get rid of them, I agreed to marry Ken. Ken is a close friend of my mother's sister-in-law; also, he claimed he was in love with me, or so he said. Everything became too real when the wedding date approached, and I got scared. I didn't want to marry Ken, but I took a loan, and we invited all my relatives for the reception, which was due in two days and planned in California, where most of my family lives. But God was on my side, or so I thought when I heard Ken was missing and his family followed his tail. I assumed he got cold feet. You couldn't imagine my happiness until your grandson walked in and r

She held his Grandmother’s hands. “For every good reason, there is to lie, but there is a better reason to tell the truth. Please, I want to know the truth. I want to know why he married me. I don’t have time to play sherlock. Ask him to tell me the truth.”Everyone looked at Alex but remained silent, and his gaze didn’t waver from Anita. “Worse than telling a lie is spending your whole life staying true to a lie. Tell us the truth, Alex.” Demanded his grandfather. “Why?” Questioned Alex as he crossed his arms. “What do you mean why? She deserves to know the truth.” “Then you agree it’s between my wife and me. You and grandma were behind my life to get married, and when I get married, you want drama. I’m sorry, I won’t make a scene with my wife as the center of your drama.” “Tell me the truth” Anita stepped forward. “The truth is none of us are easy to be with. We all suffer from something. So when you meet someone willing to stay committed to understanding you and wanting to gr

Anita’s tears wouldn’t stop. Grandma came up to check on her twice and to leave food, but all she felt was nauseous. She had no clue what she should take next. Run away or stay back? Accept this forced marriage or fight Alex? Live or kill herself? Will she ever be able to accept Alex as her husband?How can she even face his family after the scene she made in the morning? She knew she acted like a child who wanted a doll in a mall but was helpless. In her defense, Alex threw her headfirst into this marriage. Alex, his family, his family complications, the drama, their family stature, his humungous house, his room, and even the damn bathroom are intimidating and overwhelming. She has no clue how to act or behave.The real question that kept nagging her was, what would she have done if she married Ken instead of the Stranger? If they had married, would she be acting like Ken’s wife? The mere thought of being Ken’s wife made her feel like throwing up. What did she think when she accepted

“I’m not going anywhere neither are you,”“Either that, or we’ll end up killing each other. Hopefully, the strongest will survive.” Anita raised her imaginary collar. “That would be me.” The corner of his mouth quirked into a small smile. When you can’t change things, so why wallow in regret? Game on, Mr. Rich-shiny-stranger.“Here is what will happen, you will get over yourself, accept our marriage and start acting like my wife,”“Define act like my wife,”“Oh, wouldn’t you know as you were ‘Prepared’ to get married to Ken?” His voice was like the clap of thunder. He stumped her as she did not see that one coming.“I know what you are doing. You keep saying the same thing repeatedly, and subconsciously you expect me to accept it. That’s called hypnotism, and I’m not falling for it.” Alex rolled his eyes. “Grandma asked me to bring you for dinner but don’t worry; I will inform her you are on indefinite hunger strike,”“Who is on hunger strike?”“You,”“When did I say that I’m on hun

Anita helped clean up, and when she walked into the living room, she saw her husband speaking to his grandfather and Michael while his father was sitting on the couch silently. Everyone asked us both to go to bed, saying she was tired.When they entered the room, Anita folded her arms and stood before Alex, “I know how to defend myself. I don’t need your help,”“Is this your way of saying thank you?”It was, but she couldn’t admit that to him. She still has her pride.“No,”“You are a terrible liar,”“I mean it. I could have handled it,”“I didn’t defend you.” He walked away, leaving Anita flabbergasted by his cryptic answer.Then it clicked her. Alex didn’t defend Anita, but he defended his decision to marry her in a roundabout way; he defended himself. “Here is your schedule for this week” Before Anita could react, Alex, thrust a paper in her hands.“Schedule? What Schedule?” She read through the paper, and her blood boiled, “What the hell is this?” Her voice was chilly enough to f