Semua Bab Mary Johnson ~ The Paid Bride: Bab 161 - Bab 170

Continuations~~~~After a while, there was a knock at the door. I walked over and opened it to see Lisa and Lara standing there with bright smiles on their faces.“Come in,” I said, stepping aside for them. “Enjoy the cold shower?”“Absolutely,” they both replied as they walked in and dropped onto the white sofa like they owned the place.Before Mrs. Josie came in with the food, I poured them each a glass of fruit wine. Something light, just to help them settle in.“This is amazing, Sis,” Lisa said, eyes still roaming the room. “Everything about this place is just... out of this world.”“You think so?” I asked with a small smile, heading toward the balcony. Thankfully, Eric had the good sense to lay out a long cushioned sofa here—it was the perfect spot for unwinding and talking. “Go on, sit there,” I called over my shoulder.“Thank

~~~~~As Lara stepped out of the room, she found Lisa leaning against the wall just by the door, arms folded, eyes heavy with thought.“You didn’t have to come at her like that,” Lara said without pause, her tone low but firm. “The way you talked to Big Sis... it wasn’t okay.”Lisa sighed, but Lara didn’t stop.“She made sacrifices, Lisa. Real ones. Even if you don’t agree with how she did it, everything she did was for us. The least we could’ve done was show her a little support, not tear her down.”Lisa let out a breath, rubbing her temples. “I know... I didn’t handle it well,” she admitted. “But hearing rumors and actually confirming the truth—it hit differently. And now, keeping it from Mom and Dad? You know how we were raised. This secret won’t stay hidden for long.”Lara turned to her fully, arms now crossed. “You&

~~~~~It didn’t take long before we joined Lisa and Lara, who were already seated in the dining hall.“You didn’t have to wait for us. You guys could’ve started eating,” I said with a smile as I took my seat.Lara grinned. “Fine, man, sis,” she teased again.“Thank you,” I replied with a soft laugh.Lisa glanced toward the door. “He’s not joining us?”“Oh, he’ll be here soon,” I said, then leaned in a little, curious. “So... what do you think?”“About what? Your husband?” Lisa asked, a bit unsure.“Yeah,” I said, smiling wider.She sighed, her expression thoughtful. “Well, like Lara said, he’s a fine man.” She paused, then added with a small smile, “And on top of being handsome, he’s wealthy. No doubt he can give you a comfortable life.”“So… you’re not mad at me for lying?” I asked, watching Lisa closely, hoping for grace in her response.She shrugged and then gave me a reassuring smile. “Honestly? I’d be more pissed if you ended up with less.” Her eyes softened. “You’ve sacrificed s

Continuations ~~~~~Nora didn't say anything at first and just caught the keys, and then she glanced at me, noticing how pale I looked. “Alright… Where am I taking you?” she asked, more gently this time.Still, I couldn’t find my voice. I simply reached into my bag and handed her the hospital card.She read it aloud. “Co Hospital? Got it.” Without another question, she nodded and started the engine.The silence in the car was deafening. I stared out the window as the buildings passed, but none of them registered. My thoughts were spinning too fast. My chest felt tight.How did I not know?All this time, I thought it was just the flu… the vomiting, the fatigue, the mood swings. But now it made sense. All of it.Two months ago… I tried to recall if Eric and I had been intimate. My memory was hazy. Did it even happen? Did we…?And then the worst thought hit me. What if the drugs I took… hurt the baby?My stomach twisted in fear. I pressed my hand gently against my belly.This is my firs

~~~~~~Nora sat in the car, quietly watching Mary until the front door closed behind her. Then, she picked up her phone.“So… after hearing all that, are you still going to leave her alone?” she asked.A heavy sigh came from the other end.“I never planned to leave her, Mother,” Eric said quietly. “I just thought it would be better if she had a one-on-one conversation with her family first.”He paused. Hearing it all laid out like that hit him hard. Mary had shared glimpses of her struggles before, but never in such raw detail.“She never told me this part about herself,” he added, his voice filled with guilt.“No woman would,” Nora replied softly. “And let’s be honest, when she first came in, none of us really trusted her.”There was a beat of silence.“I’m ashamed of how I treated her back then,” she admitted. “