An American Marriage Novels & Stories

I explain, pinching the bridge of my nose. “You two are giving me anxiety about marriage. I’m really second-guessing this whole marriage thing the more I see you two like this.” Aimee sighs sullenly. “It shouldn’t be this fucking hard. You love each other. You’re married, and you have a baby; just be happy.”

“I was hurt, too.” “Well, not the way I feel. If you can cheat on someone—” “Damn you!” She pushed me on my chest, causing me to wrap my arms around her. “I am not cheating on Keene! I married him because that was the only way I could help him.” “But you are still married, Westley. That’s the truth. Marriage is not just a piece of paper. It’s sacred. And you made a bow, remember? To have and to hold, for this day forward, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health—’“

Papa Quinn and Mama Quinn, the anchors of the family, shared knowing smiles, witnessing the enduring love that had unfolded under their roof. Nathan and Ella, a couple whose journey had weathered the storms of life, stood as a testament to the resilience of true love. Six years of marriage had woven a tapestry of shared dreams, challenges overcome, and countless moments of joy. The couple radiated happiness, their commitment to each other echoing through the halls of the mansion.

I accept out of spite, drinking it while Lucien works on his laptop like I'm not there. Thirty minutes in, I break the silence. "How many couples will be there?" "Eight, including us." "Do they all have real marriages?" His fingers pause on the keyboard. "Define real." "Marriages that started without contracts." "Most marriages are contracts, Mara. Some are just more honest about it." "That's bleak." "That's reality." He returns to typing. "James and Victoria Worthington married to merge family fortunes. Oliver Grant married his assistant to avoid a sexual harassment lawsuit. The Pattersons have an arrangement where he keeps a mistress and she keeps his credit cards."

"That's not a problem, you can leave your husband and get a divorce from him. I don't care if you are married; you belong to me and me alone." "Are you crazy?!" Charlotte busted out in anger. She used all of her energy to push Christian's hands off her. "You really expect me to leave my husband for you?" "Listen Charlotte, I know five years have passed but I still feel the same way about you. Plus, I know that the marriage between Sebastian and you is just a contract marriage. You guys never even met prior to a month before your marriage." Charlotte's heart stopped beating for a moment when she heard Christian say that her marriage was based on a contract.

, Bright sighed and spoke to his cat who was purring on the table. Bright was equally guilty about last night, perplexed at his own feelings and flustered at how weak he had been in front of them. He wanted to talk to Ash about it, sort it out so that they could go back to being contractually married to each other, living like strangers. Bright had grown accustomed to believing that he had a perfectly happy married life with a husband who he loved and who loved him back. He refused to believe the circumstances that had pulled him and Ash close again but he had found peace in their arrangement and all he wanted was that their marriage never ended.

"Get over the pain? Aurora, I also lost a child like you, and yes I admit that it was all my fault, and I deserved this treatment against you. I accept all your accusations against me. But what you want now is not. You keep giving me no hope to recover and apologize to you. I am your husband—" "We are married in only just a piece of paper, Damien. Even before we got married we both knew what our roles were for each other. It was only by chance that we reached this point. As I remember— we all started with our business marriage. Everything is planned, everything was planned... and all this is just an agreement because they want us to get married." His jaws tightened at what I said. I can also

**The Marriage Clause** (Chapter Ten) Elizabeth was busy in her room trying to prepare for her flight back to Los Angeles to solve some work problems and also spend a little time with Carl whom she really missed,she was just married for a week and as much as she loved her new area she still missed the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles.Just as she closed her suitcase,she could hear yelling from outside the house—It was the voice of a man she didn't know and Marcus—Marcus,what in the world was he up to now? she thought as she made her way down the stairs and outside the door to find out what was going on.

“You okay?” Amara considered that. “She thinks I’m a pawn.” “You’re not.” “She said the board is watching you. That this marriage is a bluff.” He didn’t reply right away. Instead, he walked to the window and stared out at the endless stretch of manicured lawn and glittering fences. “It is a bluff,” he said finally. “But it’s also real. Once you sign, we get married. Legally. Publicly. For one year.” Amara walked over to him. “Why did she say this wouldn’t be enough?”

he confirmed. Amora smiled radiantly, "So our marriage? Are you in?" She studied his gaze and sighed, "We both deserve to be happy Eddie," "On a condition, Amora," he began, "We must flee from this place, from the city that has kept us bound for so long. We shall elope to America, where no one knows our names, our histories. We get married there and have our own kids," "Eddie," she smiled broadly towards him, clasping their hands together.