Marriage For One Novels & Stories

In ten years, I'd be thirty-three! Keep it calm... Don't blow this up. He's still my boss. I hid surprise from my face and kept my expression blank like his own. I swallowed a huge clump of nerves. "Do we behave like a couple?" "When we are among people, yes but when we are alone, we are just two separate people." He said so calmly. How is he not freaking out? Why does he take this matter as a child's play, like he could renew his years if he did the contract marriage? Or did he plan never to marry?

he says in between his fits of laughter but he didn’t stop speaking. “the thing is that people marry because they want to spend the rest of their life knowing that they officially have their one person. I mean you know on your own that you have found your person by all the emotions that they bring to you, but then you clear every single doubt you have by legalizing your union. Legalizing the union is more of a formality just so every other human recognizes that you two have chosen each other out of the billions that populate the earth.” He pauses to give his wife a small smile from across the table then continues again.

"The clause specifies that the marriage must be to someone who is not a blood relative. But it does not specify anything else. Which means technically you could marry anyone. A friend, a stranger, someone you pay to marry you." I looked up at her. "Are you suggesting I marry someone just to keep the shares?" "I am suggesting you have options. If you marry someone you trust and divorce them after five years you would still retain the shares. It is not ideal but it is better than losing everything." "Or I could just stay single for three years." "You could. But three years is a long time and a lot can happen. What if someone tries to force your hand?" "How would they force my hand?"

“Unless it’s a miracle lottery win, I don’t think anything can fix this.” Emma leaned forward, voice dropping. “There’s this new government program called the One-Year Marriage Incentive Scheme. Couples who sign a legal one-year marriage contract and live together get a huge one-time payment — enough to cover major medical bills and clear heavy debts. After twelve months, you can walk away free.” Abby froze. “Marry a stranger for money?”

"In the oldest cultures we know about, that is the ceremony for marriage. It is done between two people alone, because that marriage is between those two people and nobody else." "I know," he smiled. "Wife." My smile faltered. "Are you taking me home to enjoy your marital rights?" He grinned even more broadly. "You guessed it!"

“But you don't have to be lonely either, that's the purpose of marriage. So if you decided to not get married, you'll be lonely, and you are a coward who's scared to face the challenges of marriages.” “Oops," I smirked.

Intense. “Just start now. Let's be two together as a real couple for a year. Hopefully, we will understand each other. Promise, after a year? I'll let you and I'll see you too. Now, let’s enjoy this set-up of ours first. One year." I made him understand what he was saying. It suddenly came to life, and then he took his hand from my grasp. I just let it go. His hand, too. “Just make sure. After a year. I will annul our marriage.” Even hesitant. I nodded at wanting it to happen.

"I'm sure you know why I called you here", Mary said. "Yes", Valerie replied. "Good. Look, I know it's not your choice to marry Valentino but we insist on you both getting married", Mary said "And why's that? I mean he's dating my cousin Mariana and they're so in love..why don't you just let them get married", Valerie asked. "I know all of that but we don't want your cousin, what we want is you. You have to get married to Valentino", Mary said.

I should read up on that. My uncle officiates a quick wedding ceremony before I had the chance to make him listen to me, to make him see reason. Since I’m not of age, we can’t do the markings required for a mating ceremony. This came together so fast, we don’t even have rings. So there is no physical, tangible, or material “mark” on either of us. There’s no real “proof” of this marriage at all. Except for the few photos Carin snapped with my phone.

I asked. She bit down on her lips. "You were…" She stopped and laughed. "The marriage was my ticket out of something," I nodded as I stared at her. "You needed to get out of the bad life," I squinted and waited, hoping she wouldn't pick an offence with what I said. She shrugged and nodded. "Not bad life totally. I was in a complicated relationship with a lot of people and getting married was the only thing I thought I could do to make things better for myself. I guess I was selfish and didn't think about the fact that marriage involve two persons not just one,"