My Fake Marriage

Time ticked by as if centuries had pas

'm bringing Alan t

eful anticipation, like a nosy neighbor ho

ing into the p

it was time to leave. The man called my husband stood up gr

t this suspicion was the payment after our contract ended... I hoped Alan wouldn't think the

another time. Right now, I needed t

s I hugged Alan's arm and s

sit you some other time. Hope to

y words full of implication, causing a di

rm around his wife and replied

a newly married man, baskin

ough she soon turned to hug her husband, shyly whispering, "If you say t

us, if the hidden truth was one day revealed,

hing to look

s deep love. Only when they waved goodbye and slammed

ith Richard, following him around all day. Lit

ted

ery moment he thought

I was th

all those be

led with evil, societal trash with tho

was all

d was placed on my he

g up at the only person who

a word, didn't utter nonsense

goin

d things on Alan, why

ve such c

vile emotion was rising in me, wanting to shake off his hand immediately and scold this

ver happened. It was so swift I thought it was all a hallucination. T

e indeed a creature

retending it was all just a dream.

n's eyes still intently followed my every move, like a

.

old house, he tilted his head a

t to bring Alan to meet Richard, but the main subject I want

rang the

g to withdraw, but then my sharp look seemed to make him behave. The init

ic

g, followed by the curious v

li

received any notice of this sudden visit. As if by an

ap

ap struck my face, stunning me. F

en know to

mile, bowed my h

eling. To this woman, I was nothing but

man swung open the door and glared at Alan and me, obviously

dragged him into this. He seemed to sense my gaze, his rou

I actually felt a sense of peace. T

test warmth from a stranger can move

ness that had just emerged. Then, when a mocking voi

ce of the sound. Brian was the same old chubby, clumsy boy, his hands never empty. I saw a half-eaten slice of p

hair as if to slap me again. But then, something seemed to stop her, and she let go, although he

ved towards the dirtiest, most worn-out chair in the living room. T

Brian s

uits a basta

the bastard, the filth

ways been

h! But break it off now!" She examined Alan with a look of disdain from head to toe, then cont

other's idea of 'a bit older' was an eighty-year-old pervert, th

was nothing more than selling me off for some extr

ways been

o must sacrifice for her brother. I am the eldest chi

isgus

e I have yet to prepare a grand gift for this family. If I

only. My brother was contemptuous, my mother yelled like a madw

s my f

ghosts that have hau

Yet each time I come back, my body is

much of what isn't mine. But the people

have the chance to