The Marriage Deal [Jenlisa FF]

Part 39

"We aren't pretending to be married. By law, she and I are partner."

"Yeah, I know that. I was there, remember? Fine then, let me ask a better question. If you and Lisa weren't in love, why did you get married in the first place?" Ella paused. "It wasn't because of me, was it? Because of the way I was acting after Mom and Dad died?"

Jennie sighed heavily. "I did it for you and Jisoo, not for me. Jisoo needed a lawyer and you needed a stable home life, and I couldn't give either of you what you needed. I felt so helpless for not being the best sister and provider for my family. After Jisoo got arrested, she told me how much she hated her lawyer and asked me to find her another one; one who wanted what she wanted.

"I remembered Lisa from a lecture she gave in one of my classes the year before. So I stopped by her office and asked for her help with Jisoo's case." Jennie laughed softly. "I practically begged her to take the case. And she agreed under one condition, that I marry her. See, her uncle died a few weeks prior to that and left her a large sum of money in her will if Lisa married by the age of thirty-one and stayed married for three years. She knew I couldn't afford to pay for her services, so she offered me the trade-off: I marry her for those three years in name-only so she could get her inheritance, and she would defend Jisoo for murder. It was a win-win situation for both of us."

"Let me guess. Now that the three years is up, you two are ready to move on. But I don't get why you waited until now. Why not file for legal separation right after your anniversary?"

"We were going to. On our three year anniversary, GD came to the house and attacked me. I guess she and Lisa had some unresolved issues and GD decided to get back at Lisa by trying to force himself on me," Jennie admitted. She hated thinking about it, much less talking about it.

Ella gaped at her in shock and dismay. "He tried to rape you? Oh my god, Jennie. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine now. Lisa got home in time and managed to stop him before he did any major damage. I just had a black eye and some nightmares for a couple weeks. Lisa was a huge comfort to me the days after it happened." Jennie didn't want to reveal to her sister that she and Lisa ended up sleeping together the next night. "So we agreed to wait until after the holidays before ending the marriage. It gave me some time to heal."

"Have you talked things through with her? I mean, is this what you both really want?" questioned the eighteen-year-old.

"Of course it is. It's what she and I agreed on."

"I know that. But I think poor Lisa deserves to know the truth. She should know that you love her."

Jennie widened her eyes at her sister's statement. "Excuse me? Where did you hear that? I never said anything about being in love with her."

"You didn't have to say it, it's written all over your face. Jennie, you get this far-off look in your eyes whenever you talk about her, you smile whenever you say her name. Why won't you admit it? Tell her you love her."

"No. I won't. I can't. I am not going to make a fool out of myself." she thought.

"Who says you'll make a fool of yourself?"

"Lisa doesn't love me, Ella. If I tell her that I love her, she's going to think I want to stay married to her for the money; that I'm trying to cling to her," Jennie explained.

Ella shook her head, sighing at her sister's stubbornness. "She won't think that. Trust me on this. Haven't you seen her look at you? God, she looks at you the same way Dad used to look at Mom. With total love in her eyes."

"You're seeing things."

"Then prove me wrong. Ask her."

"I don't have to. Look, I only came in here to tell you the truth about my marriage and what's to come, not discuss my lack of a love life. I hope you don't hold it against me for not telling you sooner."