'We are really doing this?' she nervously thought to herself as she stood in front of the kind lady who was helping them with filling out the forms.
It still felt like a dream even now, but the fact that they were currently at the Civil Bureau Affairs woke her up, reminding her that she was indeed getting married and it wasn't just a prank.
After she signed her name on the contract, agreeing to the good and bad that came with it, her master who would be her husband in a few minutes once the certificate was issued, didn't waste any time but took her to the Bureau once his signature was next to hers.
Fortunately, as an adult, she just needed her ID card to get married. And being married to a bigshot like her master here, even without the ID, she was certain that she would still get that marriage certificate.
After filling in the forms, the lady took them and started processing them. As she does so, Briar nervously stands next to her master, no, her husband now, not knowing what to do.
Luckily, the wait wasn't for long as the lady at the counter called for them to pick up their marriage certificate.
When Briar held the warm certificate in her hand, it finally dawned on her that she had indeed gotten married.
And on top of that, she got married without going through the initiation that every girl in their village or tribe had to go through before marriage.
Realizing that Briar knew that she had to return to the village no matter what. She would take this chance to solve her brother's problem and, at the same time, deal with her problem as well.
So, once they were in the car, returning to the office, Briar courageously asked her husband, Logan, "Master_"
But then he cut her off before she could continue and said, "Don't call me master. We are not husband and wife. You should call me by my name!" a playful smile on his lips as he said so.
Briar, who had only called this name secretly in her mind, flushed at the thought of saying it out loud. How could she casually call it like that?
However, glancing at Logan, who was looking at her with that expression of 'if you don't call it then don't bother speaking whatever you wanted to say,' she knew that she didn't have a choice except to call it out.
Knowing what needed to be done, she gritted her teeth as she gathered all her courage to utter one name, "Logan," but her voice was low and to the person hearing it, he felt his ears tickled.
'The name rolls perfectly on her tongue. She should call me more!' he mused as a strange glint flashed in his eyes for a brief moment.
Briar hearing that sacred name coming out of her mouth, her heart thumped loudly in excitement as she rejoiced inwardly, 'I did it! I finally did it!' only her inner self and the deities would understand how long she had dreamt of this day.
Once she had done it once, what could stop her from repeating it?
Since her husband wanted her to call his name and she loved calling it, as an obedient wife, she could only follow his wishes.
"Now, tell me what you wanted to say?" not wanting to scare her any further, Logan decided to lend a hand and ask.
He was curious about what she wanted to say now that their fate was connected.
'Pew!' Briar once again sighed relievedly when Logan asked her that.
She was just preparing herself for how to call him again without sounding awkward, and he did her a favor. How could she not feel saved in a moment like that?
With a familiar flattering expression on her face, something that made Logan guard up, wondering what favor she wanted to ask for. After staying with Briar for years, there were some habits of hers that he knew.
Whenever she wanted something from someone, she always put a flattering smile on her face. She wasn't someone who flattered others easily, everyone in the family knew of that.
"I …. I wanted to ask for a few days off. My brother is in the hospital!" she finally revealed the problem that had been haunting her from the moment she received a call.
Logan's eyes flashed for a second, taken aback by what he just heard. How come he didn't know about this?
"When did he get hospitalized?" he asked with furrowed brows, his mind calculating.
Seeing him interested in her matter, Briar enthusiastically responded, "It's been a few days. I just received a call today!" being very truthful about the matter.
She was also shocked, hurt and in despair when she received that call. To think that they didn't even think of calling her when her brother was hurt and got hospitalized. But only remembered to call when they heard the crazy surgery fee needed for her brother to be treated.
Only when they think of money would these people remember that she existed. Her money was all spent on them and yet they still didn't have any to let her brother get surgery.
Just where were they putting the money, she was sending them?
Logan, hearing that, gauged her expression and seeing her jaws tightened, a habit of hers she does when she is very angry, he confirmed that she wasn't lying to him.
"Do you have enough money?" thinking about her family, he couldn't help but ask, worried about this aspect.
For a young lady like Briar, who was too filial to her parents and sent the majority of her salary to them every month, it would be a miracle if she still had enough to cover the bills.
He understood wolves like relatives the most. These people, the way they spend money which wasn't theirs, was simply too unbelievable. Even after giving them the money a second ago, if you ask for it the next second, you would be hearing a lot of things that they did with it.
Once you give them money, they won't spit it out, no matter what.
Briar helplessly exhaled a sigh as she replied, "No. I don't have enough. I was told that the hospital needs B$200,000 for the surgery. He broke his legs and if he doesn't get that surgery, he might get amputated!" sorrow overwhelming her as she pictured her brother as a cripple.
If that happens, she could see his status in the family. She wasn't going to let anything happen to him.
He deserves better.
The money she just mentioned wasn't anything to him and at the same time, it wasn't the kind of money that she could have as well.
With her family facing such a financial problem like that and with all eyes on her, it started making sense to him why she boldly signed the contract back then.
For a moment, he even misunderstood her as a money grubber and eager to climb his bed. Apart from that question of qualifications, she didn't pose another. And to a man like him, used to women fawning over him and pouncing on him a lot, having a woman who readily agreed to such a contract would arouse suspicion.
Although he trusted her so much that she didn't harbor such thoughts, otherwise, with all the freedom that she had, she would have already shown her fangs and exposed her true colors. She never overstepped her boundaries.
But in his mind, there was that 'what if?' and it lasted until he received the certificate.
It was only now that he understood why she signed it.
With the money he promised to give her in advance every month, especially the first transaction, she would be able to save her brother.
Once again, she was sacrificing herself for her family.
When would she live for herself?
The thought of her agreeing to this marriage because of her family suddenly made him feel sour as a strange glint flashed in his eyes.
It would be better if it was because she harbored feelings for him.
For the first time in a very long time, Logan felt competitive and had a sudden urge to conquer.
"You can take as much time as you want. If there is anything wrong on that side, just give me a call. I will do my best to make sure that your brother's surgery goes well!" with that competitive spirit burning inside of him, he looked at her with a smile as he promised.
The first step to conquering such a brainless filial daughter and sister was to start with what matters most to her; her family.
And surely when Briar heard that, her eyes lit up as she looked at Logan with reverence.
The light in her eyes speaks volumes.
Logan, seeing that, pumped his fists inwardly in triumph.
It didn't seem to be as hard as he thought.