Chapter 123

"Why do you look like this?" I worriedly asked the rather beaten up Ginna.

She had big bags under her eyes, her eyes were red, and looked rather gloomy. "Yesterday night, my Mom finally ordered me to marry that guy. My belly is finally showing..."

I sucked my breath and hurriedly took her behind the counter. She had not opened yet, so it was the best moment to talk. "Did you two fight?"

Ginna wryly laughed. "I was locked up in the bedroom with the help of my sister. I had to tear down the roof to get out while the two left to arrange the matter with his family. I badly fell on my side..."

"You lost it?" I gasped. 

She shook her head. "Still here." She softly rubbed her belly. "I escaped in the dark of the night, worried that they would catch me. I almost passed at the closed gates outside town."

I grasped her hands and attentively listened to her story. I knew she was letting out many details, but the fact she was there, safe though looking as if she went through the grinder, relieved me.

"The guards saw me. I asked them to take me to Mrs. Attile's home." She pursed her lips.

"Did they?"

"It took a while..." She sighed. "Mrs. Attile and her son picked me up and brought me to the store. She apologized for not taking me in her home because she had military guests staying there. I didn't care. I only wanted a place to hide and stay."

"Are you alright?" It was a vague question, but she could choose what to share out of all her problem.

She squeezed my hands and lowered her head. A droplet fell on my hand. "I'm scared…" She choked out. "I don't want them to take me back and make me marry him… And I don't know what to do with this child..."

I softly pulled her and hugged her. Ginna was one year younger than me, but at that moment, she sounded like a lost child. I could have been the same as her if I had woken up in the mountain alone rather than at my Husbands' house.

Or maybe I would have already been dead. There was no way I would have survived in those mountains. Either way, I found trustworthy people and a safe place. 

Ginna had practically lost her family, who she thought she could trust, and her home, the place that was supposed to be safe for her for as long as she wanted. She had to start anew with a child onboard. It sure was hard for her…

"I am not going to lie and tell you everything will be alright." I started advising. "You will face many hardships from now on." I gently pushed her and looked directly into her watering eyes. "However, you can count on me. I will help you with what I can."

I definitely could not help her with everything. I still had my life to live. But I had to let her know she was not completely alone.

"Now, go wash your face and sleep a bit. You need to rest." If Mrs. Attile let her stay at the store, it meant the back room was arranged for her to sleep in. I still walked her there and confirmed my guess. A small bed was put in a corner, and next to it was a small chest.

The things the room had were put in a corner of the store; mainly bolts of fabrics and some boxes.

I opened the store and attended a few clients until Mrs. Attile arrived at noon. I pointed at the back room, and she nodded, understanding who I was talking about. It was better for Mrs. Attile to arrange everything with Ginna.

Just when I thought the day was going to be a calm one. Two women, one older and one younger, burst into the store with displeased expressions. I thought they were clients, but the moment the older woman spoke, I realized who they were.

"Where's she?! Where's that thankless brat?!" I put myself in front of the woman to stop her momentum.

"I would like to ask you to leave, ma'am. This is not a place to look for fights." I showed her the exit.

"I ain't in the mood to play nice. Take her out!" The older woman screeched.

"Ma'am, if you do not leave, I will call for the authorities." My voice rose a notch to let Mrs. Attile know some troublemakers had showed up.

"I know my sister works here! Why're ya hiding her?" The younger one finally opened her mouth. I disliked her just for the fact that she took advantage of Ethan's urge to get a Wife, but with what she had done to Ginna, I really hated her.

"I should be asking you that!" I called out with as much indignation as I could. "How dare not come to work?! She has only been complaining about her family for weeks and not working at all! I wanted for Mrs. Attile to throw her out, but she always pitied her. Look where that pity left her! Now, she does not even want to come to work! Where is that lazy bitch?! Tell her to come!"

The two women were taken aback by my outburst. And seeing them so speechless, I continued my act.

"Are you here to make trouble just to cover for her? What? She eloped with some good-for-nothing? If that is the case, then she better not return." I waved. "And you better leave, or I will really call for the authorities. Crazy village people thinking they can come and perform their shameful acts." I sniffed at them.

The two women just gaped and had no idea what to do. When I walked to the door with the intention to call for someone, they simply ran out and disappeared down the road.

When I turned, Mrs. Attile and Ginna were looking at me as if I had saved the whole country.

"What?" I nervously asked.

"Did you just... made my Mom and sister believe I wasn't here?" Ginna asked.

"Did you want to talk with them?" I asked back. She shook her head. "Then, it is fine. It will give us some time before they come back to bother."

"They'll still come?" Ginna grimaced.

Mrs Attile clapped her shoulder. "Don't worry. I will truly call the authorities to take them away if they do." She winked, alluding to my words from before.

That made Ginna chuckle. It was nice seeing her smile again. That gave me hope that she would get better and finally find her own footing. 

Luckily, the next few days, none of the women appeared. Either they had given up, or were looking for Ginna elsewhere. 

Eithery way, I no longer could worry too much about it because there was something that had me a bit anxious: my bleeding days had not come.

I still had not recorded how much time there was between the bleeding days periods, but I was sure I was overdue. That, obviously, left me with one possible reason: I was pregnant.