Chapter 12
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Audrey argued agitatedly, “We never got our marriage license, and I never agreed to the union in the first place! I wasn’t even of legal age!”
The young man with the limp growled, “I took you back to my place and that makes you my wife! You are bound to me forever!”
Audrey’s voice cracked. “I didn’t agree to it. I fought but no one came to my rescue. You didn’t marry me; you raped me!”
The man burst out laughing. “How is sleeping with my wife a form of rape? You deserve to get beaten up for refusing me! All the young ladies back home were married off in the same way, so why couldn’t you have just shut up and taken it?”
Audrey’s father’s face turned red with anger as he snapped, “How could you behave so immorally?”
Meanwhile, the livestream equipment hadn’t been turned off during this heated exchange. At once, comments flooded the channel.
“Hold up, isn’t this a play or something? This has to be scripted, right?” a viewer wrote.
“It’s got to be staged!”
“Shouldn’t we call the cops?”
“I already did. If this is staged, let’s hope Audrey gets thrown behind bars. If this is real, those four men ought to get locked up.”
At that moment, the police showed up. The four men did not panic at the sight of the officers. Instead, they became emboldened. “Officers, my wife ran away from home! Help me bring her back! That’s the woman right there, officer! Teach her a lesson for us!”
The police eyed the squawking men incredulously. “We’re here to arrest you for committing, aiding, and abetting rape.”
The limping man was still shouting when the police led him away and shoved him into one of the cruisers. “Don’t you get it? That’s my wife! We paid her family for her!”
The police officers‘ faces were impassive. “Get in the car!”
Before Audrey left for the police station as the complainant, she turned and bowed before the camera. “I’d like to thank all of you for your concern. I will post updates on this case in due course. I’m lucky to have escaped the hellhole back home and been given help along
the way.
“But there are many young women in my hometown who suffered and are going through the same fate as me. Some of them are forced to marry despite being underage.
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“To those young women, I hope you see what I’ve accomplished today and be brave. There’s a world out there waiting for you to discover. You have a chance to make a life for yourself.”
The internet was abuzz with Audrey’s story, and it gained more traction as the discourse around it grew heated. Even the authorities began to look into the depraved culture in her hometown. The National Organization for Women had also spoken up and offered protection for women who wished to make a case.
It wasn’t long before the public learned about the horrible mistreatment of young women in a small community in the sticks. Most of these young women who were forced into marriage were below the age of 18; some of them were married off right after junior high.
The company had raked in considerable profit following Audrey’s live stream. Audrey and I agreed that the money would be put into getting legal aid to the young ladies from her hometown.
While helping these young ladies, the company miraculously got back on track.
back “I’ve decided on what I want to major in. I’m going to law school, and I’m going to become a lawyer who will help young ladies like me,” Audrey said determinedly on our way from the sticks.
Six years went by, and Audrey got through the bar exam after completing her master’s degree. The legal aid live stream that we set up was also a success.
Jerome was released from prison the year after. From what my fellow alumni told me, he wasn’t doing well, not that I cared.
I stood before the elementary school entrance and wrapped my hands around Audrey’s child, who happened to be my goddaughter.
She tugged on my sleeve and said solemnly, “Harley, I’ve thought about it, and I think it’s best if you break up with your boyfriend. He’s not as handsome as the last one.”
