The Bound Between Us

Chapter 8
Herman showed her around the bedrooms. “We got three bedrooms here, feel free to pick one. We just got hitched, and we ain’t
exactly got that solid emotional bond yet, so I figured you might not wanna share a room with me.”
Anastasia felt a bit awkward because he managed to hit the nail on the head.
Herman was indeed being thoughtful
Anastasia fixed her hair a bit and said, “Tll do my best to make our marriage work.” She meant it. Life was about going through
the dally grind, choosing the right partner, weathering life’s ups and downs, and ending up growing old together. She hadn’t
known Herman for too long, but so far, she was pretty chuffed with him.
Herman just smiled, didn’t respond to her words, but instead said, “There’s another room where your mom can stay. If there’s
stuff we need to buy for the house, it’s your call. I’ll try to get us a place of our own, so we don’t have to be renting all the time.”
The house was actually the joint property they had bought after getting hitched, but she didn’t know that. Herman said this to see
Anastasia’s reaction, to see if she was a gold digger.
Anastasia said. “The surroundings here are pretty nice, and it’s convenient for commuting. As long as we’ve got a roof over our
heads, it doesn’t matter if It’s rented or bought. You don’t need to be under too much pressure.”
If they were to buy a house, considering Anastasia’s income, she would not be able to chip in much. Even for Herman, buying a
house wouldn’t be a walk in the park. A mortgage could break a person. In fact, as long as there was a place to live, rent was
cheaper than house prices.
Herman suggesting her mom could live with them was a surprise and touched Anastasia. Few men were willing to live with their
mother–in–law. It was the same principle as most daughters–in–law not wanting to live with their in–laws
Anastasia’s understanding nature made Herman feel at ease.
“Alright, Herman said. “We’ll do it your way.”
Having a husband who was so agreeable was something Anastasia wasn’t quite used to. “Herman, you’re a good catch, good–
looking, a local, got a car and a steady job, why did the matchmaking website say you’ve been on many blind dates but haven’t
found the right one?”

Herman continued where Anastasia left off, “It’s all about fate, maybe my time just hasn’t come yet. I make about 15k a month,
plus bonuses and year–end benefits, annual income is about 200k. But girls these days prefer guys with houses, and house
prices in Riverdale are steep, so with my income, buying a house in Riverdale is tough. In Riverdale, I’m not considered high
class.”
That was the truth. For a guy in a big city like Riverdale making 200k a year, with a car loan and a mortgage, maintaining a family
life would indeed be tight.
If they had a child, that meant the child’s milk powder and education costs... It was unthinkable.
The cost of living in Riverdale was very high, she made just over 10 thousand a month, and could barely make ends meet.
“Oh.” Anastasia nodded slightly, worried that Herman might’ve had some hidden illness, but it didn’t seem appropriate to ask, so
she asked delicately, “So why did you agree to marry me?”
“You said it yourself that the purpose of matchmaking is to get married. Marriage is a big decision, if you dare to do it, what do I
have to be afraid of?”
His answer was spot on..
Herman glanced at the house and said, “Think about when you want to move in, I’ll help you move your stuff.”
“I’ll discuss it with my mom when I get home, I can move anytime...
Before Anastasia could finish, her phone rang.
“Sorry, I need to take this call.”
Herman nodded, indicating for her to answer the call.
Anastasia answered the call, and a woman’s anxious voice came through, “Ana, it’s Lola, your mom just fainted and was taken to
Hope Hospital by
ambulance”
Hearing this, Anastasia’s face furned pale right away. “Lola, how did my mom just faint all of a sudden?”

To increase the family’s income, Salma worked as a cleaner at a hotel. The call was from her mom’s colleague.
“I don’t know either. Your mom and I were changing bed sheets, and she just fainted, you better get to the hospital.”
“Okay, thanks, Lola”
After hanging up, Anastasia said to Herman, “Something happened to my mom, she was sent to the hospital, I need to go.”
Herman also heard the phone conversation and said, I’ll go with you”
Anastasia nodded, her mind was a mess at the moment. She and her mother had always been each other’s rock, if something
happened to her mother, what would she do?