Chapter 46

Allen was still sleeping when she heard the door bell ringing consistently. She thought that it was either Paul or Lena so she went to open the door. But what she saw was a dead drop gorgeous guy staring at her.
For a second, Allen was lost. How can someone be so handsome? What is going on? She was still trying to process this when he grabbed her hand.
"Why haven't you be picking up your phone? Let's go" he said.
Allen was surprised. "Go where?" She asked.
He looked at her. "Where else? To get married of course!" He said.
Allen looked at the man in front of her. What did he just say? To get married? She is getting married? Today? Now? They had talked about it yesterday but they definitely did not tell her that she was getting married today! What is going on here? And this person, is he the man that Joanna is supposed to marry? She had to admit, this man is dead drop gorgeous. How can someone be so handsome? Allen almost lost herself looking at his face but she remembered that something else was more important right now.
She is getting married! She is getting married like today right now! Even though they already talked about it she was not prepared for it yet! For her to get married in the place of someone else she would have to be prepared for it! But she isn't prepared for it at all! What is she going to do now? She really wanted to know. "Wait, what do you mean by getting married? I mean, don't you think that it's too soon? We already agreed to get married, what's the rush?" Allen asked. She was trying not to sound suspicious.
Raymond looked at the woman in front of him. What is she talking about? This can't be one of her tricks right? She was the one who came to him asking that they get married as soon as possible! She is the one who couldn't wait to get married to him. But what is she saying right now? It's too soon? He is rushing? Does she think that he really wants to get married to her? If not for the fact that her grandfather was so insistent on this woman, he won't even bother to have anything to do with her!
He had gone to the hospital to see him yesterday and immediately he told him that he was getting his marriage registered today, he was so happy. He even looked like he had gotten a lot better since that incident. Raymond rolled his eyes. He won't fall for this woman's tricks. "What nonsense are you talking about? You are the one who wanted to get married so badly! You said to get it done and over with! We were supposed to meet in front of registry today. I kept calling you but you wouldn't pick up. I had to come here!" Raymond said.
He was really starting to get frustrated. What does this woman think that she is doing right now? Is she playing some kind of tricks on him? She is the one who couldn't wait to get married to him! He looked at her well now. She was wearing only a nightgown. Was she still sleeping? Raymond looked away from her at once. "Go get dressed. I really don't have time to waste standing around here with you. Like you said, we are both busy people. We should get this done and over with as soon as possible" Raymond said.
Allen looked at herself. She really was still wearing a night gown. Yesterday her clothes were so wet and she could not sleep in them. She had to change out of them. When she opened the woman's wardrobe, she was so shocked. Everything was so expensive! In fact, Allen was sure that this nightgown cost more than her most expensive dress. But, she is actually going to get married? But this person, something seemed weird. Why does he sound as if he is being forced into this. "I'll go get dressed" Allen said and disappeared into the house. She had to call Paul or Lena. What is going on?
Raymond stood outside the door waiting for her. He really hated this woman. She did not even have the decency to invite him in! She just slammed the door in his face! Who does she think she is? Does she think that she can mess around with him however she wants? This is definitely so annoying! But, something about her seemed to be weird. Whenever he met her, she always carried an arrogant air around her, like she was too good for everyone. But right now, she did not seem like that at all. What happened to her?
Raymond shook his head. He won't think about her and he won't be worried about her. After all, she has nothing to do with him anyway. If it wasn't for his grandfather's health, he won't even be bothered with a woman like her. She definitely is too scheming. He won't want to get involved with her no matter what. Anyway, it was just six months. He won't have to see her after six months. But no matter what, he could not help wondering why she seemed surprised when he mentioned getting married just now.
Allen walked into the bedroom. Her mind was a complete mess. She did not know what to make of this. What is she going to do now? She is getting married? She is going to get married? He mentioned the registry so does this mean that they are going to register the marriage first? She has already been that she would be getting married in Joanna's place but they definitely did not tell her that it was going to be today! She had to call one of them and at least find out what is going on.
Allen decided to call Paul. He is the one who put her up to this. He is the one who asked her to get married in the place of someone else. And he is the one who told her to pretend to be someone else for six months so he would definitely know what to do about this. If Joanna made plans to get married today, he should at least know about it since he is her friend right? Allen called Paul. He picked up immediately. "Paul, what do I do? There's a man in front of my door saying that we are supposed to get married today!" You could hear the panic in her voice.
Paul was currently in his house trying to figure out the whereabouts of Joanna. He had last seen her at the restaurant. The both of them were there together but he left because of Allen. He already confirmed that she went to Raymond's company to talk to him. His friend told him that the both of them did talk for some time before she left. But her whereabouts from here, that is where he lost all the clue. What happened to her? Why did she suddenly choose to run away? And where could she be right now?
He was still thinking about what he was going to do about this when he received Allen's call. He answered it immediately and he heard her complaining voice. Someone came to her? That person must be Raymond. Is this the reason Joanna ran away? He must have told her that they will get married today and she just ran away because she did not want to! Paul felt like he was starting to make a break through with this.
He still did not know where Joanna is right now or how she managed to run away and disappear without leaving a trace behind but at least he now knows why she decided to choose such a method. It's because she is being forced to get married. Paul could almost see the scene that had played out in Raymond's office in front of him right now. Joanna went to him because she doesn't want to get married but instead, he told her that they will get married today.
Joanna is someone who hates to be forced! Paul knew that well. Since he left no way out for her to get out of the marriage, she must have thought that the only thing that she can do right now is for her to run away. So she decided to run away. It really must be a lot for her. Paul sighed. Since Raymond is already there, Allen will have to get married. "I really did not think that Raymond will do something like this. I think that Joanna ran away because of this! Since he's already there, we have no choice. We will have to go along with him" Paul told Allen..
Allen nodded her head. So this means that she will be getting married? It still felt so unreal to her. How did she get to this point in her life? Just yesterday, she was an ordinary waitress at a bar. In fact she for slapped when a woman's boyfriend was flirting with her and she ignored him. In just one night, her life had changed completely. She is no longer a waitress but a popular actress who is about to get married!
It felt so unreal! Joanna felt like she was dreaming and that she was going to wake up from this dream soon. Joanna pinched herself and it hurt! It really did hurt! Allen sighed. In a sense, this is a dream. A dream that is going to end in six months time. She sighed and opened the wardrobe. She is already here and there is no way that she can back out of this. Her grandmother, she really needs her now. Allen noted that she will have to go to the hospital and see if Paul kept his promise. Allen sighed when she opened the wardrobe again. Just seeing the clothes made her feel really inferior.
Raymond was still waiting outside for her. When he saw Joanna walk out of the house, he was stunned. It is still the same woman, but why does she look so different? Why does it seem as if there's another person, not Joanna standing in front of him right now? She did not have too much makeup on as she usually did. And she did not try to gain attentions with her clothes like she usually did. No, she was just wearing a light blue gown, but like this, she stood out more than anyone else.
She was looking more and more like that person. Her temperament, it was so similar to that girl. Raymond shook his head. Just because he is desperate to find her doesn't mean that he can just pick anyone on the street and say that she is April. And besides, he already asked her and she confirmed herself that she isn't that person. There is no need for him to think too much. But today, Joanna doesn't seem herself at all. She seems like a completely different person. "Let's just go. I have something to do later" Raymond said. He was much grumpier now.
Allen nodded her head. In truth, when she opened the wardrobe, she was in shock because of tht clothes. Those clothes all of them were meant to attract attention. She did not want to wear those clothes. She felt like she won't be able to pull it off and that she will make a fool out of herself and so she just decided to wear something really low key. This dress was the only thing she found that fit that description. So she wore it. "Alright. Let's go" Allen said. She already accepted her fate. She had to save her mother and she was ready to do anything for the sake of her grandmother.
His substitute bride
Written by authoress Mira