Chapter 51

Lena had come to pick Allen up in the morning as she said she would. Allen had a lot of things on her mind that she wanted to ask Lena. Just what kind of marriage is this? The both of them already agreed that they were going to break up after six months? If that is true, why did Joanna run away? Did she really not want to do it for even six months? But before that, Lena had something that she wanted to tell Allen..
Yesterday, when she and Raymond had gone to get thier marriage registered, a reporter had taken a picture of the both of them. Now everyone knew that they were married, Lena did not know if Allen would be able to handle the reporters. She was sure that they were probably reporters waiting outside the set to interview her right now. Even if she could act as she had said, that doesn't mean that she will be able to handle the reporters? Lena felt like she was going to get a headache thinking about these things. Why on Earth did Joanna have to leave and put everyone in a difficult position? What does she want to do?
Lena turned to Allen. "Allen, there is something that you need to know. Yesterday, when you get your marriage registered, someone had taken a picture of the both of you. Now everyone knows that you are married. For the next few days, reporters are going to ask to interview you, you don't have to say anything that you don't want to. In fact, don't say anything without me telling you. You know right? That we can't make any mistakes or people will be able to figure out that you are not really Joanna. We can't risk that at all" Lena said. Right now, if Joanna's career gets destroyed, she won't be able to work anymore. So she had no choice but to continue to put up with this ruse.
Allen turned to look at Lena at once. People already knew about the marriage? She told Raymond yesterday that she did not want people to know about the marriage but in the end, she did not even need to announce it herself because people already knew about it. Just what is this? Lena is right. Just what is she slips and says something that she should not say? What is she going to do then? She really can't make mistakes. She will just have to listen to Lena right now.
"Alright, I really didn't know that someone would take a picture of that. I wasn't going to announce it because I did not want to attract attention to myself and then end up making a mistake. I'm just going to do as you say" Allen said. It wasn't as if there was anything else that she could do anyway.
Lena sighed. "You have to be really careful from now on Allen. There will be people following you everywhere whenever you go from now on. You can't afford to make any mistakes. Joanna is really popular after all" Lena said.
Allen nodded her head. She can't make any mistakes. She was thinking if she should tell Lena about what she found out from Raymond last night. Should she tell her that thier marriage wasn't real to begin with?
But before Allen could decide on that, Lena's voice broke into her thoughts.
"Joanna's uncle and his family already know that you got married. Apparently they couldn't contact Joanna so they called me. They said that you should come meet them later" Lena said.
Allen was suddenly nervous. Joanna's family? How is she going to face them? No matter what, they are Joanna's family, they should know that tiniest details about her. Will she be able to convince them that she is Joanna?
Lena sensed that Allen was starting to get nervous. "Actually, you don't need to worry about those people. They don't like Joanna, and she doesn't like them either. They don't get along well. Right now, I think that the only reason why they want her to come back is because they want to ask her to ask Raymond to help thier company. You don't need to reply to them. Just agree to whatever they say and find a good opportunity to leave as soon as possible" Lena said.
If there was anyone who would be easy to fool, it would be Joanna's uncle and his family. Those people don't even care about her. They don't know how her life has been. So what could they possibly know? As long as Allen shows up and agrees to do whatever they want, they won't even notice a single thing.
Allen nodded her head. "But is Joanna's relationship with her uncle really that bad? No matter what, they are still family" Allen said. Maybe because the only family that she had was her grandmother, she actually valued family a lot. How great would it be if they had another family member supporting them?
Lena sighed. "I really don't know what happened between them. All that I know is that they hate each other a lot. If there's anyone who would know what really happened that they hate her this much and why she hates them just as much, that person would be be Paul. He has known Joanna since they were young" Lena said. She immediately told Allen all that she knew. After all, Joanna never treated her well. She never talked about these things with her. She just told her that all she needs to know is that she doesn't like them at all.
Allen nodded her head. She does not want to talk about it anymore. Besides, she has no idea how Joanna has lived her life all these years. She doesn't need to get involved in these things. She just needs to play her part and disappear from thier lives in six months time. She was actually thinking about telling Lena about the whole six months marriage thing, but then she changed her mind. If she talks about it with Lena, then she would want to find out about more. She doesn't want to know more than she already does.
Raymond was in his office. He was going through the news. Apparently someone had taken a picture of him and Joanna going into the civil affairs bureau and coming out. Everyone knows that they are married now. He did not have to do anything after all. People found out on thier own. This is just great! He was happy that he would be able to keep it a secret since she suddenly changed her mind but then this had to happen.
Raymond rested his head on his palms. He was really getting an headache. Even though he told himself that he was not going to think about it, he found himself worrying about it more and more. Just what has happened to Joanna that she changed so much in the space of twenty four hours? She doesn't seem like the Joanna that she met at the hospital or the Joanna who came to his office at all. She seems like a totally different person all together. He knew that this could be one of her tricks but he could not stop thinking about it.
Raymond was still lost in his thoughts when the door opened and someone walked into his office. Raymond raised his face and saw someone smiling at him. He could not believe what he was seeing. When did this person come back?
"Why do you look so shocked to see me? Did you miss me that much?" The person asked. It was Ryder Thompson, Raymond's best friend. In fact, he was his only friend.
Raymond has known Ryder since well, when that incident happened and he came back to live with his grandfather again. A few months ago,he left saying that he was going to travel around the world, he said that he won't be back for a long time so Raymond was very surprised to see him here.
Ryder has always been like this. Quite impulsive. Doing things however he wanted..
"When did you come back? I thought you said that you were going to be away for a really long time travelling the world? Why did you change your mind?" Raymond said. By now, Ryder was already seating.on the couch in the office.
"Why? Do you not want me to come back? And besides, you really don't expect to continue to travel when you got married right? I have to come back and see the woman that was able to tame that heart of yours. What happened? I thought you said that you weren't going to get married until you find her? In the end, even you couldn't fight love right?" Ryder asked. He was clearly teasing Raymond but you still could hear some sincerity in his voice.
Raymond scoffed. Love? As if that is ever going to happen between him and Joanna. He won't even fall in love with her. In this life, he has already given all of his love to that girl. As long as it's not her, he won't be able to fall in love with someone else.
"What nonsense are you talking about? Are you saying that you came back because you heard that I got married?" Raymond asked him.
Ryder rolled his eyes. "Of course I did! Do you know how shocked I was when I heard that you were going to get married? And then yesterday, I saw the news about you getting married! Of course I have to come back and see for myself! Your grandfather tried so hard to get you married but you refused because of that girl. So, have you completely forgotten about her now?" Ryder asked Raymond.
He really felt sorry for his friend. He has spent so much time looking for and waiting for one person. Like his grandfather, Ryder did not believe that she was alive. It's already been so long, and according to what Raymond told him, he saw the waves carry her away, how can she still be alive then? It can't be possible right?
He felt happy that Raymond was finally able to move on from her and even get married! But Ryder was in for a big surprise.
Raymond sighed. Forget about her? He won't be able to forget about her in this life. She was the only light in this dark world. Without thinking twice, she sacrificed herself for him, how can he forget her? As long as it's not her, he won't be able to love someone else.
"I've forgotten about her! I won't be a me to forget about me. Don't you already know that?" Raymond asked Ryder.
Ryder was shocked. "What do you mean? But you got married!" Ryder reminded him.
Raymond scoffed. Just thinking about that marriage have him an headache. It's all because of his grandfather, if not for him, he won't have anything to do with that woman at all!
"It's all because of my grandfather! He found this woman and asked me to marry her! Of course I refused to have anything to do with her. But then he got sick. He was dying Ryder. I really can't watch my grandfather die like that. He told me that he just wanted to watch me get married, the doctor said that if maybe I give him what he wants, he would be able to get better. But I still don't know where she is. I still haven't found April yet. So I married that woman. Don't get me wrong. It's just for six months, after that, we will get a divorce. I have to find April before that six months is over" Raymond said. Thinking about it now, it was a good thing that Ryder came back. He could help him find her now.
Ryder looked at his friend trying to process the information that he had heard. So Raymond got married to some woman because of his grandfather? In fact, he is going to break up with her after six months? Just what is this?
His substitute bride
Written by authoress Mira