Chapter 53

Allen and Raymond went to the hospital together. Allen looked around. It was the hospital where her grandmother was in! She really wanted to go see her grandmother but she knew that she could not do that. It was only going to make everything known. She won't be able to hide the fact that she is not Joanna if she goes. Ever since her grandmother got her surgery, she had only gone to see her once. Allen was starting to feel like a bad granddaughter but there was really nothing that she could do. Besides, she did not want to tell her grandmother that she was doing something like this. She did not want her to feel guilty for anything.
Even though she really wanted to go, Allen put up with it and went with Raymond. The both of them got into an elevator. When they entered, she noticed that no one else was here. The hospital was teeming with people so why isn't anyone using this elevator? Allen could not control her curiousity. She stepped closer to Raymond.
"There are so many people in the hospital today. How come no one is using this elevator?" Allen asked. She had a confused look on her face.
Raymond turned to look at her. What is she talking about? What does she mean by no one is using this elevator? Of course no one is using it because it's the private elevator that only him and his grandfather uses! She has been here before, why is she asking about it now? A lot of things has changed about this woman. Is she really pretending?
"Of course it's empty! This is my own private elevator. You've been here before. Why are you asking about it again?" Raymond asked. He was looking at her closely. What really happened to her? What is she trying to do?
Allen realized just then that she has said something wrong. So Joanna has been here before? She could already see how Raymond was looking at her. He was waiting for answers. What is she going to tell him? She can't let him find out that she is not the real Joanna. Everything then will be over. Will she have to pay back the money used for her grandmother's surgery? A lot of thoughts were going through her head at that moment. Allen then thought of something. He just hoped that he would buy it.
"Ah, I remember now! I did not take note of it when I came then. Back then, I just wanted to see how your grandfather was doing so I did not care much about it" Allen said. She had remembered Lena mentioning that his grandfather was sick.
Raymond looked at her. He really wanted to believe her but no matter what, this story doesn't seem to add up. Everything was just weird. She is Joanna, it's definitely Joanna standing in front of him right now, but why does she not feel like Joanna at all?
"Whatever you say" Raymond said. He did not want to think about it too much. Someone like Joanna, if he cares too much, he will only be getting himself in trouble.
Allen sighed in relief. He seemed like he bought the story. Maybe she should just keep her mouth shut from now on. Lena and Paul may know Joanna really well but obviously they know nothing about what had happened between Joanna and this man. They won't be able to help her out when it comes to him. The safest thing to do will be to keep her mouth shut when it comes to this man or she will be in trouble.
The elevator stopped and they came out. Allen looked around. She could make out now that this was a private floor. Allen could not help but chuckle to herself. She had to go through so much trouble to make sure that her grandmother got surgery and someone has an entire floor to himself for a simple illness. Well, it has always been a rich people world anyway. She was still still dazed when she felt a strong hand pull her.
"My grandfather thinks that the both of us are really married so remember to put on a good show in front of him. Anyway that's what you are good at anyway" Raymond said.
Allen did not notice the disdain in his voice. She just thought that he was referring to the fact that she is an actress. She nodded her head and followed him into the hospital room.
"Grandfather, how are you doing? I brought Joanna to see you as you said" Raymond said. He was holding onto her hand tightly. He wanted his grandfather to think that the both of them were really married. That is going to help him recover faster right?
Raymond thought that he would have to use all of his self control to hold on to Joanna. Over the years, he could not get close to any women, no matter what, whenever any woman tried to get close to him, he was reminded of the scene of someone being washed away in a river because of him. He would feel repulsed when they tried to get close to him now. Holding Joanna's hand like this now, he thought he was going to get that feeling again, but he did not feel that way. He actually felt that, he could hold on to her. In fact, it almost felt like..... her?
Joanna looked at the old man sitting on the bed in front of her. This person is sick? Maybe because her grandmother had always been sick, in her mind, a sick person has to be as weak as her grandmother, but this man looked like he could run a 400 meters race without breaking a sweat! Why did she get the feeling that something was wrong? She looked at Raymond's face. He was smiling now. it was different from the usual cold and indifferent look that was always on his face. He must really care about his grandfather... Just like her. However, only Raymond knew what was going on in his mind then.
"Joanna, I'm so happy they you came here today. Thank you for agreeing to marry this grandson of mine" John said. He really was very happy. When he thought of doing this, he did not really think that it was going to work. But it really did work! And now Raymond is married to Joanna! John was sure, as long as he lived with Joanna for a few months, he would see that she is a good woman, and he will be able to forget that girl....
Allen smiled at the old man. "No, I'm really happy to be married to Raymond. He's really good to me" Allen said. He said to pretend that they were really married right? Only she knew how much courage she had to gather to say a line like this. Happy to be married to him? She won't want anything to do with a man like this! Maybe it was because she talked about being happily married, Allen was reminded of someone. She shook her head immediately. She can't be thinking about that person......
John's smile got even brighter. She just said that he is good to her right? Raymond is good to her? He had thought that even though they were married, he won't treat her well. He would just treat her like all those other women that he had set him up with. But she actually said that he is treating her well! He is actually treating her well! This is a good sign right? After all these years, he is finally going to forget about that girl right? John could not help but get sentimental.
"I know that the both of you got married in a hurry. I also know why your family pushed you to get married to Raymond. But I'm sure that as long as the both of you worked hard together, you will be able to make this marriage would work. You just need to work hard together" John said. He also wanted to say to Joanna, "please make him forget that girl. It's been so long already, it's time for him to move on. Please make him move on from her" But John knew that he could not tell her in front of Raymond. He knew more than anyone else what her temper was like.
Allen nodded her head. Seeing that the old man was starting to get sentimental, she felt bad. She isn't Joanna, she isn't the one who should be listening to this. She felt uncomfortable. But there was nothing that she could not do about it. For the next six months, she will be playing the role of Joanna. She had to put up with it. "Alright grandfather. We are going to do that" Allen said. She glaced over at Raymond when she said that.
The smile was gone. He had his cold expression back on. He is the one who said to put on a good show so why is he angry now? This person is such a weirdo.
"Grandfather, it's enough. We know what we have to do. I only brought her here because you said you wanted to see her. There is no need for you to say these things. We have to leave now" Raymond said. He did not want to continue to listen to this. The both of them are not really married anyway. They are going to go thier separate ways after six months.
"You are going to leave so soon?" John was disappointed.
"Yes, I have a lot to do" Raymond lied.
"You can leave if you have something to do. Joanna you are not busy right?" John immediately chose his granddaughter in law over his grandson.
Allen looked at Raymond. He gave her a Stern look. She understood what he meant at once. But then she looked at the old man. She could not bear to disappoint him. She remembered something..
"Grandfather, I want to stay back too but I have to go back home. My uncle asked me to come. We have something to talk about" Allen said. Thank goodness Lena already told her the address.
John thought of her uncle. He really did not like that man at all. And he knew how they had treated her all these years. But still, there were family. He could not stop her from going to see him them right? He could only reluctantly agree.
"Alright. But you have to promise you that you will be back tommorow" John said. He was already old, he needed to have his family around him. He thought of something, it would be great if Joanna and Raymond had a child right now.
Allen laughed. "Of course. I will be back" Allen said.
Raymond did not wait anymore. He dragged her out of the room immediately. He and Joanna would only be together for six months.he did not want her to start getting any ideas after talking with this man.
The both of them entered the elevator. He remembered what she said to his grandfather. Does she really need to go. "Is that true? Do you have to go back to your uncle's place?" Raymond asked her.
Allen nodded her head. "Yes. We registered the marriage without telling him and now everyone knows about our marriage. He wants to see me about that " Allen said. Even though she had heard that Joanna and her uncle hate each other, she still had no idea just how deep that hatred was.
Raymond nodded his head. "I will drop you off there" he offered. He did not to see them at all. Offering to drop them off, be was already doing enough right?
Allen did not say anything. It was not as if she cared anyway. The elevator stopped and the both of them got out.
The both of them had only walked a few steps when they heard someone call out. "Joanna!"hi
His substitute bride
Written by authoress Mira