Chapter 56

Allen laughed. She thought that it was madness too! She suddenly got serious. She knew that Rita has been taking care of her grandmother for her. "Rita, I'm really sorry that I'm making you do something like this. You have been taking care of my grandmother. It's something that I should be doing myself but I..." Her voice trailed off.
"You don't need to thank me for anything Allen. I want to do this for you. Besides, you are giving six months of your life away so that your grandmother can get the treatment. Of course I understand that you cannot be her all the time. You don't need to feel bad for it. I'm okay doing something like this for you. Besides, your granmother has been so nice to me before. It's the least that I can do for her. You just need to remember to take care of yourself. Don't get caught and don't get in trouble. Take care of yourself" Rita said.
Allen nodded her head. Without being told, she knew that she needs to be careful for the next six months or she is going to be in some really serious trouble. She can't risk that at all. "Of course I will be careful. Remember to take care of yourself too. Thanks for being here Rita" Allen said.
Fred and Lydia along with their parents were all in the living room waiting for Joanna. As usual, they were angry with her. She got married and she did not even think to tell them about it! Fred still thought that Joanna was only able to get married to a man like Raymond Walker because of them! If it wasn't for them, she won't be married to him right now! So how can she be ignoring them now? How dare she get married to him without letting them know? They had to find out from the news! What does she take them for?
No matter what, they are still the family that brought her up! They did everything for her since her parents died! Even if they don't get along how can she ignore them like this? "What is wrong with Joanna? Is she really looking down on all of us now? She got married and she did not think to tell us about it? We had to find out from the news! That little wench! She really is doing all sorts of things!" Fred said. He did not hold back when cursing at Joanna. After all, only he knew how many terrible things he had suffered because of her. Thinking back to how he was always getting into trouble back then in high school because of her, the only thing that he felt for Joanna was a deep hate.
Vivian was really angry too. These days just hearing the name Joanna annoyed her. She is just like her mother! Pretending to be harmless but they were actually the most dangerous people ever! She got married and she did not even think to tell them that she got married? Vivian looked over at her daughter Lydia. She said that she was going to do something, now that they were married, what is she planning to do? She tried to read Lydia's expression but she saw that she liked white peaceful.
Like she was not bothered at all by what was happening. Vivian was starting to get worried. Her daughter should have been the one to get married not that Joanna! She was able to win against her mother before, Lydia should definitely be able to win against Joanna now! "I really can't believe this! I can't believe this at all! After raising someone's daughter for eleven years this is the thanks that we get! Is she looking down on us right now? Since she got married she doesn't need to care about us anymore right?" Vivian asked. She did not care about Joanna getting married or not, she was just so angry that Lydia isn't the one married to that man!
Fred saw that his mother was in his side. He decided to go on cursing at Joanna. After all, all these years, the only thing that he has ever been able to do was curse at her. Joanna, right from the moment she came to thier place, she has always been a trouble maker pretending to be a harmless person! She would get him into all sorts of trouble at school just to get back at his parents for being mean to her at home! He already knew since a long time ago, that Joanna has a sinister mind.
"I really can't believe this mom. I really just can't believe this at all! Joanna got married and she is now ignoring us? How are we even sure that she is going to convince Raymond to help the company?" Fred asked. He was still able to remember the company's condition. Right now, it was getting worse, if it doesn't get resolved soon, they would have to file for bankruptcy. "You know, we would have been able to avoid all this if Lydia was the one who got married! How is Joanna better than Lydia?" Fred could not help making the comparism.
Peter slammed his hand on the table. He has had enough. He knew what his wife and son were getting at right now. How can they always be so foolish? Joanna already got married, it's not as if there was anything that they could do about that right now! And Raymond, he did not even think to come see her family meaning that he did not care about them in the slightest! They all had to depend on Joanna right now if they want the company to survive. What use is there complaining that she got married without telling them?
They should be thankful that she actually agreed to come see them today! If she said that she wasn't going to come, it wasn't as if they would have been able to do anything anyway. "Can the both of you stop being so stupid? You keep complaining, it's not as if there's anything that you can do about. She already got married and she is the only one who can help us right now! Lydia should have been the one married? If she can do it then she should do it! Why can't you be quiet?" Peter asked. Because he was angry, his words were harsh.
Lydia did not want to stay here and continue to listen to these people anymore. She felt that she had already been annoyed enough. All day, the only thing they've been talking about is Joanna. Joanna got married, Joanna this, Joanna that! They already knew that she was about to get married anyway so why do they keep talking about it? Why can't they all be quiet? What do they want from her? And that stupid comparison Fred keeps making, it was driving her crazy!
She should be the one married right now but Joanna married him! What do they want? Of course she wasn't giving up just yet. She already had a plan to get Joanna's husband, but seeing her mother and brother like this, she really could not help losing her mind like this. "what the hell do you all want from me?! Why can't you just leave me alone?! Dad, do you really think that I am not a match for Joanna?!" Lydia yelled. She was really angry and losing her mind now.
Even her father did not have faith in her. He thinks that she Lydia is not a match for that Joanna. Well, she will just have to show them that she can get married to Raymond too! She did not want to listen to whatever they had to say and do she just got up. She really wanted to be away from them, to get some fresh air and breathe freely. This was one of the reason why she kept staying away from home. She had to deal with her mother and her ridiculous brother. He was this stupid and that was why he was always getting stomped on by Joanna.
She just wanted some fresh air. So she stepped out of the house. She was just standing outside the door when she saw a car drive into their building. One look at the car and Lydia could already tell that it was quite expensive. An ordinary person won't be able to afford it. Lydia swallowed a gulp. It was as if she already knew who it was. He really did come with her here? Everyone talked about Raymond being a cold and emotionless man but he actually came with this cousin of hers here?
Lydia was actually quite happy that she came. She would have a chance to meet this man in person. Immediately the car stopped, before the people in the car could think about coming out, Lydia was already walking towards them. She stood by the car, waiting for then to come out. Joanna was the first person to come out. Immediately Joanna got down from the car, she flashed a very friendly smile at Lydia. Lydia felt like she was dreaming. Did Joanna, just smile at her? She blinked her eyes severally and looked at Joanna again. She was right. Joanna was smiling at her!
Lydia was confused. What happened to this woman? She is smiling at her? As far as she could remember, she and Joanna had never gotten along. Even though Joanna was always putting on a show in front of everyone and pretending to be nice, because she knew the type of person that Joanna was, she did not try to do that with her. The both of them had never had a proper conversation. Whenever they talked to each other, it always ended up with the both of them arguing. So, why is she so friendly?
As if the smile was not enough, Joanna said, "Hi Lydia. How have you been?" Lydia was sure that she woke up in a parallel universe! She isn't home, she is probably in a parellel universe right now! Joanna, did she just ask about her? Her cousin, Joanna Anderson, she just asked about her? What the hell is going on here? What is the meaning of this? What is Joanna trying to do? Lydia suddenly remembered that there was someone else with her and she relaxed. Typical of Joanna, pretending to be nice in front of people.
When Allen and Raymond got to the house, Joanna saw a woman walked up to her. The woman looked like she would be about the same age with her. Before she came, Lena had told her about Joanna's family. There was his uncle and his wife. And then they were her cousins Lydia and Fred. Even though she has been told countless times that they did not like each other, Allen did not think that the relationship between family members would be that bad. They could stop exchange greetings right? So without thinking, she smiled we Lydia. She even said, "Hi Lydia. How have you been doing?"
Just then, the car was opened again and someone else came out. Lydia immediately forgot all about Joanna and fixed her eyes on the person that came out. Lydia's eyes dropped to the ground. This man, he is Raymond Walker? Why has everyone been lying to her? He did not fit the description at all!
This man, he is a hundred times better than everything she has been told! Where did he drop from? This gorgeous, disastrously handsome, god like man is the person Joanna is married to ? If Lydia wasn't sure before she was sure now. She must have this man! No matter what, she had to make sure that this man is hers!
"I'm going to go now. Good-bye" Raymond said.
Lydia felt her heart melt when she heard his voice. It took a second for what he said to register in her mind. He is leaving?
[2/1, 5:59 PM] Sonia: