From pretence to forever

Tony's Pov "Who are you? Are you some kind of billionaire, CEO or president promising me heaven on earth? I don't know you at all Mr, but please don't involve me on something that will put our lives in danger." She suddenly turned to face the opposite direction after making the remarks that touched my heart. “Don't be angry with me please, at least let's know each other before I leave. I’m Tony Clark, an employee of the Clarke Group of Companies. It’s a pleasure to meet you." She didn't turn to look at me even as I introduced myself. "I am Joanne Smith, an orphan without a clear background, I prefer a private life without exposure and away from the media. With all due respect sir, you can now leave before the media comes back again.I don't want to put my baby's life at risk, nor do I want to continue this stupid game." She pushed me away towards the door but I pretended not to be moved by her remarks. I suddenly recall her words earlier where she mentioned something about the media. "Was the media around? Did you see them here?" My heart skipped a beat when she nodded in resignation. "I am finished, what am I going to do now? It means that everything I did and said will be all over social media. Please don't push me away. You are going to continue playing a good wife until this is over. I will pay you good money, enough to feed you and your baby." I pleaded with her but she shook her head and got seated on the bed. "Mr. Clark, I am really sorry to let you know that the cameras were all over here and more especially focusing on you. Thank you for the offer but I won't be able to help you out at all because, I will not be leaving this facility any time soon due to the high hospital bill, which I can't afford to pay right now." Her remarks were meant to scare me off and end our conversation for good but I stayed calm and still pleaded with her to listen to me. We shall negotiate and agree on how to pay the bill. Don't abandon me please, you should consider playing along and I promise to pay you whichever amount you ask in return." I insisted. My heart raced as I stood in the sterile hospital corridor, I will smell the scent of antiseptic mingling with the faint sound of distant beeping machines. Having thought for a while, I turned to Joanne, my voice seemed urgent yet low, "I have the money to pay the entire hospital bill right now, but you have to promise me that we shall leave this facility immediately. I don't want the police or the media to keep interrogating me. The sooner we get out of here, the better." She looked at me cautiously, uncertainty swirling in her mind. "We leave together?" She asked with her voice barely a whisper, as if the very thought was both enticing and terrifying. "Yes, we are leaving together as a loving couple to your apartment if that's okay with you." My sincere gaze met her intense eyes and she looked down nodding her head in disagreement. She was somewhat confused as to why I was so intent on involving her in my life. “Is this some kind of a joke, Mr. Clark? Why do you want me to be involved in whatever it is that you have done? Why can't you leave me alone?” Joanne sternly asked as a protective instinct rose within her. The silence between us was intense, and I sensed the tension immediately I looked at her face and the heartbeats in her chest. I took a deep breath as I gathered my thoughts. “Look here Mrs. Joanne, it’s a long story and I promise to explain every detail once we are in your apartment.” I said, my eyes pleading for understanding. Still shaken by everything that had happened, Joanne felt her emotions rise inside her. Her anger bubbled up, and before she could hold it back, she shouted out at me. “I don’t want you to pay my hospital bill! Just leave because my apartment is too small to accommodate another person; It’s just enough for me and my baby.” She tried hard to push me away but I was persistent in pleading with her. “Calm down,” I softened my voice and stepped closer, an earnest look in my eyes. “I’m not a bad person, and deep down, I can feel that you’re a good person too. Please, help me out just this once. Play the part of a good wife, and I promise to take good care of you and your baby. I will never hurt you. Just trust me that everything will be okay.” Joanne’s heart softened at my desperate plea, and her gaze fell to her baby, sleeping soundly in her arms. The weight of her circumstances pressed down on her, and she found herself torn between reason and emotion. In a moment of clarity, she sighed, “I accept your offer, Mr. Clark, but you have to explain everything to me before we go any further.” “Thank you for understanding me Joanne,” I said, feeling a huge relief as I stepped forward and enveloped her in a warm embrace. Our eyes locked in a moment that felt charged with unspoken words as I embraced her tightly. “I’ll explain everything once we’re out of here. You can start packing right away while I clear the pending bill.” With that, I released her and hurried off to the accounts office, leaving her standing there, a mix of gratitude and anxiety swirling within her. “Why is Tony's perfume smelling so familiar, have we by any chance met before? What have I gotten myself into, and who is this mysterious man who makes my heart race?” Joanne thoughtfully whispered to herself. Minutes later, I returned with a sense of urgency in my steps. I held the clearance document in my hand, the weight of it noticeable all over my face. “I’ve paid the bill—$10,000 just like that,” I said, handing it over to her. A flicker of relief coursed through her, but it was quickly overshadowed by a rising tide of worry. “Thank you.” She managed to say, with a slightly trembling voice. “Let’s hurry up please. We need to get out of here before my father…” My voice trailed off, the gravity of my words hanging in the air as I quickly reached for the baby, and cradled him in my arms with surprising gentleness as if he was mine. “Before your father does what? Does he have something to do with all of this? I don’t know you at all Mr. Clark, neither do I know what you’re up to but why are you doing this to me? Why would you put my baby’s life at risk?” Panic escaped into her voice, and she felt her heart race in response to my plan that seemed hidden from her. “Shall we leave now? Don’t worry, I didn’t mean to cause you trouble; you and your baby will be safe with me,” I assured her, my confidence contrasting sharply with the anxiety that flashed across her face.