From pretence to forever

Chapter 3 : Joanne's apartment

Joanne's pov

Just then, a sleek, expensive car rolled up to the curb, its polished surface gleaming under the hospital’s fluorescent lights. Tony gestured for me to board quickly, a look of urgency noticeable on his face. He gently handed over the baby to me and urged me to make myself comfortable in the car, his eyes scanning the surroundings as if running away from some kind of trouble.

As I climbed into the car, the reality of my decision settled heavily in my chest. I was stepping into the unknown, bound to a man I barely knew, grasping for some semblance of security for myself and my child. Yet, as I glanced back at him, I saw a glimmer of hope and determination in his eyes—a promise that perhaps, just perhaps, everything would turn out alright.

In that moment, I felt a fragile bond weaving between us, forged in desperation and unexpected trust, as I handed back the baby to him before we sped off from the hospital.

I shifted nervously in the back seat of the cab, my heart raced as I gave the driver directions to my modest apartment. Unbeknownst to me, he had seated just one seat away, his piercing gaze fixed on my every move. The air in the vehicle was thick with unspoken tension, and as we traveled through the bustling streets, I felt a strange mix of relief and nervousness.

When the cab finally pulled up outside my apartment, I stepped out and took in the familiar sight of my home. It was attractive and charming in its own right, but far too small to accommodate the three of us—me, him and the infant cradled in his arms. As he lifted the baby with surprising tenderness, his driver who had watched him with a mix of admiration and concern, couldn’t help but feel a pang of worry.

"I have never seen young master show such gentleness before, especially towards a woman." Tony's behavior left him wondering. Could this child be his? After all, he had never seen him with a woman until now.

Tony's pov

As we crossed the doorway into the apartment, my eyes roamed the cramped space and immediately I assessed the reality of Joanne’s life in my mind. The modest furnishings and limited room showed the struggles she might have faced daily.

I couldn’t imagine how she could manage to survive in such a small apartment, especially with a baby to take care of. The thought stirred something within me, a desire to offer her more, to give her a life that was brighter and more spacious though I didn’t understand why I was doing that to a total stranger.

“I think you should consider moving into my apartment. It’s much larger, and it would make things so much easier for you and the baby.” I said in a low and earnest voice, which made her an already delicate heart race once again.

my words hung in the air, and she hesitated to answer, uncertainty noticeable in her eyes. It wasn’t just the size of the apartment she was concerned about; it was the implications of accepting such an offer from a man she barely knew.

"Do you believe this apartment can comfortably fit the three of us, just like we discussed earlier? I really want to make this work, but if you decide against moving in with me, then we might be faced with an awkward situation. It seems that sharing a bed would be our only option, and that definitely isn’t part of the agreement we are about to make in our contract." Before I could finish my statement, Joanne interjected and made things even harder for me.

Joanne’s eyes flashed with anger, her voice steady but firm as she addressed me. "Stop fantasising things Mr. Clark!" She declared, her tone steady. "What exactly do you mean by saying that sharing a bed is our only option? Are you implying that this is the only way we can move forward?" She paused, gathering her thoughts, before continuing.

"We haven’t even discussed any sort of agreement between us. What kind of contract are you referring to? Please, explain yourself because I don't understand anything at all. Are you trying to blackmail me, using the fact that you paid my hospital bill as leverage? Don’t forget, there was no promise or arrangement between us at all." She loudly shouted waking up the baby that was soundly sleeping in my arms.

"You can’t just expect me to go along with whatever you say. Now, I think it’s time you leave. Go back to your apartment, and don’t ever come back here. I won’t stand you anymore nor do I need you in my life." Her words were sharp, every syllable carrying the weight of her resolve, and there was no room for compromise in her voice.

"The space simply doesn’t allow for an extra bed, which makes things a bit complicated. I truly hope you’ll take some time to think about my proposal, and I believe we can find an amicable solution that works for both of us." I thoughtfully remarked, making her heart skip a beat.

"Are you sure about all this Mr Clark? Why would you offer yourself to carry a stranger's burden. Are you some sort of billionaire who wants to use his money on the people he doesn't know at all? please answer me genuinely without lying." The young woman curiously asked making my heart ache at her situation. I had all the desire to explain everything to her but not at that very moment.

Joanne's voice was firm, yet laced with a quiet sorrow as she spoke, her gaze steady but filled with an unmistakable weight. "The only thing left between us now, is for you to leave my apartment and never come back. Do I owe you anything? I don't believe I do. You have only brought more pain into my life, adding to an injury that was already shattered beyond repair." Her words pierced through my heart and tore it into pieces, leaving me standing there, at a loss for words, as she silently pleaded for me to understand.

My heart was heavy with the truth of her words as I stepped closer with my voice trembling slightly but filled with a depth of emotion. "You might think you owe me nothing," I began, my gaze never leaving hers. "But that's where you're wrong. You do owe me Joanne. When you agreed to pretend to be my wife, to play the role we both knew was just a game, that was more than just a simple agreement.

It was a commitment we made and now, this can’t end just like that. Everything we have done or said, every image, every moment, it’s all out there, all over social media. There is no turning back from it now, not without facing the consequences." My words made her heart skip a beat, I could see it in her intense eyes, a mixture of regret, and unspoken longing that neither of us could easily escape.

"Don't make this harder for me please. I will never hurt you and your baby." I looked at her hopefully as I continued to plead, my sincerity shining through. Finally, Joanne found herself softening to the idea.

After what felt like an eternity of contemplation, she finally nodded, her heart racing at the prospect of something new. “Okay,” she relented, a tentative smile breaking through her initial reservations. “I’ll move in with you.” My face lit up with a mixture of relief and gratitude, and in that moment I felt some bit of relaxation in my heart. I imagined how I was going to cope with this new chapter in life.