She knew to put on a flawless show she needed to be in the right mood.
After she made sure she was ready, she opened the door and slid into the vast room.
There were only five beds in the ward. Looking to her right she recognized the two patients at the right to be prominent people in the Kingdom.
On different occasions, she had seen the two women on television and that was why she recognized them with ease.
She greeted the two women and moved to the extreme of the room where Grandma Cora and Adhara's bed was.
Seeing that their beds were opposite each other she believed one out of the three people must have asked for such an arrangement.
"Why are you just standing over there, come closer," Grandma Cora ordered.
Her voice would have come out authoritative but because of her condition, it came out feeble.
"Good evening Madam Cora, Madam and Sir," Joanna greeted the three of them.
Adhara who was previously lying down sat up the instant Joanna got closer. She clenched the edge of the bed.
If her murderous glares were an arrow, they would have pierced Joanna's heart a thousand times and won't get tired of repeating this action.
Mr Anderson turned and glared at his daughter who stood in between the two beds.
Joanna wasn't affected by his or Adhara's glares. In fact, she acted as if she didn't see their murderous glances.
"Stop standing there and get me the food that you brought. I am starving," She exclaimed and reached out her weak right hand towards where Joanna stood.
"But this is not food, Madam Cora," Joanna replied. She moved closer to the woman's bed so she would see the content of her bag.
"Did you come all the way here empty-handed?" Madam Cora demanded, her fierce glares glued on Joanna's face.
"Madam ordered me never to step foot into her kitchen again. If I had known that you were hungry I wouldn't have hesitated to defy Madam's command and enter the kitchen to prepare you all a meal..," Adhara's angry groans made Joanna pause her words.
She tilted her head and peered at her stepmother whose eyes were about to fall out of her sockets.
"If you want I don't mind returning home to prepare you a delicious meal...,"
"Shut up that tramp of yours, call a mouth right this minute," Adhara shouted. She tried to climb out of bed but she fell back on the bed.
"The doctor had instructed you not to move around except when necessary so lie back down," Mr Anderson scolded. He helped her lie on the bed.
"Sir, what did the doctor say is wrong with Madam?" Joanna faked a concerned expression. She moved to Adhara's bedside.
"She looks so pale and hagged. I hope it isn't something serious...,"
"Don't come any closer or else...," Adhara swallowed back her words when she felt her stomach churning.
In the blink of an eye, she felt something rush up her throat. She didn't have the time to react before the liquid flowed out of her mouth.
Thank goodness for her agile husband who picked up the container at her bedside and passed it to her on time or else she would have vomited on herself.
"Damn that stinks!" Joanna exclaimed loud enough for the occupants of the room to hear.
She twitched her nose and turned her back on Adhara.
Joanna tried not to make her disdain obvious when she saw Grandma Cora's deadly glares directed at her.
She swivelled and faced Adhara's bed again.
"Madam, do you need anything? You can...," Adhara vomited harder.
It was as if Joanna's words had triggered her intestines which caused her to vomit nonstop.
[I need to get the hell out of here as soon as possible. I am afraid I might pass out from the stench]
Joanna rubbed her nose to fight off the stench of her stepmother's vomit.
"Stay away from her if you know what is good for you," Mr Anderson misunderstood Joanna's movement. He assumed she wanted to go close to his wife notwithstanding her warning.
"I would've done that even though you didn't tell me to. It's not as if I am enjoying being in this stinky room with all of you," Joanna muttered and moved away.
"What did you just say?" Mr Anderson shot her a fierce stare.
"I said I just wanted to ask her permission for Little rice ball to stay with me at Audrey's apartment for three days," She lied.
She ignored the fact that the three of them heard her first sentence but pretended not to.
Since they acted as if they didn't hear her first sentence she decided to play along to save them some faces.
"Are you sure you wanted to ask for permission?" Grandma Cora questioned. She pointed at the medium size bag in Joanna's hands.
"Of course, I want to ask for permission," Joanna replied. She exchanged the hand she was holding the blue bag with.
"You said you are here to ask for her permission but from what I see it looks like you had already made up your mind to take him with you," Grandma Cora expressed in a harsh tone.
Joanna bit her lower lips and clenched her fist.
[It looks like the old hag hasn't learned her lesson yet. Maybe instead of poison that makes her vomit and defecates constantly, I should give her one that will cease her speech for a week]
Joanna opened her mouth to speak but Adhara beat her to it.
"He can stay with you for three days but make sure to take good care of him," Adhara said to Joanna's astonishment.
Joanna stared at Adhara like the woman in front of her was a stranger she met a few minutes ago.
[Did the poison affect her brain or what?]
Joanna took a careful look at the pale woman to make sure it was the same cruel woman she knew and not an imposter.
In the same manner, Joanna stared at Adhara, the woman did the same. The difference between her gaze and that of Adhara was that her stepmother's stares were filled with contempt.
...
HAPPY LAST DAY OF JANUARY 2023!!! ??????
Guys, I want to use this opportunity to thank all the readers who supported me in one way or the other this month.
January 2023 was awesome for me and all of you who supported me made it possible.
A big thank you to those who bought the privileged chapters and made sure to unlock the chapters daily.
Thanks for the coins, GOLDEN TICKETS, comments and power stones.
YOU GUYS WERE AWESOME!!! ??????
And I am looking forward to seeing you guys do more come February.
P.S.: I didn't thank those who reviewed and gifted the book because there were no gifts or reviews this month.
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