"She is such a lovely girl. I wonder why people hate her for no reason," Mrs Parker mumbled, her gaze glued on the door.
Getting to the counter Joanna was stunned to see Raymond sitting at the spot she made him sit on the first day he visited the cafe.
She chuckled when she recalled how she gave him a notepad because she assumed he was mute.
"You are looking at him now and some minutes ago he found it hard to take his eyes off the counter. I guess he was searching for you," Amelia commented when she saw Joanna smile at the guy whose gaze was not currently on Joanna.
Just then he turned and caught Joanna gazing at him. Without giving a second thought about his image, he waved at her.
Joanna waved at him while she still maintained her broad smile.
"What is going on between the two of you?" Amelia demanded.
Joanna's smile faded as she shifted her attention to the lady by her side.
"And why do you care if I may ask?" Joanna retorted. Although she tried to hide it, there was still a bit of hostility in her tone.
"I know you might still hold a grudge against me even if you found out that everything that happened between him and me was an act. And I kinda understand how you feel...,"
"If you haven't been in the same situation as me then don't claim that you understand how I feel because that is a big lie," Joanna snapped.
"You don't know anything about what that whole charade put me through...,"
"You...,"
"Do you know how many times I lost confidence in myself and my feelings for him because of you? You made me believe I was some obsessed crazy girl," Joanna poured out all her heart.
The words she couldn't say to him or to Mrs Parker she was able to say now for some reason.
There was silence after Joanna's outburst.
"You indeed went through emotional turmoil during this period but you also got to discover a better part of you too because of this. Am I right?" Amelia asked meekly.
Joanna went quiet. She was unable to answer Amelia's question immediately.
She indeed went through a phase of her life she hasn't experienced before because of their actions.
She cried, smiled, got furious, learned how to yearn for someone and most importantly discovered how amazing falling in love was.
She got to experience these life-changing events because of them and that was why no matter how upset she was that they deceived her, she was still grateful to them.
"He thought our aim in coming up with all these was to help you both together but what he didn't know was that there was more to this than meet the eyes," Amelia spoke in a calm tone.
Joanna narrowed her eyes and asked, "What do you mean by that?".
"Hmmm...," Amelia trailed and walked two steps to her right-hand side.
"During this period you learnt to be patient, tolerant, benevolent, angry when needed, protective and loving. These are some of the qualities a Queen must possess and we helped you learn them through a short period," Amelia explained to Joanna's amazement.
"What!" Joanna almost screamed had she not controlled her pitch in time.
"Was Mrs Parker also a part of this?" Joanna asked and gazed at the door of the changing room.
"It wasn't everything I did that Auntie was aware of. She sometimes helped me draw closer to my hidden mission without knowing that," She replied carefreely.
"If you meant that was your way of teaching me those qualities then I would say that was a very cruel way of teaching...,"
"You call that cruel?" Amelia chuckled.
"I am sure you wouldn't have dared to call my method cruel if you were born about thirty years earlier. The method they used then was hell...,"
"You are talking as if you were born back then," Joanna jokes. She stopped smiling when Amelia didn't smile along or refute her sentence.
"You are not really that old right?" Joanna asked a bit more seriously.
"Take a guess," Amelia chuckled.
Just before Joanna could get the truth from Amelia a customer called their attention and Amelia went to take the customer's orders.
Some minutes later Joanna strolled to Raymond's table when he wouldn't stop gazing at her.
"I thought you said you had a commercial to shoot, don't you need to leave?" Joanna demanded. She didn't come out too strong so as not to offend him.
"Nope," He shook his head negatively. "I am free as a bird today so you don't need to worry about anything," He smiled at her.
If only he knew that her question meant she wanted him to leave he wouldn't have smiled so radiantly at her.
"So what do you want to order?" Joanna smiled back at him.
"Hmm...," He trailed, his gaze not shifting from her face. "I don't know but I will definitely drink whatever you choose for me".
His flirtatious words made ladies whose attention had been on him glare at Joanna.
Joanna caught one of the ladies shooting her a deadly glare but she pretended not to.
[I have had a fair share of dealing with mean girls all my life. Please tell me he doesn't want to add more to the list]
She returned her attention to the guy in front of her.
"Are you not afraid that I will pick the most expensive item...,"
"Go ahead. I can afford it and even more of it," he beamed. As if that was not enough he took out his black card and dropped it on the table.
[What the hell is wrong with this dude? Has Derrick infected him with his shamelessness?]
Joanna wanted to scream at him but she controlled herself.
She decided to change the topic when she realised that the discussion was going nowhere.
"I noticed that there is something different about you from when we parted ways but I can't seem to pinpoint what exactly is different. So do you mind telling me?" Joanna asked as she gazed at the guy in casual green clothes.
"Can't you even tell me that I have changed my clothes?" He asked and touched the hand of his shirt.
"Did you?" She quizzed. After taking another look at him she realised he was telling the truth.
...
A/N:
I am sorry to announce that they won't be any mass release today. And this is because you guys didn't accomplish the goal for this.
If you want to enjoy mass release next week then buy privileged chapters, vote with power stones, cast GOLDEN TICKETS, send gifts, comment and review.
GOOD LUCK!
I wish that you guys will meet the goal this week so that you will be able to enjoy mass release comes next Sunday.
Updat𝒆d fr𝒐m freew𝒆bnov𝒆l.c(o)m