Isabella's POV

Apparently, the day is going to end well and my first big fight with my Grandma is going to end tonight.

We haven't quarreled like this before. She was always understanding and supportive. 

When I saw the smile on her face, I knew she had accepted reality and she is here to reconcile with me.

But I feel embarrassed. More than I was the very first day she got to know that the marriage between Jayden and I wasn't real and we deceived her.

She flashes me another smile as I lead her inside, towards the living room with Jayden trudging behind us in silence.

We get there and I make her sit down. I sit beside her, watching her face to know if all is well. I feel bad for not going back to the house since the other day to check up on her.

I should have known that her anger won't last for too long. 

I notice she is looking down at my silk satin dress.

"How are you, Mother?" I ask, breaking the silence between us.

I see Jayden take the staircase up and when Grandma hears his footsteps, she glances up at him on the staircase.

He seems embarrassed just like me. He nods in greeting before excusing us.

"I'm fine", she smiles, making me heave a sigh of relief. At least, I now know this is a meeting of reconciliation. I am now fully sure that this is what it is.

"I'm sorry I haven't come to the house. I just thought I should give you enough time…"

"How have you been?" She asks me with a concern-filled expression and worries laced in her tone.

The way she cuts me short makes me smile. Grandma always does that whenever she wants to say something important. Knowing about how I have been faring is obviously much more important to her than anything else.

"I've been good", I nod, a smile finding its way to my face. I'm really glad she is here. I'm glad she has forgiven me even though she hasn't said that out.

Suddenly, she looks down and sighs. Her hands shake and my smile disappears.

"What's the matter?" I question, grabbing her two hands.

When she hoists her head up, I see tears brimming in her eyes.

"I miss you", she only says and chuckles lightly. "And worried about you."

"I'm fine, Grandma, and…"

"Is he treating you right?" She demands, peering at me with doubts.

Unconsciously, I smile. I was expecting Jayden to be rude and harsh to me just like he used to when I was his Assistant but he is cool-headed with me. At least for the main time and I doubt if he will be harsh this coming few months because we have agreed to bring out our acting skills at letting the public believe that we are real.

"Jayden is a good man, Mother. He has always been…"

"No, Bella", she contradicts me. "You have always told me how he always mistreated you when you were his Assistant. He called you dumb and clumsy, remember?"

I want to say something but she beats me to it. "I'm just worried that he will keep up with the same attitude now that you are in his house and this thing between you two isn't real."

Grandma must have come to terms with the fact that I did this for her.

"Even when you introduced him to me, I was skeptical about it because of how you always talked about how cold-hearted and rude he was but I had no choice but to listen to you and believe you."

"Mother, Jayden isn't harsh to me. Not anymore", I say, holding her hands firmly and thinking of what else to say to her to convince her that I am fine and this is just for a while. "He can't treat me anyhow because I am his wife now and besides, this contract isn't forever. It's just for a year."

"A year?" I nod intermittently.

"Then you can leave him and live a life of your own?" I nod again. "You can remarry and have kids with someone else?" I smile and nod. "Someone, you truly love?"

I don't react to the last question. I don't have any man in my life right now except Jayden and I have never been in love. 

Will it be very easy for me to get out of this marriage and try to find someone who might be interested in me with the intention of marriage in mind?

Juliet and I have been frequenting her club party for a year now, ever since I got a job in Jayden's company and I felt I was ready to be in a relationship but no single man who approached me wanted something serious with me.

They just wanted to get in between my legs and go for the next available girl.

I was single yet I had no luck with men. Is it now that I am married (like the public believes) that I am going to have luck with dating?

Grandma gasps softly. "Do you love him?" Her eyes search mine.

"What?!" I exclaim and shout. "No!"

Why will she think of that? Is it because how I convinced her before the marriage that Jayden and I were in love?

It was all a lie.

"You look like you do. Don't you want to be married someday? I mean a real marriage", she questions with an angry stare.

"Of course, I want to be married someday", I tell her and she nods in agreement.

Silence falls as we continue to stare at each other. She flashes me another smile and I open my arms to embrace her.

We hug each other tightly until she pulls away calmly. "I should go. I have been here for almost an hour, waiting for you to come back from God knows where. Did you go on a fake date with him?"

"Shush, Mother", I hush her up as a maid comes in through the back door. My mother rises and I accompany her to the front door. 

"Jayden and I went to his parent's home. We went there for a family dinner. You should have called me when you got here."

"I wanted it to be a surprise but when I noticed it was getting too late, I decided to leave and come back tomorrow. That was when I saw you sticking your head out of the car window."

I laugh shortly at her weak attempt at humor.

"How was the dinner?"

"It was fine", I say casually. I don't see the need to tell her what happened there. I see no need to tell her every single thing happening in my marriage. I will only let her know what needs to be known and not everything because this is just like a real marriage and I don't need anyone's interference, just the way I made sure that his Mother won't be allowed to interfere in our lives.

This is solely between Jayden and me.

"Isabella?" I hear Jayden call from behind right after we step out of the front door. Grandma and I both turn to see him changed into shorts already and a t-shirt. He must have had a quick shower.

"I want Jude to drive her home", he says to me in a low tone, probably thinking Grandma won't agree to it.

Surprisingly, Grandma flashes him an appreciative smile and nods her head.

The car is already waiting and I guess Jayden must have instructed him to wait for her after we came in.

I turn to Grandma and hug her once more before she climbs into the car and begins to wave at me all through till Jude ignites the car engine into action and drives off.

****

Grandma has forgiven Isabella? Is that a good sign? Will she support Isabella now?

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