No Way Back

Chapter 22

Anna’s nails bit into her palm as she glared furiously at Jane.

“Your father was right. Compared to Maddie, you’re nothing but a failure.

“I can’t believe I gave birth to a daughter who turned out to be as selfish and unreasonable as you are.

“I felt so guilty about what had happened to you, but all that guilt is gone now. It’s all thanks to you, Jane.

“I wish I had never given birth to you. I wish I had never tried searching for you. I wish that you had died 19 years ago. Why did you appear in my life again?”

Jane had driven Anna mad with anger.

Harsh words spilled from her lips without control.

This was the only way she could express her utter rage.

“Janie…”

Lila’s face paled as she listened to Anna’s gush of vitriol.

She couldn’t be bothered to argue with Anna at all. Instead, she turned her concerned gaze toward Jane.

She was worried about how badly Jane would take Anna’s words and that they would break her best friend’s heart into irreparable pieces.

Lila could feel her chest tighten and her heart shatter as she listened to Anna, even though Anna was nothing but a stranger to her.

How would Jane, Anna’s own daughter who yearned so badly for her family’s love, feel?

All humor fled Jane.

Her face stiffened into an expression devoid of any emotion.

Her heart, on the other hand…

hurt.

Why was she so weak?

She had had enough pain and disappointment in her past life.

She had decided not to get her heart broken over people who didn’t deserve her love in this life.

But…

Jane wasn’t as strong as she had thought she was.

A healed wound remained a wound.

You could hide it with a bandage, but the scar was still there.

It would hurt once in a while, the pain a reminder of the humiliating past that Jane had suffered.

This was the last time.

Jane would never show her weakness before a stranger again.

never

never break the hearts

dead too. Unfortunately, I’m alive and doing

God’s will. Without the Fowler family in my life, my

will become better. I’m so sorry to disappoint

she tried to bury her sorrow deep

would never forgive

Not in this life.

supposed family for what they had done to her. The pain, the suffering, and the tears she had shed every night because of their

It would stay with

the intense h*te burning in Jane’s

out of her blind rage

Her face paled.

Oh my God.

Why had

let her anger get the better of

that she had said

anything

she had

in guilt. She was the proud, dignified wife of the

right, Anna. You don’t need a daughter

had wanted Anna to

prepared for a tough fight. She didn’t expect things to turn out her way so easily because of a chance

“No, Diane, I…”

as she tried to

meant what

It had been…

the anger talking.

see the true

Luther applauded suddenly.

in his eyes were as stark as day as he stared

and Diane.

member of the peanut gallery. However, it appeared that

must have

say? You’re just a manager. You have no right

I wish to lodge

fired!”

was pointing their fingers at Diane. They had

wasn’t the only one who made a mistake by offending her. A p*thetic manager had had

to speak to

quirked up into a smile as he turned his gaze toward

Hugh?

Diane froze.

was staring with a look of incredulity in her

rose to

stuck one hand into his pocket and made his way toward the

freezing up

stopped breathing and hid herself

was too overwhelming for

man was

told her to stay away from men

shouldn’t even look