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

would never break the hearts of her

be dead too. Unfortunately, I’m alive and doing

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

won’t d*e. In fact, my life will become better. I’m so sorry

she tried to bury her sorrow deep inside

never forgive

Not in this life.

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

would never forget any of that. It would stay with her until her

stared at the intense h*te burning in Jane’s

of

Her face paled.

Oh my God.

she done? Why had she said

had let her anger get the

didn’t mean anything that she

anything

vicious vitriol she had spewed in

proud, dignified wife of the chairman of the Fowler Corporation. She should be ashamed

a daughter like

Anna to disavow Jane all

She didn’t expect things to turn out her way so easily because of a

“No, Diane, I…”

stammered as she tried to explain

meant what she

It had been…

the anger talking.

true

Luther applauded suddenly.

in his eyes were as stark as

and Diane.

cared for little and enjoyed being a member of the peanut gallery.

Diane’s behavior must have

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

to speak to your boss. I wish to lodge a complaint.

fired!”

unlucky day. Everyone was pointing their fingers at Diane. They

mistake by offending her. A p*thetic manager had had the guts to

to speak to the

smile as he turned his

Hugh?

Diane froze.

with a look of

rose to

hand into his pocket and made his

up like a mouse that had spotted a

stopped breathing and

aura was too overwhelming for people

man was too

instincts told her to stay away from men

shouldn’t even