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

suppose this is God’s will. Without the Fowler family

fact, my life will become better. I’m so sorry

to bury her sorrow deep inside

never

Not in this life.

pain, the suffering, and the tears

of that. It would

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

her out of her

Her face paled.

Oh my God.

had she done? Why had she

had let her anger get

that

anything so vicious in

that the first vicious vitriol she had spewed in her

that nearly drowned Anna in guilt. She was the proud, dignified wife of the chairman of the Fowler Corporation. She should be

need a daughter like her. She’s nothing next to Mad

She had wanted Anna to disavow

like and had been prepared for a tough fight. She didn’t expect things to turn out her way so

“No, Diane, I…”

she tried to explain

what

It had been…

the anger talking.

the true

Luther applauded suddenly.

were as stark as day as he stared

and Diane.

gallery. However, it appeared

Diane’s behavior must have been

You’re just a manager. You have no right to criticize Anna

want to speak to your boss. I

fired!”

their fingers at Diane. They had no idea who they were messing

one who made a mistake by offending her. A p*thetic manager had had the guts to do the same

speak to the boss and

up into a smile as he turned his gaze

Hugh?

Diane froze.

where Luther was staring with a look

rose to his feet

into his pocket and made his way toward

sight of Hugh sent Lila freezing up like a mouse

breathing and

overwhelming for people like

was

stay away

shouldn’t even look at