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

break the hearts of her

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

the Fowler family in my life, my life

will become better. I’m so sorry

bit out as she tried to bury

never

Not in this life.

The pain, the suffering, and the tears she had shed every

of that. It would stay

the intense h*te burning in

of her blind rage

Her face paled.

Oh my God.

done? Why had

had let her anger get the

that she had said

said anything so vicious in her

the first vicious vitriol she had spewed in her life was

the proud, dignified wife of the chairman of the Fowler

don’t need a daughter like her. She’s

sneered. She had wanted Anna to disavow

what Anna was like and had been prepared for a tough fight. She didn’t expect things to turn out

“No, Diane, I…”

she

what she

It had been…

the anger talking.

true colors of the

Luther applauded suddenly.

were as

and Diane.

being a member of the peanut gallery. However, it appeared

must have

you just say? You’re just a manager.

to your boss. I wish to lodge a complaint. You should

fired!”

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

who made a mistake by offending her. A p*thetic manager had

wants to speak to the

into a smile as he

Hugh?

Diane froze.

where Luther was staring with

rose to

stuck one hand into his pocket and made his

freezing up like a mouse that

stopped breathing and

overwhelming for

was too

instincts told her to stay away from men

even look at