The bidding for the event starts and the families of aristocrat begin to bid ridiculous amount of funds in aguise that it will be used for charity but each one of us in this room knows what it really is for and that'sjust another way to discreetly flaunt who's pocket is bigger than the other on ridiculous set of products.Once the bidding is over, Ryan looks the most happy at the happy. Most of his bruises are mostly gone onthe outside, only that I know the bruise on his ego is still very much intact.I sit there and watch them all converse and let out fake laughter's, I don't indulge any conversation, Ikeep it as short as I possibly can or I ignore it altogether.Ryan goes on to do lots of things that prick at my chest and spike my irritation up a notch but I ignore itand fix on a small lazy smile to humour him since that's what we are here for.He goes on to whisper so close to my ear that his lips was almost kissing them and then he goes ahead tokiss each of my fingers and wr
โWhat the fuck did you just say?โ I ask her yelling in return.โHow dare you push me you fucking whore.โ Scarlett shrieks at the tiny spill of my drink on my dresswhich wouldn't have happened if she had just left me the fuck alone when I was being nice.Scarlett grabs my hair in seconds, since she was hell bent on being nasty and was trying so hard to get inmy face, I down my entire glass of drink onto her head.Scarlett shrieks in sheer horror as she lands a slap to my face, I don't wait a second later to return thefavor in full as when I start, I do not stop. I take out all the anger with me. The violent urge to punch myfrustration out on someone finally comes to life as I push a screaming Scarlett to the ground, climb ontop of her and land slap after slap upon her face.A large hand tries to get me off of her but I fight the hand trying to get me off her. My vision is only able tosee red.โAna, Ana, let go of her.โ I distinctly hear Ryan's voice yell as the screaming of w
โLet's go home.โ Ryan orders when Isabella is done with her rant, I think.โGo home?โ Isabella asks in disbelieve. โYou are not going to reate a situation and then run home. Wehave control damage to atleast do.โ Isabella says and I cannot believe her right now.โWe are going back to the party. Anastasia atleast I hope you make makes yourself look presentable.โIsabella says glaring hard at my hair before walking away, Bianca does the same too before walking away.I'm left with just Ryan and we both settle into silence. I know he doesn't deserve my apology and Scarlettdeserved every slap I painted her face with but I feel guilty staring at him look so lost when I have seenhow desperately hard he tries to impress his parents, especially since he's quiet and not screaming myhead off. I better take the opportunity to take precaution.โI'm sorry.โ I tell Ryan who spares me just a side glance before hissing through his teeth.โI'll be waiting for you out here.โ Is all he says as h
The next week go peacefully by but not with the raging anxiety to atleast see Maxwell for myself andknow how he's doing. I feel so lonely knowing he's vulnerable somewhere alone and I cannot be withhim.That is why I spend the entire week devicing a plan to get find out where he is first hand and I will startby checking his father's place. After work that day I head into Mr. Jaxon's mansion making sure to comeon a week day when Mr. Jaxon will be at work and Bianca would have gone to one of her women's club.I see the house help on my in and I greet her but then she keeps warily watching me.โMa'am Ana, I'm sorry but you can be here.โ She tells me worriedly and I smile at her.โWhy not, I used to live here right, I just want to get a few important things I left behind before leaving.โI tell her softly trying to ease her worry but she shakes her head at me.โYou don't get it ma'am, you really can't be here, I will get in trouble or worse lose my job, MadamBianca ordered that-โ The
Max's POV When I peel my eyes open, the blinding brightness of the room forces my eyelids back shut. Pain, every part of me is in pain. The beeping monitor in the room forces the doctors into the room as the crowd me and suffocate me. It makes me panic even more. โwhatโs happening?โ I think to myself trying hard to remember what happened. I try to trace my memory back in the midst of all the silence, last I remember I was rushing to work after a late night with Ana but then that's all I remember. โHe's going into shock.โ I distinctly hear one of the doctors yell and after a long while I hear one of the doctors sigh. โHe's stable now, get his parents, he'll be awake any moment from now.โ The doctor says and I try to force myself to tell him I'm already awake but to no avail. The doctors go in and out and I do not know how long I lay there for being unable to move, peel my eyes open or even speak. The doctors return to the room and I hear them get busy around. One of the d
Max's POVWhen I peel my eyes open, the blinding brightness of the room forces my eyelids back shut. Pain, everypart of me is in pain.The beeping monitor in the room forces the doctors into the room as the crowd me and suffocate me. Itmakes me panic even more.โwhatโs happening?โ I think to myself trying hard to remember what happened. I try to trace my memoryback in the midst of all the silence, last I remember I was rushing to work after a late night with Ana butthen that's all I remember.โHe's going into shock.โ I distinctly hear one of the doctors yell and after a long while I hear one of thedoctors sigh.โHe's stable now, get his parents, he'll be awake any moment from now.โ The doctor says and I try toforce myself to tell him I'm already awake but to no avail.The doctors go in and out and I do not know how long I lay there for being unable to move, peel my eyesopen or even speak.The doctors return to the room and I hear them get busy around. One of the doctors suddenl
I shake my head in denial. Ana would never do something like that. She loves me, she must have wantedto see me so bad.โMaxwell hun, calm down please.โ Scarlett says in panic beside me. โAna, Ana she has changed so much,she told the media that you and her have nothing together.โ Scarlett tells me pulling out her phone to showme something.There the love of my life is on Tv standing beside Ryan as they both smile lovingly at each other.โI'm so sorry son.โ My father tells me, his hand on my shoulders.I refuse to believe them at any cost, I must speak to Ana myself. I force myself to say again.โCall Ana.โ I croak again weakly pretty sure that the veins in my face and neck were protruding with howmuch effort it took me to speak.โAna's no picking up, actually the her husband's family has this celebratory dinner to congratulate themfor coming back together so Ana might not be able to return my calls until after.โ Bianca tells me sadlyand I wish I could throw something at the wall
The morning I am too be discharged. I'm extra pissed off about having to be put on put on a wheel chairso I go around barking at all the nurses who come to help me in it, claiming I can do it myself.โCome on son, it's not that much of a bad idea.โ My father tells me as he stares at me in annoyancealready tired of my regular outbursts.โWell I'm sure you will love to say that again next time when you get hit by a truck and have to sit in awheel chair.โ I throw at him also in annoyance.Bianca gasps at my choice of words. โYou don't have to be so mean to everybody we are only trying tohelp you here.โ Bianca says, annoyance written all over her face and I look at her with a small smile.โAha, this are the parents I know, I'm so happy to have you back.โ I tell the two of them.Scarlett gasps loudly at my choice of words. โMaxwel.โ She calls in a scolding manner and Bianca beginsto cry.โWhat did we ever do to deserve such ungrateful kids Jaxon. We do our very best to support and pro
โI'm so sorry Anastasia.โ I hear Maxwell whisper, still not looking at me but I can see the glistening oftears in his eyes. โYou might never forgive me but I'm so sorry Ana, I should have known you wouldn'thave done something like that, I should have trusted you.โ Maxwell says and I wanted nothing more thanto be in his arms in these times.โNo, I lied, you were in pain and you were being manipulated.โ I say, I was hurt and I wasn't about to healanytime soon but Maxwell was as much as a victim in this, I have no idea how he must have felt all thetime he spent thinking the woman he loved killed his child.1โThank you so much Ana, he's the greatest gift and redemption.โ Maxwell says sniffling so hard.I hold my hand out towards him. โCome here.โ I whisper, my own eyes glistening with tears.Maxwell slowly walks towards me like he was carrying the whole world on his shoulders. He kneels infront of me.I hold his broad shoulders closer to me and Maxwell looks like a child whose guil
โOh God,โ I mutter to myself when I suddenly feel a hard push on my abdomen.โYou have got to be kidding me.โ I whisper to myself when I feel water underneath my thighs.What was happening? Panic suddenly filled my every pore. I felt more fear than I did the overwhelmingpain in my very gut.I needed help and fast, the baby was coming. I groan out loud and try to push myself up when another bultof pain decided to rack through my body.โAna? Ana!!โ I hear screams of my name coming from outside of the house, my already pulsing heartnearly stopped the moment I recognized who the voice belonged to.โMaxwell.โ I whisper to myself, too weak to speak any louder.โAna.โ Loud footsteps march past the open wide doors and a disheveled looking Maxwell stands directlyin front of me.Confusion takes over his features first and then shock as his eyes access the situation and mess in theroom and then fear as he watches me bleeding out on the floor.โAna?โ He calls running towards me. โWhat happen
โWhat did you just say to me?โ Ryan asks, clicking the gun at me.โWhat, you can dish out food but you can't eat it?โ I ask him. โI said you are a daddy pleasing bastard youknow that or don't you?โ I say and Ryan angrily takes long strides towards me, pointing the gun directlytowards the side of my head and I glare at him instead of shrinking away in fear.โDo you know what will happen to entire family if Dominic Garcia finds out something happened to mein your home, you could have it all covered up with the law but he will find you at the end of the day andhe won't stop until you are rotting six feeth underneath.โ I stubbornly state, I wasn't so sure about all that Ijust said but one thing I knew was Dominic Garcia was immensely protective for a reason quite unknownto me.Ryan needed me so I knew he wouldn't pull the trigger unless his bipolar self and easily angeredtemperament was too much for him to handle.โRyan please stop.โ Beatrice begs coming to put a hold on Ryan's sho
โThat's good.โ I mutter tiredly, seeing them all go down the drain was all I wanted but now it's actuallyhappening, I'm not that too interested.โI think a warrant should be going out for both your mother and step father any moment from now. This isbig Ana. Are you okay?โ Jersey asks me in concern.โYeah I guess.โ Jersey says.โI'm going to bed.โ Jersey says and I know she's only saying that because she feels the need to give mespace.โThank you Jersey.โ I tell her as she walks away and she gives me a smile.โAnytime Ana.โ Jersey says.The next morning, I make up my mind but first, I'm making sure to get an official divorce from Ryan, Idon't want to forever feel like I'm in a bondage no matter how far I run. I want to be certain nothing holdsus together anymore.โJersey I'm going out.โ I tell her, getting my keys.โWhere are you going?โ Jersey asks knowing the store was closed for a long while.โTo Ryan's, I'm going to get a divorce.โ I tell Jersey determined as I step out of the
โWhat did you just say to me?โ Ryan asks, clicking the gun at me.โWhat, you can dish out food but you can't eat it?โ I ask him. โI said you are a daddy pleasing bastard youknow that or don't you?โ I say and Ryan angrily takes long strides towards me, pointing the gun directlytowards the side of my head and I glare at him instead of shrinking away in fear.โDo you know what will happen to entire family if Dominic Garcia finds out something happened to mein your home, you could have it all covered up with the law but he will find you at the end of the day andhe won't stop until you are rotting six feeth underneath.โ I stubbornly state, I wasn't so sure about all that Ijust said but one thing I knew was Dominic Garcia was immensely protective for a reason quite unknownto me.Ryan needed me so I knew he wouldn't pull the trigger unless his bipolar self and easily angeredtemperament was too much for him to handle.โRyan please stop.โ Beatrice begs coming to put a hold on Ryan's sho
โYou fucking bitch, you really are out of your mind.โ Ryan shouts at the top of his voice.โDo you have any idea what you have done, my entire life and family is in jeopardy, you will fix thischaos as soon as possible.โ Ryan yells. โYour parents have been arrested, what kind of daughter are you?โRyan asks staring at me in disbelieve and I scoff out loud.โYou must have some sort of fucked up audacity to that to me Ryan.โ I hiss at him. โYou all used me tothe very last drop and then you framed me up to leave me to rot away and you thought I was going to sitby and watch it all happen, you fucking bastard.โ I calmly tell Ryan.โDid you fuck him? Is that how cheap and desperate you were.โ Ryan accuses.โI owe you no sort of explanation Ryan, you think whatever you want to, that's your problem. Sign theGoddamn papers.โ I instruct pushing the papers towards him.Ryan picks the paper up, tearing it up into pieces while glaring harshly at me.โYou are still my wife Ana, and you belong to
"That's good," I mutter tiredly. Seeing everything fall apart was all I wanted for so long, but now that it's actually happening, I find myself less interested than I expected.Jersey, standing across from me, studies my face carefully. "I think a warrant should be going out for both your mother and stepfather any moment now," she says quietly, her voice carrying a seriousness that matches the situation. "This is big, Ana. Are you okay?"I shrug, unsure how to answer. The truth is, I don't know what Iโm feeling anymore. "Yeah, I guess," I say after a moment, trying to convince myself as much as her.Jersey doesn't seem to buy it. She watches me with concern, her brow furrowed. โYou sure? Itโs okay if youโre not, you know. This is... itโs a lot.โ"Yeah," I repeat, softer this time. โIโm fine.โThereโs a pause, thick and uncomfortable. Jersey looks like she wants to say something more, but instead, she rubs the back of her neck awkwardly. "I'm going to bed," she announces, and I know sh
โI would love to come along with you Ana, I don't think I've told you this before but I love to explore, I'vealways wanted to leave the country, relocate somewhere else, besides it's not like I have anything backhere or a family I'll miss. My job is the only thing I have and my job lies with you.โ Jersey says chucklingand I let out a sad chuckles of my own.โBut what about the business?โ Jersey asks and I shrug in answer.โI have no idea but each step at a time, if I do decide to leave, we'll figure it out, together.โ I say holdingJersey's hand closely to mine. I cannot possibly explain the relieve and joy that came at her answer, I feltwarm all over. I just needed Beatrice to also agree to come with me, I was not sure I was comfortable withleaving her behind with Ryan. She had motherly affection for Ryan so I would respect whatever decisionshe would make.Another thought immediately crosses my mind and I turn to Jersey with a mischievous smile on my face.โYou know, I was also
Another thought immediately crosses my mind, and I canโt help the mischievous smile that spreads across my face. Jersey notices, raising an eyebrow slightly as I turn toward her. "You know," I begin, "I've been thinking." My voice has a playful lilt to it, though what Iโm about to say is anything but a joke. "Youโre really good at what you do in the jewelry business. Like, really good. Youโve been doing this longer than I have, and you know more about the inner workings than I ever could."Jersey's expression remains calm, though I can tell sheโs wondering where this conversation is heading. She nods, a quiet acknowledgment of the compliment, but itโs clear sheโs holding back a response, waiting for me to get to the point."You've taken care of the store long before I ever set foot in it," I continue, "and on top of that, youโve always been the one looking out for everyone. You care so much about this place and the people in it." I pause, letting the words settle for a moment. โWith