Chapter 5
Annie stood up, her smile fading away.
But soon, she put on her delicate, proud look again. "You're right. I never shared those struggles with Andrew. But does that even matter?
"He's holding and kissing me now, and the baby he wants to keep is mine.
"Whatever happened in the past, it's history now."
The woman behind her hadn't said a word, but she was smiling.
That smile made me feel uncomfortable.
It wasn't the kind of youthful, bold pride Annie had. It was a deeper, more hidden satisfaction.
It was as if she was watching a drama where she already knew how it would end.
"The bodyguards at the door are Andrew's men, sure," I said, walking over to the coffee table and picking up a glass of water. "But the deed to this house is in my name."
I lifted the glass and deliberately poured the water onto Annie's dress.
The bodyguards rushed in, but Grace stopped them six feet away.
"Get out," I said, putting the glass back on the table. "Next time you barge into my house with a key, I'll break your legs. Pregnant or not, it won't make a difference."
Annie stood soaking wet in the center of the living room.
She opened her mouth to say something, but the woman behind her pulled her back, cutting her off.
The woman dragged Annie by the arm toward the door. As they passed me, she glanced at me.
Her gaze was complex, sharp, and carried a deep, piercing scrutiny.
It was as if she was sizing up someone she'd known for a long time, but had never really looked at up close.
"Let's go," she said, dragging Annie out the door.
After the door closed, Grace let out a sigh of relief. "Anna, who was that woman?"
"I don't know," I said.
But my gut told me she was the one who really mattered today.
Annie was just a pawn in her game.
*****
That night, Andrew came back.
This time, he wasn't alone. More than a dozen men, all dressed in black suits, stood in a silent line across the living room.
He sat at one end of the dining table, and I sat at the other. There was a six-foot-wide marble tabletop between us.
He tapped his fingers on the table. "Anna, you laid hands on Annie again today."
I leaned back in my chair. "She showed up on her own. I didn't invite her."
"She's pregnant, and you poured water on her? What if something happened to her or the baby?"
"Then she shouldn't have come."
"Anna," Andrew said, his voice dropping low. "I'm telling you for the last time. Don't lay hands on Annie."
"Suit yourself, but whether I listen or not is my call."
Andrew fell silent.
We stared each other down across the table.
The dozen or so men behind him stood motionless, like a wall.
I had my own crew, too.
Grace was right behind me with a few people at her side.
We were outnumbered, but not a single one of us backed down.
"Andrew, what's with all these guys? Are you here to force me to apologize to Annie?" I asked.
"I want to have a real conversation with you," he said.
"About what?"
"About how we're going to live from now on."
He pulled a cigarette pack from his pocket and tapped one out. "I'm not divorcing you, and I'm not letting Annie go.
"There's no room for discussion on these two things.
"The best I can do is make sure she doesn't show up in front of you. You two should stay out of each other's business.
I watched as he lit his cigarette.
As the smoke drifted my way, I lit one myself. "It's my turn now.
"During those ten years while you were in prison, I visited you every winter. I had to transfer buses three times just to get there. One year, the roads were snowed in, and I walked four hours just to visit you.
"After you got out, I stuck with you through everything—from working construction sites to office jobs, from sharing a tiny apartment to finally moving into this villa.
"When debt collectors were after you and had a knife to your throat, I put myself up as a hostage and negotiated with them.
"I lost our baby at seven months. The doctor said it would be very difficult for me to ever get pregnant again.
"Andrew, what right do you have to ask me to stay out of Annie's business?"
I flicked my cigarette ash onto the table. "When I married you, you told me something.
"You said our marriage would only end if one of us died.
"I believed you.
"Now you're changing the rules?
"You want the two of us to stay out of each other's business?"
I pulled the divorce agreement out from under the table and placed it in front of him for the third time. "Sign it, and whoever you want to be with won't concern me anymore.
"If you don't, then there's only one lady of the house. It's up to you."
Andrew stared at the divorce agreement.
The cigarette burned down to the end, burning his fingers.
He stubbed out his cigarette on the table and picked up the agreement.
I thought he was going to read it, but he pulled out a lighter.
With a click, the flame caught the edge of the paper. The divorce agreement turned to ash in his hand.
The ashes were scattered across the six-foot table.
He stood up. "Annie won't come looking for you anymore. I'll take the key back.
"But Anna, stop digging into this.
"Some things need to stay buried."
Andrew strode out, his crew trailing behind him.
The moment the door slammed shut, a stabbing pain shot through my abdomen.
Grace rushed over and grabbed me. "Anna!"
Same old problem.
Ever since I lost the baby three years ago, every time my emotions got out of control, the pain would flare up.
The best doctors had examined me. They said it was both psychological and physical, and there was no real fix for it.
I hunched over, resting my forehead on the cold marble table. Bit by bit, my breathing calmed down.
Right then, Ethan called. "Anna, I found out Annie's real name."
I picked up. "Go on."
"Her real name is Annie Wells. Three years ago, she moved out of Northport, changed her name to Annie Scott, and settled in Metropolis."
"Annie Wells?"
"Yeah. Her mother's name is—"
The call was suddenly disconnected.
I called Ethan right back.
His phone was off.
I called five times, but every time, his phone was still off.
I sat in my chair, my finger hovering over the screen for ten seconds. Then I called Ethan's assistant.
"Mr. Ford just had an incident," the assistant said, voice shaky. "Someone came over and confiscated all his equipment."
"Who was it?" I asked.
"No idea, but they said they were sent by Mr. Grant."
I hung up.
Andrew told me to stop digging, but I ignored him. So he made a move on my people.
I leaned back in my chair and felt the urge to laugh, but nothing came out.
Back then, he was ready to kill for me with a steel pipe.
Now, for Annie, he could take down the person I trusted most.
What was this, really?
Was it love, or was it betrayal?