Chapter 7
ANNA S POV
“What? You think I tried to set her on fire?” I sputtered, my voice quivering with disbelief. “That’s completely ridiculous!”
“Why, Anna? Why would you do something like that?” he demanded, his gaze burning into me. “Do you have any idea what this could have done to Jessica? To our baby?”
“Are you for real? I didn’t do anything. Jessica, she… she did it to herself!”
His expression hardened, and he shook his head vehemently. “That’s ridiculous, Anna. Why on earth would Jessica hurt herself while she’s pregnant?”
Before I could even begin to formulate a response, Nate stepped forward, defending
- me.
“I think it’s pretty clear what’s going on here. Jessica’s the one who is lying and
Chapter 7
manipulating the situation to make Anna
look bad.”
Caden fixed Nate with a withering glare. “This is between me and Anna,” he
growled. “Stay out of it.”
Without another word, Caden turned and
guided the still sobbing Jessica away, leaving me standing there, my heart pounding in my chest.
As they walked off, I felt the judgmental stares of everyone in the room on me. They started whispering and murmuring. Were they all blind to have not seen the truth?
I turned to Nate, swallowing hard. “Please, can we just get out of here?”
He nodded as he wrapped a comforting arm around my shoulders. “Come on, let’s get you out of here,” he murmured, guiding me towards the exit.
When we reached outside, I let out a shaky breath, feeling grateful for the cool night air against my flushed skin.
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“I didn’t do it, Nate,” I blurted out. “I swear, I didn’t try to hurt Jessica or her baby. It was all her, she-
He cut me off with a gentle squeeze of my hand. “Hey. I believe you, Anna. I didn’t see the whole thing, but I know you wouldn’t do something like that.”
It was surprising a stranger believed me over my own husband, whom I had lived in the same house with for over five years. “Thank you, Nate. I just can’t believe this is happening. How could Caden believe her over me?”
I could see the anger flickering in his eyes now. “Anna, you need to divorce that scum. He’s not worth your time or your energy. You deserve so much better than this.”
I gave a stiff nod, my mind running about. I had already been considering divorce, but the thought of actually going through with it seemed so daunting. But now, with Caden’s betrayal and Jessica’s malicious lies, I knew that I couldn’t stay in this
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relationship any longer.
“Thank you very much,” I said under my breath.
“Don’t worry; I know the best lawyer in the city who can make sure you are separated from that bastard in no time.”
And just then, my stomach rumbled loudly, reminding me I hadn’t eaten. I forgot that I had to be feeding well for the baby inside
of me.
“I really appreciate that and look forward to that lawyer of yours. But, uh… do you mind. if we stop somewhere to grab a bite to eat? I’m absolutely starving.”
“Of course,” he said, a small smile playing on his lips. “Where would you like to go?”
We pulled up to an expensive but cozy restaurant. I eagerly dug into my meal, enjoying every bite and gobbling everything up. Nate watched me with a bemused expression, his eyebrows raised.
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apter 7
Damn, Anna, you really were hungry, uh?” He teased with a slight frown on his orehead. “Do you always eat like a rhino, r is this a first–time thing? And should I be vorried about you eating the entire estaurant, waiters and all?”
glared at him, my mouth full of chicken. ‘Shut up and let me enjoy my food,” I mumbled, my words muffled.
Nate chuckled, raising his hands in mock surrender. “Alright, alright, I’ll leave you to it,” he said, his gaze softening. “Just don’t forget to breathe in between bites, okay?”
“Mind your business, Mr. Powers.”
We sat there for a while after the food, chatting. One minute he was making me laugh, and the next he was being so infuriating. Did he have bipolar disorder or something?
When we exited the restaurant and got back into the limo, I asked if he could drive me to the house to go pack my things. He
WAITINA
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agreed, and moments later, we pulled up at the driveway of the house Caden and I shared.
As we pulled up to the house, I realized that Caden and Jessica were already home. I turned to Nate, my expression
apprehensive.
“I… I should probably go in alone,” I murmured, my fingers drumming nervously on the car door.
Nate frowned, his lips pressed into a thin line. “Are you sure about that, Anna? You‘ re okay to go face them all by yourself?”
I managed a weak smile. “I’ll be okay. Just wait for me, okay? I’ll be out as soon as I
can.”
With a deep breath, I stepped out of the limousine and made my way towards the front door, praying that I could get in and out without incident. But as I pushed the door open and stepped into the living
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room, I was met with a sight that made
my
blood run cold.
