Chapter 57

It had been such an amazing week, Ana thought and sighed breathlessly. Jack was the most amazing person ever. He had spent all week doing things with her. It was most probably the most amazing week of her life to date.

She had to admit, yes, he had hurt her a lot. The fact that at one point in time, he hadn't trusted her had caused her so much hurt. But he was trying. He had done so much. And Ana was not talking about the gifts.

This asshole sneaked one in every time. She had tried to refuse some but it was of no use. They were living in the same house, in the same room. All he had to do was slip in it her jewelry box.

Ana had stared at a bracelet she couldn't recognize, trying to piece out when exactly she had gotten it. Then it came to her. Jack had given a bracelet and she had refused it. Surprisingly enough, he had not argued. All did was give her some secret smile like he knew something she didn't. She didn't like that smile one bit.

It wasn't that it meant bad. But he was probably planning something mischievous. As he was prone to. And here the bracelet was. As if per magic.

She shook her head as she thought of all that. Jack was a bloody sweet talker if not anything and she knew that if he set his mind to it, she wasn't going to be able to resist much. Especially as she loved him.

It was a wonderful thing. Yes love was beautiful. Especially when it was shared with the right person and Ana damn well knew Jack was the rightest person for her. Maybe she would turn out to be wrong. But for now she knew that Jack was the one for her.

She stretched in bed and frowned when she heard the bell ring. Ana really hoped it want another unpleasant surprise. Or maybe she was hoping too much. Maybe she was hoping that Veronica was at the door, and had changed her mind.

She was hoping that Veronica was here to apologise, take back all the nasty things she had said, say sorry for all the things she had done and promise to be a better mother.

But Ana had gotten used to not getting her way. So she buried that want deep in her soul. In the first test corner of her mind. She didn't want to put up her hopes then have them crash to the floor.

Ana put on a robe and went to the door. She and Jack had decided on no live-in maid. Probably cause they would shock the person with all that went on home. But they did have a cleaner and a cook. Ana was too tired of late to do anything.

So there was no one to open the door. And Ana had to go down all the torturous stairs to reach the front door. She was quickly changing her mind about getting a live-in maid. All this was tasking.

The person at the door rang again. Ana sighed and rolled her eyes. But she was so breathless from the stairs that she couldn't even think of a scathing enough reply so as to stop the person from putting their finger on that bell again.

Ana reached the door, huffing and puffing quite angrily then she pulled it open. The violent what she had on her lips died down when she saw who it was. Landon.

Ana immediately abandoned all murderous thoughts and jumped into his arms. "Landon!" she exclaimed, even though her words were muffled by his chest.

"Yeah I've missed you too princess but don't you think we could get in?" Landon asked with a chuckle.

Ana flushed, then after dragging him in, closed the door. She led him to the living room and after he sat in the sofa, she settled next to him, tucking her feet underneath her legs.

She smiled when their gazes met. Ana hadn't seen Landon since she left the hospital which was two weeks ago. All they had done was call each other and text. And that wasn't done often either.

"How are you?" she asked, staring at him earnestly.

Landon knew why it had always been so easy to give in to Ana. Her eyes. They were so beautiful and they could convince even the most damned man to do her bidding.

He wasn't going to lie to himself and say he was over her. That was actually why he was here. And seeing her gaze turned on him like that was probably the devil tempting him

"I'm good Ana. I was worried about you," he said, and Ana frowned.

"Why though? You know Jack would never let anything happen to me," Ana said matter-of-factly. Before the hurt had time to sink in though, Ana changed the topic, "Speaking of things happening, Veronica was her the other day."

Landon arched a brow at that. "Veronica. Whatever did she want?" he asked.

"She came to scold me. And I might have gone off on her. But I was sooo tired of her always criticizing me. She left. I don't think I'll ever see her again." Ana's tone was wistful but it wasn't sad. It was like she had gotten herself used to the fact that her mother didn't love her as much as she was supposed to.

"But anyways. What's up? What did you come all the way here for?" Ana asked, twisting her facial expression curiously.

"I– I don't want to hurt you in any way by saying this. But I think I should stay away from you for a while," Landon said. Ana frowned

"Why?" she asked. A bit insensitively.

Landon exploded. "Dammit Ana so you really haven't fucking noticed that I'm in love with you? I'm so damned obsessed with you it's not even fucking healthy. For neither of us." He let out a breath after that explosion. "I need a break."

Ana's eyes were glistening with tears. But she didn't dare let them fall. Landon was the one suffering, not her. She knew– no actually, she had suspected Landon had feelings for her. But never this deep.

Or maybe in a perverse way, she had enjoyed his flattering attention while hurting him by paying attention to other men. "How long?" she ventured to ask.

Landon let out a tired sigh. "Does it really matter Ana? I love you. I will always love you. But I need to get over you. It is quite obvious that you and Jack are meant to be together. And I'm not going to be the person who will separate you even though I doubt that would work," he said.

Ana looked at him for a moment. Then she burrowed herself in his arms. She loved Landon. She really did. But not in the way he wanted or needed. Ana wished she could but her heart had chosen Jack and there was absolutely nothing she could do to change it.

"Don't be gone too long okay?" Ana said. She was trying successfully to hold back her tears. She didn't want to make Landon feel bad. She had caused him enough hurt.

"I won't," Landon reassured. Ana held on to him for a while longer then she remembered something. She looked at him

"What was that with that nurse the other day?" she asked, looking at Landon curiously

"What was what?" Landon asked, but Ana knew he wasn't daft. He remembered what she was talking about very well.

"Landon," Ana whined, looking at him crossly. She knew he didn't want to talk about it but it was better to just say so instead of making her salivate like this.

"Fine fine. I.. don't want to talk about it," he said.

"Okay," was Ana's only reply and after gauging her mood, he placed a kiss on her forehead.

"For what is worth, she was pretty," Landon said and Ana's like slipped into a broad smile. This was the first time Landon was complimenting someone seriously next to her.

All Ana hoped was that he went ahead and forgot her. It was strange. Wanting someone to forget you. But this was Landon whom she loved too much to see hurt.

"I wish I could stay longer. But I have to get back to work," Landon said, disentangling their limbs.

"Call me. And I love you Landon," Ana said.

Landon looked down at her. He was sorely tempted to kiss her. But he knew just how bad she would take it and just how disrespectful it would be. So he refrained. Just placed a chaste and brotherly kiss on her forehead instead.

He walked out. It wasn't like he was giving up on their friendship. Landon was not dumb enough to do something like that. But if he stayed in close proximity to Ana, he had no doubt it was going to be extremely hard to get over her. And he needed to. For both their sakes.

***

Ana was in the living room when Jack found her. He had been so reluctant to leave home in the morning. But there were some loose ends her had to tie. For example, firing Lucy, getting a new PA and revising some of the documents he hadn't had the chance to see.

Jack knew one thing. If he had left Lucy in the office, she would have thought she could convince him, even if it was in quite another manner. And he didn't want any problems at all. Of course he hadn't let her go like that. He had given her a bonus and a recommendation.

She could slander him if she wanted but he very much doubted that one bad report was going to make all the people who used his goods and services just turn away from him.

Jack sighed. At least one problem dodged. Now, he wasn't thinking that he and Ana would never have problems. That was quite impossible. But he wanted to minimize the risk in all ways possible. And if firing Lucy was the way to go, then he would o it a hundred times again.

He found Ana on the sofa in the living room. She was sleeping and her light snores were almost inaudible. Jack smiled at the adorable picture she painted.

Then he frowned. He knew she was bored. And he really wished he could remedy to that. Actually he knew could. The timing was the only thing that mattered now.

He walked to her, lifted her into his arms and carried her upstairs. Jack was gentle, making sure not jostle her unnecessarily. But as he was putting her in bed, she had on to his hand.

"Join me baby. Please," Ana said.

She didn't even have to say please. Jack stripped down to his boxers and climbed into bed with the love of his life. Actually, she was his life. Not only the love of his life.

He sighed and stared down at her. Then he placed a soft kiss in between her brows. They were cuddled up like they always did. Ana was the little spoon obviously and Jack's hands were splayed on her tummy

He loved feeling her tummy. When the baby moved, when the baby kicked. He just loved everything about it.

"Landon was here today," she whispered. It was like she didn't want to disrupt that serenity that had settled itself.

"Yeah?" was all Jack said. Usually she didn't tell him about her meetings with Landon but if she included this one, then it was important.

"He told me he loved me." Jack clenched his fists without even realizing it. Ana took them and opened them up slowly. And continued. "And he said that was why he needed to take distance from me. Cause he wants to get over me. So I won't see him for a while."

"I know I'm supposed to be sad you're sad and all that but this is one of the best things I've heard all week," Jack confessed.

Ana flirted with the idea of getting mad at him but before she could make up her mind, she had fallen asleep. Jack stared down at her fondly. He placed a tender kiss on her lips then settled himself better behind her. A little while later, he fell asleep as well.