Chapter 63
Anna’s POV:
Pure instinct took over as 1 twisted and fought against my captor until I broke free.
I spun around, ready to scream, and found myself face to face with Seth.
“What the hell is wrong with you? 1 hissed, backing against the wall and gulping air. “Are you insane? What kind of stunt is this?”
Seth stood before me in a perfectly tailored black suit, his usually unruly hair slicked back with gel. It had grown longer in the two weeks since I’d last seen hin
He planted his hands on the wall on either side of me, creating an invisible cage.
He looked at me with an expression that was hard to read, his face showing more pain than mine. He stared at me for a long time, but not a single word came out..)
Then hit me–when we were kids, my mom was always so good to him. He’d come over to play, and she’d whip up desserts for
him.
I found myself trying to comfort him. “Don’t be so sad. Everyone has their own fate.”
Without warning, Seth pulled me into a tight embrace. “Anna, stop holding it in. If you need to cry, just cry. Use my shoulder.”
I couldn’t help but find it darkly amusing. Everyone–from William and Caroline yesterday to Seth now–seemed convinced I was on the verge of tears.
I pushed him away, keeping my voice flat. “I don’t need to cry. If you’re upset, feel free to have your moment here. I need to get back inside. They can’t manage without me.”
I turned to leave, but Seth grabbed my arm.
“Anna, why didn’t you tell me what you were going through?” His brow furrowed with concern. “If I’d known Lillian was sick, I wouldn’t have made things harder for you. Why didn’t you come to me when you needed help?”
I yanked my arm free and stepped back. “She didn’t die from illness. That’s just what we’re telling outsiders. The truth is, my
mom died in a car accident.”
The weight of guilt I’d been carrying crashed down on me as I continued, “It had nothing to do with you. I was being childish and made her angry. I upset her so much that she wasn’t thinking clearly when she got behind the wheel. I’m the one responsible.
For the first time since it happened, I’d confessed my deepest shame to someone. My eyes burned with unshed tears. I tilted my head back, blinking rapidly to keep them from falling.
Seth suddenly pulled me into another fierce hug, the motion so quick it almost gave me whiplash.
“You know what?” His voice was low in my ear. “You’re the most stubborn woman I’ve ever met, Anna Anderson.”
As he dipped his head, his lips brushed against my cheek, his warm breath skimming my skin before he bu of my neck.
his face in the crook
I froze, my mind going blank. The scent of his mint aftershave enveloped me. Had he just accidentally kissed me?
“Seth, let go of me…” I pushed against his shoulders, but he didn’t budge.
1/3
Chapter 63
“Anna, how can you be so cruet?” The pain in his voice was raw. “Weren’t we the ones who met first? Twenty years. We’ve known each other for twenty years.”
I struggled harder, but Seth on held me tighter, his hand gently patting my back the way I used to comfort him when we were
kids.
“You know, on your wedding day, I sat in my car and got drunk,” he said with a bitter laugh. “Just trying to understand why it was Ahim and not me.”
Seth loosened his grip enough to look directly into my eyes. “Everyone around me is talking about your divorce. I thought you were finally leaving Blake. Why are you going back to him now?”
I couldn’t speak, I couldn’t tell him the real reason. All I could do was look away.
Seth abruptly released me and stepped back, eyes downcast to hide his emotions. “Forget it,” he said coldly.
theryway
He laughed, but there was no humor in it. “You’ve never really seen me, have you?”
He turned to leave. “Anna, I’m not trying to disrupt your life. Just pretend you never heard any of this. I must be out of my mind!”
I watched his tall figure walk away, still feeling the lingering warmth of his embrace. The boy I used to tease had grown into a man with his own ambitions and accomplishments.
Henry’s words from the other day suddenly made sense: “You can’t give Seth what he wants.”
“Seth!” I called out.
He stopped but didn’t turn around. The line of his shoulders was tense, waiting.
“Seth,” I said evenly, “what I want, you can’t give me either.”
His silhouette wavered slightly. A bitter laugh escaped him. “Still think I’m not good enough, huh?” He looked back, his eyes flashing with defiance. “It’s fine, Anna. Just wait and see, someday… Never mind. I’m going to pay my respects to Lillian.”
After he left, I slid down the wall until I was crouching, rubbing my stinging nose, fighting the urge to cry.
What right do I have to cry? I killed my mother. If I cried now, I couldn’t even forgive myself.
I took several deep breaths, composed myself, and stood. I smoothed my dress and prepared to return to the memorial.
As I turned to head back, I froze. Blake was standing in my path, eyes narrowed, his jawline sharp with tension.
He leaped against the wall, one hand in his pocket.
It was clear he’d been there for some time. His entire body radiated iciness. Shadows played across his high–bridged nose, making his expression unreadable.
I couldn’t decipher anything in those glacial blue eyes.
Trying to appear calm, I called softly, “Blake? Why are you out here? Can they manage without you i
2
Blake’s lips curled into that familiar smirk, the one tinged with contempt.
“How touching,” he said, his voice dangerously quiet. “I was wondering why you suddenly became so obedient. Turns out you’ve just been using me as a tool.”
2/3
Chapter 63
My heart skipped a beat. Blake had heard everything–about my mother’s death, about our marriage, about Seth.
Blake’s gaze cut like a knife. “Let’s go back, Mrs. Wright. Your performance must continue.”
Chapter Comments
おな
LIKE
POST COMMENT NOW
C