LOGINShare
Chapter 36: Conniving Cousin
Last Updated:
2022-09-17 14:09:55Related chapters
Waking Up to Love Chapter 37: The Answer is No
John sighed as he put the phone down. He rubbed his eyes trying to dispel the pain between them. It had been a long day and it was going to get longer thanks to the contracts he had to finish tonight. What had started out as simple contracts had evolved into something much worse. What he wanted was to get Anna and go home. A knock sounded on the door making John cringe."Come in." He yelled.The door opened and Erin stepped inside. "Hi John, can I come in?""What can I do for you?" "I saw your light on and wanted to see if you needed any help." She said with a smile as she pushed her hair back. "I know I'm not your favorite person right now but I wanted to help, we used to be a good team.""We were only a good team when you weren't trying to ruin my marriage.""John, I made a mistake," She said with a sad smile "I used to be the person you talked to when you had problems with work." She made her way across the office and slid the papers toward her. "I could probably help with thes
Last Updated : 2022-09-17Waking Up to Love Chapter 38: Office Hi jinks
The next morning John followed Anna into her office and sat down at the desk. She tapped her pencil against the desktop and stared him down. "I really think this is a bad idea.""Why?" John asked with a raise of one dark eyebrow. "Why shouldn't we use our resources?" "Because I don't know Bess that well and you are the boss sitting here being all intimidating." "Intimidating huh? John said leaning forward on the desk leaning on his bunched up arms. The suit jacket he wore stretched tight over his muscular shoulders and suddenly her mouth went dry. Even though they'd just made love that morning her body responded ferociously, leaving her needy and wanting. "Um yeah…" She stumbled as he stood and came around to her side of the desk. " You are totally intimidating."He knelt down at her feet and put his arms on the sides of her chair boxing her in. "Am I intimidating you now?" "No, "she said breathlessly as he leaned in taking her hand. He began kissing his way up her arm. Pausing t
Last Updated : 2022-09-17Waking Up to Love Chapter 39: Caught You
"Oh my God," Bess said looking at Anna with a sad expression on her face, "How do you know?" "They have done various things, including trying to seduce my husband, so I think that puts them as prime suspects. I just need proof.""Erin was always a bitch so I can believe it, she always thought she was better than anyone else because she was your husband's secretary, just because she was in the big office, no offense.""None taken, "Anna said with a smile, "My husband's office is pretty obnoxiously big." "Better to move around in than our little spaces right?" Bess said with a sly smile.Anna blushed as she realized what Bess must know. "Oh my god, how did you…?""Don't worry about it, I just take care of the security cams in this sector and the cam in your office alerted me when you came in.""Bess....""Hey, I understand, if my husband looked at me like yours looks at you I would take advantage of it too. I switched the cameras off when the action started." Anna smiled and hid the b
Last Updated : 2022-09-17Waking Up to Love Chapter 40: Planning Destruction
Isabel watched the sun going down that night and suddenly hated everything. She hated when things didn't go her way. She screamed and threw the phone. It cracked and for a moment it was almost satisfying enough and then she remembered how expensive the screen was to fix. This just ticked her off even more. "Da*& it!" Isabel pulled a picture of John from her desk drawer and traced his face. She unfolds the bent side of the picture which contains Anna. She glared at her cousin, wishing there was a way to get rid of her permanently. She'd tried to get her to leave but Anna wasn't budging. Isabel growled and ripped the picture in half leaving only John behind. She tossed the picture of Anna in the trash. She hated to think of all the time she'd spent living with the idea of Anna and John together. She'd never understood it. "She wasn't half as pretty as me," Isabel thought "yet he always seemed like he was under a spell when she was around." Isabel had been in love with John since mid
Last Updated : 2022-09-17Waking Up to Love Chapter 41: Get Gone
Morning light shone in the window and Anna paced back and forth across the room. She felt panic unlike any she'd felt since that night in her apartment. She closed her eyes and tried to pretend that things were normal but she knew that this morning was anything but. "You are going to wear a hole in the floor," John said from across the room. "What should I be doing? We are about to confront her about these videos, Erin, the whole thing. I feel sick." "What's the worst that could happen? Come on give me the worst-case scenario.""Isabel tries to rip my heart out with the letter opened." "Really," John said with a raised eyebrow, "I'm just as pI$$ed as you are but I don't think that's going to happen.""You're right," Anna said as she went to sit beside him on the couch. She laid her head on his shoulder and placed a gentle kiss on it. "I am just overreacting.""Hey," He said turning her face up to him. "I'm not going to let anything happen to you." "I know," Anna said with a smile
Last Updated : 2022-09-17Waking Up to Love Chapter 42: Moving On
Anna curled into John's arms as she cried. She wasn't even sure why she was crying, the rational part of her knew that Isabel wasn't worth it. The scared, poor girl that lived in a trailer and looked up to her smart, beautiful cousin was decimated. Isabel had always been what she'd wanted to be, and now even though she knew the dark heart that hid under her skin, she still mourned the loss of the relationship she'd always wanted. "I feel stupid." She said in a small voice "I just kept giving her chance after chance because I didn't want to believe that she would do these things but there is no way to deny it.""We all do it, see the best in those we love, it's a natural human reaction, to seek connection." "But to blindly keep letting her hurt me, what does that say about me?""That you are a loving, kind person.""No, it means I'm gullible," Anna said hiding her face. "Hey," he said tilting her chin up "it's okay to trust people, don't let Isabel kill that in you. If you hadn't b
Last Updated : 2022-09-17Waking Up to Love Chapter 43: Closer to You
"Anna, what's going on?" "I was just thinking about my childhood.""Oh, God, I'm so sorry honey. You know I wouldn't have mentioned it if I knew it would make you sad. "I know, It was almost like I was back there again for a minute. Weird right?""Not at all, it seems like we can't get a break lately.""You? I thought you were never stressed?.""Hey, I'll have you know that the night of our anniversary party was one of the most stressful nights of my life.""Really and why is that?""Seriously Anna, I almost lost you that night. I have a strange feeling that if I'd not managed to explain that night that I might not have seen you again."Anna felt a sick trickle of fear as she realized just how close John was to being right."You wouldn't have let me run away, you like to save people, even from themselves.""Anna.," John said softly as he reached for her hand and they both remembered the night that changed everything. *** "Anna opens the
Last Updated : 2022-09-17Waking Up to Love Chapter 44: A New Plot
The next morning Isabel shook as she paced in the living room. She was so angry but she had to keep it together. She tapped the packet of pictures against her leg and waited. She needed to get Melissa and May on board in order for this to work. Erin had completely betrayed her and now Isabel was living in a tiny four-bedroom house on the edge of town. Anna was not going to get away with this."Darling," Melissa said with a sad look as she walked into the room and held her hands out to her. "You've had an awful time, I've been so worried about you.""I have," Isabel said as she hugged Melissa "you don't know how awful it has been living in such squalor.""It must be horrifying, how many bedrooms did you say you had?""Four," Isabel said quietly as they sat on the couch. She wiped away a tear and grabbed Melissa's hand "It's practically a ghetto.""I can't imagine dear, how can I help you?" "Well I wouldn't ask, but it's just that I love your family so much that I wanted to share this
Last Updated : 2022-09-17
Latest chapter
Waking Up to Love Chapter 78: Epilogue
Six months later Anna still woke up screaming. The counselor said that as time went by and with therapy that the trauma would fade. Anna stared into the mirror and could almost see the bruises that had encircled her neck for two weeks after the accident. She ran her hands over her neck and shivered as the memory of that rainy night came back to her. The times when she woke up screaming were awful but thinking about them while awake was worse. Tears began to fall slowly and she tried to shake them off. Isabel had been damaged in many ways but she was the last member of her family she had and now she was gone. Anna knew she shouldn't cry for her but found herself doing it anyway."Princess, please don't cry," John begged as he slid the door open and wrapped his arms around her. He sat behind her on the bench in front of the mirror encasing her with his body and she leaned back with a sigh."I know I shouldn't but I just can't help it when I think about it.""I'm so sorry, I wish I could
Waking Up to Love Chapter 77: Just in Time
Their screams echoed on the buildings around them as they began to go over the edge. Anna mourned the loss of the life she'd wanted, the one she'd wanted so badly that she'd traveled back in time. Darkness began to swallow them as they started over the edge, but suddenly Anna was jerked back. Isabel's eyes went wide as Anna was jerked away and she lost her grip on Anna. The hand grabbing Anna's shirt was a solid link to safety and Isabel realized this as her hands slid free and she fell into darkness. Anna was pulled back and she saw John's strong hand had been the one holding her. Anna collapsed into John's arms as Isabel's screams died away into the darkness. The thud of her hitting the ground was loud despite the thunder and lightning and in that moment Anna curled into John as the horror seeped into her bones."Anna are you alright?" John panted as his arms wrapped around her as they both slid down the wall to sit in the rain. "It's you I'm worried about, seeing you laying there
Waking Up to Love Chapter 76: The Best Laid Plans
"I don't have anything else to say to you, John already said it all." Isabel laughed, "Wow you are better at pretending than even I thought, how is it not killing you that John and I were in your bed together?""You weren't "Together" John explained it all and Melissa admitted it. ""Amateurs," Isabel said with a grimace as she looked at Anna and shrugged. "I should have done it myself but I needed a little help. The biggest mistake I ever made." Anna found the pulse at John's throat and breathed a sigh of relief. He still didn't stir but she'd been feeling around his head while Isabel was gloating and the large bump behind his left ear was scary beyond belief. She had to do something."No the biggest mistake you ever made was trying to come between us. John loves me and I love him. Nothing is going to change that." Isabel laughed and stood snuffing out the lighted tip of the cigarette she was smoking. "I think I can change his mind. He is so accommodating, isn't he? Allowing me t
Waking Up to Love Chapter 75: Fatal Attraction
Anna pulled away from John and stretched. She walked toward the desk and picked up the papers staring at them. "you know you don't have to do this?" She said as she turned to face him. "I know I don't, but you deserve it and I want to share everything with you, the good and the bad. I want to share all parts of our lives. I've felt like that for a while and having you come work at the company helped but I still didn't feel right.""Why didn't you tell me?""Have you seen our lives in the last few months?""I know right?" Anna laughed as she put the paper down. "It was like the universe was against us."John came and put his arms back around her and pulled her to his chest tucking her under his chin. "We have too much going for us to waste time worrying about the universe. ""How do you do that?" "What?""Make it all sound so logical.""I have to because how else am I going to convince you to stay with me." "I already said I would stay." "But what if you change your mind? All I can
Waking Up to Love Chapter 74: Equals
Anna turned the corner and bumped into John. She'd agreed to come to the office to talk but she hadn't expected him to come out of nowhere. It had been two days since the airport and she wasn't any closer to deciding what to do. She'd had nightmares about it the last two nights and couldn't focus on anything. John had called and asked her to meet him at work and she'd agreed because she needed to move forward somehow. "Anna it's so good to see you." His hand reached out for hers but she pulled back. John flinched, never realizing how much a simple gesture could hurt. He wanted to hold her, to make her believe in him and his love with nothing more than the strength of his love but he knew she wasn't ready for that. "Is it?" She asked looking anywhere but at him. "Anna if you will just listen I know we can make it through this. Look at all the crazy we have dealt with so far." Anna nodded knowing that he was right, but she just couldn't shut up that nasty little voice inside her own
Waking Up to Love Chapter 73: Get Out
John walked slowly inside, trying to keep himself from hitting them. He wanted more than anything to hit them all. All three of them had worked hard to ruin his life and he was holding onto his temper by a thread. He sat down and leaned forward putting his hands on his knees. He rubbed his eyes with his hands hoping that he had the strength not to act on the anger burning inside him "Why are you here? Was I not clear when I told you to stay away from me and Anna?"Melissa sniffed, "I knew you were not serious. So I let myself in." "Mother, you are not listening! Get it through your privileged head, I want you to stay out of my life. You have probably ruined any chance I have with Anna."Melissa looked at him in shock. "You were serious? I thought you were just angry, I know how you get.""Let me set you straight once and for all. I love Anna, I would give up anything and anyone for her. You three harpies are like a plague on my life. I want you out of it.""John, why are you being s
Waking Up to Love Chapter 72: Making Hard Choices
John's face fell as she spoke. Anna wanted to reassure him it would all be alright but she wasn't sure it would be. She was so tired of fighting what now felt like fate. She just couldn't figure out why she'd been given another chance if this is how it was going to end. "Please stay a few days, at least let's talk it through." He begged, unashamed."Will it make a difference John?" Anna asked as she wiped tears from her eyes. "It's as if the universe is conspiring against us." " I never took you for the type to give up so easily.""Easy? Do you think this is easy? I feel like my insides are being torn out.""I know," he said softly putting calming hands toward her "I just want you to fight for us.""I've been fighting for us since the day we met and I'm tired, John.""So you're just going to get on a plane and disappear?" "Are you going to grab me again if I try?"If I have to."Anna smiled at that but sighed and turned fully toward him. "I guess I could give it a few days, but I ca
Waking Up to Love Chapter 71: Please Stay
Melissa paced, her heels clicking on the neutral linoleum on the floor. She viciously rubbed her arms wrinkling the expensive fabric of her shirt but she didn't seem to notice. "I'm not sure what you want me to say.""How about the truth?" I know it is a foreign concept to you but I really need you to tell her.""John is there any need? Why don't you let her go, you have Isabel now.""Mother! " John screamed "stop it, I don't "Have" Isabel, tell her the truth!" His hand slammed his hand down on the small table and it jumped and almost toppled. Melissa turned and looked at John in shock. "How dare you talk to me like that?""Easy!" John shouted, "I refuse to let your lies end the most important thing in my life."Melissa gasped as the anger in John's voice vibrated around the room. "Fine," She said in a huff as she turned to face Anna. "John doesn't "Have" Isabel." "What does that mean exactly?" Anna said as she stood and stepped toward Melissa. "Well, It means that John and Isabel
Waking Up to Love Chapter 70: Leaving Asheville
Anna sat nervously at the gate, she'd told Bess she didn't want anyone to wait with her but now she was regretting that decision. She stood and walked over to the window watching the plains taking off and landing and felt more hopeless than ever. She had grown to love Asheville in the time she'd lived here. Even before the original timeline, she grew to love it. Now watching the skyline from the wall of windows at the airport it was as if the skyline of the city was waving goodbye. Her heart ached but she turned away. They called boarding and Anna grabbed her bag and went to wait in line. She kept her head down wanting to shut the world out. She kept to herself and didn't' talk to anyone because right now she didn't want to interact with anyone. Anna felt like she was stuck in her own world and she liked it. Heartbreak was a good companion when your world was falling apart. Anna was about to hand her ticket in when she heard her name being called."Anna!" "Anna wait!" the voice screa
