"I love her," John said confidently taking Anna's hand and wiping away the fresh tears with the other. Melissa's mouth fell open and Anna's heart soar. "What? Are you crazy?"Melissa seethed. "No, I trust my wife.""You, trust her? I didn't raise a fool and she is clearly having sex with someone else in these pictures, what is wrong with you?""I know she would never do anything like this.""But it's right there in front of you! Your wife is on top of someone else.""That is not my wife in those pictures," John said as he smiled at Anna. "What!!" Melissa screamed in fury "Are you crazy?" "I know every inch of my wife's body and I can tell you that is not her body.""You're so blind, She is lying to you, how can you doubt the proof right in front of your eyes.""As I said I trust my wife first and foremost, but the time stamp on the photos says they were taken last week. The woman in this picture does not have a tattoo on her lower back like my wife does. Someone is obviously lyin
Anna didn't sleep that night. Her mind swam with worry. Their marriage was under fire from Isabel's schemes, and Melissa and May were trying to get rid of her by whatever means necessary, it was exhausting. "What am I going to do? She thought as she wiped away a tear "I want John but there is so much against us." She hated these thoughts and worries but the more she tried to push them down the more popped up. John stirred in his sleep and she lovingly ran his eyes over him. He grasped his pillow with his muscular arms and slept on unaware of her turmoil. "I can't lose him," she told herself firmly. "My mother might have been poor but she was brave as hell and wouldn't have believed that I would let this get to me.""Hey," John said sleepily "come back to bed, it's too early to be up.""I will in just a minute." "Nope come back to bed now, or else you'll just sit there all night once I go back to sleep."Anna laughed, "You think so?" "I know so." Anna crawled back into bed and he
"Why didn't you tell me?" John asked raking his hands through his hair "you had every opportunity to tell me this morning and you didn't." "I wanted to but I knew you wouldn't believe me unless I showed you proof." "Why wouldn't I believe you?" "What man is going to believe that his sister is stealing from her employer?""I might have, you didn't even give me a chance," John yelled as he paced inside their house. "You can't keep things from me.""I know, I should have told you." "What else are you keeping from me? I've had a lot to believe you over and I've trusted you, but now you break that same trust by not telling me something really important.""I've had to trust you on things too you know.""I know, you have," John said in a growl."I understand why you are mad, but don't you see why I couldn't tell you till I had proof?""I do," He sighed as his anger began to fade." We both have had to trust each other it just feels like you purposely broke my trust by not telling me."Anna
"You never know what a person will do until they are pushed against the wall," John said as he watched his mother and May walk away. "I can pretty much guess," Anna said as she took John's hand as they walked out of the building."I'm so sorry, it feels like I'm apologizing for them constantly. I don't know what has come over her and May lately. It's like they are different people.""Or maybe you are just really seeing them for the first time?"John closed her door and slid behind the wheel. He rubbed his eyes and Anna could tell that he was tired and worn down. "I guess you might be right." He said looking out the window "there is a part of me that still hopes that the loving family I thought I had growing up actually exists.""I know, I'm sorry.""Why are you sorry? You didn't do anything wrong." Anna felt her conscience bother her as she remembered that she hadn't told John about his mother's affair. She had withheld the information because she'd wanted to confirm it, now it fel
"Anna, Honey I know who doctored the pictures." "Who was it? Isabel?" Anna asked although she knew it was."Actually no, it was Seline. Isabel claims that she thought the pictures were real and brought them to my mother for "help"."Anna was stunned. She'd had a run-in with Seline and she knew that Seline was jealous of the attraction Anthony held for her but she'd never thought she would do this. "So Isabel said Seline was the one who edited the photos?" "Yep, but I think that's a bunch of Sh**. Isabel is in this up to her eyeballs.""I think so too, I think I'm going to go pay Seline a visit though.""Do you want me to come?" "Nope, I can take care of Seline myself.""You sure, I don't want you upset again." "It seems I can't keep from getting upset lately.""I'm sorry hon. Are you okay? With it being Isabel and all?""If I was ever had any doubts about Isabel's intentions I don't know." "I can hear the sadness in your voice." "Old habits die hard I guess. I suppose a part of
The coffee shop was busy but Seline simply gave the huddled masses a bleak look. She hated being here, with the "regular people". She pushed a stray hair back and sighed examining the cup in front of her. She shuddered as she saw that the cup was cracked. Isabel sat down across from her and smiled at the disgusted look on her face."You couldn't pick an upscale place?" Seline asked as she pushed the coffee away. "My family actually owns part of this place thank you." "Figures," Seline muttered as she looked down at her nails. "Listen I know you don't like me, we've had our "disagreements", but I think that we both know why we're here.""You tell me, you called me.""She has been a pain in our a&* for too long and I propose we do something to get rid of the problem," Isabel said with a smile that promised trouble. Seline looked at her and smiled. She and Isabel had never gotten along in high school but she could see that Isabel was just as mad as she was and ready to get even. "S
"Melissa, its Isabel," "Darling! how are you faring in your new house?" "I'm barely getting by, and you guys? I heard about May and I think it is tragic how the wealthy in this country are treated.""That is too true, I can barely think straight.""Well I wanted to let you know that you might want to leave town for a while.""Why?" "Because there are certain pictures that are going to be released on the Town Talk blog that might be uncomfortable for your family. I also don't want you to get blamed for them.""You didn't?" "A reporter on the staff there owed me a favor and I called it in.""I love it!" Melissa said with glee, "May doesn't' have to be at court for two weeks so we can go to the cabin until then. The lawyer will just have to come to us.""Well he should." Isabel said with a laugh"Which pictures are being released?" "All of them." ***"This morning we are bringing you a hot story in the land of the
John raked his hands through his hair and paced. Anna sat in a chair watching him wear a hole in the floor. John was set to go in front of the investors in a few moments and he looked practically sick. "John sit down, wearing a hole in the floor won't change anything." "If I don't, I'll probably hit something." Anna stood and stopped him as he circled back around to her. "Honey stop.""I'm sorry, I'm just…""Worried?""It's okay to admit it. I'm worried too."John sighed and pulled her into his arms resting his hair on her chin. "I'm so sorry, I'm supposed to be your rock, not the other way around.""Please," she huffed against his shirt "you know that's not how that works, we are a team, and we work together.""How did I get so lucky?" He said with a laugh. Anna smiled against his chest and realized that was the first time she'd heard him laugh today. "I love it when you laugh."John leaned back and smiled at her incredulous, "That's what you're worried about right now, I can't b
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
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
"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
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
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
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
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
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
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