All Chapters of The Calm After the Storm: Chapter 21 - Chapter 24

Anna and her mother were led to me by Walter's guys. The old lady in front of me was almost unrecognizable as Anna's mom. She wore dark clothes, had no makeup on, and her face was lined with age. Her hair was streaked with gray, making her look like she was in her sixties or seventies. Anna looked worn out too, nothing like the fresh-faced girl she used to be. They had been through so much in less than two years. Seeing them like that, I felt a weird mix of joy and sadness. Walter and Matthias used to spoil Anna rotten and treat her mom with so much respect.I had been pushed aside and given a tough time because of how much the pair favored the Joneses.However, they turned on Anna and her mom so fast after I left. Their feelings were so fickle. Honestly, I really did not like Anna and her mom. I could not stand them. However, I could not stand Walter and Matthias even more. If Anna and her mom were mean, Walter and Matthias were just dumb and full of themselves, making

I was already back in my home country before my mom’s deathday.On that day, Matthias showed up at the hotel lobby early to go with me to Mom's grave.We parked outside the graveyard and walked in together.He bought a lot of flowers, as if he was making up for missing her special day two years ago.Mom's picture on the stone still had her sweet, gentle smile.The wind played with my dress as I held the trophy from the competition and chatted with Mom.Matthias was quiet the whole time, just standing off to the side.When we left, I could not stop the tears.With teary eyes, Matthias asked me, "Emma, is there nothing Walter and I can do to make things right with you?"I dried my eyes and said calmly, "I can forgive you."Just don't show your faces to me ever again.”I would never forget the hard times, and things could not go back to how they once were.The hurt was gone, but the scars were still there.I did not want to spend my life angry.I decided to forget, look ahea