Ch. 401..410

Chapter 401

In the past, I merely wanted my child back, but my hatred toward the Shaw family grew as time passed. I could not forget how I had been waking up crying amidst my yearning for my child every day in the past year.

“Anna, you're my wife, yet you're helping outsiders to oppress my company?”

Michael's brows were creased slightly, and his eyes radiated faint fury as he stared at me.

Upon hearing that, I could not help guffawing. I looked at him with a derisive expression on my face. “Wife? Don't tell me you've forgotten that we're divorced? We're no more than strangers at present!”

The events of my meeting with him that day had been wholly contrary to my expectations. I initially thought he would be livid to see me, assuming that I would be the last person he wanted to see in his lifetime. From his reaction, however, I sensed that it was not the case.

The instant I mentioned the word “divorce,” his expression changed in a flash, rage blazing in his eyes that were pinned on me.

“Are you that eager to be strangers with me? Anna, it's just been a year, but I never expected you to have changed so much!”

Michael's countenance was glacial, his words coming out in a near bellow. I could sense that he was really enraged at that moment, but I was not bothered.

We no longer had anything to do with each other anymore, so there was no need for me to soften my attitude toward him when he was ruthless to me back then. Speaking of changing, no one changed

more than him. I initially thought that the two of us would be together forever, living happily ever after as a family of three, but he let me down. After signing the divorce agreement, he disappeared without a trace. How callous was his treatment of me back then! I could not help but wonder if he harbored even a shred of reluctance when we had been together for such a long time.

“I'm here today to inform you that Nifty Group has been officially established in the country. Starting today, I'm going to poach every single client of Joyful Success! I want to witness Joyful Success being gobbled up by our company!”

As I loathed to dwell on memories long past, I stood up to leave after uttering those words placidly.

Click-clacking toward the door in my high heels, I was about to leave the room when a hand gripped my arm. In the next second, I was tugged backward, and Michael hugged me tightly.

Startled, I wanted to push him away, but his lips captured mine before I could do anything.

I sensed a warm sensation on my lips, followed by the familiar taste of him pervading my mouth. The second he touched me, my heart pounded wildly. I thought hatred was all I had left for him, but only then did I realize that I could not forget him.

With all my might, I attempted to struggle out of his grasp. At that moment, I did not only hate him, but I detested myself even more. I hated myself for being so useless that my heart would still race because of him despite him having hurt me so deeply.

You deserve to suffer, Anna Garcia!

Despising my current self, I chastised myself inwardly.

However, Michael had no intention of letting me go. His hold on me tightened, hugging me so forcefully that it was as though he wanted to meld me into him.

I hated him with a vengeance. Even though I knew I still had him in my heart, I would never forget how he hurt me.

As he forced a kiss on me, I could not break free with my puny strength. Left with no other choice, I could only bite his lip hard.

As pain assailed Michael, he abruptly released his grip on me and brushed a long, slender finger across his lips. When he glimpsed the blood on his finger, his expression went cold.

He was about to speak, but I did not give him that opportunity. Before he could utter a single word, I struck him hard across the face.

I put a lot of strength into that slap as though venting the loathing with me.

“You're utterly shameless!”

After spatting those words, I snagged my bag and stalked away, afraid that he would do something else to me.

When I left Joyful Success, many people fastened their gazes on me. While I was there in the past, a lot of things happened. Everyone knew about my marriage to Michael, but I had no idea how many of them knew about our divorce.

As I walked past them, a lot of them started whispering among themselves, but I did not care a whit whatever they were saying. I was no longer the same person I was in the past, and I would not allow my mood to be affected by insignificant people.

Having left Joyful Success, I strolled along the street alone. For some inexplicable reason, I felt empty on the inside. At the same time, Michael's handsome face lingered in my mind.

During the year I had been abroad, I reminded myself every day that I hated him, yet a simple action of his shook my resolve. Verily, I was annoyed at myself for being so uncommitted.

My phone rang out of the blue, interrupting my train of thought. I took out the phone, my brows knitting together when I saw that it was a call from Nicholas. Nonetheless, I still answered it in the end.

“Hello.”

I took a deep breath, doing my best to make myself sound calm and unruffled.

“How did you feel when you saw Michael? Has your resolve wavered, and you can no longer bring yourself to go up against Joyful Success?”

Nicholas' voice sounded from the other end of the line. His voice was still mild, but it carried a hint of warning.

I knew what he was thinking, and I truly detested his seemingly unintentional reminders every so often. Even so, I actually had to thank him as well. If it were not for his constant reminders, I might not have been able to make it thus far.

“No, but the meeting today confounded my expectations.”

My voice remained even, for I did not want him to notice anything off about me.

“I'm glad to hear that. I thought all your painstaking effort to make yourself stronger in the past year would go to waste after you meet him again for the first time.”

His tone seemed to have eased after he heard my reply, but I had not had the presence of mind to care about whatever he was thinking then. My emotions were a chaotic mess.

I initially thought that my heart would be as hard as stone when I returned, but I then knew that I had overestimated myself.

“Where are you now? Let's have dinner together tonight.”

At that exact moment, Nicholas' voice drifted over once more, and it had turned tender. During the past year in Anglandur, he had been my only friend and helped me a lot. Although we were using each other, we also encouraged one another.

“No, thanks. I'm a bit tired, so I'd like to rest earlier.”

My emotions were all over the place after I saw Michael. If I were to meet up with Nicholas, I could not be sure that I could keep them under wraps. Honestly, I was afraid that he would realize that something was amiss.

 

Chapter 402

“All right, then. In that case, go home and rest earlier. See you tomorrow.”

Upon hearing my rejection, Nicholas did not insist. His voice remained as gentle as ever.

“Bye!”

Having said that, I hung up the phone.

For some reason, I felt irritable. Then, I hailed a taxi and went back to my apartment.

In the past, I probably could not even afford a house. However, after my hard work in the past year, I was no longer the same person. My income alone was a few times better than it was back then.

I lay sprawled on the couch in the living room, feeling so exhausted that I did not feel like moving at all.

I remained there for a long time before getting up and going to the bathroom for a bath.

As I soaked in the bathtub, it was still Michael's face that popped up in my mind. Even at that very moment, the exhilaration in his eyes when he first saw me earlier remained vivid in my mind. I could not tell whether he faked that reaction or if he truly regretted his actions from a year ago.

Anna Garcia, don't forget what the Shaw family did to you a year ago! Do not be bound by your feelings again!

Right then, a voice in my mind kept blaring a reminder. Those were the words I said to myself whenever I felt my resolve faltering in the past year.

Every time I thought of having to part with my child, never once laying eyes on him ever since he was a month old until then, the resentment within me snowballed.

At that precise moment, the doorbell suddenly rang. I frowned in mystification, at a loss as to who would be at my door right then. It was my second day back in the country, so no one knew I lived there.

Getting out of the bathtub, I put on my bathrobe and went to answer the door.

When I opened the door, I was greeted by the sight of Nicholas standing outside. At his sudden appearance, my brows furrowed inexorably.

As I had already declined his invitation to dinner on the phone back then, exasperation swamped me that he abruptly came over to look for me after his meal. I was not in the mood to deal with him then.

“Why did you come over? Didn't I already tell you on the phone just now that I was a little tired and wanted to rest earlier?”

I spun around and headed toward the living room, upset at his appearance.

“You went to meet Michael today, so I was worried that you'd be in a bad mood and came over to check on you. It seems that I'm not welcomed here?”

At my grumpy tone, Nicholas trailed along behind me with a sulky look on his face.

“I'm fine. It's inevitable for me to meet with him upon returning, so I've long since braced myself for it.”

At the mention of Michael, I still had mixed feelings, but I did not want to show it in front of Nicholas.

We were friends, but we also had a collaboration between us. My relationship with Michael would directly determine the success or failure of his plan, so he was naturally concerned about my attitude toward Michael.

“Despite having braced yourself for it, I can sense that you're not in a good mood right now. After all, he's a man you once loved deeply. Although you hadn't seen him in a year, the feelings you used to have for him are still there.”

I sat on the couch, and Nicholas took a seat beside me. His voice was flat, but the look in his eyes as he stared at me was complicated. It was as though he wanted to sound me out yet seemingly jealous all at once.

That perturbed me, for I could not fathom his thoughts.

“If you came at this time to caution me, you don't need to worry about it. I know what I'm doing. I'll never forget what the Shaw family did to me, let alone my purpose in returning this time,” I stated indifferently, my face devoid of emotion.

Probably perceiving the ire in my voice, Nicholas frowned slightly, and the look in his eyes as he gazed at me turned all the more complicated.

“You think I came over at this hour to caution you? I'm concerned about you, okay?”

“I don't need it!” I asserted coldly with my eyes pinned on him.

I was currently very much frustrated. Never had I spoken to him in such a tone, but I was really in a foul mood then.

“We've known each other for a year, and I think you're well aware of my feelings toward you all this while. Just because you saw Michael today, your attitude toward me changed this much?”

Nicholas' brows were knitted together, and his voice carried a hint of anger.

“I've always regarded you as a friend and business partner. Besides, I don't need a man right now. I only have one thought currently—to get my child back.”

Over a brief span of twenty years, I had been hurt deeply by two men. As such, I no longer believed in the so-called love at all. Everyone was selfish.

Once upon a time, Michael loved me so much, but he still hurt me deeply in the end. Therefore, I could not possibly dare to trust men anymore.

“I'll definitely get your child back for you, and I also believe that you'll agree to be with me one day. I don't know whether you're acting in such a manner now because of Michael, but I want you to remember that I'm not like him,” Nicholas asserted, holding my hands and staring right into my eyes.

I frowned imperceptibly, but I did not shake his hands off. He gave me a glimmer of hope when I was at my lowest, so I was exceedingly grateful to him. That aside, I held a special feeling toward him, but I was well aware that it was not romantic love.

“Let's table the discussion about us first. All I want right now is to see my child and have him back with

me.”

I withdrew my hands, my tone notably gentler then.

“Then, we'll talk about us when you get your child back. Trust me. I'll fulfill my promise to you!”

While saying that, Nicholas stretched his hands out to hug me.

Truth be told, I felt averse inwardly, but I remained seated on the couch without moving away. Not only had I learned to strategize in the corporate world, but I had also learned to mask my emotions.

However, just when his hands were an inch away from me, the doorbell rang again. Even as I breathed a sigh of relief internally, frowns marred both of our countenances.

Other than Nicholas, no one else knew that I was living there, so I could not help wondering who the newcomer was.

“I'll go and open the door.”

After saying that placidly, I headed toward the door.

When I opened the door and saw the person standing outside, my heart raced uncontrollably. At that moment, Michael was standing outside the door, his gaze fixated on me.

I never expected him to appear there all of a sudden. After all, I did not tell them the place of my residence.

“Why are you here? And how did you know that I'm living here?”

After my initial panic, I promptly composed myself and regarded him calmly.

Chapter 403

“Since you've come back, do you think it's difficult for me to find out where you live?”

Michael's expression was aloof, but his gaze that lingered on my face was unfathomable.

Only after hearing that answer did it dawn on me.

It would be a piece of cake if he wanted to find out where someone lived. After a year of being away, I had even forgotten how powerful he was.

“Is something the matter that you sought me out? It's past working hours now, so let's just talk tomorrow if you're here to discuss business.”

His sudden appearance caught me off guard, and I did not quite know how to face him for a moment. When I saw him at the office earlier, my facade was already close to shattering.

“You don't seem pleased to see me. Do you not have anything to say to me when we haven't seen each other for a year?”

When Michael heard I was ordering him to leave, his expression turned terrifyingly grim, and a faint glimmer of rage radiated from his eyes as he stared at me.

“I don't think there's anything to be said between us. It's late, and I'd like to rest.”

Not in the mood to yak with him, I moved to slam the door shut right after saying that.

However, before I could do so, he rested his hand on the door frame and stopped me from closing the

door.

“What are you doing, Michael? I said I was tired and would like to rest. Did you not hear me?”

His action had my temper flaring. We were probably considered enemies then. As he hurt me so deeply in the past, hatred inevitably churned within me at the sight of him.

“Anna, are you so determined to go against me upon returning this time? What was the meaning of you leaving without a single word back then?”

Michael's gaze turned even chillier, and his voice was interrogative when he spoke.

“What did I mean by leaving back then? You've still got the cheek to ask me this now, huh? It was all thanks to your family that I ended up being the person I am today! Michael, do you know the greatest regret in my life? My greatest regret is making your acquaintance and marrying you!”

His question amused me greatly. The Shaw family was the one who wanted me to leave. They desired me to be gone by prohibiting me from seeing my child. Yet, he was asking me what I meant by doing so. It was as though I was to be blamed for everything that transpired.

I raised my voice to a near shout when I said that. As soon as my words rang out, Michael's expression turned as black as thunder, and his chest heaved as though he was suppressing unbridled fury.

“Anna Garcia!” he snarled, seemingly on the verge of going off the deep end in the next second.

On the contrary, I merely faced his wrath calmly. If such a scenario were to occur in the past, I would

have feared his outburst, but I was no longer the same person. He was my enemy then, and I would no longer be afraid of him.

“Who's here at this hour, Anna?”

I had just opened my mouth to say something when Nicholas' voice sounded from behind me.

Before I could answer, he had already come up behind me. When he saw that the person in front of me was Michael, his eyes flickered, and he naturally placed a hand on my shoulder.

As I sensed his touch, my brows furrowed slightly. Nonetheless, I did not shake him off. I knew that he was deliberately acting intimate with me before Michael so that the latter would misunderstand.

“Ah, it's Mr. Shaw from Joyful Success. Nice to meet you. Why are you here at this hour?”

Looking at Michael, Nicholas wore a slight smile on his face. Then, he courteously extended a hand.

Michael stared intently at Nicholas' hand on my shoulder, the fury in his eyes blazing all the hotter.

“Who are you, and why are you here?” he demanded frostily without taking Nicholas' hand, fixing him with a dark expression.

My mood inexplicably took a turn for the better when I saw his hostility toward Nicholas.

“I'm Nicholas Cadman, and I'm also the general manager of Nifty Group. I'm looking forward to our collaboration in the future, Mr. Shaw.”

In contrast with Michael's dour face, Nicholas wore a half-smile all along.

“A collaboration? I don't think there's any need for a collaboration! It's just a branch office from Anglandur, so it's of no significance to me!”

Compared to Nicholas' amiable attitude, Michael appeared callous, and his voice grew increasingly colder.

“Michael! If you're here tonight to pick trouble, then you're not welcomed here. Please leave!”

Not only did I refuse to see Michael right then, but the fact that two men were going head-to-head right before me was also making me exceedingly vexed.

“Anna, did you leave with him when you left a year ago?”

Michael shifted his gaze to me, and I could still sense the anger radiating from him despite his inquiring tone.

Frankly speaking, I knew what he meant. He was an extremely possessive man, so he would definitely assume that I betrayed him when another man was by my side.

Although that was not the case, I could not be bothered to explain things to him. Besides, a relationship between us was no longer possible, so there was no need to waste time speaking about it.

“Yes, I left with him a year ago and went to Anglandur. Without him, I won't be who I am today! Are you satisfied with that answer?” I replied fearlessly, looking into his eyes indifferently.

No sooner had I finished speaking than I noticed that his hands by his sides had long since balled into fists.

I presumed that he was probably incandescent to the point that he had the urge to commit murder. Alas, people were always so selfish. Back then, he was the one who forced me to leave, yet he felt that I betrayed him when there was another man by my side. Thinking about it, I found it ridiculously absurd.

Michael stared into my eyes coldly. Just when I thought he was going to fly into a rage, he spun on his heels and left in a fit of pique.

As I watched him disappear into the corridor, my heart abruptly felt as though it had been hollowed out. In all honesty, it was distressing for me when I uttered those words.

I was rooted to the spot, dejected. Nicholas closed the door before he turned around and looked at me.

“So, you haven't forgotten him until now? This is just the beginning, yet you can't control yourself. How are you going to get your child back?”

With his eyes fastened on me, his brows knitted deeply together. A faint trace of anger could be sensed in his voice.

“No, you've underestimated me! I'll rein back my emotions. Now that I'm back this time, no one can stop me!” I maintained dispassionately after taking a deep breath and suppressing the emotions within me.

After Nicholas had stared into my eyes for a long while, his expression finally eased considerably.

“This is the Anna I know. The Anna I know will never be softhearted.”

In the past year, I did my best to disguise myself as a callous woman, regardless of whether it was at work or in my private life. Therefore, everyone felt that I was frigid and standoffish.

“You should leave. I want to rest now.”

 

Chapter 404

Not in the mood to hear such remarks from Nicholas, I frostily told him to leave.

After he left, I lay on the couch alone, my irritation mounting. Despite being dead on my feet after working for the entire day, I did not feel the least bit sleepy at that moment.

As expected, I had dark circles under my eyes when I woke up the next day. Gazing at my reflection in the mirror, I could not help but chuckle derisively at my haggard look.

I quickly applied some light makeup to conceal the dark circles, after which I appeared much more rejuvenated.

Then, I went out to buy breakfast. There was a street lined with stalls selling breakfast fare near my apartment, so it was very convenient for me.

Since I was not particular about food, I simply bought something. Just as I was going to leave after paying, a familiar voice rang out behind me.

“Anna?”

That voice was touched with uncertainty and a faint hint of delight.

Hearing Natalie's voice again after a year, I, too, became emotional.

I turned around and cast my gaze in the direction of the voice. Sure enough, I caught sight of Natalie. At that moment, she was holding Yuval's arm, her gaze fixed on my face.

“It's been a long time, Natalie.”

The instant I saw that it was indeed Natalie, a soft smile bloomed on my face. She was my best friend, so my eyes stung when I saw her once more.

When I left back then, I was in such despair that I did not even tell her where I was going.

“It's really you, Anna!”

Having ascertained that it was me, Natalie hurried over and hugged me.

I hugged her in return, my mood instantly perking up when I saw her there.

“Where have you been in the past year, Anna? Do you know how worried and scared I was when there was no news from you? I was afraid that you met with an accident. In the past year, I'd been praying every day that I'd see you as soon as possible!” Natalie gushed as she hugged me tightly.

Right then, I felt a warm and wet sensation on my shoulder.

I promptly realized that Natalie was crying.

I was similarly touched to hear her words, and tears escaped the corners of my eyes.

If I had to name one person who truly cared about me in Avenport, it would be Natalie.

“I'm sorry. I shouldn't have left without saying a single word to you. I'm so sorry...”

I hugged her, my voice cracking.

“Where exactly have you been in the past year? Why didn't you give me a call? Do you know many times I cried whenever I thought of you?”

My apology had Natalie sobbing all the more. She thumped my back, her voice brimming with resentment. Nonetheless, I knew that her emotional outburst was only out of genuine worry for me.

“I'm sorry...”

In the face of her tearful complaint, I had no other words except sorry.

I figured she must have been devastated when I disappeared without a word back then. Natalie had always been a carefree person, so she must have lost control of her emotions to be bawling at that moment.

“All right, Natalie. You've finally seen Anna now. It's a joyful occasion, so don't cry anymore.”

Just then, Yuval stepped forward. Looking at Natalie with all the distress in the world, he wiped her tears for her.

Natalie released her hold on me. Only then did I see that her eyes had long since turned red.

“Exactly! Look, I'm back now, aren't I? Why are you still crying?”

I reached out and wiped her tears, my nose stinging as well.

“Oh, you still dare mention it, huh? It's all because of you! Who told you to leave without a single word back then?”

Natalie pouted at my words and glared at me with chagrin written all over her face. Even her eyes glinted with resentment.

“Yes, it's all my fault. This is all on me. I shouldn't have left without informing you back then. I'm sorry I worried you.”

“It is your fault in the first place. You're not going to leave again after returning this time, right? If you dare leave without notifying me again, mark my words that I will sever all ties with you!”

Since I sincerely owned up to my mistakes, the resentment in Natalie's eyes faded.

“I'm not sure yet. I came back this time because of my child.”

If it were not for the fact that my son was still with the Shaw family, I would probably never return to that city for the rest of my life.

An unfathomable look appeared in Natalie's eyes when she heard me. She stared right at me, seemingly having something to say yet hesitant to speak.

She had always been a straightforward person who spoke her mind, so I felt a tad disconcerted to see her hemming and hawing then.

“Do you have something to say to me, Natalie?” I inquired in a whisper when I noticed her hesitance.

“Do you have time now, Anna? Why don't we find a place and have a chat? After all, we haven't seen each other for such a long time.”

Natalie did not answer my question, merely regarding me with a placid expression.

In truth, I still had many tasks on hand that day, but I also had a lot to say to her after being away for a year.

“Sure. Let me make a call to take a half-day leave. Then, we'll go to the café at the side.”

I flashed her a smile before I took out my phone and went to the side to make a call.

I told Nicholas that I ran into my best friend and would like to catch up with her, so I would only be going into the office later. He gave me his approval without saying much.

Subsequently, Natalie and I went to the café a stone's throw away, both ordering a cup of coffee. Then, we sat across from each other.

Natalie's gaze remained fixated on my face, and she seemed cautious to speak.

“Natalie, do you have something to say to me?”

Even when Yuval was around, I could already tell that she had something to say to me. Since she wished to chat with me in private, I reckoned it must be an important matter.

“Actually, Anna, I have a question for you, but I'm worried that you'll be upset after I verbalize it.”

Natalie looked at me with a troubled expression, frowning with worry.

“Just ask away. Is there still any topic off-limits between the two of us?”

Never had I seen her acting in such a manner, and the puzzlement within me grew stronger. Inwardly, I wondered what was going on with her that day.

“Anna, I actually want to ask why you callously abandoned your child and left back then. I know you attach great importance to relationships, so I really can't figure out why you would do such a thing,” Natalie said after a moment's hesitation, looking me in the eye.

When I heard her saying that I was the one who abandoned my child, I could not help but frown.

There was no way I would possibly bear to abandon my child. Back then, I only chose to leave because the Shaw family backed me into a corner.

If Lincoln had not kept me from seeing my child, I would never have left. That was my son, and no one in the world loved him more than I did. It was because he was the most important person to me that I could not accept the fact of being unable to see him.

 

Chapter 405

“I abandoned my child? Why would you say that?” I asked in a mild voice as I stared at Natalie calmly.

“The Shaw family said so when they revealed your disappearance back then. Anna, I don't believe that you're such a person. You're my best friend, and I know you very well. You'd never do such a thing, right?”

Natalie regarded me with anxiety plain on her face. Although she said she believed me, I knew that she was actually very nervous right then.

Meanwhile, my blood ran cold after I heard her words. I never thought that the Shaw family would be so despicable. Lincoln was the one who kicked me out of the family, yet they had the nerve to push all the responsibility onto me later on.

Recalling that I had once lived with that family, I felt a shiver run down my spine. In the past, they were all kind and amiable to me, but I never expected them to be so ruthless. Or perhaps I had been thinking of them too kindly.

“Are you sure it was the Shaw family who said that?” I questioned once more, staring right into Natalie's eyes.

“Of course. If it weren't for the Shaw family announcing your disappearance, I wouldn't have known about it. Anna, will you tell me why you did that? I'm sure you must have a reason for doing so.”

Natalie eyed me apprehensively, her voice taking on a hint of urgency.

Locking gazes with her, I inhaled deeply and suppressed the wrath within me. In a solemn voice, I

queried, “Natalie, will you believe me if I say I never did such a thing? That's my child. Do you think I could bear leaving him?”

She was my best friend. I did not care what others thought of me, but I did not want my best friend to misunderstand me.

Hearing that, Natalie looked into my eyes intently. A long time passed before she nodded firmly. “I trust you. I know you're a person who cares a lot about relationships, so you'd never abandon your child.”

Her tone was unwavering when she spoke, brimming with conviction toward me.

“Anna, I still don't understand why you left back then. Weren't you and Michael a loving couple when I visited you at the hospital shortly after you'd given birth? But why did you leave just a month later?”

Natalie was silent for a while before she looked at me once more with bafflement in her eyes.

“You're asking why I left back then? Do you really think Michael and I are a loving couple? That was just a fleeting blissful moment of our marriage. As for why I left, I think the Shaw family should know that better than anyone else.” I sneered.

As I recalled Lincoln's ruthlessness toward me once upon a time, the loathing within me surged again.

“It's related to the Shaw family?”

Natalie seemingly understood something after hearing my response. Her brows furrowed, and bemusement showed in her eyes.

“I'll tell you about it next time. You only need to know that the person I love the most in this world is my child. I came back this time because I want to take my child back.”

I did not want to bring up those sad memories of the past anymore, nor did I want her to know about my past sufferings. If I were to tell her everything, she would undoubtedly be dismayed.

Upon seeing that I had no plans to divulge anything, Natalie did not pursue it further.

“I trust you, Anna. No matter your decision, I'll support you!”

She looked at me with conviction as she gripped my hands tightly.

After chatting with her for a while longer, I went to the office.

Nicholas was in my office, sitting at my desk. I eyed him in mystification, not quite comprehending why he was sitting in my spot.

“Are you waiting for me here? Is something the matter?” I asked evenly while taking in his expressionless face.

“Michael's secretary just called and said that he'll be coming to our office in half an hour.”

Nicholas' voice was flat, rendering his emotions indiscernible. However, I could sense from his gaze on me that he was not in a good mood.

At the mention of Michael's name, my gaze flickered. Nonetheless, I promptly masked my emotions.

Looking at him, I inquired in the same even tone, “Why is he coming over?”

“Can you not guess why he's coming over? Naturally, it's because of you.”

While saying that, he let his gaze linger on me, observing my expression. He seemed exceedingly displeased over Michael's visit, probably jealous.

My movement halted, but I continued straightening the items on my desk the next second. “Got it.”

“Anna, I hope you don't waver no matter what he says to you. It's not just because of the company's interests but also because of... me. You know my feelings toward you. I hope that I'll be the person who keeps you company by your side in the end.”

Nicholas stood up and came over to me, placing his hands on my shoulders. His tone had never sounded so serious.

I had always been aware of his feelings toward me, but I always brushed it off every time he made it obvious. I never rejected him, nor had I ever accepted him.

An almost imperceptible wave of panic washed over me when he suddenly uttered such words to me in such a solemn voice. In reality, I did not want to accept anyone then and had no interest in dating any man.

“Don't worry. Nothing will ever happen between us again. Only the past remains between us with no future to speak of.”

I could not reciprocate his feelings, but I had made up my mind where Michael was concerned. Back

when the Shaw family treated me in such a manner, it was already destined that we could never be able to get back together.

Nicholas stared into my eyes for a long while. It was not until after he had ascertained that my expression was guilt-free that relief suffused him.

“I'm glad to hear that. Right now, I just hope that the matter between you two will be resolved as soon as possible. Then, you'll be in the mood to take our relationship seriously.”

He patted me on the shoulder with a slight smile tugging at his lips.

Hearing that he had again shifted the subject to the two of us, I averted my gaze guiltily, stumped for words.

“Go back to work first. I've still got some information on a few projects to go over.”

I surreptitiously distanced myself from him, acting as though I had not heard his earlier utterances.

“All right, I'll leave you to your work. I'll excuse myself first, then,” Nicholas replied placidly.

Then, he withdrew his hands from my shoulders before leaving.

After he had left, I stood still and stared at his retreating back, my brows creasing slightly. I was troubled as to how I should resolve my relationship with him.

In actual fact, I had an ulterior motive for not rejecting him outright—I still needed to depend on him to get my child back.

 

Chapter 406

Half an hour later, Michael arrived at my office. Even though I had already prepared myself mentally, I still couldn't keep my heart steady when I saw him.

He was wearing a black suit and a cold expression, just like he did a year ago. The only difference was that he had an even colder aura around him.

His icy glare was making my skin crawl a little.

“Would you like some tea or coffee, Mr. Shaw?” I asked as I smiled at him.

“No need. I'm here today to tell you that you're not going to get my partnership with Red Star. Don't think that I didn't know what you're trying to do in the shadows.” He sounded cold in a professional manner.

The warning he gave had a hint of confidence in it.

My eyes flickered. I didn't think that he would find out so quickly about the matter when we only had a meeting yesterday about taking Red Star away from Joyful Success. It seems like I've underestimated him.

Even though I was starting to panic a little, a plain smile persisted on my face. I wasn't the person from a year ago anymore, so I should be able to control my emotions in front of him. “All is fair in love and war, Mr. Shaw. Those who are capable will be able to obtain what they want. It's not unusual that our company wants to expand our business. Whether we can get Red Star's partnership is our company's matter. Don't you think it's inappropriate that you're here to warn me?”

I still stared into Michael's eyes with a smile. There wasn't a hint of panic in my voice.

Shock and fury flashed past his eyes.

He stared back at me for a while before opening his mouth again and speaking in a plain tone. “You've changed a lot over the past year. Even your way of speaking is much more confident now. Are you still the Anna I knew?”

While there wasn't a hint of emotion in his voice, it still wasn't something I wanted to hear.

“I told you.” A hint of mockery was added to my smile as my stare became colder. “I'm no longer the Anna you knew from before. That person is already dead.” If I'm still the Anna you're familiar with, I wouldn't be sitting here, talking to you about business.

While fury burned in his eyes, calmness was present in mine.

I had no intention of showing him any sign of weakness.

After a while, he stood up. I raised my head, thinking that he was finally going to leave out of anger.

It seemed like I wasn't capable of changing my habit of thinking things in an optimistic manner. Instead of leaving, he walked around my desk and glared at me with increasing anger.

“What kind of relationship do you have with Nicholas? Why are the two of you staying with each other last night? Are you two living with each other?” Michael questioned with a deep voice.

I could tell he was trying to suppress his fury.

He was probably asking me that question because he saw Nicholas at my place last night. Regardless, he didn't have the right to question me. Does he think he still controls me? How childish.

I calmly glanced at him and sneered, “I don't need to explain anything that's going on between Nicholas and me to you, Mr. Shaw. This is my private matter, and we're in a business discussion right now. Please mind what you say.”

He used to warn me domineeringly like that, as though I belonged to him and only him in this life. That was what I thought in the past, too. I was truly foolish back then.

If it wasn't for Lincoln bringing me that signed divorce paper, perhaps I would've still thought the same way. However, when I saw him sign the paper with my own eyes, my love for him died completely.

A man who abandoned me didn't have the right to question me like that.

“Listen to me, Anna. You are my woman! If you sleep with Nicholas, I promise you I'll do anything to take him down!” Michael grabbed my shoulders emotionally.

The flame in his eyes looked as if it was going to burn me into cinders in a matter of seconds.

My heart quivered a little as I stared into his deranged eyes. When he said I was his woman, my heart still moved.

It had been a year since he abandoned me. That statement no longer meant anything. In fact, it

sounded pitiful.

“You listen to me too, Michael. You said I'm your woman, but that's in the past now. I've no relationship with you whatsoever. At most, the two of us are just strangers to each other!” Hatred was spilling into my sight as I stared coldly at him.

That's right. I hated him with every fiber of my being. The amount of love I felt toward him was the same amount of hate I directed at him. He was the man whom I poured my heart out to, yet he was also the one who hurt me the most.

His grip on my shoulders was becoming stronger by the second. It was so strong that it was starting to hurt me. However, my eyebrows didn't furrow, and I still calmly looked at him. I never wanted to show my weakness in front of him or the Shaw family ever again.

As his anger reached its peak, he snapped and began to kiss me like a mad dog.

I didn't expect he would do that, which was why it stunned me. It was so sudden that my mind became blank. Even though it had been a year, his smell was still very familiar to me. Aside from the moment he touched me, everything I felt after that had changed.

I tried to escape, but he still hugged me tightly. No matter how I struggled, he didn't let go of me.

That made me furious, but at the same time, deep in my heart, I didn't want him to let go. If nothing had happened a year ago, if he hadn't treated me that cruelly a year ago, everything would've been fine.

However, it did happen, and the two of us no longer had the same relationship as we did before.

I didn't want to see or treat him as an enemy, but I couldn't forgive or forget how much he hurt me.

Back then, he had let me know how little I mattered in his heart. Because of Josephine's matter, he worked with the Shaw family to treat me cruelly.

Michael continued to kiss me without my consent. It was getting more and more difficult for me to breathe. I used all my strength to push him away, but he didn't stop. In fact, I was pretty sure he was venting out his anger on my lips.

Just as I felt like I was going to pass out, he let go of me and stared at me with his black eyes furiously.

Chapter 407

“Listen to me, Anna! As long as you're still alive, you are my woman! I won't allow any other men to touch you!” Michael was staring at me with his malevolent eyes, and his voice sounded as though his arrogance had spiraled out of control.

Hearing that infuriated me greatly. He abandoned me a year ago! He doesn't have the right to talk to me like that! Why does he think he can still speak to me in this domineering way? We have no relationship with each other anymore!

“You were the one who threw me away, Michael, and now you're here telling me all this nonsense. Don't you think you're being pathetic right now? You didn't say anything like this when you left me,” I sneered.

Everything he said at that moment only made my impression of him even more pathetic. I had no idea what he was thinking, but I knew I wasn't going to believe a single word coming out of his mouth anymore.

He was so angered by my words that he laughed. Then, the temperature of his icy look dropped even further. He shook my shoulders forcefully and roared, “I abandoned you? You left without saying a thing back then! How dare you tell me that I abandoned you! Why did you become like this, Anna?”

It had been a long time since I saw him being that angry. I was stunned for a second, but I quickly snapped out of it. “I don't want to talk to you about what happened a year ago anymore. Do keep in mind that I don't want to look at you at all. So, aside from official business, I hope we don't talk at all.”

What happened a year ago had already happened. There was no future for the two of us any longer, so there was no point trying to debate who was in the right and who was in the wrong.

He took a deep breath, suppressed his anger, and spoke again coldly. “You don't want to talk to me other than business? What about our son?”

My heart began to race when he mentioned our son. I couldn't control my emotions anymore as I questioned, “How is my son? Has he been living well?”

It had been a year since I saw my child. I had no idea what he looked like at the moment or how tall he had grown. I desperately wanted to see him right away.

When I returned from overseas, the first thing I wanted to do was find my son. However, I knew that the Shaw family wasn't going to let me meet him that easily as they spent a considerable amount of effort chasing me away. Because of that, I quickly dispelled the notion.

That was why I couldn't control my longing for my son any longer after Michael changed the topic.

The fury in his eyes was greatly reduced when he saw how agitated I was. However, he still looked at me with annoyance because he was still pissed off by what I said.

“Do you really care about our child? Did you even think about him over the past year?” Instead of answering my question, he interrogated me.

I couldn't say anything. The only thing I could do was endure. Even though I blamed everything on the Shaw family, I still did leave for a year, and I did fail to fulfill my responsibility as a mother.

That was why I couldn't refute him.

“I only want to know how my son's doing, and I want to meet him,” I said with urgency.

He stared at me silently, as though he didn't hear what I said at all. I was already pretty agitated, but that made me even more anxious.

“I said I want to meet my son! Do you hear me?” I exclaimed with fury.

From how he looked at that moment, I had a feeling that he had no intention of letting me meet my child. That infuriated me even further. What the hell is he trying to say with his silence, huh? Does he really not want to let me see my child?

As my train of thought continued in that direction, I became even more pissed off. It had been a year since I saw my child. Was he really going to continue to separate us?

Hatred was swirling in my heart as I stared at his cold but handsome face.

“If you want to meet your child, then stop saying that we're strangers! Don't forget that we had a child together!” Michael still sounded as though he was stifling his wrath.

I was pretty upset by his warning, but in order to meet my child again, I had to endure.

“If I promise you that, will you let me see my child?” I asked coldly.

Regardless of what he would ask me to do, I would do it if it meant I could see my son again. If he refused, then there was no reason for me to do what he wanted.

“Sure. Just come by Birchwood to find me at ten in the night. I hope you didn't forget which building it was.” The rage on his face had vanished as he uttered.

Birchwood? The place we lived with each other before? It's been a long time since I've been there. Images of our life there began to surface back into my mind.

“All right! I'll come and find you later, but you better show me my child!” I didn't really want to go there because I was afraid I wouldn't be able to stop myself from being sad.

However, none of that mattered if it meant I could see my child again.

A smirk appeared on his face. “I'll meet you there.” Then he left.

It felt as though the energy in my body had left me as I stared at his back. Before I returned from overseas, I thought I had become colder and more merciless compared to him. It seemed like I was wrong. My heart would still race whenever we met. Am I fated to never be able to escape from him in this life? No matter how hard I tried, I still can't forget about him.

I stared in the direction he left for a long while before I snapped out of it. When I did, I noticed Nicholas was standing in front of me.

He gently knocked on my desk and waited for me to return to my sense. His eyes were filled with worry as he furrowed his brows.

“When did you come in?” I furrowed my eyebrows slightly, too, as I gazed at him.

There was a hint of panic in my voice, though I hope my expression didn't fully express how I was

feeling at that moment.

“I've been here for a while, but you blanked out so hard that you didn't realize I've arrived.”

 

Chapter 408

Nicholas sounded calm as his eyes were locked on me.

When I recalled how I was reminiscing about my past with Michael, my mind panicked even more. I lowered my head and avoided his eye contact because I didn't know what to say.

“Well, do you have something you want from me?” In the end, I lifted my head guiltily and pretended to be composed.

“It's nothing. I only want to check on you and ask you what Michael said to you. It seems to me you're pretty shaken. Did he say something to upset or anger you?” He was carefully observing my expression as he spoke.

It was as if he was afraid he was going to miss out on any details.

I've always disliked how he always tried to read me like that. It made me feel suffocating. Our partnership was supposed to be that of an equal one, not one where he controlled me. I didn't want him to govern what I thought.

“It's nothing. We're only talking about how our company is going to snatch the partnership with Red Star. He learned about what we were trying to do, which was why he came to warn me about it.” Of course, I didn't tell him about how Michael forcefully kissed me or that I would be visiting my child at Birchwood later tonight.

That was my private matter. Since both of us were simply working with each other, there was no reason for me to tell him all about that.

“Is that all? You looked really shaken earlier. I feel like he talked to you about other things.” Nicholas took two steps toward me as he probed.

I furrowed my eyebrows. I knew what he was thinking, but what he was doing only made me feel even worse. Words escaped my mouth coldly. “What do you mean by that? If you don't believe me, then you shouldn't have chosen me as your partner. What are you trying to do by questioning me again and again?”

Ever since I returned, he would probe me every time he saw me talking with Michael. I was really annoyed by that because I greatly disliked being doubted by someone.

Sure, every time I met with Michael, both of us would talk about our past, but I never forgot about my partnership with Nicholas. I especially had no intention of getting back with Michael, but Nicholas didn't stop suspecting me.

His expression froze. It was probably because he realized I was getting mad for real. Then he walked to my back and placed his hands on my shoulders.

“All right, all right. No need to get mad. I wasn't doing it on purpose. I'm just worried that you still can't forget about Michael. It's not like I don't believe you. I only wanted to make sure my future woman's not going to keep dancing around with her ex-husband.” While it sounded like he was comforting me, he was actually reminding me about our relationship.

Of course, I was able to tell what he was saying. I wasn't an idiot. Still, it hurt me a little when he said Michael was my ex-husband.

Obviously, I would never wear that emotion on my face in front of him.

“I know what I should do. You don't need to keep reminding me about my relationship with Michael! Also, if you don't have anything you need from me in the future, please don't come here and disturb my work!” I was still pretty furious.

Nicholas was a scheming person. I noticed that about him ever since we first met, and it was why I decided to work with him.

“Okay, I won't say anything you don't want to hear anymore.” Instead of being angered by my attitude, he smiled.

When I heard that, the rage in my heart managed to die down a little. Still, not only did I have no good impression of him, but I also felt a little disgusted by him. I wasn't sure if it was because I had met Michael again.

“What's wrong with your mouth? Why does it look so red?” His eyebrows furrowed with curiosity when he stared at my lips.

My heart shook when I recalled how Michael forcefully kissed me. It would be weirder if my mouth didn't turn red from how forcefully he was kissing me. “I-It's nothing. It's probably because of the weather lately.”

It was a terrible lie, but there was no way I would tell him about what Michael did to me.

Nicholas was already quite suspicious of me. If I told him about that, he probably wouldn't trust me anymore.

“Is that so?” His sight was still locked on my lips as a complicated look flashed past his eyes.

It was clear he didn't buy my answer, but he didn't say anything either. Perhaps my strongly-worded statement from earlier had worked.

“You don't believe me?” I pretended to look at him resolutely.

My composed expression was an attempt to hide my guilt.

“Of course I believe you. It's probably because you haven't been resting well lately. I think you should head back home to rest after lunch. There's no need for you to work in the afternoon. Since we've only started our company, there isn't much to do here. You have to take care of yourself, all right?”

I knew he was only pretending to believe me, but frankly, I didn't care what he was really thinking. From my perspective, as long as the both of us were working toward the same goal, I would say our partnership was successful.

“Got it. Thank you.” I then proceeded to ignore him and resume my work.

After lunch, I headed back home instead of the company. I was finally going to meet my son again. It had been a year since I last met him. Thinking about meeting him later at night was making me emotional.

When I arrived at the mall, I bought a bunch of clothes for a one-year-old as well as simple toys. Since I failed to take care of him and watch him grow over the past year, I wanted to use those to make up for some lost time.

I was still quite worried because there was a chance that he would treat me like a stranger after I disappeared from his life for a year.

When I returned to my room, I looked over the things I had bought again and again, concerned that they might not be appropriate for him.

My impatience was starting to get a hold of me when it was eight in the evening. Time felt so incredibly slow, even though it was only two hours away. It was probably because I wanted to meet my child very badly.

Then, with half an hour left at the clock, I stopped hesitating, put all the things I bought into the car, and drove toward Birchwood.

 

Chapter 409

Even though it had been a year, Birchwood had stayed more or less the same when I compared its current state to how it looked in my memory. The only thing different there was me.

When I arrived at the gate, the guard was a little shocked to see me. “It's you, Ms. Garcia. It's been a long time since you're back here.”

I used to talk to the guard a little when I lived there. It was a pleasant surprise that he still remembered me.

“Yeah, I don't live here anymore, though I do have a matter I need to deal with today. Can you let me in?” I smiled.

As I did live there for a long time, and the guard still recognized me, he let me in without any problem.

My heart was beating loudly while I stood in front of the building I used to live with Michael. It took me a long time before I was able to control my emotions and press the bell.

I was so nervous and excited to meet my child that my hand was trembling with sweat.

The door was soon opened by Michael. We exchanged a plain glance instead of a hostile one like before.

“You came before our agreed time. It seems like you really want to see our child, huh?” There was something slightly off about his demeanor, even though I couldn't discern anything wrong.

“Where's my child?” It didn't really matter to me, though. The only reason I was there was to meet my

child, and that was the only thing I was paying attention to.

“Don't worry. You child is inside.” He furrowed his eyebrows and gave me an unsatisfied look before turning around. I followed him as he entered the living room.

My child was sitting on a big couch playing with his toys. Tears streamed down my cheeks when I saw him. I didn't expect he had grown so much over the years.

I put the things in my hand down and approached him. He looked clean. His eyes were round and bright, quite unlike his father's.

Tears might be flowing as I sat next to him, but my heart was filled with joy. It had been the happiest moment of my life since last year.

He raised his head and stared at me with his pure eyes.

Then he smiled at me and crawled in my direction. I was trying very hard to hold back my emotions. There was a strong desire nudging me to hug him, but I was worried he might get scared, so I had to keep holding myself back.

When I saw how he wasn't afraid of me at all, I immediately hugged him tightly.

I had been dreaming about hugging my child for the past year. Even though it was real, it still felt like I was in a dream. It felt so unreal that I was finally hugging my baby.

Michael looked at us warmly from a distance.

My child remained in my embrace for a long time before I slowly wiped my tears away. I turned my head to Michael and asked, “What's his name?”

“Amaury,” he replied.

“Amaury...” I whispered his name. For some reason, my heart skipped a beat. Amaury... Is it because of... No, that can't be the reason. He treated me so cruelly back then. How can my child's name mean that way? I must be overthinking it.

I kept repeating that to myself because I didn't want my child's name to upset me.

“It's me, Amaury. Call me Mommy...” My attention shifted back to him. I affectionately and gently caressed his face.

However, he was still a year old, so he couldn't quite understand what I was telling him. He only stared at me with his bright eyes silently.

I was a little disappointed that he didn't say anything, but if he could at this age, he would probably be a genius.

“I know you're still too young to know how to call me Mommy. How about you call me when you're a bit older, okay?” Regardless of if he could call me, I was already really happy to be able to see him.

“Daddy... Daddy...” Amaury suddenly opened his arms and looked at Michael.

Even though it was hard to tell, he was definitely calling for his father.

Michael approached me and picked Amaury up. I was quite surprised that my child knew how to say that.

I thought a man like Michael definitely wouldn't have the time to take of our child because he would be too busy taking care of his company. However, looking at how he's holding Amaury, it appears that he had been taking care of our child quite often for the past year. I kept those thoughts to myself and didn't ask him about it.

After all, how he did it had nothing to do with me.

“Daddy... Daddy...” Amaury was still calling him that in his embrace.

Michael stared at our child with a warm smile.

I would be lying if I said I wasn't upset at all that Amaury knew how to call Michael his daddy but didn't call me his mommy.

“That's your mommy. Say Mommy...” Michael stood in front of me and reminded Amaury in a low voice.

Amaury turned his face to me. His round, bright eyes still stared at me, though he didn't say anything. I thought I was going to be disappointed again after waiting for a long while.

Just as I was about to lose hope, our child opened his arms in my direction and called, “M-Mommy...”

It wasn't pronounced clearly, but I could hear it. He's really calling out to me!

Tears streamed down my cheeks again as I kissed him non-stop. I was afraid that my child would treat me as a stranger when I drove here, but it seemed like my fear was unfounded.

“He's very smart. It only takes a while before he'll learn the things I teach him.” Michael tenderly smiled as he watched me hug Amaury.

“He's my child, so he's obviously smart.” I felt pretty good hearing Amaury being praised by him like that.

He rarely complimented people, so it was only natural that I felt great when he complimented our child.

 

Chapter 410

Perhaps it was because my tone had become softer that Michael was smiling wider than usual. I took over Amaury again, and he quickly slept in my arms. It was quite late already, after all. Michael only kept silent as he accompanied me by my side.

If what happened a year ago didn't take place, we would've looked like a happy little family at that moment. I would've had the life I wanted.

“Put him down,” he reminded me when he saw how unwilling I was to put Amaury down.

I didn't want to, but I still placed my child in his crib.

As I stood next to his bed, staring at how cute he was, I really wished I could always stay by his side.

After taking one last glance at him, I looked away and noticed the crib was inside the room I once lived with Michael.

“It's getting late. I'll be leaving now, but I hope I can see Amaury often.” I actually wanted to stay and accompany my child, but I didn't think it was appropriate for me to do so with Michael around. After all, our relationship had changed.

Just as I picked up my bag and was about to leave, he grabbed my arm and broke his silence. “Stay for the night.”

He sounded like he was pleading with me. In the past, he would almost always speak to me in a commanding way. I was a little shocked by his sudden change in tone.

Though, when I thought about staying there for the night, I resisted in my heart. We weren't how we used to be anymore. It would cause nothing but awkwardness between us if we stayed in the same building.

“I don't think it's appropriate. I should leave.” I pulled my hand away from him and prepared to leave.

“Are you really that cruel, Anna? Can't you at least be nicer for Amaury?” His voice rang out again.

There was a hint of fury and agitation in his words.

Well, he was being gentler compared to how he had acted before. However, the problem between us couldn't be solved by being nicer.

“What do you want me to do?” I asked.

Both of us were furrowing our eyebrows and staring at each other coldly.

“Think of it as accompanying Amaury by staying tonight.” To my surprise, he sighed and softened his tone.

I hesitated when I heard Amaury's name.

However, I still put my foot down and turned away. Suddenly, Michael grabbed my arm and, before I could react, kissed me again.

My heart trembled as he kissed me for the second time today. I snapped out of my shock swiftly and

pushed him away, but we were in his territory. He wasn't going to hold back as he did back in the company.

His hands began to touch me inappropriately as I felt his lower half getting hotter. At that instant, I knew what he was trying to do. I was furious. There was nothing between us anymore, yet he still tried to do that kind of thing with me.

I pushed him away with all my strength furiously.

“If you refuse me, you're not going to meet Amaury that easily again, Anna!” he whispered in a deep and lustful voice next to my ear.

I was going to keep resisting him, but when he threatened me with Amaury, my struggle stopped. I stared at my sleeping child, wondering how much pain I would be in if I couldn't see him again for a long time.

I hated Michael. I hated how he disrespected me and threatened me. However, I loved my child more than I despised him, and that was why I couldn't go against him.

He touched me in a more inappropriate and forceful way after I stopped resisting.

“Why did you leave? What's so good about Nicholas that you're willing to stay with him, even if it means you have to abandon Amaury!” His deep voice rang out with hate as he kissed my neck.

I wasn't in the mood to entertain his questions, so I closed my eyes and let him have his way.

His breathing was getting heavier and heavier. The buttons on my shirt had already been undone.

As if he couldn't take it anymore, he hugged me up, brought me to the living room, and threw me onto the couch.

Perhaps it was because he was worried we would make too much noise in the bedroom.

His hands continued to caress my entire body as he passionately kissed me.

“Your body had become a lot more sensitive since the last time we met.” He continued to speak in a lewd tone.

Without hesitation, he shoved his manhood into me. “I heard women's part will get looser after giving birth, but you're as tight as before.”