"This is revenge, isn’t it?" Anna said with sarcasm, "You knew they were brothers. Now you’re trying to hurt Edie and ! Am I right? Marina was Stuart’s first love, and you’re going to use that against Stuart! Do you think your fate will be any better than Marina’s?"
Anna looked at Hicks as if she were looking at a ghost. Hicks was intimidated by Anna’s words, but she pretended to be strong and remained calm. She squeezed her fists and clenched her teeth. "You can’t scare ! All your efforts have failed, but that doesn’t an that mine will fail."
"You really think you can do it all by yourself." Her hands were on her hips, face going red, her voice getting louder and louder. "You are so sadly mistaken," Anna sneered. Then she turned around and slamd the door behind her.
As soon as Anna stepped out of the room, the expression on her face changed. She hesitated and then slowly took her out of her phone and called Edie. Edie glanced at her phone and was surprised to see it was Anna. "Hello, Anna! I wasn’t expecting to hear from you again," Edie said, sounding a little confused.
"There’s sothing I need to talk to you about..." Anna hesitated.
Then a thought imdiately ca to Edie, "I would like to ask you sothing! Yesterday, did you have an ulterior motive for taking to the garden?"
Anna was stunned and embarrassed. She never expected Edie to be so straightforward and direct. Anna clenched her teeth, "Yes, I did! You’ve always known how much I love Stuart. I didn’t want you to take him away from ."
"You...We’ve never liked each other. That was obvious, but how could you do sothing so horrible...." Edie was angry, fury flushing her face hot.
Anna interrupted and never let Edie finish. "What I did is unforgivable! I can own up to my mistakes, but I have given up on the hopes that Stuart and I will be together." Everything Anna told Edie yesterday was a lie until she spoke to Hicks. She leads Edie to the garden on purpose, hoping Fabian would take Edie out of Stuart’s life forever. Now, after talking to Hicks, Anna finally realized she never stood a chance at winning Stuart’s heart.
"I’m sorry for what I’ve done. There are no excuses for my behavior." Anna paused as tears filled her eyes."I have to try and keep my pride. I have the Joyce na to uphold. So, I’m giving up."
"You expect to believe you after everything that happened yesterday? Donald is suffering because of you." Edie’s voice was getting louder with each word.
"You have to believe . I’m leaving. I’m going ho, and I will never co back. Take care of Stuart for . He’s the only man I have loved and the only man I will ever love," Anna said, trying to keep her voice from quivering. "I lost this ti! I know how deep his love is for you. I want you to know that there is nothing in this world that I wouldn’t do for him. Even if it ans my death, I’ve made you suffer enough, and now I’m paying the price for my mistakes."
Edie never said a word, only listened. She could hear the bitterness and sadness in Anna’s voice. Edie was certain Anna wasn’t faking this ti. Finally, after all this ti, Anna has given up. "Anna, maybe one day I can forgive you. I want you to know that I hope soday you find happiness." Edie never wanted anything bad to happen to Anna. She only wanted her to leave Stuart alone, and now Anna was leaving.
Anna thought Edie would be angry with her and hang up on her. But instead, Edie listened with kindness. Anna lowered her voice to almost a whisper, "Edie, there’s sothing you should know."
"What is it?" Edie asked.
"Be on guard when it cos to Hicks!" Anna looked around to make sure no one was listening.
"Why? What are you talking about?" Edie was stunned and asked again. "Tell ! What do you an?"
"Please forgive for being so selfish. It’s taken so long to see who I have beco finally." Anna removed the phone from her ear as the tears flowed down her cheeks. The tears wouldn’t stop coming. Anna hung up the phone and sent Edie a ssage. [I’m sorry for hanging up on you and ending our conversation.] Then she sent the ssage and deleted the number.
***
It was the next day in the afternoon, and Anna sat on a bench at the airport. She had her phone in her hand, looking at it. She was leaving for Europe at one o’clock this afternoon. She kept looking at her phone and hesitating. She wanted to say goodbye to Stuart but didn’t know how to do it. It was ti for her to board, but she intently missed her flight. She booked another and another. "I have to call Stuart and say goodbye, or I’ll never leave," Anna said with a sigh.
There were only a few hours left before her next flight. Anna thought, ’I’ll call Stuart, and if he wants to co and say goodbye, there will still be lots of ti.’ She finally gathered the courage and called him.
"Hello! What do you want?" Stuart’s tone was cold, as usual.
Anna’s heart trembled at the sound of his voice. "Stuart, I’m leaving for Europe in a few hours. I would like to say goodbye. Do you have ti to co and see before I leave?" What Anna wanted to say, she knew she couldn’t. She wanted Stuart to say, ’Please don’t go. Stay with !’ It would only take two words for Anna to stay, ’Don’t go.’ In her heart, she knew this would never happen.
"What happened? Why are you leaving so suddenly?" Stuart had no idea that Anna planned on leaving and was completely surprised!
"Nothing’s wrong! My dad needs to co ho, but if you need ...I will stay?" Anna said hesitating. She already knew the answer to her question.
Stuart was in his office, and Edie was standing beside him when he answered his phone. She imdiately knew who he was talking to by the tone in his voice. Edie wanted to give Stuart so privacy and deliberately got up and left.
Stuart never answered Anna’s questions, and without any hesitation, he replied, "You ca to help , and I will always be grateful to you. Now it’s ti for you to go ho. Your family needs you. I wish you well!"
Anna’s body shook as she cried silently, leaning against the wall. She suppressed her emotions. "Then you...Are you coming to see before I go?"
Edie ca back into the study with a glass of water for Stuart. Stuart looked at the phone, and then he looked at Edie. He squinted his eyes as if he was trying to co to a decision. "You decide at the last minute to call and say goodbye." There was a calmness in his voice. "I will send Edie over to say goodbye."
She was shocked by Stuart’s reply. The tears flowed faster down Anna’s cheeks. Her heart was broken, was again. "No, no need to trouble, Edie. She’s busy enough. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have bothered you."
"Okay! Have a safe trip and give a call when you arrive ho," Stuart said.
"Stuart, I want you to know that I see how happy you are, and I’m happy for you." Anna took a deep breath. "You deserve it!" Then she hung up the phone. Anna couldn’t shake the sadness over losing Stuart. She was no longer in control of her feelings. She cried until there were no more tears to cry. "I’ve lost him! Goodbye!"
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