Chapter 8 Mum Had Only One Daughter

• Whatever remorse Harper might have harbored over his treatment of Anne dissipated at once at Jaiden's unexpected actions.
• "Let go of her now, Anne!" Harper grimly hung onto Anne's arm, but Anne still gripped Jaiden's hair tightly and refused to release her.
• The three of them stayed locked in this impasse for a while. Finally, Harper had no choice but to retrieve a pair of scissors and cut Jaiden's hair off.
• "Harper!" Jaiden fell into his arms at once, sobbing uncontrollably. Whether intentionally or by accident, she knocked against Harper's right hand as she landed in his embrace, and the sharp point of the scissors dug into the back of Anne's hand.
• "Ow!" The sudden jab caused Anne no small amount of pain, but it was nothing compared to how devastated she felt.
• Jaiden gasped melodramatically. "Oh no! Anne, you're bleeding! Let me see, quick!" As she spoke, she reached for Anne's hand.
• Naturally, Anne anticipated what she was about to do and batted Jaiden's hand aside with a scornful laugh. "Get away from me! I don't need your fake sympathy or concern."
• "Anne! Apologize at once!" Harper was truly angry now. He glared at Anne. His grim expression seemed to say that if she did not apologize, he would immediately choke the life out of her.
• Anne suddenly began laughing bitterly, feeling twinges of pain shooting through her chest. "Me? Apologize? Not a chance!"
• She turned and stalked out, away from this so-called family that made her want to throw up with disgust. Perhaps this had never truly been somewhere she could call home, not since her mother had passed away.
• Anne suddenly felt as if she did not have a place to call her own in the entire world. She did the next best thing instead; she hailed a passing taxi and went straight to Shayne's place. He was the only person left whom she could turn to.
• Shayne was not at his family residence very often; he had purchased a small house of his own elsewhere. Although it was not very large, Anne felt lucky she at least had a place like that where she could recuperate both physically and mentally.
• Once the taxi reached her destination, she got down and hurried to the door.
• Oddly enough, the door was unlatched.
• Anne was immediately on her guard. Was there a thief in the house? Gently, she pushed open the door. Quietly slipping her shoes off and picking them up, she stole toward the bedroom.
• The entire house was very quiet. In fact, the silence was faintly oppressive.
• Anne tugged at the collar of her blouse and tiptoed to the door of the bedroom. Very quietly, she inserted the key into the lock and turned it, then pushed the door open. The blood rose to her cheeks in an instant at what she saw.
• Shayne was naked, holding a woman in his arms. They were both sound asleep.
• Anne had already been stabbed to the quick by the encounter with her father. Now, a fresh wave of pain engulfed her heart all over again, as if her very flesh and blood were being ripped apart. The feeling was so intense she almost collapsed.
• The vile cheater!
• It was not as if she had not suspected Shayne of cheating on her, but she had not expected it to happen so soon!
• The woman in Shayne's arms abruptly turned over and blearily opened her eyes. The next moment, she gave a loud shriek and yanked the covers up to cover herself and Shayne.
• "What are you screaming about first thing in the morning?" Shayne rubbed his head as if he had a headache.
• Anne watched this entire drama unfold, her gaze as cold as ice. Staring at the woman who had screamed, she clenched her fists, fingers digging into her palm.
• "How does it feel to be sleeping with my boyfriend, Amy?" Anne's voice was glacial. The atmosphere of the entire room suddenly seemed to grow several degrees cooler.
• "S-Sis…Anne..." Amy gasped timidly, looking for all the world as if she were a wronged daughter-in-law.
• The truth was, she was the other woman, the homewrecker!
• "Don't call me your sister. Mum only had one daughter, and that's me."
• Amy bit her lip and did not say anything.
• Shayne only seemed to wake up fully right at this point. In a daze, he glanced around him. His bleary gaze suddenly focused itself, and a look of panic spread over his features. "Anne, it's not what you think! Let me explain!"
• He shoved Amy aside with a sweep of his arm. She had not expected him to do something like that and was caught off-guard. Shayne's shove sent her sprawling onto the ground; she lay there, humiliated, in an utterly undignified manner.
• However, Shayne could care less about her existence at this point. Grabbing the covers and wrapping them around him, he stumbled out of bed and tried to catch hold of Anne, but she evaded him.
• By now, he was beet-red in the face. "It's not what it looks like, Anne, I don't know what happened. I was drinking last night and…"
• "We're through, Shayne Perkins." Anne completely ignored his attempts to explain. No matter how it had happened, the fact was that he and Amy had gotten together. Anne would not hold onto anything that had passed through Amy's hands, no matter how much she loved it.
• Shayne just stood there, stunned into immobility. When he saw the hurt and pain in Anne's eyes and her anguished sadness, he did not know what to say anymore.
• "It wasn't by choice, Anne! I was set up!" He tried to take Anne's hand and pull her into his arms, but the contempt in her eyes made him step back at once.
• "It doesn't matter. I wish you and Amy a long, happy life together."
• With that, Anne turned and left at once.
• Her words might have been resolute, and she had departed as if none of this had affected her in the least, but she felt as if her burden of sadness and hurt had increased exponentially.
• Shayne knew that the people she disliked the most from childhood until now were Jaiden and Amy, so why had he gotten together with Amy regardless? He insisted he had been set up, didn't he?
• There was no smoke without fire. If he truly had been blameless and drawn the line firmly with Amy, why would anyone want to set him up?
• Anne suddenly felt as if she had lost her last possible place of refuge. The ache in her heart was so intense it was causing muscular spasms in her chest. She could do nothing but crouch down and wrap her arms around her chest, gasping for air.