Chapter266TheStartofTension Chapter266TheStartofTension Inthepitchblacksilenceofthenight,memoriesofthetormentfrommypastlifeoftenresurface.
Onlyfleetingindulgenceseemstomomentarilyeasethehollow achewithinme.
EventhoughCarterhasshownmeimmensekindness,thehorrorsofthoseviolentdaysstilllingerinmymindaftermorethatamonth.
Annafeelslikeasplinterlodgedinmysoul,buriedwhereIcantreachit.
Despitethestormpassing,sleepcontinuedtoeludemeentirely.
Igotdressedandmademywaydownstairs .
Thelivingroomwasflluminated,castingawarmglow,andLukesattherewithacigaretteinhand.Ihadnoideahowlonghedbeenthere,buttheashtrayoverflowedwithdiscardedcigarettebutts Heglancedatmeandasked,Whyareyoustillawakeatthishour? Icantseemtofallasleep,Ireplied.
Hiseyesdriftedtothefaintmarkabovemycollarbone,hisexpressioncoolingslightly.Youandhim Withouthesitation,Iadmitted,CarterandIaremarried.
Hegaveabitter,almostmockingsmile,fullyawarethattherewasnothinghecouldchangenow.
Intheend,hewastheonewhochosetoletmegofirst, Noonecanbeexpectedto standstill,waitingendlesslyforsomeonewho left.
Icouldnttellwhatthoughtswererunningthroughhismind,but a faint ,sorrowfulsmilecurvedhislipsThisisforthebest…thisisforthebest…hemurmured.
Herosetohisfeetslowlyasiftheweightofthemomenthadcrushedhim,hisexpressionetchedwithanguish.
Turningaway,heretreatedtohisroom,hissilhouetteradiatinganairofdeeploneliness.
Ifhehadforeseenthisoutcome,whydidhemakethosechoicesinthefirstplace? Ipouredmyselfaglassofwaterandlingeredinthelivingroom,lostinthoughtforalongwhile.
IcouldnthelpbutwonderdidAnnafindpeaceinhersleeptonight? Thefollowingmorning,Ifeltrefreshedandheadedtothehotel,showing notraceofexhaustion TheSanderfamilyisregardedasadistinguishedname inthearea,andtheircrossbordermarriagehasbecomeafocalpointofinterest.
Theguestsarrivinganddepartingwereallaffluentandinfluentialfigures.
1/4 09:22Wed,Dec11 Chapter266TheStartofTension Anna,dressedinanexquisitecustommadeweddinggown,walkedarminarmwithAshley.
+20FreeCoins As1watchedthescene unfold,Icouldnthelpbutsigh.Perhapsevensheremainedunawareofthetwistsandturnsthatfatehadplannedforher.
Ms.Sanders,youlookabsolutelystunningtoday,Isaidwithawarmsmile.
Mrs.Bolton,youretookind.Please,comein.Iapologizeforanyshortcomingsinmyhospitality.
Weexchangedpleasantries,andtotheoutsideeye,therewasnohintofthehiddenanimositybetweenus.
IscannedthecrowdforSadie,wonderingwhythefoolhadntshownupyetsheshouldvebeen hereby THOW .
Billandmymomwere alreadythere,soImademywayovertoher.
Assoonasshespottellme,shesmiledandextendedherhandtomine.Zoey.
Mom,please sitdown.Dontstandfortoolong Itsfine,Imnot thatfragile.Actually,Ihaventexperiencedmuchmorningsicknesslately,soitsbeenbearablewithnoseriousissues.
Havinghadamiscarriagemyself.Iwasespeciallyconcernedaboutherwellbeing.Youneedtotakeextracareofyourself.Thefirstthreemonthsarecrucial.
Alright,alright,Illlistentoyou.Withmyhelp,mymomsettledintoaseat.
AsIscannedthecrowd,Ispottedmanyfamiliarfaces,includingMonicascheating husband,Zack! Hislargebellywassoprominent,itlookedlikehisshirtmightripopen at anymoment.
IcouldntbelievehehadthenervetoshowupinfrontofBillsoshamelessly! Notonlydidheappear,buthewasnowwalkingstraighttowardsBill.
Mr.Gardner,whatacoincidencetomeetyouagain.AndthismustbeMrs.Gardner,hesaid,his eyes.landingonmymom.
TheonlythingIcouldpicturewasthatlivebroadcastthesightofhispalestomachresemblingagiant watermelon.
Eventhewayhelookedathermademyskincrawlwithdisgustasifhismerepresencecouldtaintmy moni Bill,clearlynotbotheredtomakemuchofan impression,gaveaslightnodand respondedwithacasual,Hello,Mr.Harrison.
Zacksweightgainwascertainlytoblamehispiggishfacenowresembledanoverinflatedballoonadrift atsel ItmadeithardertonoticejusthowmuchSadiesfeaturesmirroredhis.
Billsclearlydismissiveattitudeshouldhavebeenenoughtodiscourageanyfurther interaction,but Zack, 2/4 09:22Wed, Dec11GGW.
Chapter266TheStartofTension 出 #20FreeCoins shamelesslyadded,Mrs.Gardner issoyoungandstunning.Mr.Gardner,youretrulyfortunate.Youtwomustbedeeplyinlove,right? Evenmymompickedupontheoffputtingvibe,castinghimasubtleyeticyglance, Icutinbeforeshecouldrespond,Certainlynotas lovingas you and Mrs.Harrison.Fivechildren,right?Thatmustbea testamenttoyourwonderfulbond.
Themomentthosewordsleftmymouth,bothBillandmymomturnedtolookatme,whileZacksexpressionshiftedeversoslightly.Thecornersofhis smilefroze,stiffanduneasy.
EvenBill,unawareofZackspersonallife,seemedcaughtoffguardbymyknowledgeofhisfamily.
Zack,however,waslikelyonedgenow,wonderinghowmuchIactuallyknew.
Wasnthejusttryingtoshowoff?Letsseeifhecankeepthat smile now.
Doyouknowme,Ms.Gardner?heaskedcautiously,testingthewaters.
Iofferedhima politesmile.Ofcourse.Mr.Harrison,youbuiltyourempirefromnothingandeventookyourcompanypublic.Trulyinspiring!Yourperseveranceissomethingweyoungerfolksshouldaspireto.
Zacksexpressiongreweven moreunsightly,and aftermutteringafewhalfheartedwords,hehurriedlywalkedaway .
Icouldguesswhatwasrunningthroughhismind.SleepingwithBillswomanandlettingBillunknowinglyplaythefatherheprobablythoughthedoutsmartedhim,eventhoughBillwasclearlytheonepullingallthestrings.
Asthatactinginsecrecywasawaytoflaunthisconfidence.
Man,Zackseemedtot AlthoughBillmightbetrash,hewasstillbetterthansomeonewhonotonlyclimbedtopowerbyrelyingonleveragingwomenbutalsoschemedtokillBill.
WhileImighthavebeenmorecautiousabroad,hereattheBoltonsterritoryinSnowville,Carterspresencegavemeanoverwhelmingsenseofsafety.
Iwasntworriedaboutanyschemeshemighttryagainstme.Infact,ifIcoulddrivehimtodesperationandpushhimintotakingactionagainstBill,exposingMonicasaffairwithhimintheprocess,thatwouldcertainlymakethingsentertaining! Bill,noticingthetensionbetweenus,frownedandsaid,Hesashadyonecrookedinbothbusinessandcharacter.Keepyourdistancefromhim.
Iknow.Aslongashedoesntdoanythingfoolish,Irepliedcalmly.
Billseemedtosensethatsomethingwasntquiterightbutchosenottopressthematterfurther.

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Juststayonthesidelinestodayanddontstirupanytrouble.WhiletheHudsonsandourfamilycantformamarriagealliance,westillhavebusinesstiestomaintain.
Understood,Isaidwithanod.
Somethings,however,wereentirelyoutofmyhands.Zackhadalreadysethissightsonmymoms 3/4 Wed,Dec11 Chapter266TheStartofTension +20FreeCoins unbornchild.
WhatBilldidntrealize was that hisfatewasbeingplottedbysomeoneelse entirely.
Myaimwasonlytogetthetwoofthemdivorced,nottoseehimlose hislife.
WorriedthatZack might exploitthesituationtohurtmymom,Igaveherclearinstructionsandmadesurethebodyguardstayedbyhersideatalltimes,neverlettingheroutofsight.
OnceIhadtakencareofeverything.IletoutasmallsighofreliefandturnedmyattentiontofindingCarterandDamiantoseeifSadiehadarrivedyet.
Hewasencircledbyacrowd ,unabletostepaway .
Iquicklymademywayover tohim.
Ms.Gardner,wemeetagain,amangreetedme,aglassofredwineinhishandandafaintsmileonhislips.
ItwasTaylor! Ihadnofondnessforhim,perhapsbecauseourfirstencounterinvolvedstumblinguponadisturbing.sceneofhimforcinghisadvancesonsomeone.
Mr.Carlyn,IacknowledgedhimwithacoolnodbeforecontinuingtowardCarter.
JustasItook acoupleofsteps,threeorfourchildrencamebarrelingtowardme,theircakeandjuicesplashingallovermydress.
Melissahurriedover,apologizingprofuselywhileraisingherhandtolightlysmackeachofthekidsonthehead.
Mrs.Bolton,Imsosorry!Theselittletroublemakers ruinedyourdress.Letmetakeyoutothedressingroomtogetchanged.
Thankyou,Isaid,keepingmytonepoliteasMelissagraciouslyledmetoaroom.
Mrs.Bolton,pleasewaithere.Illfetchyouanewdress,sheofferedwithasmile.
Thanksagain.Ireplied.
ThemomentIsteppedinside,theclickofalockingdoorreachedmyears.
Iturnedtofind severalmenalreadyintheroom,theirfacestwistedwithmaliciousgrins.Mrs.Bolton,youwanttochange?Letusgiveyouahandwiththatoneofthemsneered.
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