It turned out she had only been pretending, and Taylor had never truly believed her.
This was the closest she had ever been to the Sander residence—just a few feet away from the gates.
Taylor walked toward her slowly, but Anna shook her head. "N-no!"
She didn't want to give in easily. She was determined to avoid Taylor and make her way back to the Sander residence.
"Dad, Mom, Ethan!" she shouted loudly.
Taylor and his bodyguards blocked her path. As she was forced into the car, she bit his wrist hard.
"Let me go! I want to go home."
Taylor's face slowly turned cold. "Anna, it seems like I've spoiled you for too long."
Not getting involved in the retaliation of the Carlyns was already the most he could do, but it didn't mean he would stop the Carlyns for Anna.
If that was the case, Anna wouldn't survive.
Anna watched as the gates of the Sander residence opened, and her mother came out. Anna's voice couldn't reach her, but Kate seemed to sense something as she kept looking around, even catching a glimpse of the car.
But the car had tinted windows, blocking any view of Anna inside, her tears hidden from sight.
The car even drove past Kate on purpose, and Anna tapped on the window, whispering, "Mom ... "
She was so close, yet it felt so far away."
"Anna, I won't give you the chance to ruin the plan of the Carlyns, so you can give up on that hope."
Anna gritted her teeth. "I hate you, Taylor!"
Taylor looked at her coldly. "I used to feel sorry for you and wanted you to live a good life. Since you don't want it, then don't blame me. From today on, you will no longer have freedom."
This punishment seemed like a death sentence for her.
She didn't even have freedom at home, as Taylor had her chained up.
"Taylor, you can't treat me lke this!"
Taylor's eyes were cold. "Anna, to be honest, I have been nice to you all these years. If it weren't for me, you would have been dead long ago. I don't expect you to be grateful, but you shouldn't play with my feelings."
This was the first time in years that Anna had seen him angry, not because she tried to escape, but because she had lied to him, using her body as a bet.
If she had acted cute toward him as she used to, maybe Taylor's demeanor would have softened down.
But she also had her own temper. He kept capturing her over and over again, and she almost had the chance to see her family!
"Taylor, I have never asked you to save me. I would rather die than live like this! This is a living hell!"
Anna roared angrily. "If you won't stop the retaliation plan against my family, then kill me."
Taylor looked at her coldly, "I won't kill you."
"Then I'll kill myself."
"If you want Chloe's heart, which is the only thing left by her, to disappear from this world, then go ahead. I will be sad for a while, but soon I will forget you, and then I will retaliate against the Sanders!"
Anna's throat was hoarse as she shouted, "You bastard!"
Taylor stroked her face and said, "Anna, you forced me into this."
He turned and left, the sound of iron chains echoing behind him.
As the door closed, the coldness on Taylor's face faded, replaced by an expression of helplessness.
I'm sorry, Anna.
He had no better way.
On one side was the feud of the Carlyns, and on the other, the woman he loved.
He tried to mediate between them, but Anna refused to give up on the Sanders, and he while he was unwilling to let go of her.
It was as if she were a "walking dead".
She could no longer grasp the meaning of her own existence.
What could she do? How could she go on?
In just a month or two, she had lost a significant amount of weight.
Taylor looked at her coldly. "Do you really have to torture yourself like this?"
She replied, her voice numb, "Then tell me, how am I supposed to live?"
Her eyes were empty, making Taylor feel uneasy.
He wanted to see the cheerful Anna again, not this version of her.
"Anna, you were with the Sanders for five years, and with me for over a decade. For my sake, at least, please live well, okay?"
Anna looked at him indifferently. "I won't run away. I'll eat properly and live well. What else do you want me to do?"
With that, Taylor kissed her on the lips. "If you've forgotten how it feels to be alive, then I'll make sure you experience it again. Anna, maybe if you have our child, you'll be hopeful again."
Anna's eyes showed a hint of fear, and she now realized she was scared.
"No, please." she shrank back, trying to crawl away.
Taylor grabbed her ankle and pulled her back down, leaning over her to plant a series of kisses on her.
"Anna, bear my child."
Anna panicked, and she said, "Taylor, please spare me. We can't have a child, I ... "
"But Anna, it's too late. I gave you a chance," Taylor said, removing his suit and loosening his tie with one hand.
"Do you remember the fun we had at the hotel?"
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