When she heard in-laws' conversation, a businesswoman felt a chill go down her spine...what she did

the sun filtered through the sheer curtains of Dr Simon's office casting a soft glow that seemed almost mocking in its brightness Anna sat rigidly in the cushioned chair her light blue maxi skirt pulled around her her hands clenched in the fabric betrayed the turmoil she felt inside the room usually a place of hopes and dreams for many couples felt like a cage to her Dr Simon a middle-aged man with a kind but somber expression cleared his throat I'm very sorry Anna and James he began his voice steady yet empathetic the results from the tests are

conclusive he paused glancing at the papers before him as if they could somehow soften the blow it appears that the issues preventing conception are solely related to Anna's fertility levels Anna's heart sank with each clinical word that escaped Dr Simon's lips she knew this moment could come had feared it even but the reality was far more crushing than she had imagined it was one thing to anticipate bad news quite another to hear it confirmed James sitting beside her had his jaw set his face a mask of stoic acceptance when the doctor had started explaining the

specifics terms like endometrial complications and ovarian insufficiency James had simply nodded his hand initially resting on Anna's arm in in a silent vow of support Anna couldn't bear to look at him she feared seeing blame or disappointment in his eyes though he had never given her reason to expect either instead she stared down her vision blurring with unshed tears and while there are options available such as fertility treatments or IVF I must be honest about their invasiveness and cost Dr Simon continued his tone gentle these paths can be physically and emotionally demanding and often come

with no guarantees Anna felt James's Gaze on her gentle and questioning but she wasn't ready to meet it she was trapped in a whirlwind of self-reproach her mind replaying every moment leading up to this how could she face James knowing she was the reason their shared dream of a family was crumbling it was James who had to help her stand and lead her to the car only after she sat down in the passenger seat did James Clear his throat and finally speak to her did you hear the doctor Anna blinked I tuned out after he

said it was my fault he didn't say it was your fault James said but the tone in his voice made it sound like he blamed her she didn't say anything choosing to just make herself as small as possible her eyes remained focused out the window not a word spoken between her and James things were very tense in the car it was so thick you could cut cut it with a knife this seemed to be the final nail in the coffin everything was okay until it wasn't it started well before they started to try for kids

only to be disappointed when every month her period came when the car came to a stop Anna looked out the window they are home now and she sighed with relief not a word was spoken between them Anna wanted to say something but she didn't know what to say to him that would make any of this better it wasn't always like this there was a time when things were good between the two of them something Anna wished was still the case before she met James Anna spent a lot of time focused on work she wanted kids

and a husband but hadn't found the right time yet most of her days were at the publishing company she inherited from her father he had built the business from the ground up as his only child it was expected Anna would take over she was essentially groomed from a young age to take over the business once he retired Anna gladly stepped into his shoes it was a bit nerve-wracking but Anna did her best to prove that while she was given this position by her dad she deserved it in time the people who worked for the company

began to respect her as much as they did her father she wasn't expecting to meet anyone but one day she bumped into James it was the typical run into someone while out getting coffee romcom scenario at first told James she wasn't interested because she wanted to focus on work but James kept pursuing her he said he didn't mind taking it slow or just being her friend as long as she was in his life that was all that mattered to him it was safe to say he ended up sweeping Anna off her feet she tried not

to fall too hard but never had a man made her like this before he made it seem like Anna was the only woman in the world there was no one else after pushing him away Anna decided to take the plunge and accept a date with him she made sure that he understood it was one date James just nodded smiling he seemed confident that she would want to go on another date with him and he was right Anna did want to go on another day with him she went on one date followed by another and another

before Anna knew it she was falling in love with James there was no going back once that happened they tied the knot and for a few years everything was great it was hard to say when things started to go south maybe after the honeymoon period started to wear off she couldn't say what it was but it felt like things were lacking between her and James the longer their marriage went on and the news that they wouldn't be able to make a child together was just the latest blow in a crap storm that kept hitting them

day after day week after week after learning the news from the doctor things did get a little better but there was still this awkwardness that she didn't know how to bridge Anna was at a loss trying to figure out what she could do in the end Anna decided to plan a two-e romantic cruise for the two of them they hadn't gone on a vacation in a long time the last time they were on a vacation was about a year ago the vacation saw them going to Hawaii and it was nice but it was cut short

because of an emergency with James's place of work however this time they would be on a cruise ship it wasn't like they could easily turn around and get back home she bit her bottom lip looking at all the cruises available Anna hoped she could find the perfect one it needed to scream romance because the two of them were in desperate need of Romance the cruise she decided on was a Princess Cruise that started in Florida and went around some islands in the Caribbean they went to a Caribbean Island for their honeymoon which was an amazing

experience Anna almost felt the Ur to dig out the photo album there are dozens upon dozens of pictures highlighting a happier time she and James frolicking on the beach wrapped in each other arms looking at one another as if they were deeply in love they were once Anna wished she knew what happened she didn't want to give up on the marriage it was important to try to stick it out and not divorce unless one could say that they did give it there all Anna's parents didn't bother to stick it out her mother just divorced her

father leaving them in the dust but she didn't want to do that until she tried and surprising her husband with a cruise was going to be tricky but she knew he had a lot of vacation time at his job it wouldn't be difficult for him to take two or so weeks off the same applied to her as the boss Anna could take as much time as she wanted off and not have to put time in so to speak once Anna was done purchasing the tickets to the cruise she smiled to herself it was a few

weeks later she did tell James about the cruise but his reaction was not what she expected you bought tickets to a cruise without asking me Anna winced I thought it would be romantic well you've bothered to buy the tickets so I guess we'll go he didn't sound very excited but Anna brushed it off she made the mistake of not telling him so this was on her I'll make sure to run it by you next time she said apologetically trying her best to force a smile Anna didn't want to make a big deal out of his

reaction and show how upset she was getting it might have made James go on the defensive the next day James changed his tune he seemed a lot happier than the other day and she had no idea what had changed in him but Anna felt like she had her old husband back then everything seemed to go to hell all at once it happened accidentally Anna was making dinner for her husband and the in-laws when she realized she had left one of the bags of groceries in the car so she went out to retrieve the bag walking

through the garage uh she heard a bunch of whispering from the side of the garage near the backyard Anna frowned realizing that it was her in-laws and they were talking about her to make it worse James was out there with them it was a mistake to ever marry that woman Paige Anna's mother-in-law hist I thought that marrying into such a well-to-do family would help Elevate you and our family but what is the point if she can't carry on the family name Anna's heart dropped she couldn't believe what she was hearing right now they implied well

more than implied that James only married her for her reputation and money your mother is right James her father-in-law Philip muttered if you stay married to her it's only going to ruin you what you need is to marry someone younger who can give you a child and not stay with some barren woman she linked back tears but she didn't move Anna wanted to hear this more than that she needed to hear it to have the wool removed from over her eyes it was necessary to listen to these three people talk about her once Anna thought

her in-laws were fond of her to an extent that image had been destroyed I already have someone else in mind her name is Emma she's crazy about me and can't wait to take the next step Anna knew that name that was a co-work worker James worked with and the first time she saw her she was struck by how young and beautiful she was of course he would have an affair with her and you can't divorce her James then she'll take all the money and we'll be left destitute James growled mom do you think I'm stupid

I don't plan to divorce her so don't worry this Cruise we're going on is the perfect chance for my baren wife to have an accident it was the best gift she could have given to us she stepped away unable to hear anymore more her husband the man she thought loved her wanted her dead he wanted to get rid of her and use that money to run off into the sunset with that young Floy he was cheating on her with Anna didn't know how she was going to get through this dinner with a straight face honestly

she didn't think she would be able to rushing back inside Anna turned off the stove she texted James to say there was a sudden emergency at work and they could order out at any place they want wanted her treat this would be sure to butter them up her car was parked out front so she hurried and got in the car James texted her back asking if everything was okay it took everything in her to just give him a smiley face and a thumbs up before Anna could go back home she needed to get a hold

of herself if she didn't then she was going to break down and accuse James of something this might have made him lash out hurting her sooner than planned there was no proof just Anna's word against his she wished she had recorded the conversation but she was in such shock that all she could do was stand there and listen as her world crashed down around her it seemed like this wasn't reality however it was Anna reached up to pinch her cheek and it hurt a lot for a while all Anna did was drive around aimlessly she

couldn't go back home but she didn't want to go to the office either and have those who were still there see her like this it made sense James wanted to kill her rather than divorce her he'd get all her money and the business she inherited from her father but if James divorced her then he would get nothing why would he divorce her when he could get rid of her the prenup further specified that what was hers was hers and was his was his before the marriage she had been told many times by her father that

a prenup was necessary if she were to get married Anna decided that she was going to to make sure whoever she married signed one if they didn't then there was no wedding James didn't seem upset when he signed the prenup but had it all been an act she had no idea what was real or what was a front deciding to book them on a cruise was the worst decision she ever made it gave James a chance to take her life all he had to do was say she fell overboard this made things too easy for

him Anna was not under any any circumstances going to let him get away with this the more Anna drove around the angrier she became she blamed herself for not being able to give her husband a biological child when he was going behind her back not only did he cheat on her but he was planning her murder with his parents it scared her yes but Anna was angrier and more determined than ever to make sure that James would never see another dime this marriage was going to be over but it would be on her terms however

how she was going to do this was a mystery when the sun started to set Anna finally drove back home her in-laws were gone and she heard James in his study likely not doing any work he was probably just playing video games James I'm home Anna called out trying to act as normal as possible James didn't respond she sighed sending him a text he didn't ask her if anything was wrong and just said okay to sleep beside this man tonight scared the crap out of her but Anna had to pretend things were all right if

she didn't then he might snap and try to hurt her now Anna got ready for bed slowly that night she kept staring at her reflection in the mirror torn between crying and calling herself an idiot how could she let herself get drawn into this man and never realize anything was wrong this was why Anna always felt there was something off in the marriage once the rose-colored glasses were taken off Anna felt something strange there but she was never to put her finger on it until now did he ever love her probably not James likely saw

her as an easy way for him to get access to millions and millions of dollars without having to work for it themselves yes he did work and they had their separate accounts but Anna had no problem giving James money he was her husband after all saying the word husband filled her with a bitter feeling she scalled at her reflection in the mirror resisting the urge to put her first through the mirror the blue-eyed woman with long wavy brown hair staring back at her looked tired tired of this whole sham of a marriage and trying to

make something work that was beyond saving Anna needed to get a grip getting angry at herself wasn't going to help matters it was just going to make Anna spiral more and more into Insanity she laid down in bed but was unable to sleep it was like that James wasn't even going to come up tonight and would fall asleep playing video games in his study this was what he usually did when she found him there after dinner normally Anna would go into the study and try to talk James into coming up into bed but now that

was the last thing she wanted to do she wanted him as far away from her as possible it was the only way to guarantee she would live to see another day what could she do and Anna was still racking her brain brain trying to figure out what she was going to do her father's Legacy would never go to James this was something she was going to make sure happened no matter what it was the next day Anna was finally able to figure out what she wanted to do she needed to sleep on it but the

moment she opened her eyes it hit her wondering what she could do first and foremost Anna needed to get all those properties and items that she had put in James's name back in just hers they were originally hers so she was able to do that then she needed to go to her lawyer whom she had on retainer to get the divorce proceedings rolling the only thing Anna planned to let James keep was the actual house she bought that house outright once they were married and to be honest she wanted nothing to do with it it

would only remind her of her sham of a marriage she got to the notary bright and early when she stopped at her lawyer's office Gina seemed shocked that she walked right in there sat down and asked for a divorce I can't believe what I'm hearing Anna lifted a brow why is it so hard to believe that I want a divorce I just thought it would never happen what do you mean Gina Gina was not just her lawyer she was also her friend a good friend who always told her like it was well normally and now

she was getting the feeling that Gina wasn't telling her everything or hadn't been okay so I've never liked James which you know but I hate him passionately Anna he was never good enough for you but he made you so happy that I didn't want to take that away she smiled bitterly well he's cheating on me so I've decided it's time for me to get out which is why I want to get this divorce process going Gina grinned you don't know how happy that makes me feel Anna I wish you had told me about James before

would you have listened Anna bit down on her bottom lip I like to think I would have listened but I was so blinded by love that I probably wouldn't even listen chances are I may have pushed you away which was why I didn't say anything because I didn't want you to push me away I needed to remain in your life in some capacity so when things went badly then I'd be there to help she sniffed Gina you don't know how happy that makes me to hear thank you it was good that she had a reminder

that there were people out there there who cared after learning that her husband wanted to kill her Anna desperately needed something out there to know there was still hope in the world but as much as it was nice to know she had a good friend in Gina Anna realized she had to do something more drastic she had to vanish Anna was going to leave without talking to James she would leave him and the in-laws a video message explaining what she was doing let him go on and be with that woman he was cheating on on

her with thinking about James now made her feel numb no longer did Anna feel that deep love for him she once thought she held hearing that conversation had made the illusion vanish so now she realized what they had wasn't a marriage it was a sham of a marriage she wished she realized it was a sham of a marriage long before this moment but what was done was done leaving without telling anyone where she was going was the best thing to do right now this would ensure her safety when she left Gina's office Anna decided it

was time to get the ball rolling she set her phone up pressing the record function hello James Paige and Phillip I'm leaving this message for all of you to say that I am leaving James this marriage is done I know that you're cheating on me so you can go ahead and be with that woman child really because she's half your age you're having an affair with if you try to drag out the divorce then so be it but you're not going to get a damn thing I've already signed the properties back over to me feel

free to keep the house though it's full of nothing but lies the video was done in one take Anna had practiced earlier trying to think of the best thing she could say to get the point across it was delivered in a cold calm voice she wanted James to think that she wasn't hurting that she was strong on the inside she felt like she was rotting rotting away but this would be only temporary Anna was determined to move on with her life somehow and put James in the metaphorical rearview mirror with the message recorded Anna went

to her office she went into the office of the second command Grace who looked confused because she usually didn't come in on this day Anna is something wrong Anna smiled I'm getting a divorce and need to get away for a while so for the foreseeable future the business is in your hands I'm only a phone call text or email away but the day-to-day operations will be handled by you she gaped what I I don't know what to say say you'll do it Anna teased of course I'll do it Grace blurted out but wait did you

say you were getting divorced yes and I don't wish to discuss it any further please respect that Grace nodded of course Anna I wish you luck and I'll keep you updated weekly since you probably won't completely hands off true Anna said giving her a small smile but for the most part Grace was going to be in charge and Anna was okay with that she sent the message to James and her in-laws later that day Anna then checked into a hotel blocking their numbers if James wanted to contact her then he would have to go through

to her lawyer who would then send the message to her there was no way they were going to be in contact with one other under any circumstances the hotel Hotel was only temporary Anna just needed to stay here until she was able to figure something out for herself it was hard to say what she wanted to do her life had been planned out until now but with James and her getting divorced she needed a new plan a few days and Anna finally realized what she wanted to do she was going to buy a home in

the middle of nowhere fix it up and live there to some it might seem like something out of the blue but it wasn't when when Anna's father was getting sick he told her of a dream he once had he wanted to retire to a farmhouse in the country and just enjoy the rest of his days in solitude but he passed before he had a chance to chase that retirement dream now as a favor to her father Anna felt like she should do this but it was also for herself she wanted to be somewhere where no

one knew her a place where she would be able to heal this was all Anna wanted to do with her life for the foreseeable future she searched and searched until he found this perfect abandoned Farm about a 2-hour drive away it was virtually in the middle of nowhere with the closest neighbor a 10minute walk away the house from the pictures at least had seen better days but Anna didn't care there was enough money to fix it up and transform it into something amazing Anna first set up the rebuilding of the building and the farm itself

she started by hiring a construction company to get the ball rolling it was a few more days before she was able to get there because she wanted to make sure there was enough fixed up so she could sleep there it would be her first look at the place in person her stomach was flip-flopping with excitement and nervousness she was still thrown for a loop by the end of her marriage and the fact that it had come to such a wicked end how had she not seen it before the thoughts still haunted her Anna couldn't even

find solace in sleep these nightmares would hit making her wake up drenched in sweat it was terrifying to think that her husband could have killed her it was usually where her dreams went James would kill her in different ways a smirk on his face of course he was happy he was finally going to get that money that he desperately wanted this was why Anna was trying to get out of the city she had to get the heck out of here and that was what she was doing today today Anna's stuff was being brought to the

farm while she waited for her driver to arrive the one that showed up was one that she had a few times before but they had never spoken very much after racking her brain Anna remembered his name was Dany when he showed up and pulled up at the corner he smiled at her hello Mrs just Anna she blurted out not wanting to hear her soon to be ex-husband's last name it would just be a reminder of what she was trying to run from well I'm Danny I know Anna said with a smile you've driven me to

and from work a few times usually Drive some of your other Executives the man flashed her a smile he had beautiful blue eyes that Drew her in with curly blonde hair she wanted to run her fines through Dany looked to be around her age not that it mattered she shouldn't be thinking of this right now he was just a nice man who was hired to be a driver so you bought a farm Danny asked as they pulled onto the highway Anna smiled I wanted to get away from the city and this seemed like the best

way to do it I live near the farm you bought Dany admitted with a grin her eyes widened really yes I live on my grandmother's Farm ironic that you bought a farm just minutes from her place how long has that farm been for sale Danny Shrugged a long time it's nice to see someone has finally purchased it I look forward to seeing what you produce drove by it earlier and it seems to be coming along still a long way to go Anna pointed out with a soft smile she leaned her head against the car window

and started to doze off Anna had been running on fumes for a while now all she could think about was putting as much distance between her and her husband James as possible Gina had forwarded her some of the messages James and her in-laws had sent her some of them were fine While others were unhinged James couldn't understand why she wanted to divorce him like this and wouldn't even talk things out the audacity of that man was insane she couldn't believe he was trying to pretend nothing was wrong when she knew he was cheating Anna had

made sure not to mention anything about their apparent murder plot there would be an unmarked car at the farm at all times she had hired a bodyguard company who would keep an eye on her and make sure that nothing happened while she was staying at the farm this was just to ensure that nothing would happen to Anna she didn't think it would but it didn't hurt to be on the safe side nothing like fixing up a place though Danny says wistfully Anna laughed those were my thoughts exactly it was a long drive so Anna had

little to do but talk with her driver Dany not that she minded he was was a very nice man she came to find out and wish they had spoken to each other a little more than before he mentioned that he used to be in the military something he did right out of high school Anna had to admire that at such a young age no matter his reasons he signed up to fight for his country if necessary but a few years ago Dany was injured in combat Anna noticed that he didn't elaborate too much on that

fact it must still be hard for him to talk about something she understood there were things she didn't like to talk about either once he was honorably discharged Dany moved in with his grandmother she was aging and needed some help anyway so it made sense to move in with her but to help pay the bills he also got a job driving for the company that Anna contracted out to drive her and some other employees around when they pulled up to the house Anna blinked they got here quicker than she thought they would we're here what

do you think Anna couldn't help but smile when she saw the state of the house it was still a mess but the mess looked like it was starting to come together it's starting to look a bit like a home he laughed my thoughts exactly she started to reach for the car door but Danny made a loud noise catching her off guard no let me Danny it's fine Anna it's my job let me do it he said it firmly but also gently Anna side deciding to humor him this time around Dany insisted on walking her up

to the house and bringing her suitcases inside she turned to Dany flashing him a soft smile thank you Danny if you need anything I'm just a short drive away well I'll have a car here tomorrow Danny smiled that just means you won't need me to drive you around it doesn't mean I can't still assist you in other ways she didn't know why but the way he was smiling at her made her blush Anna cleared her throat taking out her phone do you have a number I can reach you you know in case I do need

any of that help you're offering Dany repeated his number to her smiling the entire time see you soon Anna the way he said this almost made it sound like he was hopeful that she would reach out to him again Anna was tempted but she wasn't she moved out here to get away and to live in solitude the last thing she needed was to bring anyone new into her Inner Circle especially a man and she barely knew Anna was still reeling from the fact that her husband wanted to kill her it continued to keep her up

at night but at least out here in the middle of nowhere it made it easier to sleep one would think it would fill Anna with more anxiety but that was the exact opposite it made her feel safe to put as much distance between her and James as possible with the guard posted outside the house Anna knew she would be safe the house truly did need a lot of TLC but Anna was happy about that she wanted something that would keep her busy and distracted this was the most important thing in her mind a part of

her was determined not to reach out to Dany he seemed like a nice guy who wanted to help but he did say he was taking care of her grandmother she didn't want to take him away from a vulnerable elderly woman who needed his assistance but then there was a plumbing issue Anna was trying trying not to go into the city at all meaning she was having a lot of things delivered so she ordered the parts and waited for the plumber to arrive the parts came but the plumber did not reluctantly she dialed Danny's number he

picked it up instantly Anna I was wondering when you would call she laughed softly hello Danny you're not busy are you no grandma is settled in the living room eating lunch and will be dozing in her chair soon what do you need Anna explained the situation as best she could as soon as she was done Dany said he'd be there and hung up he showed up moments later carrying some tools lead the way Dany said grinning the problem was taken care of very quickly to thank him Anna cooked some food in her now working kitchen

and drove to his home she hoped he was home feeling bad about just stopping there with no warning Anna didn't even have to knock when all of a sudden Dany opened the door in a moment of panic she held up the food she'd put in several containers I made you and your grandma something to eat and I'm just realizing that I never asked if you two had any dietary restrictions Dany shook his head no we don't thank God he took the food and smiled Anna this is nice of you consider it thanks for coming over

to fix my Plumbing on such short notice why don't you come in and eat it with us Anna hesitated no it's all right the lady's coming in to join us right I won't stand for it if she doesn't at least sit down for a few bites when Anna heard Danny's grandmother theia shout from the other room she laughed okay I'll stay no one can say no to Grandma Danny joked anytime Anna needed help she called Dany then she would bring him some food whether it be dinner or some dessert that she had baked sometimes Anna

would join them but other times she wouldn't because she had to get back to the house it became clear to Anna that after a few months she was starting to grow fond of Dany this felt different from how she felt when she thought she was falling for James back then it felt like Anna had to do it he kept pursuing her so why not give a guy who cared about her a chance that wasn't right Anna should have been firm and James should have taken her first rejection as an answer and not a negotiation Dany

wasn't like that he was just genuinely nice not expecting anything out of it at no point did Dany make any sort of romantic gesture it was hard to say if he felt anything like that toward her as far as Anna knew this could be all in her head and one-sided she wanted to say something to make it clear how she felt about him but Anna decided to wait so she could be sure that this was real where did you learn to cook Dany asked one evening when she brought over some cookies to thank him for

another job well done at the the farm I learned it on my own actually Anna admitted sheepishly dad spent a lot of time working and I didn't like the babysitter's food so I thought why not make my own that is very Charming she ducked her head hoping that he didn't see her blush the last thing she wanted was for Dany to notice she was blushing I was a very determined child well look where it got you CEO to a company Anna bit down on her bottom lip some people think I don't deserve the position because

my dad used to be the head of the company so I made sure that I proved myself people are always going to judge you for even the smallest thing the best thing you can do is just stop letting other people get to you easier said than done I know I'll try Anna said Danny smiled that's all that matters she was falling for the guy it was getting to the point where Anna wanted to make her feelings for him known or at least make it obvious she was interested some people weren't always aware that someone was

trying to pursue them either you continued to be subtle about it or made it very obvious the problem was Anna felt scared she opened her heart up to someone once and it backfired to the point where it nearly cost her her life speaking of James she hadn't spoken to him since the last night she was in the house he continued to reach out to Gina each message more unhinged than the last last but Anna was going to continue to move forward there was no way she wasn't going to divorce James why would Anna want to

stay with someone who wanted her dead that made no sense she had more respect than that for herself and most importantly didn't want to die not like that anyway it ended up getting to the point where Anna knew she had to make a move on Dany she wanted to make her interest known if he ended up rejecting her then so be it but Anna was fine with that all that mattered was that she took a chance but those feelings took a backseat when Dany reached out to her asking for some help hey Anna I hope

I'm not taking you from anything am I no not at all is something wrong I have a sudden emergency in the city and don't want to leave grandma right now because she's not feeling well do you think you could watch her for a while yes Anna blurted out he sighed in relief thank you Anna I'll be there soon okay Dany attempted to thank her again but Anna laughed and told him that she needed to go so she could get to him on time she got there within the next 10 minutes as soon as she got

there Dany left leaving her with Thea come sit Thea said smiling at her I appreciate you coming out here to look over me but it wasn't necessary all I had was a small cold which I have gotten over but my dear Dany worries way too much much frankly I am sick of being in this house an idea hit Anna she smiled and turned to Thea how about we take a short trip to my farm so you can see how it's coming along Thea's eyes twinkled in Amusement oh I'd love that let's go she helped Thea

out of the house and to the car before leaving she sent Dany a text to let him know that theia was at The Farmhouse a part of Anna wondered if she was overstepping her boundaries what if he grew cross with her for taking his grandmother out when she was still recovering yes Thea made it clear she felt better but this was Danny's grandmother and not hers despite these reservations she continued on the way to the farm the first time Thea saw it she looked so happy and a bit teary eyed she talked about how she

remembered the last people that had lived here it was nice to see that the farm was starting to return to its former glory yes there was still a long way to go but it was getting there the Evening Sun dipped low the porch with its creaky wooden planks and Faded rocking chairs served as a front row seat to this quiet spectacle Thea's voice was soft but tinged with worry Danny's been my rock you know ever since his parents passed he's put his whole life on hold thinks he can't have a life of his own without

neglecting me she sighed her hands fidgeting with the edges of her blanket it's a kind thing but it eats at me Anna nodded her eyes tracing the flight of a lone bird against the orange Sky he sounds like a wonderful man sacrificing so much yes but at what cost Thea's brows furrowed he's young he should be out there finding someone special building a life her voice dropped to a whisper I think he's scared Anna scared that love will pull him away and scared to be hurt again eventually Anna drove Thea back to the house it

wasn't more than a half hour later that Dany came back hi Anna said with a nervous smile then she continued before he could say anything I'm sorry for overstepping my boundaries and taking Thea out I hope you are not angry but she seemed like she wanted to get out Dany blinked and held up his hand Anna you don't have anything to apologize for I realize I can be pretty overprotective with my grandmother the fact that you were enough to take her out and spend time with her there means a lot to me she let out

a breath she didn't realize she was holding I am so happy to hear you say that this whole time I was thinking I overstepped my boundaries or something he laughed you worry too much Anna I do she admits with a weak laugh Anna knew she had to get home but she wanted to finally get something off her chest she cleared her throat and smiled at Danny are you getting ready to to leave he asked yes but do you think we could speak for a moment outside on the porch he nodded of course once they were

on the porch Anna felt her stomach start to flip-flop Danny I've grown to care about you a lot over the past few months and I want you to know this it's something I needed to get off my chest even if you don't feel the same way if you don't I understand but I want you to know I can't stop thinking about you for a while Dany didn't say anything Anna started to suspect the worst but then Dany smiled softly I must be the densest man in the world because I had no idea he admitted this

whole time I convinced myself you couldn't feel the same way so I decided just to push those feelings aside and lock them away Anna leaned forward closing the distance between them and placing her lips over his he stood there in shock before his hands slipped around her waist to hold her close when they parted the two of them smiled at each other well that was a nice surprise from inside Thea howled with laughter it's about time you two got off your duffs I was starting to think I was going to have to play matchmaker both

of them burst out laughing so do you want to come over tomorrow for dinner Anna asked with a smile I understand you have Thea to think about I'll be fine Danny have dinner Thea shouted again Dany shook his head in disbelief yes I'd love it too I can stop by around 7 that sounds great from there a romance started to bloom between them Anna was nervous trying not to make any mistakes but she also wanted to be sure she wasn't rushing into this so quickly when James finally signed the papers Anna sat Dany down and

decided it was time to explain the situation to him he seemed shocked to learn that this man had so brazen tried to plan her murder and then angry that he essentially got away with it I've made peace with it Dany Danny swallowed well as long as I am around he's not going to lay a finger on you should he ever decide to show his face around you again this wasn't a promise it was a threat Anna's heart started to hammer in her chest at how much he was willing to do to protect her I love

you Anna blurted out she froze when she realized what she said the romance between them well since they confessed their feelings to each other had only been going on for about three or so months Anna couldn't believe she had said that out loud it was too soon Anna was convinced that she ruined everything between them I love you too Dany confessed his cheeks pink she closed the distance between them kissing him the two of them just cuddled on the couch enjoying each other's presence for a while when Thea learned how serious the relationship was getting

she told them she was happy for them the elderly woman was beaming from ear to ear obviously thrilled that her only grandson had found someone so Anna had a brief moment where she thought she wasn't good enough for Dany because of her infertility but Dany dismissed her worries there are other things we can do if we ever get to the point where we want to have kids he told her with a smile we can adopt do surrogacy Foster as long as I'm with you that's all that matters this was enough to bring Anna to tears

happy tears it was all she ever wanted to hear from James Dany never made her feel like she had to be sorry for her inability to have children nature had simply made her this way and it wasn't the fault of anyone Anna was at a point in her relationship where everything seemed perfect she couldn't stop herself from falling for Dany even if she tried he was unlike any person she had ever met it was still in a fragile place and eventually the honeymoon period would vanish but it didn't seem like a bad thing in this

case this would give her more clarity about the entire relationship unlike with James where she felt like something was very wrong between the two of them once the honeymoon period wore off all she could do was just hope that everything was going to work out which she was pretty sure it was but as they like to say all good things must come to an end Anna never thought she would see James again she thought that he would just stay away from her especially after the divorce was Final however he was more of an idiot than

she realized because one day while she was working on something inside the house a familiar car pulled into her driveway her heart started to beat in her chest Dany was upstairs working on an issue in the bathroom maybe if she went out and talked with James she would be able to get him out of here without there being any issues with her heart beating in her chest Anna stepped outside Anna James cried rushing towards her I can't believe I finally found you do you know how long I've been looking for you yes Anna replied coldly

my lawyer Gina kept me updated James smiled awkwardly Anna I know I signed the divorce papers but I only did it because I didn't want to drag it out for you any longer than necessary I still love you and want to make this work are you kidding me Anna why would I come all the way out here knowing all the crappy things I've done to you and beg for your forgiveness Anna swallowed I know you wanted to get rid of me James he blinked what I overheard you and your parents talking about getting rid of

me you said the cruise would be a great way to make my death look like an accident suddenly James's face shifted into something that made her take a step back Anna don't be silly we weren't serious I was just trying to Plate my parents but I assure you I would never hurt you I apologize for the cheating but I won't apologize for anything else I don't want your apologies James what you need to do is leave and get the heck off my property he narrowed his eyes I will do no such thing Anna Danny called

out from the porch who do we have here she gasped looking over her shoulder Danny um this is my ex-husband James James this is Danny Dany walked right over to them and took James's hand without asking I'm the boyfriend he said simply Anna watched as Danny kept James's hand in a tight grip he must have been squeezing hard enough to hurt him because James's face Twisted into pain between the handshake and the look in Danny's eyes her ex-husband must have gotten spooked because he tried to yank his hand away several times before Dany finally let

go Dany smiled wrapping an arm around I trust we won't be seeing you again James lowered his eyes no you won't I just wanted to make sure Anna was happy you can see that she is Dany said with a smile so it's best you take your leave she had never seen her ex-husband move that past he practically ran back to the car and then drove off Anna blinked I actually feel like I've Seen the Last of him if he knows what's good for him won't come back and bother you Danny warned she pulled Danny down

for a kiss relishing in the love that was pouring from him I love you he chuckled I love you too it had taken Anna a long time to find true happiness but now that it was here she wasn't going to let it go for any reason she was going to cherish it until the end of time not long after Dany proposed to her it was a simple yet profoundly sincere moment surrounded by the natural beauty of the open field near their home Anna moved beyond words accepted with tears of joy streaming down her face their

wedding held a few months later was a heartfelt celebration with close friends and family filled with laughter dancing and the promise of a future filled with love and companionship a few months later it was a special day for the family though Anna was yet to discover just how special Dany already wide awake and bubbling with anticipation gently nudged her awake with a soft kiss on her forehead morning love Danny whispered his eyes twinkling with excitement getet dressed I've got a surprise for you Anna still groggy with sleep smiled and stretched a surprise on a day

like this yes and trust me you're going to love it Dany assured her his voice filled with a warmth that eased her into the day they drove into town under the Clear Blue Sky the air crisp and filled with the promise of new beginnings Dany held her hand throughout the drive a silent reassurance that whatever the day held they were in it together as they pulled up in front of a Charming little office adorned with cheerful blooms Anna looked at Dany a question in her eyes we're here to see someone very special Dany explained squeezing

her hand an adoption specialist list the words hit Anna like a gentle wave overwhelming yet filled with relief tears welled up in her eyes as the weight of her unspoken hopes and hidden fears suddenly found acknowledgement she hugged Dany tightly her heart swelling with gratitude for his understanding and love thank you she whispered into his shoulder this means everything to me the meeting with the specialist was warm and informative filling them with hope and excit for the future however just as they were deep in discussion about the possibilities Anna felt a sudden wave of nausea

excusing herself she rushed to the bathroom leaving a concerned Dany behind after a few tense minutes Anna emerged pale but trying to smile I'm sorry I think I ate something off she murmured leaning into Dany for support it's okay love letun get you home Danny replied his brows furrowed with concern however over the next few days Anna's mysterious illness persisted theia ever observant and wise finally spoke up one morning after witnessing Anna's struggle yet again Anna dear this reminds me of early mornings decades ago Thea said softly a knowing look in her eyes I think

you might be pregnant Anna felt her heart skip a beat pregnant the possibility had SE seemed so distant so unreachable as the realization dawned both Joy and disbelief danced in her eyes could life really be opening this new door just as they were knocking on another the thought was overwhelming a miraculous twist in their journey together one that might just lead them down an unexpected yet joyous path and just like that Against All Odds and previous diagnoses Anna found herself carrying a new life within her despite being deemed infertile she experienced the joy and wonder

of pregnancy a journey that filled both her and Dany with a blend of awe and gratitude N9 months later they welcomed their baby boy Jack into the world his arrival marked the beginning of an absolutely happy and new chapter in their lives one brimming with love Discovery and the endless possibilities