Reclaiming Her Heart

Raymond quickly stepped aside and called Paul. "Dig into Ann's stepdad. Find out what he's been up to and get him locked up."

Paul took a drag from his cigarette, his voice steady. "Why the sudden interest in Ann's family drama?"

"Her mom insulted Selena."noveldrama

Paul paused for a moment, then chuckled. "Got it. I'll look into it right now."

It didn't take long to uncover Otha's shady past. He used to be a security guard at a school and had been reported by multiple parents for inappropriate behavior with the kids. Despite the serious accusations, the school had covered it up to protect its reputation, and Otha was still working as a security guard.

Otha didn't make much money as a guard, and he and Connie were living off Ann's earnings.

Paul's expression turned cold as he relayed the information. Within an hour, Otha was taken away.

Connie, however, was still unaware. She was being watched by two bodyguards and, knowing Raymond was not someone to mess with, had stopped making a scene.

In the office, Selena had already found her way to a seat.

"Ann, what's going on? How did you get those marks?" she asked.

Selena knew about Ann and Brody. Given Ann's personality, she wouldn't have found a new boyfriend so quickly.

Ann stood in front of her, silent, with tears streaming down her face.

Selena, unable to see, assumed she was just being quiet. "Is what your mom said true?" "No, Ms. Fair. I just liked a guy's looks and kept a long-term physical relationship with him. I'm sorry it's my private matter. I didn't handle it well and my mom found out. She thinks I'm a prostitute."

Selena didn't want to meddle in Ann's personal life, but Ann's attitude towards Connie was puzzling.

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"Ann, I don't want to judge your relationship with that man. As long as you're not involved with a married man, it's your business. But don't you think you're being too lenient with your mom? She speaks to you in a way that's not fitting for a mother." Ann didn't respond, her head hanging low as if her voice had been taken away.

"Ann?"

After a long silence, Ann finally spoke in a hoarse voice. "Ms. Fair, I just... I just want to know that someone still loves me, that someone still cares. Otherwise, I don't know what I'm living for. Every day after work, I feel so miserable. The world is so big, and I'm so small. I need something to hold onto, and I hope it's family because that's what I crave the most. Even if it's as thin as a spider's thread, I hold onto it carefully, not wanting it to break."

Selena felt a sharp pain in her heart. She understood that feeling, but Ann's situation was even more severe than hers had been.

"Ms. Fair, every time I send money home and hear my mom's indifferent words, I convince myself that she does love me, just that she loves her man more. I need to believe that someone loves me, especially after ending my seven-year relationship with Brody. I'm so exhausted, like I've been emptied out. I need family more than ever to keep me going."

Ann's voice grew weaker. "I know you can't understand, and I despise myself for it." She had never told anyone how much she had changed during those seven years with Brody.

When she first got together with Brody, she felt she needed his love to hold onto. So, no matter how busy or painful her overtime was, she endured it willingly.

"Ms. Fair, the day my dad divorced my mom, I thought he would miss me. But he told me that if it weren't for my mom, he wouldn't have let me be born. He wanted a boy. Until he said those words, I always thought he was a good dad, at least he had given me warmth. But his love was fake too."

Ann didn't want to talk anymore, her face now covered in tears.

She was glad Selena couldn't see and quickly wiped her face with her sleeve.

"I'll submit my resignation this afternoon. I'll take care of my mom's issues and won't bother the company anymore."

"How do you plan to handle it?"

Selena's voice was calm, her brow furrowed. "I'll get you a therapist to help you gradually cut ties with your mother. If you need something to hold onto, let it be S.M Corporation."