Jules felt despair wash over her like a cold wave, tightening her chest until she could barely breathe.
She closed her eyes, unable to stop the trembling in her hands. A whisper escaped her lips before she could control it, a question, soft and aching:
'Is this really my mother? The woman who was supposed to protect me? The one who should have held me when I cried, not been the person who caused every tear?'
But here Annie was, threatening her, cornering her, trying to drag her away from her own happiness. All so Annie could cling to a lie.
Jules's eyes burned, but she refused to cry. She swallowed hard, clenched her fists, and forced herself to inhale deeply.
She reminded herself that she wasn't alone anymore. She had someone now. A family she chose. A family that chose her back.
'Even if she doesn't want me… the Waters family does. And they're worth more than she ever was to me.'
That thought steadied her.
