No Way Back

Chapter 21

Jane’s words cut into Anna’s heart like daggers.

Anna had worried about Jane after her daughter had left the Fowler family, concerned that she might not be able to afford food or heating.

It appeared that she shouldn’t have. Her daughter was an ingrate!

“How could you speak this way to your mother, Jane!”

Diane was livid. Her branded bag swung violently on her arm as she stomped forward and glared at Jane.

“This has nothing to do with you! Besides, she’s not my mother. I disowned her.”

The sight of Diane dr*ve Jane mad.

The Fowlers had been excessively paranoid about Jane in her past life, and Diane, Anna’s best friend, had worsened things.

That was because Diane favored Madelyn and wanted Madelyn to be her daughter-in-law.

She was worried that Jane might try to covet her precious son, Layne.

The Crofts and the Fowlers agreed to a betrothal between their children. Jane was supposed to be Layne’s fiancee.

Madelyn had used the betrothal as an excuse to spurn Layne’s advances. As a result, Diane ended up venting her frustrations on Jane.

Honestly, Jane wasn’t interested in Layne at all. She had said that repeatedly but Diane simply didn’t believe her.

She treated Jane as a thorn in her side and wanted desperately to help the Fowler family rid themselves of Jane.

The Fowlers were a h*rrible b*nch who trusted the slanderous words of

liars and never believed Jane.

Diane was equally bad.

“What a rude girl! How dare you speak this way to your elders!

“If you weren’t Anna’s daughter, I would’ve given you a tight slap in the face and taught you a lesson on respecting your elders!”

As Raymond’s wife and a member of the Croft family, Diane had everyone waiting on her hand and foot wherever she went.

She had never been insulted by the likes of Jane.

The woman trembled in rage. How she wishes she could walk right up to Jane and give her a hard slap. Content (C) Nôv/elDra/ma.Org.

“That’s enough, lady!”

Lila slammed her fist on the table and stood up angrily. “We’re in the middle of a meal. What are you doing interrupting it? Get lost. Get lost right now!”

Lila was livid.

Dwayne and Madelyn had been the first straw.

Anna and Diane had been the last.

How could Janie’s family be so cr*el?

She had left the Fowler family. Why were they rubbing salt into her wounds?

The fact that they used the excuse of being worried about Janie and doing so for Janie’s good made things worse.

“What a rude girl. We’re talking to Jane. Why are you interrupting?”

Diane had stopped herself from hitting Jane because she didn’t want to embarrass Anna.

She didn’t have to hold back with Lila, though. In fact, her sudden interruption was heaven-sent. Diane had someone to vent her anger on

now.

Diane raised her arm and sent her palm flying toward Lila’s face.

Smack!

Jane caught Diane’s wrist in the nick of time.

Then, she wristed her grip slightly.

Diane’s face contorted in pain as she howled.

Alarm flashed across Anna’s face. “What do you think you’re doing, Jane? That’s Aunt Diane. Let her go!”

“Aunt Diane? She’s no aunt to me.”

Jane released her grip on Diane’s arm and shoved the woman aside with a

chilly look in her eyes.

Diane grasped her wrist limply as beads of sweat rolled down her forehead.

“Are you all right, Diane?” Anna asked her friend worriedly.

“What’s going on here?”

The commotion had caught the sharp eyes of the restaurant staff. Within seconds, the manager of Cloudnine Restaurant arrived.

He was a dashing young man towering at 6.07 feet. Dressed in a suit, the young man exuded polite professionalism and competency.

His name, “Connor Luther,” was printed on his nametag.

“Mr. Luther, thank God you’re here. Call the cops. I want to sue this woman for assault!”

Diane’s wrists were delicate things that had never suffered any kind of injury before.

What if the attack left some kind of scar? Jane wouldn’t be able to pay for the damage that she had caused!

“But…”

Anna frowned.

Jane might be a disappointment, but she was still her daughter.

If she were arrested and locked up in a cell, she would embarrass the Fowler family.

Anna’s concern, first and foremost, was for the Fowler family’s reputation. But it was clear that Diane was really upset.

After some thought, Anna decided to give Diane some time to calm down before she tried to speak on Jane’s behalf.

“Is that so?”

Luther’s reaction to Diane’s words was incredibly indifferent.

He eyed Jane with a look of intrigue.

“Miss, is she telling the truth?”

“You’ve got security cameras,” Jane replied coolly. “Check your tapes. She tried to attack my best friend first. I was defending my friend.”

“Consider it done.”

Luther snapped his fingers.

Cloudnine Restaurant truly lived up to its name as one of the best

restaurants in Stormton City.

The place was highly efficient.

Its manager remained calm and collected in the presence of the ladies of the Croft family and the Fowler family and did not try to ingratiate himself

with them.

They had security cameras too.

The mention of those cameras sent a shiver of fear up Diane’s spine.

It didn’t take long before someone accessed the security tapes. After checking the tapes, Luther turned toward Diane. “Madam, the tapes confirmed that the young lady spoke the truth. They clearly show you trying to attack someone first before this young lady stepped in and stopped you.”

It was clearly an act of defense.

Diane didn’t show any signs of backing down. “I was just trying to scare her. I had no intention of really hitting her. Besides, I didn’t hurt her. Look at my wrist. Look at the state of it! That’s hardly the result of an act of defense!”

“Haven’t you gone to school before?” Jane mocked Diane openly.

“What did you just say?”

“Article 736 of the Penal Code states that any counteraction in response to an act with the intention of causing hand is deemed an act of self-defense. I grabbed your wrist and stopped you from inflicting violence on my friend. I didn’t do anything else after that. That doesn’t constitute an act of provocation or assault.

“How else would you define my action if not as one of self-defense? You’re an idi*t.”

Diane felt a sudden rush of blood to her head.

What the h*ll?

Nobody had ever dared to insult Diane to her face.

She had never been yelled at in this manner since she had been a kid.

Before her marriage to Raymond, she had been treated like a princess in the Jason family.

After her marriage, Diane improved the Jason family’s status due to her relations with the Croft family and became one of the most respected figures in Stormton City.

“Stop spewing r*bbish, Jane. How could you speak this way to your elders? Apologize to Diane immediately.”

Anna stared coldly at Jane.

She had no respect for her elders at all.

Did she think she could afford to offend anyone just because she was all grown up and independent now?

Jane should count herself lucky for being Anna’s daughter and that Diane cared about Anna’s feelings.

Otherwise, Diane might hold a grudge and make life in Stormton City a living h*ll for Jane.

Hugh might be the head of the Croft family, but Raymond was still his uncle. You shouldn’t underestimate his influence.

If things got blown out of proportion, Anna wouldn’t be able to protect Jane. Jack wouldn’t incur the wr*th of the Croft family to save a daughter who

had disowned them.

“Is that what a mother should be doing? Helping a b*lly and forcing her daughter to apologize to someone in the wrong?

“Anna, you have failed in your duties as the mistress of the Fowler family. If news of this were to spread, you would become the laughingstock of the

city.

“You call yourself my mother, but you can’t even protect me when

someone’s pushing me around. Never speak to me again. You disgust me.”