So did I.
The Devon family were a part of my past, and that was all there was to it.
Anna had to go back to where she belonged.
Spoiler alert: it was not King’s Lynn.
“Soph? Are you all right?”
I turned at the gentle voice, starting a little at the touch to my arm, then smiled tightly when I saw it was my old school friend. “I’m fine. Just delaying the inevitable.”
Wendy grimaced. “You want me to kick her out? I’ll do it. Just say the word.”
I gave a hollow laugh and patted her hand. “No. With any luck, she’ll be leaving in a moment anyway.”
“Are you sure?”
“I am. Thank you, though. I’ll keep it in mind.” I squeezed her fingers and released her, heading in the direction of the terrace.
This was it.
This was my moment to say goodbye.
The Devons would no longer impact my life in any kind of way after this conversation. Some bridges were made to be burnt, and this was one of them.
I pushed open the terrace door and looked over at Anna. Her dark hair was perfectly coiffed into a ponytail, and she tapped expertly at her phone screen with her light blue manicure.
She didn’t look up.
I don’t know why I expected her to.
Sadly for her, I was over deferring to her social status.
“You’ve got a lot of bloody nerve coming here.”
Maybe it was my words, my tone, or my appearance in general, but Anna jumped. Her phone dropped to the table with a clatter, and she looked up at me with an uncertainty in her eyes that was reflected in her posture.
“Sophie. You came.”
“I don’t know what kind of bollocks you think you’re pulling,” I said, walking over to the table where I gripped the back of the chair opposite her and leaned forwards. “But you best believe that the only reason I’m here is to tell you this: leave my family alone.”
“Sophie—”
“No. I don’t care, Anna. You’ve made your feelings about me perfectly clear. My parents do not deserve your harassment. I don’t know how you knew where I was but I’m only going to tell you once. Leave Norfolk, and if you ever come back, stay as far away from my family as possible.” I met her eyes. “If you contact my parents again, I’m calling the police.”
She looked at me with pained eyes.
“Have a safe trip back to Devon.” I pushed off the chair and turned around, heading for the door.
“Please. Will you give me two minutes?”
“Have a safe trip back to Devon,” I bit out, this time harsher than the last.
“You care about Hugo, don’t you?”
Her words cut me to the quick, and I froze, closing my eyes.
“If you think to use my misplaced feelings for your son to blackmail me into listening to you—”