A Plaything For CEO Blackwood

# 128 Confronting the Past

The white room felt like a tomb. Anna fidgeted in the hard plastic chair, her heart hammering against her ribs. Every nerve in her body screamed at her to turn and run, but she forced herself to stay. Today, she was facing her past, a past she'd hoped to bury forever, she had to do this in order to move on.

A buzzer sounded, and a thick slab of reinforced glass slid down, revealing the face she'd dreaded seeing. Jimmy. Gone was the cocky swagger he used to carry. His once-bright eyes were dull, his hair matted, and his face gaunt. A pang of something akin to pity lanced through Anna, quickly replaced by a surge of anger; she shouldn’t be feeling bad for him, he brought this upon himself.

He stared at her, a flicker of hope igniting in his eyes. "Anna," he rasped, his voice raw. "I knew you wouldn't abandon me for long. Not when we have a child on the way."

Anna scoffed, the sound harsh in the silence. Abandonment. The word twisted like a knife in her gut. But she wasn't here for a fight. She was here to finally cut the cord, to sever the ties that bound her to this painful chapter of her life.

Reaching into her bag, she pulled out a single sheet of paper. "Jimmy," she began, her voice surprisingly steady, "I didn't come here for a reunion. I came here to clear something up."

His hopeful expression faltered, replaced by a flicker of confusion. "Clear what up?"

Taking a deep breath, Anna slammed the paper down on the table. "This." It was the DNA test result, clear and irrefutable. Black and white proof that shattered the delusional world Jimmy had built around himself.

"Mr. Maxwell Blackwood is the father of my child," she declared, her voice ringing with a newfound strength. "Not you."

Jimmy stared at the document, his face draining of color. The flickering hope died in his eyes, replaced by a dull emptiness. Perhaps he'd known all along, perhaps he'd simply clung to the lie for comfort.

"Don't tell me this," he finally croaked, his voice devoid of emotion as he looked up to her.

Anna stood up, her gaze unwavering. "I'm telling you the truth, Jimmy. Now that you know the truth, stay out of this. Stay away from me. And most importantly, stay away from any theories you've conjured in your head."

There was disappointment on Jimmy’s face; he shook his head as he watched her stand up. As Anna turned to leave, a tremor ran through him. "Don't leave me here, Anna!" he pleaded, his voice cracking. "Please, don't let me rot in this place, I hate it here."

Anna stopped in her tracks, her back still turned. A torrent of memories flooded back – stolen kisses, whispered promises, the crushing betrayal. How much had she loved him? How much heartbreak had she endured?

"I loved you, Jimmy," she said, her voice barely a whisper. "And you threw that love away, twice. Not only did you cheat, but your anger turned so dark you threatened my life."

Jimmy slumped against the glass, his face contorted in what could have been remorse. "I didn't know what came over me, Anna," he sputtered. "We can fix this. We still have a connection, I know it. You think of me too, don't you?"

His words were a desperate attempt to rewrite the narrative. Anna shook her head, a single tear tracing a path down her cheek. "There's nothing left to fix, Jimmy. You used me, manipulated me, and then tried to destroy me."

His voice rose, turning into a desperate plea. "Just get me out of here, Anna. For the sake of what we had! I'll be good, I swear. I'll change, I'll make it up to you!"

But Anna wouldn't budge. "Enough," she said, her voice firm. "You've had your chances, Jimmy. I won't be your puppet anymore."

The mask of remorse slipped from his face, replaced by a venomous snarl. "You think you're so high and mighty, don't you, you…slut!" he spat. He banged his fists against the glass, his face contorted in rage. "You'll regret this when I get out! I'll find you, Anna, and you'll pay!"

As Jimmy screamed threats at her, the prison's security rushed in, alerted by the commotion. They wrestled a thrashing Jimmy away from the window, his screams echoing through the sterile room.

Anna stood alone, tears streaming down her face. She wiped off the tears as her job here was not done, she needed to be strong to get through this. This was a permanent line drawn in the sand, a closing chapter on a toxic past. She needed to heal and move on, she could not live her life with fear of her conscience.

** **

The glass barrier separated the two women. Anna sat with her back straight, her eyes narrowed in a hard stare. Opposite her, Linda, clad in the drab orange uniform, simmered with a mix of hate and simmering fury.

"The orange looks good on you, Linda," Anna remarked, her voice calm, devoid of any malice, just mockery.

Linda snorted. "Enjoy your little victory while it lasts," she spat, her voice laced with venom. "You think you can keep me in here forever? I have connections, Anna. People who can make this whole thing disappear."

Anna chuckled, a sound devoid of humor. "Unfortunately, not soon enough for the wedding, though."

Linda's eyes narrowed, confusion momentarily replacing the anger. "Wedding?"

Anna reached into her purse and pulled out a crisp, white invitation card. "Maxwell and I are getting married," She said, her voice firm. "Next week, actually."

A flicker of disbelief crossed Linda's face, followed by a wave of bitter realization. She clenched her fists, the paper in Anna's hand suddenly an unbearable reminder of everything she'd lost.

"Don't you dare rub it in," Linda hissed, her voice strained.

"Consider it a public service," Anna replied, her gaze unwavering. "Remember what you said? That he'd never marry me, that I was just another conquest? Didn’t you say he would dump me when he was done with me? Looks like you were wrong."

Linda's face hardened. She wanted to lash out, to break something, to make Anna feel the same pain tearing her apart. But she knew better. Any outburst would only serve to strengthen Anna's resolve.

"You won't win, Anna," she said through gritted teeth, her voice barely a whisper.

"I already have," Anna countered. "You can spend your remaining time here reflecting on your mistakes, Linda. On the jealousy that clouded your judgment. Maybe then, when you get out, you'll be a better person."

Linda rose to her feet, her anger bubbling over. "You smug little—"

She lunged toward the glass, but the barrier held firm. Her scream echoed through the room, a torrent of curses and threats aimed at Anna. Security guards rushed in, a practiced routine, and escorted the struggling Linda away as she screamed curses at Anna.

Anna remained seated, the echo of Linda's screams fading into a dull thrum. In her heart, a small flicker of pity danced for the woman consumed by bitterness. But it was quickly extinguished by a wave of relief. The toxic past was finally being left behind. With a deep breath, Anna straightened her shoulders, the invitation card clutched tightly in her hand as she stood up.

As she took the first step around, tears welled up in Anna's eyes again but she blinked them back fiercely. Standing up, she grabbed her handbag, her movements jerky with barely controlled emotion.

The room felt suffocating, Anna hurried out, still holding firmly the invitation card.

As she ran out to the hallway, she met him there waiting for her. With his hands stylishly tucked into his suit pants, while looking smart in the Suit jacket was Maxwell Blackwood. His face, etched with concern, broke into a relieved smile at the sight of her.

Anna rushed forward, Maxwell’s arms were open wide to welcome her. Anna practically threw herself into him, burying her face in his chest. He held her close, his hand gently stroking her hair, a silent comfort that spoke volumes.

"Got it out of your system?" he asked softly, his voice a soothing balm.

Anna nodded mutely, the tears finally spilling over. "One last time," she choked out, "I needed to see them, tell them myself."

Maxwell pulled back slightly, cupping her face with his hands. His thumbs brushed away the stray tears glistening on her cheeks. "Let them be memories, Anna," he said, his voice firm yet gentle. "The only thing that matters now is you and me. We have a future to build, a wedding to plan."

He gave her a reassuring smile, and a spark of her usual fire flickered back in her eyes. She took a deep breath, wiping away the last vestiges of tears. It was time to move on, to rewrite the narrative. Maxwell was right. Leaving the past behind, with its bitterness and negativity, was the only way forward.

Taking his hand in hers, she squeezed it tightly. "You're right," she said, her voice stronger now. "Let's go. We have a wedding to plan, and maybe a celebratory dinner afterwards?"

Maxwell grinned, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "Now that's the Anna I know," he chuckled. "Let's go celebrate our future, and leave the shadows of the past behind."

Together, hand in hand, they walked out of the building, the weight of the past lifting with each step. As they stepped out into the open world, a world filled with possibilities, Anna knew this was just the beginning, she was carrying a Baby for CEO Blackwood and soon she would be Mrs. Blackwood, perhaps there was a happy ending to her story after all.

TBC!!