CHAPTER 308

"I'm sorry, Miss Ann. I can't do that…" Grayson didn't dare look at her as he turned around and fled.

He had walked some distance outside, but he could still hear the heart-wrenching sobs sounding behind him.

His heart was broken, but there was nothing he could do.

This was his first time experiencing such a strong feeling of helplessness.

Even though he was only an adopted child of the Hart Family, his father loved him, and his eldest brother took care of him. If he ran into any trouble, he didn't even have to talk about it before his father or his eldest brother resolved it for him.

This was the first time no one came to his aid.

He was helpless and lonely.

Since Grayson was too distracted to work, he went back home and downed an entire bottle of wine in one go. Drunk, he flopped onto the couch and fell into a deep slumber.

The next day, he couldn't help but visit Ann once more.

This time, he didn't get to see Ann. However, he was informed that the sentence had been passed down. Since the incident wasn't too severe, Ann was only sentenced to a week in detention.

It was only a week, so it was much better than the fifteen days, one month, or even three months that

they had anticipated.

He secretly sighed in relief.

He managed to see Ann again and delivered some things to her.

Ann wasn't elated because of the short sentence, though. Just like when he last saw her, she sobbed and begged for him to save her.

Once again, he ran away.

Seven days later, he arrived early at the detention center and waited.

He was the only one who came.

He expected that none of the Hart Family would be here, but he found it surprising that even Ann's foster mother wasn't here to pick her up; she didn't even send anyone here.

He was the lone figure outside the detention center, waiting for Ann.

He was confused, and he also pitied Ann greatly.

He waited for more than an hour before he saw Ann leaving the detention center, carrying a small bag with her. He immediately walked up to the woman.

Ann was already looking all around her before she even stepped out of the detention center, but she

could only see Grayson alone.

Tears came to her eyes in an instant.

Grayson rushed up to her. "Are you alright, Miss Ann?"

Ann wiped her tears. "Where is my mom?"

"I…" Grayson was hesitant. Content is property © .

As she wiped her tears, Ann took out her phone from her bag with her free hand and called up Emma.

The call went through, and Emma's voice was cold as she said, "Hello? What is it?"

Ann choked. "Mom, it's me, Ann."

"I know," Emma said indifferently. "Talk if you have something to say. If not, I'll be hanging up now. I'm busy."

"Mom…" Ann asked pitifully, "Why aren't you here to pick me up?"

"To pick you up?" Emma sneered. "What for? To celebrate your grand return? Don't you know what shameful things you've done? Yet, you still want me to pick you up from the detention center? I'm not crazy!"

"Mom…" Ann was crying so much that she couldn't say anything.

"Enough, stop calling me," Emma said, annoyed. "You're the one who's not capable enough, but you even dragged me down. I must have been blind to have adopted you as my daughter! I'm very annoyed right now, so don't bother me. My old sickness is acting up again, so I'm in the south to recuperate. I don't have time to deal with your matters, so just do whatever you want on your own!"

With that, before Ann could say anything, she hung up.

"Mom…" Ann anxiously called, but the only sound that responded to her was the tone after the call ended.

As she trembled, Ann called her mom once again, but a mechanical voice sounded instead. "The number you have dialed is unavailable."

Her legs gave way, and she almost fell to the ground.

What did her mother mean by that?

Had she gone to the south to recuperate?

Why wouldn't her mother wait for her to be released before going to the south?

Her mother didn't visit her in the detention center, and when she was released, her mother didn't even come to pick her up. Instead, she turned off her phone and refused to answer her calls!

What was her mother trying to do?

Had she abandoned her?

She knew that she wasn't her foster mother's biological daughter, but she was still her foster mother's only daughter.

She never thought that her foster mother would abandon her!

She sobbed until her entire body turned weak. She slowly crouched down, holding her head as she wept tremendously.

Why?

Why did fate have to be this unfair?

Everything she had was like a mirage, gone overnight.

However, that woman named Madeline easily attained everything she wished for.

She had nothing now.

Her hopes of marrying Sebastian; her position as the cousin of the Hart Family; her foster mother's love; as well as the envy, jealousy, and flattering of the people around her.

Everything was gone.

"Miss Ann…" Grayson didn't know how to comfort her. He turned around, intending to get some tissues from his car.

Hearing his footsteps leaving, Ann, who was crouched on the ground, suddenly stood up and ran over to him. She hugged him from behind, crying, "Grayson, why are you leaving? Are you going to abandon me too?"

Feeling the soft body on his back, Grayson stiffened all over.

He didn't dare move an inch. "Miss Ann, I was going to the car to get some tissues for you to wipe your tears…"

"No… No…" Ann sobbed, shaking her head. "Grayson, you're the only one I have! Don't leave me, no…"

Now, she only had Grayson.

If she lost him, she would lose all of her bargaining chips.

She was like a phoenix devoid of all its feathers. She would be mocked and ridiculed by all the wealthy daughters in Dusktown who once envied and were jealous of her.

"I won't leave you," Grayson coaxed, "Miss Ann, don't be afraid. I will take care of you."

"Thank you, Grayson, thank you…" Ann sobbed silently.

"Everything is alright, Miss Ann, everything has passed…" Grayson patted her hand. "Miss Ann, shall I send you home? After going back, you should have a bath and go to sleep. When you wake up, the nightmare will be over. You can start over afresh."

"No… I don't want to go home…" Ann wept, shaking her head. "Mom is angry with me and doesn't want me anymore. If I go home, I'll be left all alone. I'm scared…"

"That won't happen," said Grayson. "There are still servants at home, right?"

"No… I don't want to go home! They'll laugh at me!" Ann sobbed as she said, "I've been in jail. I'm too ashamed to see anyone in the future…"

"Miss Ann, don't think that." Although he was not good with his words, Grayson did his best to coax her. "Miss Ann, you've done something wrong, but you have paid the price for it. Everyone makes mistakes, right? It's the greatest virtue to repent! Since you have already paid the price for what you've done, no one will have the right to laugh at you."

"No… It's not like that…" Ann's face was pressed tight against Grayson's back, her tears wetting the clothes on his back. "Grayson, can I go back with you? My mom doesn't want me anymore, and I don't want to go back to that cold bed. I want to go back with you. Please?"

Now, Grayson was the only one she could depend on, and he was her sole bargaining chip.

She could only hold tightly onto Grayson and use him to her advantage. She would use him to raise her status so that she wouldn't be too much lower than the wealthy daughters in Dusktown who liked to compete with her.