Page 220 of The Life of Anna-Tenth Anniversary Edition: Act 2

Alex looked up at Sebastian. “She doesn’t know if she’d take me back,” he said in a cracked voice.

“She’s afraid.”

Alex nodded. He stared at the floor for another minute, then stood as determination filled his veins. “What do I need to do to get ready?”

Anna stared at the ceiling. Why had she seen Alex again? Was her mind telling her that she needed to be honest before she went any further with Hugo? Was she afraid to go deeper with Hugo? She adored him and the last thing in the world she wanted to do was hurt him. He meant so much to her.

But the previous night had been a reality check. Even though she was Katrina now, wasn’t she really just pretending? Hugo thought of her as someone who had been abused, and while it was true, there was so much more to her story than the abuse. Once she was freed from Devin, would she cease to be an Elder-Mistress? Would she just become Wilhelm’s Mistress? Or would she be free to live her life as she wanted? Only one person could answer those questions.

She picked up her phone from the nightstand and dialed Wilhelm.

“Hello, Anna.” He didn’t sound surprised to hear from her.

“Hello, Wilhelm.”

“What can I help you with?”

She hesitated. Did she really want to know the answer to the questions? She sighed. For Hugo’s sake, yes. “Once I’m free from Devin... will I be free?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean... will I be free to live my life as I want to, or... will I still be an Elder-Mistress?”

“Ah.” There was a pause, and then a sigh. “You will still be an Elder-Mistress. Your father gave you to us, to protect you, ja, but that gift cannot be undone. You will still belong to me.”

Anna swallowed several times and wiped away a tear. “So... I’ll never be free?”

“Nein, Anna. I am sorry.”

“Oh.”

“My son is not a cruel Master, Liebling,” he added softly. “I think you will be happy when all is said and done.”

Anna tried to smile through her tears. “Yes... I-I know.” Kurt was a good man. He loved her. She loved him. “I’m sorry for how I spoke to you, Wilhelm.”

“Thank you for saying that, Anna. I know I hurt you terribly by not being there for you. I am truly sorry for that.”

“I wish you were going to be here tonight.”

“It is what I wish as well. I had been planning on coming and surprising you, but with what happened with Jack... it is too risky.”

“I understand.” And she did. She knew he would be here if he could. “Well, I need to get back to the theater. Thank you for answering my questions.”

“Anytime, Liebling,” he said tenderly. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.” She ended the call and put the phone down on her bed and drew her knees to her chest. How did she tell Hugo the truth?

Alex knocked on his father’s study door and walked inside after Vati invited him in. His father sat behind his desk, a pensive look on his face. “Anna called.”

“Oh?”

Vati frowned and shook his head. “She’s accepted the fact that she’ll never be free, but she’s hurt.”

“We don’t know that she’ll never be free. Maybe?—‍”

“Her father gave her to us—to me—to be an Elder-Mistress.” Vati frowned. “I cannot undo what we did to protect her.”

Alex sat down hard in the chair across from his father. “So she’ll always be a slave?” Vati nodded and Alex closed his eyes. “I don’t want her to be a slave.”

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