Page 42 of Only You

“My father controlled every aspect of my course and my life. When I dated a fellow student, he locked me up, taking away all my freedom.” Ana’s eyes flew to Andrew’s face at his sharp intake of breath. She couldn’t decipher what she saw on his face, so she continued. “I spent a year saving up to break away.”

“Did you want to leave medicine?” Andrew asked.

“Not really,” Ana answered honestly. “But it was stay under his control and do everything his way and lose even more of myself. Or break away and become my own person. Even if it meant giving up something I loved. Sometimes giving up the things you love for the greater good is for the best.”

“I’m sorry, Ana. Did Eva know what he was doing? What about your mum?” Andrew asked. It was clear he could not understand why no one had stepped in.

Ana gave a dry, flat laugh. “I haven’t seen or spoken to Eva in years. She barely came around after you and she split.” Andrew looked taken aback by Ana’s comment but said nothing. “Mum never had a backbone where Dad was concerned. Years of being belittled will do that to a person, I suppose.” Ana’s laugh was harsh. “Do you know what is funny?”

Andrew shook his head, his expression serious. The wine must really be going to her head. She had never been this open about her past.

“When I was studying, one of my lecturers told me how amazing my mum had been. She had been top of her class, she had so much promise as a surgeon, and then she married Dad and gave it all up. Seems like my dad’s streak of controlling people started years ago. Apart from Eva, of course, she was the apple of his eye.”

Ana knew she sounded bitter but couldn’t help it. Nothing she had done had ever been good enough. Well, now, the only person she was pleasing was herself.

“I’m sorry, Ana,” Andrew said.

“For what?” she asked. “I feel sorry for you getting mixed up with my screwed-up family.” Before looking at the door and softening her glance. “Olivia is the best thing to have come out of our bloodline in a long time.”

“I think you are pretty special too, Ana,” Andrew said, taking Ana by surprise and making her stomach clench. Her heart stopped. However, he added, “You have changed Olivia’s world and made it better. I am not sure how I can ever thank you.”

Of course, it was all about Olivia. She was why Ana was there, after all. Why Andrew had opened his home to her. Taken his twenty-two-year-old, down-on-her-luck sister-in-law into his life.

Ana sighed. “The feeling is mutual,” Ana said, disappointment flooding her system.

When had she started caring?

“I have something to ask you,” Andrew said. “I know I usually give you Friday nights off, but I was wondering if you could look after Olivia for me?”

“Of course,” Ana said.

She had nothing planned for the evenings, anyway.

“Great,” Andrew said. “I won’t need any dinner because I am going out on a date.”

Ana tried to smile as a heavy feeling descended on her chest. Getting up, she started clearing away their dishes as a distraction.

This was all the confirmation she needed that their kiss had been a mistake.

“Sorry, Ana, did you have anything planned?” Andrew asked, obviously picking up on her discomfort but clearly clueless as to why.

“No, nothing. That’s exciting for you.” Ana said, almost choking on her words.

She needed to get out of there as her chest tightened. The wine had gone to her head, and she was feeling decidedly woozy.

“Sorry, I think the wine has gone to my head,” she said, making an excuse for herself and hoping to throw Andrew off. She loaded the dishwasher in record time and made for the door.

“Are you sure you’re okay with Friday?” Andrew asked again.

Ana gave Andrew what she could only describe as her most dazzling smile.

“Of course,” she said. “Olivia and I will have a movie night with popcorn. There is no better way to spend a Friday night.”

With that, she left the room, checking in on Olivia quickly before she went upstairs. Andrew liked to do bedtime when he was home, and that night, she was thankful for that fact.

Throwing herself down on the bed, Ana found herself once again looking at the ceiling. She waited for her heart rate to calm and the pressure to ease, breathing in through her nose and out through her mouth. If Andrew got a partner, what would happen to her? No woman was going to want their partner to be living with their ex-sister-in-law. Ana’s eyes burned; she didn’t want to feel this way. She’d let her guard down, opened herself up, and made herself vulnerable. Would a new woman want her to stop seeing Olivia? If Andrew stopped her from seeing Olivia, she felt her heart would break. Swiping at her eyes, she sat up. She needed to protect herself. Of course, Andrew was going to meet someone. He was thirty-six, successful, kind, hot-as-hell… the list went on. He probably wanted more children. That thought alone turned her stomach, almost causing her to retch. Some woman walking around, her stomach swollen with Andrew’s child... a sibling for Olivia. The thought made her head spin faster, and her hands shook. She stuffed a hand in her mouth to stifle the sob that nearly escaped. What was happening to her? Andrew and Olivia weren’t hers. She had no claim on them. No rights. She was only there when they needed her, and she had to accept that. This wasn’t infinite. One day, soon, she was going to have to leave. The problem was, she’d allowed herself to believe in the family dream.

Chapter Twenty-nine

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