I'll Teach You, Marianne.

Anne fell on the floor shortly after Jack left the house. The words that Jack said literally made his whole body went limp. Anne realized that she would never be able to win against Jack, especially now that the man's power was far greater than three years ago. Anne knew Jack was a tough man and would never give up on getting what he wanted, before finally getting what he wanted.

Escape? Ah forget that. This method would not be possible at this time especially with the the many men dressed in all black with weapons tucked in their waists surrounding their house at the moment. Anne was currently like a deer that had been caught in a trap and ready to be eaten by the predator, her position was really weak.

When Anne was confused by everything, suddenly the door to Linda and Paul's room opened from the inside and out came the husband and wife without Christian, who was already fast asleep in their bed. Seeing Anne was sitting on the floor, Linda immediately walked up to her and gave her a hug.

"Linda..."

"Hush... I know, don't say anything just yet, Anne. You have to get up first, don't sit on the floor."

Anne bit her lower lip firmly, enough to make a cut on her thin, plain lips. After Linda managed to guide her to sit on the sofa, Paul also sat down to join the two women who were like sisters.

"What's your next plan, Anne?" Linda asked quietly.

"The same as before, I will not give up Christian. Christian is my son, he has no right over my son," said Anne full of emotion.

Linda smiled faintly. "Are you sure you can win if you fight Jack in the court?"

"I-I don't know….but I will do everything I can to protect my son from that bad man," replied Anne coldly.

"You'd better make peace with her, Anne," said Paul quietly interrupting Anne's words.

"What? Did I hear you right?"

Paul shook his head. "It's for Christian's sake, Anne. He needs his real father. You saw for yourself how Christian treated Jack earlier?"

"Yes, but that..."

"Christian is usually wary of strangers, but when he met Jack for the first time, he immediately called him Daddy. It would never happened unless there's longing so great inside both of them, Anne. Christian needs Jack, and Jack misses his son very much too. It will be very selfish this time if you separate the father and son again, Anne," said Paul again.

Anne was speechless. She couldn't answer Paul's words because what he said was true. Christian naturally got along well with Jack, his real father. And that would be impossible if they didn't have any relationship, their bond was too strong. Even though Christian actually didn't lack affections at all, the presence of a biological father in his life was very important and Anne was actually aware of this. Anne really couldn't understand. She didn't know what to say. Because right now, the people who always supported her decision actually asked her to return to Jack, the person she clearly wanted to avoid.

"If you go back to your husband, at least in the future we can still meet you two, Anne. It would be a different story if Christian is taken away from us. I'm sure Jack will not let us see Christian again, and if that happens then I am the one who will grieve the most, Anne." Linda joined in to speak in a hoarse voice, holding back her tears in response to her husband's words.

Anne looked at Linda and Paul in turn. "What happened to you two? Why did you suddenly ask me to return to Jack? Don't you two know what I've been through all this time because of that man? Didn't you always support all my decisions? Why are you like this now? Tell me what happened, did Jack threaten you guys?"

Linda shook her head. "No, Anne, there is no such thing. What we said earlier was the result of our conversation alone. After all, it is all for Christian's sake. He will live better if he is with his biological father who can give him all that he needs. He is a Clarke, Anne. Your son is the successor of the Clarke family business empire, which has now grown very large. Are you willing to let go of the rights that should belong to Christian to fall to someone else? No, no, so come on, Anne, forgive your husband. Return to him, for the sake of your child, Anne, for Christian. You can't bear not seeing Christian have a hard time in the future, think again, Anne. All of this is for Christian's good, our child's good."

Anne lowered her head. Her heart felt like it was being squeezed at the moment. Linda's words were true, Christian's life would be guaranteed if he was with Jack. He would have all the privileges of a Clarke, the name he should have been born with. But on the other hand, Anne was still not willing to hand Christian over to Jack. She was the one who risked her life to guard Christian's life in her womb from the start, not that selfish Jack, who blamed Christian's twin brother's death on her. Anne was really messed up right now. The words of Jack, Linda and Paul were swirling in her head alternately, trying to suppress the ego that had been embedded there.

Seeing Anne went silent, Linda grabbed Anne's hand and squeezed it tightly. "It's for Christian's sake, the child deserves to be happy, Anne. Don't let your ego makes Christian to be the victim. I'm sure all this time Jack must have suffered a lot. So come on, stop torturing each other like this, you both still love each other, Anne. Don't lie to yourself."

Anne let go of Linda's hand slowly. "I suddenly have a headache. I want to sleep for a while."

"Anne..."

Linda's words were stopped by Paul who suddenly grabbed her shoulder.

Anne didn't lie with her words because she was really having a headache right now. Jack's appearance made her unable to calm down, and coupled with the threats that Jack had previously given her... Oh, God.

Arriving in her room, Anne immediately threw her body on the bed. She buried her face in the pillow to hide the sound of her crying so that Linda and Paul couldn't hear her. All that she wanted to do right now was to cry. Anne wanted to let out all the anger that was inside her right now. What? Jack was going to take Christian away? No way. Anne would not have allowed that to happen, Christian was hers. He was the son she gave birth to with her life on the line. Anne still remembered clearly how it felt when the contractions came when she was alone at home two years ago. Anne struggled alone to feel the waves of love given by Christian from inside her stomach at that time at almost every two minutes on the hospital bed. Finally, she had to give up and let the doctor use his scalpel to take Christian out of her womb. 

"What should I do, God? I can't let him take Christian. I can't live without my son, sobs… Christian is everything to me… I don't want to go back to him either, God, he's a bad guy… I hate him! Sobs…."

To be continued