Chapter 8: I Refuse to Let Them Have Their Way

Andrew frowned, speaking earnestly, "Anna, now is not the time to be impulsive. Where can you go after leaving here? It's very dangerous for a girl alone outside. What would we do if something happened to you?"

His evasion of the topic was clear, and his response spoke volumes.

Anna chuckled lightly and said indifferently, "You needn't worry about me, Master Andrew. Rest assured. I will live well and not seek my own end."

Though she had anticipated Andrew’s reaction, Anna still felt a twinge of sadness, but that no longer mattered.

She walked past Andrew and left the house.

After leaving the house, Anna took a long walk, her thoughts meandering as much as her path. By the time she reached the familiar streets of her childhood neighborhood, the echoes of her earlier conversation had faded into the background.

The entire block was lined with ancient buildings, renovated yet still draped in a heavy cloak of bygone eras.

When Anna first returned to the Hayes family, she couldn't fit in. And this place, having lived with her grandmother since childhood, this place was her home.

From the ages of ten to sixteen, she spent her youth in this place.

Looking at the familiar house brought tears to her eyes as she continued walking inside.

In her memories, Anna had never met her grandfather, only knowing from her grandmother that he had died a hero while confronting a thief.

Her grandmother, Susan, had been a military nurse living in the barracks with her husband and later opened a small clinic by the barracks after retiring.

Anna had learned everything about medicine from her grandmother.

She had studied medicine quite diligently with her grandmother at that time actually, largely for Benjamin's sake, as he was always ill.

Unfortunately, her efforts never seemed to matter to Benjamin as much as a few caring words from Thea.

She lived with her grandmother, and William rarely visited, only coming during holidays a few times a year.

For some unknown reason, her grandmother had a poor relationship with William.

Whenever they met, they would argue, and her grandmother would chase him with a broom. Despite his patience, William's temper grew short, and he eventually stopped visiting.

After her grandmother passed away, she left the house and a bank card to Anna.

It was the old couple's life savings, which Anna had never touched, reluctant to spend the money.

The house was on the second floor of the third building. Anna used her key to open the door to a two-bedroom apartment, furnished in an old-fashioned style.

Everything was as it had always been, only covered in dust and spiderwebs due to long disuse.

Anna rolled up her sleeves and tidied up everything inside and out until she felt much more comfortable. Hunger began to set in, and from a hidden compartment in her wallet, Anna pulled out a stack of money, which included the savings she had accumulated over a year. This money was originally intended for Thea's birthday gift next month, but it would now serve as an emergency fund. Counting the dollar bills, she had a total of three hundred and six dollars, enough to last her for a while.

At a small store near her apartment, Anna bought some instant food and a few other necessities. She cooked the noodles, seasoned only with salt, yet she found it exceptionally delicious. No longer having to please the Hayes family or serve them like a maid, no longer having to endure their hurtful words, she could live however she wanted. Only after letting go did Anna realize how comfortable her life could be.

In the dead of night, her sleep was disturbed by the vibration of her phone. Rubbing her eyes in annoyance, she picked it up and glanced at the caller ID.

"Jesus, did he ever know what time it is? How rude!"

Irritated, she declined the call and tossed the phone aside. Just as she closed her eyes to sleep, the phone rang again, and she answered it impatiently.

On the other end, Jasper's voice came through, furious. "Anna, you've got some nerve hanging up on me."

Anna pulled the phone away from her ear, then shouted into it, "Are you sick, Jasper? If you have something to say, say it quick!"

His anger palpable even through the phone, Jasper breathed heavily, his tone loaded with aggression. "Anna, you better tell the teacher tomorrow that you're voluntarily giving up your spot to Thea. Otherwise, I have ways of making it happen."

With that, he hung up.

As the phone screen went dark, Anna's previously groggy mind suddenly cleared. If it hadn't been for Jasper's reminder, she would have completely forgotten about this issue. They were so eager for the spot, pressuring her to give it to Thea, but Anna was determined not to let them have their way.