Can’t Win Me Back by Ginger Sue

Sophia's heart quivered in the face of Lauren's painful accusations.

She hated Jasper, but she admitted that he was good to Lauren, better than she'd ever treated Lauren.

Thinking back, Jasper didn't seem as despicable as he had seemed. Too bad there could only be one Mrs. Beckett. Javier had made Anne her rival.

After a pause, she finally confessed, "I... I was pregnant with Betty at that time. All I wanted was a recognition to give her a better life and future."

"Well, you got your recognition, didn't you? Dad acknowledged you, so you had achieved your goal. Why did you have to kill Jasper's mom?

"Jasper never hated me or treated me badly even though I'm your daughter. He and Alyssa treat me like their sister. They show me love and care that I would otherwise never have the chance to experience. I owe them a lot. How could you be so cruel to him?"

Lauren was no fool. She understood that Sophia was a selfish woman, and she knew how coldly Sophia had treated her. For that, she had grappled with self-blame and low self-esteem.

She despised herself for not being as healthy as Betty. She even blamed herself for not being a son, thinking that Newton might acknowledge Sophia if that was the case.

Lauren thought that if she was male, Sophia might not need to tread carefully in the family and worry about consolidating her power or faking and scheming her way to a better life.

She had never thought that Sophia would kill for personal gain.

never have been born. I'd rather not be

clenched her fists tightly and trembled violently in

held her tight. He rested his chin on her head and gently coaxed her, "Darling, we agreed not to be angry no matter how the conversation went, didn't we? It will

gritted her teeth. She finally stabilized from a near-breakdown when she leaned in his

and remorseful expression as tears rolled down her cheeks. "I

my effort to climb up the ranks, all because

five when he had to support himself and Anne so that they wouldn't starve

took her back to the Beckett family, and even if he had you as a mistress, she never thought of fighting you for the title of Mrs. Beckett. You were the selfish

Lauren's mom, but I need to say this aloud—you deserve the death

as she fought the feelings of pain and resentment. She choked on her tears as she

I'll pay for the crimes I committed and for

with widened eyes. "Lauren, this is all my fault. You have nothing to do with it. So, please

still young. Besides, Landon loves you so much. You will have a bright, happy

Landon. "Landon, you'll treat

fixed a determined

smiled in relief and wiped away her tears. "Lauren, you'll need some wedding gifts in the future. I have a few pieces of halcyon gemstones that I keep in my bedside safe. The password is 0814. Take them with you. That's all I can

had been proud of what she had accomplished, but now,