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.

on others' death, I would rather never have been

her fists tightly and trembled violently

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

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

not blink at all. She wore a dim and remorseful expression as tears rolled down her cheeks. "I walked down the wrong path. I was obsessed with raising

climb up the ranks, all because I couldn't stand a poor life anymore." "Did you know how Jasper's mom suffered?" Landon was infuriated in the face of Sophia's

weak. Jasper was only five when he had to support himself

was a hot meal. Even if Javier 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 and greedy one, killing an innocent woman just to

Lauren's mom, but I need to say this

and resentment. She choked on her tears as she struggled

late for me to say anything. I'll pay for the crimes I committed and for Anne's death." Sophia's tear-streaked face was

my fault. You have nothing to

well. You're still young. Besides, Landon loves you so much. You will

at Landon. "Landon, you'll treat Lauren well, won't you? You'll marry

grip on Lauren's shoulder. He fixed a determined gaze on Sophia.

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.

she married into the Beckett family. She had been