Love's Tangled Web by Donna Taylor

Chapter 286

13

Over an hour later, Ellie stepped out of the taxi and stood on the sidewalk in front of her apartment, stunned as she gazed at

a tree.

The first snow of winter hadn’t arrived yet, and all the leaves had fallen, leaving only bare branches swaying in the cold wind.

Ellie gently patted the trunk of the tree. Some trees may look strong from the outside, but their insides are hollow. Onlookers waiting for spring may not realize that many of these trees have already given in to winter’s chill.

She wrapped her arms around the large tree and pressed her face against its cold, damp bark. Closing her eyes, tears streamed silently down her cheeks. Long ago, her brother had told her not to share her struggles with their parents.

They couldn’t help, and it would keep them awake at night. Yet, despite that, she felt she couldn’t ease her dad’s burden. As a child, she had been sent to the Warren family. She never got to grow old alongside her dad.

Many nights, she had sat under the apple tree in their yard with her dad, watching the moon. The moonlight stretched their shadows into different sizes.

was the longer one, while Harold’s

in the morning, with gentle rain falling, Ellie mourned her recently

distance, sharing in

later, as dawn broke softly, Layton found Alex in the

heavens, call home right away. Nancy thinks you’ve lost your mind.” Layton snatched the wine

cigarette pack, realizing he had

death benefit to cut ties with your

the sofa, elbows on his knees, fingers digging into his

now. Harold is buried, and Haley has faced her reckoning. If you want to make things right, the best thing to do is send some money to the Thompson family and then distance yourself

can’t do that!” Alex suddenly shouted, his red eyes shining with fear. “She might

it.” Layton stared at Alex, momentarily speechless,

you chased after Haley, you managed to win her over, but then

Wed, Fed 12

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Chapter 286