Master of his heart (Brielle and Max)

Chapter 1196

Emma's tears flowed even more freely, but Peyton had no clue why she was crying so hard.

"Emma, what's with the tears? You've got the money now, don't you? You see, I was always going to give it to you. The Odeberg family mess is over. As long as we steer clear of them, they'll leave us alone. We can go back to our lives, just the two of us. And about the baby..." Peyton paused, then continued, "We still have two thousand left. Maybe it's best to go ahead with the abortion."

Emma's mind buzzed. It was her mother's decision to hide the money that had kept her from going to college.

She had a chance to get out, a chance to...

"The most painful words in the world are 'could have been."

Emma felt completely drained, too exhausted to even feel hungry.

Peyton brought her a plate of food, thinking her silence was because she was starving, and quickly placed a fork in front of her.

"Come on, eat something. Don't be mad at me for hesitating; it was twenty thousand dollars, and the Odeberg family set us up. If they'd asked for less, I would've given you the rest. I did it for both of us. Making money gets harder every year, and with you being pregnant, do you really want to go back to foraging in the hills?"

Emma's body felt like jelly. The smell of the food didn't make her hungry; she just cried, numb.

She never thought things would turn out like this.

So hopeless.

Peyton kept

next town; none of them want to come back. Too much learning, and you get too independent. Emma, you're my only daughter. I don't have a

if in a contest to see who could cry

quiet tears were

a sudden burst of strength, Emma pushed

crashed to the floor, scattering food and breaking into

her hand to strike but, seeing her daughter's

you blaming me? What

man

no one to lean on You think I'm selfish, but who else do

have besides you?"

bit her lip, staying silent, wishing she could

wished she hadn't found the money under the

seemed so absurd

cry, but found she couldn't

just bit her lip harder, staring blankly

greater sorrow than a broken