Don't Mess with the Girl with Candy novel Chapter 1788

Ten years in prison?

It wasn't as if she hadn't seen movies or read the news about what that entailed.

No matter who you were, going in there meant getting stripped to the bone.

She was only twenty, in the prime of her life. If she spent ten years behind bars, she'd be thirty by the time she got out.

The mere thought of iron bars and dark, hopeless days made Annie's body shake uncontrollably.

No.

She couldn't let herself become a discarded pawn for the Ainsworths.

With that thought...

Annie covered her mouth and bolted back to her room, her heart pounding in panic.

Mrs. Ainsworth was still sitting on the bed crying.

Seeing her daughter return, she instinctively asked, "Annie, weren't you going to look for your father? How did it go?"

Annie recounted the entire conversation she had overheard. Mrs. Ainsworth was so enraged she almost started screaming.

For the sake of money, they were actually planning to send Annie to prison?

Annie was the child she had carried for ten months and endured two agonizing days of labor to bring into this world.

The absolute apple of her eye.

No one was going to hurt her.

"Don't be afraid. Mom will arrange a way out for you." Mrs. Ainsworth forced herself to calm down. "Go abroad. Once you're out of the country, the Schwartz family won't be able to touch you."

"Okay."

Annie nodded frantically, panicking. "I'll pack my things right now and leave tonight."

Mrs. Ainsworth: "Good."

—

At 5:00 AM.

Mrs. Ainsworth sneaked Annie off to the airport.

Halfway there, she suddenly received a call informing her that Annie had been placed on a no-fly list and was restricted from leaving the country.

"Mom, what do we do?" Annie completely panicked, grabbing her mother's hand and shaking it violently.

"It was definitely the Schwartz family's doing." Mrs. Ainsworth was seething with anger. "I have a good friend who moved abroad a few years ago. She asked me to look after her place, and I have the keys."

"We'll do this: you'll stay there temporarily. Once the heat dies down, I'll test the waters with your grandfather and father before bringing you home."

"Good thing you had the foresight to get someone to freeze her passport."

"The entire Ainsworth household must be in absolute chaos right now."

"It's to be expected."

Ebony Fox raised an eyebrow and smiled, saying softly, "Come with me to the hospital in a bit."

"Are we going to check on Wayne Whitman and his family?"

"Yeah."

Ebony Fox gave a slight nod. Both Wayne and his child had undergone surgery, and she wanted to see how they were recovering.

"You're such a good person, Boss."

Polly gave her a big thumbs-up, full of admiration. "I finally understand why Kurt was willing to fall out with his family just to be with you."

"Hmm?"

Ebony Fox listened to Polly's flattery all day long and was practically immune to it by now. "Why?"

"Because you're just so amazing." Polly's praise was completely genuine. "Never mind Kurt, even I'm catching feelings after being around you so much."

"Boss, do you care about gender? Because if you don't, I could..."