Chapter 12 One and Only

Annie stood where she was, completely still. She clenched her fists. There was nothing she despised more than people using Irene to threaten her. The tragedies of her past life were still fresh in her mind. That lunatic Sean was capable of anything. After zeroing in on her one and only weak spot, he didn't hesitate to drive a knife into it. He had made one thing clear—she couldn't keep living at the Steward residence. Next time, she might not be lucky enough to keep him out of Irene's line of sight. Annie thought of the keys to the apartment Christian had left her before his trip. Meanwhile, Gary finally recovered from the shock of the earlier slap. Seeing her pale face, he approached her with concern. "Are… Are you okay, Ms. Steward?" Annie gave a small nod. "Gary, don't say a word about what happened today to Grandma." Gary immediately understood her concern and agreed solemnly. "I understand." Just then, a warm voice came from the stairs. "Don't tell Grandma about what?" A