Facing The Truth
Anna stared at Jake with tears in her eyes. This would change everything. The life they had been planning was over, and it was all thanks to his dad.
The minute Jake called off the wedding, it started sinking in. That piece of paper she received in the mail as she was getting ready ruined everything. There was no turning back now. They were suffering the consequences of other people?s actions, and there was nothing they could do about it.
A Tough Life
Anna Newland didn?t have the best life while growing up. She was dumped on the doorstep of an orphanage when she was a few days old and spent the first few years of her life alone.
It was only after she turned three that she was adopted, but the way her life started had a lasting impact on her. And because of that, she closed herself off from the world. That was until she met Jake.
Feeling Lonely
Growing up, Anna always felt like she was alone. She felt that she didn?t belong with the family who took her in, and that came across in everything she did.
She never had any friends and kept to herself most of the time because she feared that she would feel unwelcome around others too. So she focused on the one thing she thought would help her feel at home, finding her parents.
Only One Thing Left
The problem was that Anna didn?t have much to go on. When she was left at the orphanage, she had nothing but a few pictures with her.
There was no note, no name, and no reason. It was the lady who ran the orphanage that named her Anna, and she only got her last name when she was adopted. So the pictures were her only clue.
Finding Mr. Right
But after years of searching and countless letdowns, Anna decided to give up. She was already thirty at this point and decided that it was time for her to move on with her life.
A few months after making her decision, Anna met a man who would turn her world upside down. Jake Thompson was exactly what she needed in her life, and for a while, everything seemed so perfect. But on their wedding day, something happened that would change everything.
They Complete Each Other
Anna fell in love at first sight, and she could tell that the feeling was mutual. The more time she spent with Jake, the more it felt like they were meant to be.
They completed each other in ways she never thought possible, and because of that, she felt like he was the one person in the world she could open up to. But she didn?t know why things felt so perfect with him.
A New Life
All she knew was that he was offering her a new life, and she wanted that more than anything else. She wanted to feel loved and to be accepted, which was something he gave her on a daily basis.
And over time, Anna slowly started letting go of the fears and insecurities that held her back for all those years. Little did she know that those feelings would be returning with full force.
Two Years Into The Relationship
After two years of dating, Anna felt that her life couldn?t get any better. She had forgotten about her past and all of the terrible memories that came with it and became a new person altogether.
She was more social and outgoing. She loved interacting with the people in her life. But most importantly, she adored the man who stood by her side.
Popping The Question
Their relationship was going so well that Anna didn?t think twice when Jake proposed. She immediately gave him an answer, and it was a big yes.
Delighted to be taking the next step, the couple immediately began planning their wedding, and since they decided to take leave from work in the fall, they thought it would be the perfect time to say their vows. However, they would never get to that point.
There Wasn?t Much Time
Their set date was less than two months away, and they had a lot to do to get ready for the big day. Anna still had to meet Jake?s family and arrange for everything to be ready for the wedding.
So it came as no surprise that she was a nervous wreck. Her plate was filled to the brim, especially since she wanted nothing more than to make a good impression.
Preparing To Meet His Family
Time flew by, and before she knew it, the time had come for Anna and Jake to make the trip to his family?s ranch.
They had been planning this for weeks now, but it still didn?t make things any easier for Anna. As the big day grew closer, she became more and more nervous. What she didn?t know was that their arrival would spark a flame that would end up ruining everything they had planned.
Extremely Nervous
The day had arrived, and while on the flight, Anna?s nerves shot through the roof. She kept telling herself that she wasn?t good enough for a man like Jake and that his mother would spot it in an instant.
That added to the pressure she had already been feeling because she had heard that mothers-in-law weren?t always happy with the women their sons chose to marry. But that would be the least of her problems.
Noticing Something
They pulled up to the big house, and Anna could barely look Jake in the eyes. They approached his parents, who were waiting at the door. Anna swallowed the lump in her throat.
She extended a hand to greet Jake?s father and noticed something strange. ?Oh,? she said, intrigued. ?Nice wedding ring. It?s so unique.?
Looking Up
?What?? Jake?s mother said in an angry tone. ?That?s not the wedding ring I got you! Where did you get that?? Confused by her reaction, Anna gathered her courage and looked up.
She saw that Jake?s father was caught off guard and couldn?t find the words he needed to explain himself. But that wasn?t what had her intrigued.
Familiar Face
Anna could swear she recognized the man, but she just didn?t know where she had seen him before. His face seemed incredibly familiar, though, and Anna wondered if she might?ve bumped into him in the city.
But when she brought it up with Jake, he said that his father never left the ranch. Since that was the case, Anna thought she might be making a mistake and dropped the matter.
Getting Curious
However, the more time Anna spent with Jake?s family, the more certain she was that she had indeed seen his father before.
Anna just couldn?t shake the feeling that she knew him, and that was stirring her curiosity. She wanted to get to the bottom of this mystery, but if she had known what lay ahead, she would?ve stopped in her tracks.
Was It A Coincidence?
A few days later, Anna was sitting in her room, and she couldn?t help but think about her birth parents. Their wedding day was approaching, and deep down, she wished they could be there to watch her walk down the aisle.
Anna pulled out the pictures she had of them, and her brows furrowed in confusion. The man in the picture looked a lot like Jake?s dad. She let out a little laugh. What a coincidence, she thought to herself.
Planning The Wedding
The next few days went off without a hitch. Anna was getting along with Jake?s parents, and the wedding planning was in full swing.
The wedding would be held at the ranch, so there was no need to stress about the venue. But Anna still had to arrange all the flowers, dress, cake, and decorations, so she was swamped.
All But Forgotten
During the busy period, Anna had all but forgotten about her birth parents and the familiar feeling she had toward Jake?s father.
She would?ve forgotten about the ring as well if it weren?t for the fact that Jake?s parents were constantly arguing about it. Because of that, Jake?s father spent a lot of time away from the ranch, but his mother assured them that everything was fine, so they weren?t worried.
Something Stood Out
However, on the night of their engagement party, the tension between Jake?s parents was palpable. The only time they got close to each other was when everyone was seated for dinner.
That was when something strange happened. Everyone had a little too much to drink, and one of Jake?s father?s friends commented on how Anna looked exactly like one of Jake?s father?s ex-girlfriends. That was when Jake?s mom snapped.
Abrupt End
She stood up, and everyone went quiet as she stated that she wanted a divorce. Her voice was laced with rage, and that confused the guests.
No one knew what exactly had happened between them, but the comment effectively ended the party. Was this the end? Would Jake?s parents get divorced right before he got married? If only he knew that his problems had just begun.
Meeting For Coffee
With all the commotion going on around them, Jake?s father got up to leave. But there was one more thing he needed to do before he walked off for good.
As Jake?s father reached the door, he turned and asked Anna if she would meet him for a cup of coffee the following day. That was when things started getting really strange.
An Idea
Anna agreed, and by the next morning, she was sitting in a coffee shop, waiting for her future father-in-law to show up. It didn?t take too long. But things didn?t really go as well as she expected.
During their meeting, Jake?s father kept pushing for information about her parents. She kept telling him that she knew nothing about them, but he insisted there had to be something. When he realized she couldn?t tell him what he wanted to know, he became enraged and left.
A Sample
Anna was stunned by the way Jake?s father reacted to the information she had given him and decided to do something drastic. She took an earbud from her purse and swabbed it along the coffee mug he used.
She had to find out what was going on here. And if secrecy was the way to go about it, then that was the path she would take. Was she ready for the truth, though?
Sending In The Samples
As soon as she got back to the ranch, Anna pulled out a piece of her hair and sent both samples to a lab to get a DNA test.
She had no idea why she felt the need to do so, but something inside of her was urging her on. Was that something right? Did she have a reason to be concerned?
Received
A couple of days later, Anna received an email stating that the sample had been received by the lab and that she would have the result within a matter of days.
It was only then that the severity of the matter started sinking in. Had she made a mistake? Was she letting her fears get the best of her? Or was there something to these feelings she had been having?
Days Fly By
Days had gone by, and Anna still hadn?t heard back from the lab. At first, she just ignored it because she thought her actions were silly and inappropriate.
But the more time passed, the more she became convinced that she had done the right thing. And now that she had taken the ultimate step, she wanted to know what the results were.
Getting Uncomfortable
But lately, Jake had been getting into a lot of fights with his mother regarding her decision to get a divorce, and Anna was starting to feel extremely uncomfortable about the whole situation.
She often felt like an outsider, getting dragged into a war that had nothing to do with her. She didn?t want to pick sides, but she couldn?t just turn against her fianc? either. Did he have a point? Or was his mother right?
Eruption
Then one day, Jake?s mother lost her temper while they were having another one of their arguments. She confessed that Jake?s father had been cheating on her for years and that it had become so bad he was living a second life.
Jake was left speechless. But he had no idea what that meant for him or the future he planned on having with Anna.
Anxious
The reason his father was wearing another wedding ring was because he had secretly married another woman! And he had started a new life and family with her.
Hearing those words left Anna feeling more anxious than ever before. Were her instincts right? Was Jake?s father somehow related to her and her misfortune? Was he the key to her puzzle?
The Wedding Is Approaching
The closer the wedding came, the more nervous Anna became. She was constantly comparing a picture of Jake?s father to the one she had of her father, and the similarities were hard to miss.
The thought alone had her feeling sick to her stomach. But there was something within her that told her she was wrong. That she was overreacting, was it right?
Edge Of Her Seat
Anna needed to get those results back. She needed to know if this man was responsible for all the pain and suffering she had gone through in her life.
She needed to know how badly her future would be affected by her need for answers. And those results were the only things that could point her in the right direction. What did the lab have to say?
So Many Questions
Anna had so many questions about what happened to her when she was a baby, and this could be her chance to get the answers. But she still hoped her assumptions were wrong.
If she was right? If this man was somehow connected to her past? It could give her all the answers she had been looking for her entire life. But it could also break the one relationship she treasured above all else.
Last Sliver Of Hope
Anna loved Jake with all her heart, and she didn?t want their relationship to fall into ruin. She would rather live with the questions than go through it all alone.
But she had already stirred this pot of lies and deceit. And now that she knew there was a chance, she couldn?t just walk away. However, that didn?t mean that she didn?t have hope.
Still No Results
Days had passed, and Anna?s time was up. The wedding was supposed to happen the next day, but Anna still didn?t have the results, and she had no idea what to do.
Should she wait and see? Should she call off the wedding until she has her answers? Should she go through with it and hope for the best? What?s the worst that could happen?
Keeping Secrets
Anna had kept this a secret from Jake the entire time because she didn?t want to ruin his family over a silly hunch. But could she keep doing it? Could she proceed with the wedding even though she didn?t have the answer?
That was something she couldn?t even answer herself. There was so much riding on this, and it all came down to her.
Hours Before The Wedding
Anna decided she was just being silly. There was no way Jake?s father could've known her mother. She was just holding on to ghosts of her past, and it was ruining everything she held dear.
She knew how her mind could get the better of her, and that was exactly what was happening here. She had no reason to be afraid, so she was making one up. Or was she?
Pushing Through
Anna decided to proceed with the wedding and was busy getting dressed when one of her bridesmaids came in holding an envelope addressed to her. It was from the lab.
Her breath caught in her throat as her heart slammed against the wall of her chest. It was the moment of truth. And it couldn?t have come at a worse time.
He Had To Know
Anna opened the envelope, and her world came crashing down around her as she saw the results. With a tear-stained face, she rushed to Jake?s room and handed him the envelope.
What did the results say? And how would Jake react to her doing something so massive behind his back? Would he understand? Or would he push her away?
His Reaction
At first, Jake was confused, but as he read the results, his expression changed. His fury was evident as he said, ?I can?t marry you? I?m so sorry.?
With that, he stormed out of the room. More tears rolled down Anna?s cheeks as she realized what had just happened. Their relationship was over, and there was nothing she could do about it.
Following Him
But that didn?t mean she would give up. Anna followed Jake through the venue. She listened as he told all the guests that there would be no wedding. And then she followed him into the massive maze of a garden.
It was clear that he was furious about what he saw. But how would that affect her? How would it affect their relationship?
She Felt Very Bad
Anna felt terrible about showing those results to Jake right before their wedding. But what else could she do? It wasn?t like they could go through with it now that the truth was revealed.
It didn?t matter how much she loved him. There was no way she could marry her own brother. But she knew that wasn?t the biggest thing going on here. They still had to tell his parents.
It Was All Her Fault
Anna felt that she was to blame for everything that had gone wrong that day. If she didn?t do the test, they would be getting married at that moment.
But instead, she was chasing her best friend through a garden in the middle of nowhere. Would he ever be able to forgive her? Could the two of them have any kind of relationship at all?
Talking It Through
Anna eventually caught up with Jake, and the two of them took a seat beneath a massive tree. She explained what had pushed her to do what she did and begged for his forgiveness.
But Jake was colder than ever before. For a moment there, he was so angry that Anna doubted that he was listening to a word she said. Was she right?
He Didn?t Blame Her
After Anna got everything she wanted to say out of her system, she became quiet, hoping that Jake would respond in some way or another. And that was exactly what he did.
With a deep breath, he took her hand and told her that he didn?t blame her for any of it. He wasn?t even angry with her for doing what she did. But that didn?t mean that he wasn?t upset.
He Was Furious
Jake was furious with his father. In all the time they had spent on the ranch, he had been protecting the man. He told his mother everything he thought she wanted to hear in order to stop her from filing for a divorce. And this is what he discovers?
That his own father was ruining his life because of his inability to remain faithful? Could it get any worse than that?
Their Plans Were Ruined
All the plans the couple had for the future were ruined. That big house they planned on buying was nothing more than a distant memory. The children they planned on having were nothing more than wild dreams.
All he wanted was to have a life with the woman he loved more than life itself. And his father ripped that away from him.
What Now?
But that left the couple with one question. What now? They had both agreed that their relationship was terminated the moment they saw the results. But what did that mean?
Would they go their separate ways and never see each other again? Would Anna go back to being the lonely girl whose parents ruined every single fiber of her being?
A Promise To Keep
The answer to both those questions was no. Jake would never hurt her like that. Even though all their plans went up in smoke, he made her a promise, and he was determined to keep it.
He might not be her husband, but he could still give her a family worth talking about. He could be the brother she always wanted and the best friend she always needed.
Could He Ever Be Forgiven?
However, the situation with their father was a whole different story. Jake didn?t think he would ever be able to forgive the man.
In fact, he was so angry that he never wanted to see him again. He had realized that his mother was right for wanting a divorce. And he would do whatever he could to help her get one.