Chapter 24 Childhood Bully

Anna quickly changed into her own clothes and brought the beautiful dress out and handed it to the waiting sales assistant. She stepped as far as possible away from Seline and Anthony, she did not want to get mixed up in that drama.
She searched through the racks and found several other outfits that fitted her new personality. She even found a beautiful pair of Dolce and Gabanna shoes to match the dress. She took them to the counter and laid them on the pile thinking that maybe retail therapy wasn’t such a bad idea.
“Then go, if you don’t want to be here.” Seline’s voice hissed loudly in the quiet of the store.
“Don’t be a child,” Anthony said angrily as he pulled away. “You are embarrassing yourself,” Anthony said with a snarl as she tried to grab his arm again. “The only reason I don’t want to talk about the wedding is because I don’t want to marry someone who is so cruel.”
Anthony’s steps drew closer and Anna looked at him and smiled hesitantly. “I’m sorry for her behavior, I wish I had an excuse but its simple Jealousy. “She never really outgrew it.” He turned to look back at Seline and smiled sadly as he turned back to Anna “Although I hope one day she does.”
Anthony stepped out into the street as the shop grew deathly quiet. Seline slunk over to the counter and slammed her expensive purse on it. She rounded on Anna clenching her fists. She looked like she wanted to hit her even though Anna was certain she was more concerned with breaking a nail.
“You bit$&!” Seline hissed as she glared at Anna “you couldn’t have him when we were younger and now you want him. It’s not going to happen. I have worked too hard to make this marriage happen and you are not going to ruin it.”
“How do I say this in a way you’ll understand?” Anna asked Seline as she turned to face her “I never wanted Anthony, he and I were friends. He wanted me. I told him no.”
“He didn’t want you, you were low life trash.”
“I can assure you he did and up until recently.”
“That can’t be, he has been mine for years.”
“Did he know that?”
Seline’s face paled even more as she stared at Anna as if she’d grown a second head. “Of course since we were kids.”
“Hmm, maybe you should ask him what he wants.”
“He wants me!” Seline shrieked not really caring where they were.
Anna wondered how she’d ever let anyone talk to her like this. She knew people thought that she’d let them trample her thanks to her abusive upbringing. Now as a confident adult who had lived through literally everything she was not going to let that happened ever again.
“I’m going to warn you one last time about talking about my family, that is none of your business. As for Anthony, he is all yours, I’m married.”
Seline gasped as Anna brought her left hand up and practically shoved her wedding rings in Seline’s face.
Seline stared at the ring in disbelief her mouth opening and closing as she stared at its perfection. “Who would ever marry you?”
“I’m married to John.”
“John! I can’t believe he married you. I knew you were probably easy and that he hung around with you but I always thought he felt sorry for you.”
Anna gripped her wallet as she turned her back on Seline. She remembered that Anthony had cheated on Seline after they’d been married for two years and how humiliated she had been. She’d heard about it all the way in California from at least five different people. She wanted to gloat because of Seline’s general nature but she reminded herself that she was a better person now.
“John and I are very happy and in love. If I were you I would worry about the poor man that couldn’t get away from here fast enough. If he is not happy now, he won’t be if you force him to marry you.”
“What are you implying?”
“I’m not implying anything, I’m telling you a fact.”
“Stay out of my business.” Seline screeched as she tried to get in Anna’s face before stabbing the saleswoman with a glare.
“You might want to check her bags, “She said to the saleswoman “I’m pretty sure she used to have sticky fingers and it probably hasn’t changed, she did grow up in a trailer park.”
Anna saw the manager's eyes widen as she grabbed the card and began to examine it. Anna saw the smile that Seline sent her way at the manager’s scrutiny.
“In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if her bag was full of stolen stuff.”
***
John heard the words from outside and saw the dark-haired manager glaring at Anna. She was actually checking the card to make sure it was authentic. Seline motioned to Anna’s bag and the woman actually looked like she wanted to check her bag. John saw red and slammed out of the car. There was no way in hell this was going to happen. “Who the hell did they think they were talking to her like that?”