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22. The List Is Out
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2026-06-20 15:24:09
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Don’t Beg for Love 33. We’re Not That Close
“Nice to meet you.” I shook his hand.Without letting go, Steve went on. “It’s surprising though. I never knew the Sterling family had a daughter until the rumors emerged. My grandfather and I used to visit in the past. We only knew about Xander. So, Annalise, did you go into hiding?”Then he leaned in, lowering his voice. “Or are the speculations true that the Sterling family hired a professional to save the company?”“You are beautiful, smart, and intelligent, Annalise.” He smiled. “I don't mind that our grandfathers are planning to arrange our marriage. But it’s only fair that I know everything about you.”Forcing a polite smile, I extracted my hand from his. He stood so close. Too close.His words weren't the only source of my discomfort, but also the proximity.“Mr. Whittaker—”“Call me Steve.”I was about to continue speaking when a cold shudder suddenly ran down my spine. As if something dangerous was watching me from behind.Instinctively, I turned,And our eyes met.Andrew
Don’t Beg for Love 32. The Grand Ball
Andrew Hale,Interested in me?A humorless laughter escaped my lips, and I sat on the couch.Aurelia sat beside me, her tone a mix of disbelief and excitement. “After all, nobody has ever dared to challenge him before. Those who tried ended up being kicked out of the business world or even disappeared completely.”“But here you are looking sound and healthy.” She grabbed my hands. “There has to be something special. One of the executives who ate together with Mason Reed during lunch even expressed his fear that you might have dug a hole for yourself. They said you directly challenged Andrew Hale during lunch too.”I remained silent as she spoke on. Not because the topic interested me. Not because I even wanted to be here.The last thing I wanted was people mentioning my name alongside that…. “Annalise!” Aurelia shook me slightly. “You might be Mason’s top student, and Mason Reed might be Andrew Hale’s uncle, but there are rumors that Andrew Hale doesn't spare even his family members.
Don’t Beg for Love 31. The Rumor
The executives exchanged glances. Some coughed dramatically, and others shifted in discomfort.Andrew leaned back in his chair, holding my gaze, a faint smile curving his lips.“Ms. Sterling, do I need to be elaborate?”Silence.The others looked as though they'd rather be somewhere else, the rising tension palpable.Crossing my arms, I replied, “No. Just be specific.”“Aha!Ha!” Someone choked on his food.Another grabbed a glass of water and chugged it down.Someone else stood up, pretending to receive a call. One after another, the executives began disappearing from the room.Beside me, Mason chuckled. “Your food will turn cold, Anna. Eat up.”Only then did I break eye contact with the man sitting across from me.With the room almost empty now, the silence became louder, the tension still hanging in the air like a looming cloud.Andrew never answered my question.He never admitted to his criticism, downplaying my success.Bootlicker.I found myself laughing softly, the word echoing
Don’t Beg for Love 30. A Little Success
My grip on my purse became tighter.Beside me, Andrew's expression didn't change. Not even slightly.Without waiting for the panel to completely round up, I stood up and left the hall.Later That DayI stood on the balcony, staring at the weather report on my phone’s screen. An upcoming storm.Still, no flights.How ironic.Was I to be stuck here with Him for the next four days?Shaking my head, a dry laughter escaped me. What else did destiny have in store?The sun shimmered down from the sky, illuminating the glass walls of the building, and the Lake sparkled underneath it.A beautiful view.Great!I could admire it all day… for the rest of the time I had to spend here.My phone’s ringtone disrupted the peaceful silence.I stared at the display name.Grandpa.Perfect. How else would this day get any worse?“Annalise!” He sounded unusually calm today. “So I heard that you were selected to be on the Leadership Panel and debated with sharp minds like Andrew Hale.”My fingers gripped
Don’t Beg for Love 29. The Leadership Panel
After Cassandra’s words, the whispers began immediately,And more people closed in.I folded my arms. “Miss, are we familiar?”Cassandra frowned, her composure cracking. Then she put on an aggrieved look and came forward.“Annalise, I know…”Her words withered behind me, because I was already heading out of the hall.The Next Day,A knock woke me up.The sunlight streaming through the corridor windows told me immediately that I overslept.Thinking it was Aurelia, I opened the door to find a young lady dressed in a neat OL suit waiting outside.“Good morning, Ms. Sterling.” The lady looked relieved to see me awake. “Ms. Sterling, the Leadership Panel has already commenced.”“Huh?”My brows furrowed.She immediately held out a cream-colored envelope. "Mr. Hartmann asked me to deliver this personally. He said it was very important."Leon?I took the envelope.Inside was a guest card bearing my name, and beneath it was a hastily written note.[Stop sleeping. You're on the panel.]I stared
Don’t Beg for Love 28. What a Coincidence
The cocktail reception.It was the event happening this evening, where the guests mingled again, socializing to make connections.I never planned to attend it or stay another day. Not with the unfortunate turn of events.Yet, here I was, standing a few minutes later in Aurelia’s dress.The hall was a buzz of laughter and chatter. Tonight, the guests went beyond business conversations to more personal discussions.“Loosen up, Annalise!” Aurelia’s voice pulled me out of my thoughts.She clicked her glass of sparkling water against mine, chuckling, “Don’t tell me you're a recluse and don't like these kinds of events.”“Well, you've hidden for so many years, so the answer is obvious.” She added. “But believe me, this is one of those events you'd wish to keep attending throughout your lifetime. You never know who you'll meet or what you'll get.”As Aurelia spoke on, my eyes instinctively scanned the room, Searching for no one in particular.“Annalise,” Aurelia called my attention.She was
Don’t Beg for Love 13. Andrew Hale
“Of course, I’m only here for my only bestie!” Tania jumped forward, pulling me into a tight hug. “Oh, I’m so over the moon, Anna. Who could ever think that my bestie is secretly a rich heiress?”Then she pulled away, making a puppy-eyed expression. “But I’m super sad, you know. You hid this gigant
Don’t Beg for Love 12. The Envelope
I returned to my office, Helen’s screams fading in the distance.Sitting down, I slightly rubbed my forehead.“Ms. Sterling.” Linda soon joined me, and the hesitant look in her eyes was enough sign that she had more news.“What’s the matter?”“Actually, another visitor came earlier.” She brought an
Don’t Beg for Love 11. This Is Me Being Polite
At Sterling Empire, the next day.I arrived at the company to find the always-bustling place now strangely silent.The employees appeared to be murmuring something, but as soon as they saw me, they all went quiet… even avoiding eye contact.“Good morning, Ms. Sterling!” They greeted concurrently, t
Don’t Beg for Love 9. Ms. Annalise Sterling
Helen Harrison.Aiden’s mother.For three years, the woman had never hidden her dislike.In Helen’s eyes, I was nothing more than a woman who had gotten lucky and married above her status.Cassandra’s eyes also widened, and she looked around nervously. “Annalise? You also came to the summit?”“Of c
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