Semua Bab Don’t Beg for Love : Bab 11 - Bab 20

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, their voices filled with less enthusiasm.The employees in my office area acted the same way.What's happening?“Ms. Sterling!” Linda suddenly rushed forward and collected my bag. “You have visitors.” My brows furrowed.“Who are they?”Linda hesitated. She cleared her throat then leaned in and said, “They didn't formally introduce themselves. But the woman made a scene outside, insisting that the two of you are close.”“In fact.” Linda lowered her voice. “She showed us some photos of you mopping the floor of her house.”Realization settled in.My frown disappeared.“Where are they?”“In the waiting area, Ms. Sterling.”I followed Linda to the waiting area. Yet, my ears caught the whispers fr

“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 gigantic piece of news from me all these years. I always had a feeling that you're not just an ordinary girl even when we first met ten years ago.”Actually, I hadn’t hidden my identity.I’d, in fact, tried to erase it from my life.Because, compared to living inside the mansion like a caged bird, the world out there was far more peaceful and lively.“I wonder how that scumbag is feeling right now, though,” Tania scoffed. “The idiot deserves to die from shock. I’d give anything to see his expression now. He and that wicked mother of his!”I smiled, turning on the stove.After cooking dinner, we sat at the dining table to eat.“Seriously, that jerk and his mother deserve to go to jail!” Tania sudde

Love.Hearing him say it now sounded even more ridiculous.“Anna, look at me!” Tania grabbed my shoulders, giving me a stern look. “Don’t believe what he’s saying! The scumbag definitely cares that you’re now rich! Please don’t let his words fool you.”Tania’s worry was justified.In the past, I would have melted at any slight display of affection from Aiden.Just hearing the word “love” from him would have meant the world to me. “They’re trying to incite the public,” I murmured, scrolling back to the article. “To put pressure on me.”Unfortunately,They’d got the wrong target.“That’s right!” Tania nodded. “This is the best moment to slap them in the face. Reveal Aiden’s scam about the fake marriage certificate, and let him have a taste of his own medicine.”I paused.“It’s not gonna work.”“Huh?”My phone rang before I could continue speaking. I picked it up.Linda’s name flashed on the screen.“Ms. Sterling, have you seen the scandal!?” Her voice was frantic. “The Sterling Empire

Turning around, I quirked a brow.Finally,The mask was off.“Stop looking at me like that!” Cassandra’s voice cracked, her chest rising and falling violently. “Do you know what I hate the most about you, Annalise?”A bitter laughter escaped her lips. “You act as though you're above everything. Above me. Above Aunt Helen. Above everyone!”“But what were you before this?” Her finger pointed directly at me. “A woman who spent three years cleaning the floors. A woman who followed Aiden everywhere. A woman who waited outside his office for hours. A woman who cried whenever he ignored her.”Her eyes reddened further. “You were pathetic! You lived in our house like a servant. You cooked, cleaned, and waited for scraps of attention.”“So why?” Her voice rose. “Why does everyone suddenly act as though you're some untouchable goddess now?”“You were miserable! You were poor! You were desperate!” For the first time, genuine hatred flashed across her face. “What exactly makes you better than me,

Friday evening.The Masons Charity Gala was already in full swing.The moment I stepped through the grand entrance, I felt it.The shift in the atmosphere.The conversations continued. The laughter remained. Crystal glasses still clinked beneath the soft melody of a live string quartet. Yet something changed.People noticed me…Towering crystal chandeliers hung from vaulted ceilings, scattering golden light across polished marble floors. Massive floor-to-ceiling windows overlooked the city's glittering skyline, while elegant arrangements of white roses and orchids adorned every table.The city's elite had gathered beneath one roof.Politicians. CEOs. Investors. Old-money families.The people who made decisions that affected millions.And many of them were staring at me...I continued forward as though I noticed nothing.Years ago, the attention would have unsettled me.I might have lowered my head, wondered what people were saying, and whether I belonged."That's Annalise Sterling."