"Mrs. Bennett?" Anna hurried out to the terrace, her eyes locking onto Alie sitting there with a cup of coffee in her hand.
When Anaїs had ntioned soone was waiting for her on the terrace, Anna’s mind had raced through several possibilities—she’d even briefly considered it might be soone from the police. But Alie Bennett was the last person she expected to see.
"Miss Dumas," Alie rose gracefully from her chair, extending a hand for a friendly handshake. "I apologize for showing up unannounced, but I thought we should talk about what happened yesterday at the auction."
Anna’s stomach tightened at the ntion of the auction. She had hoped the incident was behind her, but it seed fate had other plans.
Of course, she was aware that her actions had caused a scandal, and it would have been naive to expect it to be easily dismissed. Still, a part of her had hoped the matter would fade into the background.
"Of course," Anna replied, her voice slightly strained as she forced a practiced smile. "Thank you for coming, Mrs. Bennett."
She took a seat across from Alie, her fingers instinctively wrapping around the warm cup that was placed in front of her. She nodded at the maid, who had quietly filled her cup with freshly brewed coffee, offering a silent gesture of gratitude.
"Please, call Alie," Alie said with a soft smile, and Anna felt a small wave of relief. There was no pretense in her tone, only sincerity.
Alie’s gaze shifted to the cup in front of her, her expression softening.
"You must have been surprised by my behavior yesterday," she continued in a gentle voice. "But when I learned about what you’re going through, I couldn’t just stand by and say nothing. After all... I’ve been through a similar betrayal myself."
"Oh..." Anna lowered her gaze, her thoughts drifting back to the scandal from a year ago involving Alie Bennett and her husband’s mistress.
She was genuinely surprised by Alie’s friendly deanor, especially since she had initially assud that their interaction would focus on judging her language skills and accent. "Thank you... for understanding , and for respecting my... well, my desire for revenge."
"Not at all," Alie shook her head, sliding her hand across the table to give Anna’s hand a light, encouraging squeeze. "I made the mistake of letting the punches land when I was in your shoes. So when I see other won going through the sa thing, I stand by their desire to make those responsible pay for what they’ve done."
Anna couldn’t help but smile. If a powerful woman like Alie Bennett was on her side, she was certain she was on the right path. And she was grateful that Alie was willing to share her own experiences and understanding with her.
"And that’s why I’m here today," Alie continued, her expression turning more serious. "Susanne Hyde will be deported today and sent to ho arrest while awaiting the first trial. Since what she’s done falls into a gray area of the law, the severity of her punishnt will depend on my further involvent."
A shiver ran down Anna’s spine as she understood the gravity of Alie’s words. She knew exactly what she was being asked: to decide whether she wanted Alie to use her powerful connections to ensure Susanne’s punishnt, or let the law take its own course.
The answer was clear.
"I want her punished," Anna replied, her voice cold and resolute. "Please, do whatever you can to make sure she gets what she deserves."
Alie’s lips curled into a knowing smile, and she gave a brief nod. "I will see to it. You have my word."
Anna felt as though a heavy boulder had been lifted from her shoulders. One problem had already been resolved, and she couldn’t help but feel a sense of relief. One rat was already in the bag.
"I still feel bad," she said suddenly, lowering her gaze. A guilty, sad smile flickered on her lips. "I’ve ruined such an important event, one that you worked so hard to organize. I’m really sorry, Alie."
"Don’t be," Alie replied, shaking her head as she gave Anna another reassuring pat on the hand. "The donations were made, and the artist who was second in line for the highest bid ended up receiving the prize instead. And if anything, I didn’t do much to prepare for the event. It was all thanks to William. He paid for everything and even made another generous donation to compensate for how the event ended."
Anna’s brows arched in surprise. "Pardon? He did all that?"
Alie nodded with a smile. "Indeed. Ah! That reminds ," she said, turning and gesturing toward sothing placed next to the terrace door. "The painting belongs to you, I believe?"
A strong blush blood across Anna’s cheeks, and her palms beca a little clammy from the rush of embarrassnt. "Yes, well... I only do it as a hobby––"
"Don’t," Alie interrupted with a slight frown between her brows. "Don’t downplay your talents. I know you’ve worked hard to get where you are. What you have isn’t just an inborn gift; it’s the result of years of dedication and effort. You were subdued by your husband and his family, letting them bury your fla. But now, you’re free from their oppressive grip, able to do whatever you want."
She paused for a mont, offering Anna a confident glance, followed by an encouraging smile. "Especially since you, too, now have a powerful man by your side, soone who will support you no matter what path you choose."
Anna blushed again, quickly shaking her hands in dismissal. "Oh, no, you’ve got the wrong idea. William is just––"
"Anna." The sound of her real na from Alie caught her off guard, making her freeze. "There are n who only use won, and then there are n who don’t mind being used in return. They’re clever that way. But let assure you of one thing––these n have been deeply wounded in the past and struggle to express their feelings properly."
Alie’s gaze softened, as if weighing her words carefully before continuing. "William Stark is not an easy man to be around. He has built many walls around his heart and doesn’t let anyone close easily. But you must rember one thing––no man will go to such lengths simply because he wants sothing from a woman."
She paused, allowing her words to sink in, watching Anna closely. Then, with a knowing smile, she added, as if she understood exactly what was stirring in Anna’s heart: "My husband, Liam, once paid a million dollars just for a dance with . Does that sound familiar?"
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