The moment Anna stepped out of the cab, a crowd of TV anchors roared around her, making her space out.
She couldn't walk further or say a word as cameras flashed, making her blink without a word.
"Congratulations, Mrs. Klein. We heard you were married to an unknown Mr. Aidan Klein. Mind if you could tell us why you decided to keep your husband a secret?"
"Mrs. Anna, did you get married for the company?"
"Mrs. Anna, what happened to your already planned wedding slated for next week Saturday with Warren Gonzalez?"
The cameras kept flashing until she decided to step forward toward the company's entrance.
Suddenly, an anchor jumped in front of her, as if shoving their damn speaker toward her mouth and trying to find their way toward her while pushing her along the line wasn't enough.
She glared at the woman, but the determination on her face indicated she wouldn't go without having her question answered.
"Did you break up with Warren Gonzalez? Why did you get married out of the blues?"
Anna smirked.
She continued with her question. "Can you tell me more about your mysterious husband? And is this marriage real or is this just a fake marriage for you to finally take control of—"
"Would you question me like this if I were your daughter?" Anna retorted at her in anger, interrupting her from going further.
A sudden hush fell among the crowd before murmurs began and the whole place was back in pandemonium. The company's security rushed at her and guided her way into the building until she was free from the anchors' clutches.
She heaved a deep sigh of relief, but not for long, as the receptionist congratulated her with a smile that didn't reach her eyes.
"Congratulations, Ms. Lorenzo." Anna nodded at her and walked slowly to the public lift instead of taking the executive elevator.
Her head was banging, but she knew she had to come to the company, for this show and to see how things were now that she was married.
She had already spoken to the lawyer over the phone and he promised to meet with her here to confirm the authenticity of her claim.
Like she would lie about being married when she wasn't.
No one was showing any concern about the bandage on her forehead. What they were interested in was what would sell: the marriage that was called off with Warren Gonzalez and her sudden marriage to the mysterious Aidan Klein.
Aidan had mentioned how he wanted to be unknown to the public, and Anna had wanted to protest at first, but now she saw reasons why that was necessary. Aidan had helped seek out the help of one of his friends who worked in the media to get the anchors to the court. Aidan left before they came, and she was the only one there when they arrived.
He didn't look like the social type. She couldn't have him marry her and still drag him into this high-class society of theirs.
She understood, because she'd never be willing to change her social life for any man.
She received bows from people in the elevator as it closed and began to ascend.
The lift was in complete silence until it stopped at her floor. She let out a deep sigh as she walked out toward her office. She needed to get some things done before calling Aidan to pick her up.
She wondered why he hadn't sent her his home address yet. She planned to go pack her things and start living with him from tonight. She had agreed to give him the 30% because she had no other choice than to do that. If she lost the company to Sophie and Kathryn, she would never forgive herself for it.
If sacrificing 30% shares to a man she would be calling husband for the next 12 months would get her what she wanted, so be it. She was too far into achieving it all to suddenly go back on her words. Besides, she planned to get the shares back from Aidan before the end of their contract, and she knew there was only one way to do that.
She wanted to head home early today because she might not come in tomorrow. The banging headache was a reminder of her impulsive decision to suddenly leave the hospital when the doctor gave her strict orders to be on bed rest for the rest of the day.
She didn't want to end up collapsing. Not when there was still a lot to do.
It was amazing how she got herself married to a man she barely knew in just two hours. She'd always been an impulsive type, but never in her wildest dreams had she thought of getting married to a total stranger.
When she thought of the idea of getting married to him, she never gave the consequences a thought. Probably because she was so desperate.
Now her desperation was gone. The company was halfway hers, but her mind kept nagging her.
She wondered what her father would say if he were here. She was sure he'd go ballistic with anger.
"Anna?" The familiar voice of Kathryn made her halt. When she turned slightly, she saw her head popping out of her office door. "Come in, I want to see you."
Anna contemplated whether to go or not for a second before muttering, "I'm busy right now. Can I come later?"
Kathryn stared at her for a moment, her eyes lingering on Anna's forehead before she nodded and slammed the door shut.
Anna didn't plan to confront anyone about the accident. Confronting them about the sex was enough. For the accident, she planned to pretend not to know anything, for now.
Letting them know she was fully aware of what transpired that morning was going to put her in more danger.
She just needed to get the company before anything else.
As soon as she walked into her office, the door opened behind her and Kathryn walked in with her phone showing a picture of Anna in front of the courthouse.
"Can you be kind enough to explain this?" Anna ignored her as she settled on the swivel chair, exhaled, and inhaled deeply with her eyes shut.
She suddenly felt so relieved, like a thousand worries had been lifted off her shoulders.
"Anna!"
"I got married," she opened her eyes and replied calmly with all honesty. "Is there a problem?"
"What?!" Kathryn exclaimed with disbelief, her face in a deep frown. "What…what do you mean you got married?"
An ember of pride flared to life inside of Anna.
She did the right thing.
The horror on Kathryn's face was something Anna could die for.
"You…you got married? With whose permission? What about Warren? And who is this stupid Aidan Klein?"
"None of your business, Mom!" Anna muttered with heavy sarcasm. "The lawyer is coming, so I'd like to have a private meeting with him alone."
"No way. I'd be here when he comes," Kathryn said through clenched teeth as she dragged out a chair opposite Anna's mahogany desk and slouched in. "This is absolutely silly. What a disrespect to the dead. Don't you have any regard for your father?"
Anna shut her eyes, trying to calm her uprising anger.
Don't you dare call my father, you bitch! she thought within herself.
"What exactly do you want the public to say about our family? Do you have no idea what you've just done? First, we've lost the Gonzalez family and you have managed to ruin the reputation your father has built all his life by getting married to some silly unknown man. You and Warren have been together for God knows how long and this is how you repay him? How do you intend to explain this to his father when your wedding with his son is just two weeks away?"
"Do you know Sophia has been sleeping with Warren all along?" Anna suddenly demanded from her as soon as she was done rambling.
Kathryn's eyes widened a little, but not as much as Anna thought it would if she were truly in the dark about the affair between her daughter and Anna's supposed groom-to-be.
"You knew?" Anna peered down at her, swirling her chair with a light smile dancing around her face.
"What? Of course not. Sophie wouldn't do such a thing…"
"Well, she did…"
"Don't blame your impulsiveness on your sister, Anna. I am warning you."
"What will you do?" Anna shot to her feet, boiling in rage. She stepped away from the desk and moved closer to her. Kathryn rose too, her lips sealed tightly and her hands balled into fists. "I just told you my so-called groom was cheating on me with my sister and the least you could do was say she wouldn't? Why don't you ask me how or when I found out, uhn?"
"Anna…"
"Your daughter slept with Warren, and I broke up with him this morning and here I am married to someone else. Is there a problem?"
"Anna…"
"You can tell Sophia to have Warren all to herself because I do not need him anymore. The conditions of Father's will have been met. I got married as he wanted, and now I can have the company. All you need to do is stay calm so you can retain your position in the company…"
"Are you threatening me?" Kathryn yelled in frustration, poking a finger in Anna's chest. "I am your mother, Anna."
Anna feigned ignorance. "Really? Oh, sorry, Mom, but I never considered you my mother. So if you'll excuse me."
She turned back to go to her seat when Kathryn stopped her. "You think you'll get this company just like that? This is my husband's company and I also have a right to it. All I wanted was for you to be happily married and now you do this? Do you think I'm going to fall for this fake marriage charade of yours? I'm not dumb, Anna."
"Well, the lawyer will confirm if it's real or not," Anna muttered with indifference.
"And you think I care? Produce this so-called husband of yours and let's start from there. Without that, you are not getting the company and I mean it."
With that, Kathryn turned on her heels and took the exit out while Anna stood watching in shock.