13

13

"Yeah, but you seem to be her number one fan. That's why you're letting her live with you right?" Maureen asked, everyone stared at them surprised.

"Live with him?" They all asked, looking at each other.

"Well, you're right! We are living together. He dropped the bombshell. Mara covered her mouth with her palms and smiled sheepishly. "Oh, they are so cute!" She whined.

"I knew it!" Maureen said nonchalantly, she walked to him seductively and arranged his tie in a seductive manner. "You know what, it's really not good luck , Xavier. Shacking up with your little assistant. You should go accordingly to work policies as the leader." Maureen said with a smirk.

"Really? That's right, but now …was my assistant!" Xavier responded, he drew back from her and Anna's eyes widened. 

"What?" Anna was devastated and lost about his response.

"Wow! Firing her already. I see." Maureen giggled happily and laughed at Anna.

"No, I'm not firing her. She's not being fired and I don't really know where you get that kind of idea from. She's being promoted." Xavier responded charismatically. "What!?" Maureen said furring her eyebrows.

"Just do you know, I'm opening a restaurant and Anna's going to run it." Xavier announced. Everyone gasped. Maureen's face went rigid, her eyes widening in disbelief. Her mouth opened slightly, but no words came out as she struggled to process what she had just heard. The color drained from her cheeks, and her hands clenched at her sides, trembling with a mix of shock and resentment. She couldn't believe that after everything, Anna was being given such a prestigious role. It felt like a slap in the face, and the sting of humiliation burned deep within her.

The rest of the room reacted with a mix of surprise and admiration. Everyone exchanged impressed glances, nodding in approval at Xavier's decision. They began murmuring among themselves, the general sentiment one of agreement that Anna deserved the position. There was a palpable shift in the atmosphere, with the energy in the room now focused on Anna's accomplishment.

Anna, on the other hand, felt a rush of pride and gratitude. She held her head high, her earlier anger replaced by a newfound confidence. She met Xavier's gaze with a firm nod, silently thanking him for his trust in her abilities. The sense of validation was overwhelming, and as she looked around the room, seeing the support in most of their faces, she knew she was ready for the challenge ahead.

"Really? Thank you so much Xavier!" Anna said happily.

"What the actual hell!" Maureen said as tears dropped from her eyes in anger. Her eyes turned red immediately. She stared at Xavier and swallowed hard. She wanted to talk but couldn't, so she turned to Anna and muttered "SLUT!" She clenched her fist with so much hatred and pushing her aside, she stormed off. Xavier held Anna's hand firmly.

"Hey, don't worry too much about her. She's just a bitter soul" Mara assured Anna with a smile.

"Yes, she's a crabby and generally miserable person." Dan added and they all laughed. "Well, we have a meeting with the ozan winery, Anna…we better get going." Xavier said. Anna nodded. He held her hands and they walked away.

"Looks like he's more her assistant than anything else…" Mara said as they left. "Yeah." Dan nodded in agreement.

****

As Anna and Xavier arrived at the Ozan Winery, the evening sun cast a warm glow over the elegant venue. The two exchanged polite smiles with the staff and a few familiar faces, their presence commanding attention. 

"Xavier, excuse me, I will go to the restroom." Anna said Xavier, ever the gentleman, offered Anna a reassuring nod before she excused herself to the restroom. 

Inside the restroom, Anna took a moment to steady herself. She gazed into the mirror, smoothing her hair and taking a deep breath. The excitement of the evening was already buzzing through her, but she felt a slight nervousness too, knowing how important this event was for Xavier and herself.

As she stepped out of the restroom, Anna was momentarily lost in her thoughts, her mind racing with the evening's possibilities. She didn't see the figure approaching, and as she turned the corner, she collided with someone.

"Sorry, I—" Her voice caught in her throat as she looked up and locked eyes with the one person she never expected to see—Michael, her ex-husband.

Time seemed to slow as their eyes met. Anna's breath hitched, her heart skipping a beat as a wave of emotions crashed over her. Shock, anger, and a pang of old hurt flashed across her face in an instant. She involuntarily took a step back, her eyes widening as she tried to process his sudden presence. The color drained from her cheeks, and her pulse quickened, the tension in the air thickening like a fog.

Michael's expression mirrored her surprise, but his face quickly hardened into a mask of unreadable emotions. His gaze darted over her, as if trying to gauge how much had changed since they had last seen each other. He stood there, tense and uncertain, his hands curling slightly as if he didn't know whether to reach out to her or keep his distance.

"Anna," Michael finally said, his voice low, almost tentative, as if he couldn't quite believe she was standing in front of him. There was a flicker of something in his eyes—regret, perhaps, or longing—but it was quickly overshadowed by the tension that had built up between them.

Anna's initial shock gave way to a surge of anger, her eyes narrowing as she fought to regain her composure. "Michael," she replied, her voice steady but laced with coldness. She squared her shoulders, standing tall, refusing to let him see how deeply his presence had rattled her. The memories of their painful past hovered just beneath the surface, but she forced herself to push them aside, determined not to let him have any power over her tonight.

"What are you doing here?" He asked and sipped the glass of wine on his hand. His eyes scanning all over her from head to toe.

"I'm here for business." Anna responded with a frown. She adjusted her hair and folded her arms.

"Business?" Michael asked in sarcasm. "obviously." Anna shrugged, not trying to give a damn about his opinion.

"Oh yeah, I heard your little cooking show is now doing quite well. Guess nursing is not really your profession as mom said." Michael scoffed sipping wine.

"Surprised?" Anna smirked. "Shocked to see someone else likes your cooking. Yeah." Michael said. Anna rolled her eyes trying not to get angry.

"What are you doing here?" She asked.

"Ozan is a focused project I just acquired, so, you know, checking in on my latest assets." He said. "You acquired it?" Anna asked and he nodded. "Mmhmm." He mouthed.

"Then, I'm out!" She said and left. Michael chuckled softly and sipped his wine. "What!?" He was stunned by her reactions. "You do as I say!" He added and she laughed out.

"Being married to you is bad enough. I can't imagine being your business partner. And you don't have the right anymore to control me as you want." Anna responded confidently. She needs to learn to stand up for herself.

Michael chuckled lightly and tapped his glass "you're still a stupid little bitch, I see, huh?" Michael scoffed wickedly. Anna just looked away without talking.

"So, who's the sugar daddy for your little hobby?" Michael scoffed. Anna stood akimbo.

"Hmm…I rely on myself, my talent is why investors want to work with me." She said with clarity.

"Your talent?" Michael laughed softly and continued "oh please, stop being delusional, Anna. You're only a pathetic barren woman!" Michael mocked. Michael's words hung in the air like a dark cloud, "You're nothing but a barren woman, Anna."

Anna felt the world around her freeze as those cruel words struck her like a physical blow. Her heart pounded in her chest, and a fiery rage ignited within her, consuming every ounce of restraint she had left. Her face flushed with anger, her hands trembling slightly as she processed the venomous insult. Her eyes narrowed, burning with a fierce intensity as she locked her gaze onto Michael's smug expression.

Without a second thought, Anna reached for the glass of wine on the table beside her. The cool stem felt steady in her hand as she gripped it tightly. She didn't hesitate. With a swift, fluid motion, she flung the wine into Michael's face, the deep red liquid splashing across his shocked features, dripping down his chin and staining his shirt.

The room fell into a stunned silence as everyone around them watched in disbelief. Michael recoiled, wiping his face with a stunned expression, clearly not expecting Anna to react with such fiery defiance.

Anna straightened her posture, her chin held high, and without a word, she turned on her heel and walked away. Each step was confident and deliberate, her head held high as she moved through the crowd, leaving Michael to stew in his own humiliation. The room remained silent as she exited, her presence commanding respect, the strength of her actions speaking louder than any words could have.