The following day, at the Ann Residence.
“Elvira, where are you rushing off to?” Timothy Ann asked, looking up as he saw his daughter Elvira, dressed in her most expensive outfit, slipping on her heels. He was sitting at the kitchen table, sipping his coffee, but his eyes followed her movements with concern. She had that same air of determination about her today. Something about the way she carried herself made him uneasy.
Elvira didn’t slow down. “Dad, are you going to make me report to you every time I leave the house now?” she replied, irritation creeping into her voice. She didn’t even glance at him as she fumbled with the clasp of her handbag. “Can’t I just have some time to myself?”
Timothy Ann frowned, the furrows on his forehead deepening. “Are you going to see your new boyfriend?” he asked cautiously, his voice tinged with suspicion.
Elvira paused, rolling her eyes, her face flushed with annoyance. “Yeah, I guess so. What’s it to you?” She could feel the irritation bubbling inside her, but she bit her tongue, trying to keep it under control. This conversation was one they had had before, and she wasn’t in the mood for it now.
“Well, since you’re free to go wherever you want,” Timothy said, his tone still concerned but also filled with an underlying note of authority, “why don’t you just come with me? I’d feel better if I went with you.”
Elvira turned sharply on her heel, her patience clearly running thin. She met his gaze with an intensity that made her frustration palpable. “Dad, I’m not a little girl anymore. I don’t need you to follow me around. I’m fine on my own.” She threw a quick glance at the clock, already feeling like she was running late.
Timothy Ann’s face hardened. The concern in his eyes quickly morphed into frustration, and his voice grew firmer. “I’m just worried about you, Elvira. You’re not telling me everything. Who is this boyfriend of yours? You’ve been keeping him a secret, and I don’t like it”
Elvira let out a sharp sigh, exasperation evident in her every movement. “I don’t need you to worry about me,” she shot back, crossing her arms over her chest. Her voice was becoming more defensive now. “I’m an adult. I can make my own decisions. Besides, I’ve been doing that before, hanging out with Damian, going out with friends, socializing with people in the entertainment circle, and you never asked me where I go or what I do then.” She tilted her head and stared at him with defiance. “You don’t need to control every little thing I do.”
“I’m not trying to control you,” Timothy said, his voice softening just a little, the hurt clear now. “I’m just trying to protect you. I’m your father. I have a right to know what’s going on.”
Elvira’s frustration was now palpable. She could feel the heat rising in her chest as she spoke, the words leaving her mouth faster than she intended. “I understand, but I’m just going out for a bit. Please, don’t try to stop me. Let me do this. I need to go.”
Timothy stood there, helpless. He hated this feeling of powerlessness, watching his daughter pull further away. He had a nagging feeling in the back of his mind that the person she was meeting was Rex Anderson. And he didn’t trust Rex. But before he could say anything else, Elvira had already turned and walked out the door.
As soon as Elvira got into the car, she took a deep breath, trying to calm the rising excitement in her chest. She pulled out of the driveway with a sense of purpose and immediately dialed Rex’s number.
“Brother-in-law, where are you?” she asked, the excitement creeping into her voice, her fingers tapping rhythmically on the steering wheel as she drove.
“I’m almost there,” Rex replied with a voice that always seemed to carry an air of calm control.
“Great,” Elvira said, hanging up quickly. She could feel a surge of anticipation building inside her. This was the moment she’d been waiting for, and it felt like everything was about to fall into place. She had everything planned if she could prove her loyalty to Rex, show him that she was serious, then he would have no choice but to take her seriously in return.
The Ann Company was nothing compared to the Anderson family empire. But if I can catch someone like Rex Anderson, I’ll have a bright future, she thought to herself, her mind racing. She glanced in the rear-view mirror, adjusting her makeup one last time. She needed to look perfect.
When the time came, she would take Ariel Ann’s place. She would make sure of it
I must have been blind to have pursued Damian Ford… to let those directors touch me just for a role. And now I’ve finally learned that once I secure my position, everything will fall into place.
As she drove, her phone buzzed.
“Ms. Ann,” the voice on the other end said, “A lawyer just came over. He says you want him to represent the Anderson family for the collaboration?”
Elvira’s lips curled into a confident smile. “Yes, I asked him to do that,” she said with authority. “Don’t worry about it. Just follow through.”
The man hesitated, and then spoke again, his voice unsure. “Shouldn’t you tell your father about this? It’s a big deal, and..”
Elvira interrupted him sharply. “Don’t bring my father into this. Just do your job. You don’t need to know anything else. Follow my instructions, and everything will be fine.”
The man didn’t argue. “Understood,” he said, and the call ended.
Elvira sat back in the driver’s seat, exhaling slowly. I’m in control now. I know exactly what I want, and no one, not even my father, will get in my way.
Rex would come around eventually. She was sure of it. She just needed to show him she was serious, show him she could be trusted. This was her moment.
Ariel Ann had just finished her meetings after a long, grueling hour of negotiations. The other party needed time to go back, discuss the terms, and get back to them with a proposal. It wasn’t ideal, but it was expected.
As soon as Ariel stepped into her office, her hand reaching for her bag, she was greeted by the sound of the door opening. Andrea Anderson, who turned the president of the company’s overnight, walked in, his usual calm demeanor in place.
“Ariel, how did it go?” he asked, his deep voice steady and measured.
Ariel paused, her hand resting on the desk. She took a deep breath before answering. “They need time to discuss it,” she said, then proceeded to explain every detail to him, not leaving out a single word of the conversation.
“It’s fine. Let them take their time,” Andrea replied, his tone reassuring.
Ariel frowned, running a hand through her hair in frustration. “I’m just concerned,” she said, her brow furrowing deeply. “The company needs this batch of goods. We can’t afford any delays. The market is shifting every day.”
Andrea exhaled slowly, his gaze never leaving her. He wasn’t one for being overly emotional, but Ariel could tell that he understood her concern. “I understand your concern,” he said gently, trying to keep the tension out of his voice, “but pushing them won’t help. These things take time. Rushing only makes us look desperate, and that’s when people take advantage of us.”
Ariel’s jaw clenched, and she crossed her arms, clearly agitated. “I’m just worried we’re not moving fast enough. You know how this works the longer we wait, the harder it’ll be to get the price we want,” she said, her voice tinged with frustration.
“And the more anxious we are, the more they’ll take advantage of it,” Andrea responded with a soft, reassuring tone. “We have to trust the process.”
Ariel sighed, her shoulders slumping slightly as she turned toward the window, gazing out at the city skyline. “Alright, I’ll follow your lead on this,” she muttered, though her tone carried a slight edge of reluctance.
Andrea nodded in understanding, his voice softening just a little. “Thank you,” he said quietly, offering a small, reassuring smile.