Ann was tired of living at the mercy of others.

At the Gonzales estate, she had been a princess, showered with gifts and a seven-figure allowance. But the moment the truth about her parentage came out, that cold old woman had frozen her accounts and taken everything away, turning her from a beloved heiress into a social pariah.

She had learned a bitter lesson: what belongs to others can always be taken away. True security only came from having your own money. The eighty million was as good as hers.

***

Asher's face lit up when he received Ann's reply. He showed the phone to the man beside him. "Mr. Banks! You were right. Look, this is from Ann."

Torin Banks glanced at the screen, a smug smile on his face. "A woman like Ann is easy to read. It seems the grand prize at this year's jewelry awards is ours for the taking." Tammie and Benedict were design prodigies, but their brilliance would soon be his company's gain.

Asher gave his boss a thumbs-up. "You're a genius, sir."

"Send Ann the two million," Banks instructed, lighting a cigar.

Soon, Ann's phone buzzed with two new messages.

[A pleasure doing business with you, Miss Templeton.]

[Remember, we need the final, completed design.]

A second message followed: a bank notification confirming a

two-million-dollar deposit into her account. A triumphant smile spread

across Ann's

face She went

downstairs to the kitchen and began preparing something.

"Miss Templeton, what would you like to eat? Let me handle that," Lindy offered.

"No need, Lindy. I've got it. You can go home for the night," Ann said sweetly.

She was making a cheese cake, a recipe she had perfected long ago to curry favor with Keira.

Lindy untied her apron. "Alright, then. I'll be heading out."

"Drive safely," Ann called after her.

Thirty minutes later, the dessert was ready. Ann arranged it in a beautiful plate with some fresh fruit and carried it up to the second floor studyThe door wasn't locked, but she knocked politely. "Tammie, are you still busy?"

"Ann? What is it?"

"I made you a little something."

"Come on in."

Hearing Ann's voice, Benedict

โอน *

frowned on the other side of the video call. It was nearly eleven at

night. Was she just bringing a snack he just bringing a snac

or did she have another motive?