"Good morning Mrs Trusk,"

Anna took a quick glance at the tall guy in his early thirties with a huge smile on his face as soon as she stepped out of the elevator. She was back at the company and she couldn't help but wonder if he was too. Anna had hoped to talk to him as soon as she got there, to at least apologize for the way she acted and make him understand what she was trying to say but from the look of things, she wasn't sure she was going to be able to do that anytime soon.

She narrowed her gaze on the man in front of her, noticing how his cheeks went red every time she did. He was really shy for a private investigator.

"The files you requested for." He said handing her a flash drive.

"Thank you Lawrence,"
She slowly took it from him, looking around just to see if anyone was in sight, if he was in sight. Her mind was all over the place since she returned from the hill. She had spent an hour at the back seat of her car wondering if all the things she said to Angelo was really necessary. She knew she had hurt him and now she regretted it. She let out a shaky breath. Worrying about Angelo could wait. There were other things that needed her attention. Things like what the man in front of her had to say.

"Did you find anything important?" She returned her gaze to him. "Anything concerning what I asked for?"
He frowned and shook his head.

"I'm afraid ma'm but I didn't find anything about what you requested for on the company's records, but I did find something else."
he stared at her anxious face for a while. She was dying to know what it was he was trying to say. The man pushed himself closer to her. The next words were sensitive and he had to be sure only her could hear it.

"A secret account."

Anna furrowed her brows.

"A secret account?" She rose a brow like she wasn't surprised. What did a secret account have to do with anything?

"Yes Mrs Trusk. I was doing a random check on the financial records of Trusk industries and I realized something didn't add up. Then I did some extra digging. It's happens that the company has been transferring a certain amount, a certain percentage of her profit for the past thirty two years to another account that wasn't recorded or created under the company's name. "

"I don't-I don't understand. How is this possible? The finance department reported that everything was perfect. I had a few auditors go through it and it seemed to be perfect."

"It was the first time I checked but not exactly the second time. I don't know how possible this is, i don't know how the auditors must have missed this but they did. The figures don't add up. It's either they know about this and are in it together, or that the financial department are hiding something and whoever it is in charge is really good at covering their tracks.

"And What's the name of this secret account?"

"Ivanka Suarez."

"Ivanka Suarez?" now Anna was more confused. She wasn't sure she was quite familiar with that name. Who on earth was that?

"She happens to be your late mother- in- law." The thin man went on to say. "Mr Trusk's late mother."

Anna held her breath for a while. How on earth was that possible? For all she knew, Angelo's mum was dead for over twenty years. There was no reason the account was supposed to still be valid if it was hers. She didn't remember her owning any shares in Trusk either so why and how was her account connected to any of this? This was a lot bigger than she thought. Bigger than she had imagined. She exhaled and gave a short nod.

"Thank you Lawrence." She said to him. "I'd still need you to do some digging. Find out what you can about this account, who currently has access to it and where he or she is and why the company has been sending all that money for. Let me know as soon as you find something alright?"
He nodded and bowed his head immediately. He understood. He stepped away from Anna, and walked away.

What on earth was this family hiding?
She kept asking herself. Just when she was close to getting all she planned, she was just finding out it wasn't as easy as she had expected. There were a lot of secrets the Trusks were hiding and she didn't even know where to start to find them. First a black city and now a secret account? What next?

Churn!

The door to the elevator opened.
Anna turned on reflex. She didn't know why her body had pulled her in that direction all of a sudden.
She froze, holding her breath as her eyes met Angelo's.

He looked so radiant in his osburd suit and black Italian shoes. Did he stop by the house to change? He had left her on that hill just so he could have a change of clothes? Angelo's frown got worse when his eyes met hers. He glared at her. His eyes were so beautiful and bright. The frown on his lips made him even more appealing to her eyes.

Think Anna think!

That was it. Guilt.
The next thing she felt. That was all she felt since that she returned from the hill. She knew getting on Angelo's good side was a good strategy if she was really going to want all the information she could get on level forty five, especially now she was trying to find out how his mother was involved in all of this. Angelo was the key. The key to all of it. She knew that now. She had to retrace her steps and organize her thoughts now. If Angelo was the key to all of this, he was better an ally than an enemy. She had to bring him to her side. It was clear now. She had to keep all her sentiments and hate for his kind and just focus on making the future of her people possible. It had to be done. She had to start showing him the part of her that he wanted. She had to put her people first now.

She forced a smile on her face as Angelo looked away as he walked out of the elevator with Sam and two other men Anna had never seen before.

Be nice Anna
She reminded herself as she started to take a few steps closer to them. If she was going to try to win Angelo over, she had to start from somewhere. A smile and an apology sounded like it was the best place to start from. She had the smile on, the apology had to come next. Angelo looks

"Hey-"
Angelo walked past her.

Anna stood still glaring at the empty elevator. She couldn't believe it. Did Angelo just ignore her? Did he just act like she didn't exist? He did.

This was it. He was done being under her mercy. He was done watching her step on him the way she did on the hill. The hill was a test, a confirmation of her feelings and she had shown him exactly how she felt. Angelo knee it was time to wake up to the reality and throw everything he felt away. She was right about one thing, their marriage was one of convenience and they had to keep it that way. Catching feelings was only a distraction and should have never happened. He had to stick to his own plans now.

That had to hurt. Watching Angelo ignore her like that. It did. She turned quickly. She couldn't believe it. He kept walking and he didn't look back for a second. It was that side of him again. The side Anna got married to. The Angelo that never had feelings for her. It was just like she wanted.
Just like she had asked but why did she feel different? Why did she feel like a thousand needles were pricking her heart? Why did she feel so— empty?

She watched as the ladies that walked past him greeted so politely, like they were almost flirting with him and he just did what he was good at doing, he ignored them as well but that didn't stop them from drooling while they watched him walk away.

"Oh my God he's so handsome."
She heard one of them say not bothering to hide her excitement. They had not even noticed her presence. It was like she wasn't even there.

"I heard Mr Trusk is half Hispanic. Isn't that why he's super handsome?"

"Everyone knows that Ruby. It's no news."

"With a body like that, I wouldn't mind being a second wife at all."

"Don't say that out loud Ruby, someone might hear you, especially the CEO."

The lady scoffed.

"Mrs Trusk?" She asked. "That really annoying Atian lady?" She asked rhetorically. "I'm not scared of her. From what I heard, Mr Trusk doesn't even like her. Someone I know that works for them told me that they are only married so the company can remain in the Trusk family's name. It's a marriage of convenience." The other gasped in surprise.

Anna scoffed. She couldn't believe her ears. Gossiping had to be a trend for these lowly humans.

"Really?!" One of the ladies asked.

"Goodness, I always knew something was odd about them. They didn't look like they like each at all. They look so uncomfortable with their marriage."

How could they talk so much and so openly without inspecting their environment first? They had no idea she was standing there all along. Anna found herself taking a few steps towards them. That was when one of them noticed. Her footsteps. She alerted the rest. You should have seen their faces They had the most surprised look on. They couldn't believe it.

Anna walked closer to them, taking one step after the other, letting her five inch heels make all the sounds for her.

"Mrs Trusk."
They all bowed, too ashamed to look at her. Anna paused when she got close enough, looking at them closely, trying so hard to keep her calm. She narrowed her gaze on the First Lady that did all the talking. The lady shifted uncomfortably, keeping her head bowed and her eyes focused on the ground. She was biting her lower lip in shame.

"Ruby isn't it?" Anna asked her.

"Huh?" She rose her head to Anna. She nodded "Yes Mrs Trusk." She looked down again.

Anna drew a deep breath and nodded. She turned to the rest.

"I believe you were not hired here just to gossip." Anna told them. "I'm sure there are many other things around that need your attention and drolling over my husband or talking about my family isn't one of them."

The ladies were so embarrassed. They didn't know what to say. Anna could see that.

"The Next time I see you three gossiping instead of doing your jobs, I'd assume you are tired of working for this company and relief you of your jobs. Is that clear?"
She blinked forcing a sincere smile on her face.

"Yes Mrs Trusk." They chorused.

"Good."

Anna rubbed their shaking arms one after the other. She walked away. Trying to keep her head up and eyes straight.

"I told you."

One of them pushed the other.

"God, you almost got us in trouble. I can't stand your loud mouth Ruby."