CHAPTER 138: REPAY?

The moment news of Anna’s identity as Hugo’s daughter hit the internet, gossip spread like wildfire.

For a man as renowned and influential as Hugo Bennett, hiding one daughter from the public eye while proudly flaunting the other instantly drew public outrage. People questioned his morals, his parenting — even his humanity.

Some said Anna was his illegitimate daughter, hidden away to protect his pristine image. Others speculated she was adopted, a charity case Hugo never truly accepted. The rumors multiplied by the hour, twisting the truth until even those who knew the family began to doubt what was real.

And Hugo... snapped.

He called Anna the moment he saw the headlines, his voice booming with rage and humiliation.

"You ungrateful brat!" he shouted, each word like venom through the phone. "This is how you keep your word? This is how you repay your parents?"

Anna froze, the phone pressed to her ear, the blood draining from her face.

She’d been called worse before — ungrateful, insolent, worthless — but this time, repay your parents hit differently.

Repay?

For what?

For being born into a family that never claimed her until they needed her? For saving a sister who wouldn’t even look her in the eye? For marrying a man she barely knew just to fix her father’s public image?

Her chest tightened. And for the first time, she realized just how deep her denial had gone.

Hugo Bennett had never been her father. Not truly. He had only ever used her — once to save Katherine, and again to save his own face. And now, by calling her debt unpaid, he confirmed what she’d always feared: he had never loved her at all.

Anna said nothing. She let him rage, his words echoing like static until he finally ran out of breath. Then, without another word, she ended the call.

But she knew this wasn’t over.

Across the room, Daniel had risen slowly from the floor, his brow furrowed as he studied her. Something about her stillness — the way her shoulders trembled, the sudden coldness in her aura — told him something had gone very, very wrong.

Before he could ask, Anna slipped off the bed, her movements stiff and controlled, and rushed into the bathroom.

The door slammed shut with a loud thud, echoing through the quiet room.

Daniel blinked, momentarily stunned. Then his expression darkened as realization dawned. Whoever had called — whoever had said something to her — had clearly hurt her.

He took a step toward the door, ready to knock, but his phone buzzed sharply on the nightstand.

Daniel hesitated, then answered.

"Hello?"

"Boss, there’s an emergency," Henry’s voice came through, breathless and tight with urgency.

Daniel’s jaw tensed. That was all Henry needed to say. Whatever it was, he already knew it had something to do with her.

***

Meanwhile, inside the bathroom, Anna leaned over the counter, her head bowed low as water streamed steadily from the faucet. Her hands gripped the edge so tightly her knuckles turned white.

She wanted to calm down, to wash away the sting of Hugo’s words and the disgust that came with them. But no matter how hard she tried, his voice — sharp and cold with disappointment — echoed in her head like a curse.

Still, that wasn’t what mattered most now.

What mattered was how her identity had been exposed... and who had done it.

The silence in the bathroom felt suffocating, pressing against her chest until she could barely breathe. Finally, Anna snatched up her phone and dialed Shawn’s number with steady, deliberate fingers.

He picked up almost immediately. "Anna"

"Hello," she said, her tone firm, controlled — but her voice carried a weight that made Shawn straighten in his seat. "There’s something I need you to check."

The seriousness in her words left no room for hesitation.

"Of course, as you sau," he said quickly, already typing on his keyboard. "Send me the details. I’ll get on it right away."

Anna ended the call and exhaled slowly, staring at her reflection in the mirror — the faint tremor in her fingers, the hollow look in her eyes.

’You shouldn’t be surprised,’ she thought bitterly. ’You always knew peace doesn’t last long in her life.’

But this time, she wasn’t going to sit quietly and let them destroy her.

Not again.

****

While Anna was handling things at her own pace, Hugo was fuming with rage.

His hard-earned reputation — something he had built over decades — was now being shredded online, all because his so-called daughter had dared to expose her identity.

"Honey, there must be some mistake," Rosaline said cautiously, her voice trembling as she approached him. "Why would Anna go against your words? She promised she’d never let anyone know—"

"Enough!" Hugo snapped, his glare sharp enough to stop her in her tracks.

Rosaline froze where she stood, her throat tightening as his fury radiated through the room. Her palms clenched at her sides, nails digging into her skin. The anger in his eyes was something she had seen before — dangerous, consuming — but blaming Anna for something that clearly wasn’t her fault was beyond unfair.

"Are you still going to defend her, Rosaline?" he barked, finally turning to face her fully. "Isn’t it her fault for going behind our backs to work? Did you really think that kind of profession would keep her identity hidden forever? No!"

His words echoed through the room.

For a brief moment, Hugo remembered how Anna had once pleaded for a chance to work, to have her own life — and how he had reluctantly agreed, mostly because he didn’t want to strain his relationship with Daniel. As long as she kept her promise to remain discreet, he had allowed it.

But now, with headlines spreading like wildfire and social media ablaze, panic clawed at his composure. His reputation — his legacy — was at risk.

"I need to do something before your daughter drags us all down," he growled, snatching his coat from the chair. He knew he couldn’t think clearly here — not with Rosaline’s sympathetic gaze watching him. She might be his wife, but she was still Anna’s mother. And that alone made her loyalty questionable in his eyes.

"I’m heading to the office," he said curtly. "There are things I need to check."

Without waiting for a response, he turned on his heel and stormed out, leaving the house cloaked in tense silence.

Rosaline stood frozen for a moment, her anxiety gnawing at her chest. She wanted to call Anna, to hear her side before believing the worst — but she hesitated. After the way Hugo had lashed out, would Anna even answer?

Still, her maternal worry overpowered her doubt. She picked up her phone and dialed.

The call rang once. Twice. Then went unanswered.

Rosaline’s shoulders slumped as she let out a weary sigh. "What have you done, Anna?" she whispered, though deep down, it wasn’t accusation — it was fear.

Fear that her daughter was once again being blamed for something she didn’t do.