Chapter 335 PAY BACK TIME 1
1005words
Soft whispers floated through the crowd as models exchanged puzzled glances.
The announcer's voice grew stronger, commanding full attention. "Yes, today, the boss is here. Not just any boss, but the mastermind, the owner, the visionary behind this powerhouse of entertainment."
"And now," the announcer said, his voice lifting with an air of finality, "it is my honor to introduce to you… the one you've been waiting for, the one whose decision could change your life forever. Please welcome… Anna Sui."
For a moment, Ava's heart skipped a beat. *Anna?*
The name rang in her ears, disbelief washing over her like a cold wave. There was no way. Not *that* Anna. She isn't anyone of importance, how can she own the biggest entertainment company in the whole of Summerlane.
This is a joke, Anna couldn't be the brain behind the one company every girl is dying to get into. If she's this big she wouldn't stoop so low to compete in the diamond award, she would have bought the award before it was announced.
'Oh this leach, she thinks because she's dating Noah Declan now she's a hot shot'. Ava griited her teeth in annoyance.
Not the stupid Anna. The girl who never seemed to belong, always lurking in the background, unnoticed and unimpressive.
The room fell silent as all eyes turned toward the doors at the back of the room. Slowly, they opened, and there she was.
Anna stepped into the room, her posture regal, dressed in a tailored suit that radiated power and elegance with her diamond crown glittering on her head. Behind her was her assistant Ashley who walked in proudly too. Her eyes, once timid and reserved, now held a calm, confident gaze that swept over the room with quiet authority.
Ava's mouth fell open. The room seemed to tilt for a moment, her mind struggling to catch up with what she was seeing. *Anna?* The same girl she had belittled, brushed off as insignificant, was the owner? The boss? The *visionary*?
She felt a surge of anger twist in her gut, but it was quickly overtaken by an unsettling sense of dread. This was the same Anna she had looked down on at the diamond show, she had insulted and ridiculed at Janjan's wedding. And now, she held *Ava's* future in her hands.
Anna's gaze flickered over the crowd and landed, just for a second, on Ava. Their eyes met, and there was a flicker of recognition—nothing more, just a subtle acknowledgment. But that one look was enough to send Ava's heart racing with something she hadn't felt in years.
Fear.
Ava snorted softly. *Owner*, she thought, her lips curling into a sneer. She would never let a side piece intimidate her into giving up. Anna is just Noah's whore for the time being and she would expose her before all of this girls today.
Ava, standing with her arms crossed, her chin raised in defiance, smirked at Anna like a predator cornering its prey.
"How can that be?" Ava's voice rang out, louder this time, feeding off the energy of the murmurs around her. "I thought Noah Declan was the owner?"
The crowd, once captivated by Anna's quiet grace, now stirred with uncertainty. A few of the other models, those envious of Anna's presence and success, nodded in agreement with Ava. Whispers began to ripple through the room, the seeds of doubt planted by Ava's cutting words.
"It's on the news," another model chimed in, emboldened by Ava's challenge. "Noah Declan is the owner. Why are you giving his glory to someone else?" The girls asked and other agreed with her.
Anna, who had been silently watching the commotion unfold, remained still. Her face was calm, unflinching, though her smile deepened as if she had anticipated every word. She had expected this. Ava's bitter jealousy wasn't new to her, nor was the public's misunderstanding of her role within Eclipse. But today, everything would come to light, and Ava had no idea what was coming.
"Yes Anna that's true. You were announced as the face of Eclipse, not the owner." Another girl said.
Ava, feeling the momentum shift in her favor, stepped forward, her eyes gleaming with malice. "I've heard everything I need to know about you, Anna Sui," she spat, her voice dripping with disdain. "You're nobody. Just a girl who got lucky enough to sleep with the richest man in the country. Do you think that makes you qualified to be here? Do you think that makes you someone?"
The other models watched in stunned silence, their attention torn between Ava's biting words and Anna's unreadable expression. Ava's accusations were cutting, and her voice grew louder with every sentence, feeding off the crowd's uncertainty. She spoke of rumors, whispered gossip she had gathered from the jealous mouths of others like her. But none of it mattered. Not today.
"You claim to be a decent girl, but always ready to warm the bed of Noah Declan?" Ava sneered. "You're just a glorified side piece. That's all you'll ever be."
The crowd shifted uneasily, sensing the weight of Ava's words. Ava had always been an outspoken person since a kid, the bold one in their group, the one who could sway a room with a single look. But today, she seemed more dangerous than ever. Her bitterness, once simmering beneath the surface, now bubbled over, twisting her words into sharp, cutting accusations.
"Can't you be shameful for once in your life, Anna Sui?" Ava's voice was filled with venom. "People hide their bedroom affairs from the public, but you're proud to be paraded around as a man's toy? A man who will never be with you?"
