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.
