Bewildered, Ean left Alvin's office room. He expected Alvin to accept or reject to meet the CEO of Starlight. But Alvin was in deep thought unable to come to any conclusion easily.

Alvin watched the busy city from his room as he sipped his third coffee for the day. Irrespective of what Starlight or Janet had planned, Alvin was in a dilemma about their situation.

When he was a child or teenager, he was indeed afraid that people would disgust him if they got to know he was an illegitimate child. Hence he always kept people away, making his heart cold as ice. So even if the truth was revealed, he wouldn't be bothered by it.

Now he cares less about it. Even if the whole world screams at him as an illegitimate son or a bastard and disdains him, he wouldn't be affected. Thus he wasn't ready to watch Zane go through anything as such, though Zane had both him and Anya.

In front of Zane, his future, and Anya's worry, his emotions towards Janet wasn't even a fraction of it. He didn't care if Janet lives or dies, loses her career, or stabilizes it.

But trying to hide the truth will become their weakness. He wouldn't be able to hide it forever. If not Janet, or the starlight CEO, the Matthews family could fall as low as they could to hurt them. Any of his measures would be just temporary. So Alvin wasn't sure how to handle it.

Was there any flawless solution to it?

It hadn't been an hour, there was a knock on the door. Ean pushed the door and rushed inside. "Alvin, the Hanks are behind the slanderous post of your wife."

Ean had asked the team to get the information so that he could sue the people behind it. He hadn't canceled it to know if there were any foes. And there he got one.

historical

While other people just minded their work, gossiping about Anya in their circle, the Hanks went a step ahead to slander Anya. Hanks and the Matthews or Alvin never had bad blood between them. So why would they target Anya? Hence Ean collected the Hanks family details in case it could be useful.

'The Hanks!?' Alvin remembers Rob mentioning that family name when talking about directors of Imperial University who were against Anya becoming the Dean.

Ean went inside and placed a file on the desk as he reported the information he got to know, "When the probability of Gianna Sallow stepping down her position increased, Steve Hanks and his father started to meet the directors to gain favor. Steve Hanks was planning to become the Dean but you diverted the director's attention on Anya." Anya - Daughter-in-law of the Matthews family.

Even if Gianna falls on her face, the Matthews family was the highest shareholder. So the directors would look at the bigger picture and focus on the winning side, instead of offending the Matthews family. That infuriated Hanks.

Ean stressed in his next words, "As soon as Anya's name was announced on the day before yesterday as a receipt of the award, they started digging about Anya's details." To find a way to stop her from becoming the dean of the university.

At last, Ean mentioned who took the pictures of Anya and Krystle, "The pictures are captured by the daughter-in-law of the Hanks family." Ean pointed at the file, "Some proofs." The proof of their actions.

Watching Alvin who was silent as the grave, without reacting to his words, Ean voiced his suspicion, "They took action quickly." They were so swift as if they were waiting for something shameful or outrageous to happen at Anya's end. But they were too late to erase the traces.

Alvin's focus shifted from Zane's situation to Anya and the Hanks. With Anya's mission in hand, Alvin wasn't sure who were business foes and who would want to get rid of Anya to keep her away from the trafficking of talented students.

Nevertheless, he was able to conclude with certainty, "They have followed Little Donut."

Does Anya know she was being followed?

Or was he guessing wrong?

What was the length he could go to protect her without alerting those criminals or sabotaging her plans?

Or was he being over-sensitive?

Even if his wife was capable, he couldn't bring himself to just watch and do nothing.

'Followed?' Ean: ".."

Honestly, Ean loved their work when they were traveling the world. Their home country and city were filled with foxes who just wanted to pull them down.

Alvin patted Ean's shoulder as he passed by him, "Focus on the company." He didn't want Ean to fret over his or his family issues which didn't seem to end anytime soon.

After being with Alvin for so many years, Ean knew to read Alvin's intention behind his cold words. He rolled his eyes as he followed Alvin out and went to his office room.

Alvin was about to instruct Rob to keep an eye on Hanks but dropped it. He chose to speak with Anya first.

....

After leaving the mall, Anya learned her lesson and wore a face mask while shopping for Christmas and bought a lot of Christmas and new year presents.

Krystle looked at her car truck filled with shopping bags and Anya who was holding half a dozen bags and a helper who was carrying a big carton of gifts.

Anya snickered to tease her friend, "What is the use of an expensive car when you can't fit a few bags?"

Krystle snorted. She didn't want to send Anya in a cab. She was considering asking Alvin to send a car, but Maybach came to a halt next to them.

Anya's eyes brushed over the car while Krystle misunderstood, "Think of the devil..." She muttered turning to the car.

Considering the probability of Krystle knowing the person, Anya signaled the helper to keep the carton aside while checking for the cabs.

Krystle frowned looking at the middle-aged man and a lady alighting the car. She easily identified the man as the CEO of Starlight and the woman as Janet's manager as they were famous due to Janet.

Krystle assumed that Janet sent those people to talk to Anya to convince Alvin who gives no grass to these people. She had to control her urge to shove the bags in the trunk.

Anya, who glanced up sensing the air turn grave, noted Krystle's mood was down in the depths and the two strangers were heading her way.

"Mrs. Matthews." Claire greeted Anya as she extended her hand for a handshake, "I am a manager from Starlight entertainment." She didn't mention Janet's name, in case Anya outrightly refuses to speak with them.

Anya tried hard not to react strongly but her eyes sharply narrowed at the woman. She was wearing a mask that covered half of her face. If they identified her, that meant these were the ones who were following her from Matthews Industries.

Claire felt a cold run down her spine meeting Anya's chilling steely grey eyes. She knew Anya wouldn't be easy to handle but didn't expect herself to go mute as soon as their eyes met. Her lips just moved, unable to introduce her boss to Anya.