When His Perfect Mask Shattered I Awoke (Anneliese) novel Chapter 9

hapter 9 Recover the Ring at All Costs

Chapter 9 Recover the Ring at All Costs

“Tll go with you. I swear I’ll beat the crap out of Slenderb teh!” Jessica rolled up her sleeves like she was ready to throw hands right then and there.

She was petite and delicate, barely five–foot–three, with a baby–faced sweetness–round cheeks, wide eyes, soft curls, and naturally arched brows.

She looked like the type who’d be easy to push around, but her temper was explosive, and she could seriously throw down.

Back at the orphanage, it had always been Jessica who stood up for Anneliese.

The kids there were rough and wild, but Jessica had no problem taking on three or four boys at once. Even if she ended up half–dead, she’d still sink her teeth into someone’s neck and tear off a chunk..

That was the kind of girl she was–fierce to the bone.

Anneliese felt a rush of warmth in her chest and gave Jessica a tight hug. “No need. What’s the point of hitting her? She’ll just go crying to Zacharias and milk it for sympathy–and probably walk away with a chunk of the marital assets, too.”

Jessica paused, thinking it over, then frowned. “So, what’s your plan?”

Anneliese lowered her eyes and thought for a moment. “Whatever I do, I need solid evidence of Zacharias cheating. Without that, I’m always on the back foot.

“Covert photos don’t hold up in court. And those texts and pictures we just got–there’s no clear shot of Zacharias‘ face, and that phone number might not even be Coral’s. It’d be too easy for their lawyer to throw out”

“What now?” Jessica was getting agitated. She offered, “Want me to get you in touch with a divorce lawyer? Let the pros handle it?”

Anneliese shook her head. Zacharias had some real pull and a decent network of connections.

And then there were the Whites.

Back when Zacharias had nothing to his name, Anneliese had insisted on staying with him, and the White family had been furious. They’d even kicked her out of the house.

But after Zacharias built up his company and proved he had a future, the Whites changed their tune and started valuing him as their son–in–law.

They wouldn’t just sit by and let her get divorced now. The Whites had connections everywhere, and Christopher himself was a partner at a law firm.

It she went looking for a lawyer now, the Whites and Zacharias would know by the next day.

She turned to Jessica. “Jess, when I meet with Coral later, I’ll need you to handle something forme.”

Anneliese stepped into Bluestar Cafe, nestled in the middle business district.of the

She was just about to find a seat when she spotted Christopher walking in with two men in sharp suits. Clearly, they were here for a meeting too.

“What are you doing here?” Christopher frowned at her, his disdain seeping through as naturally as breathing.

Anneliese had removed her name from the White household. As far as they were concerned, she might as well have been a stranger.

She kept her voice flat. “You can pretend you didn’t see me.”

Annoyance prickled at the back of her mind. She couldn’t let Christopher find out about her meeting with Coral.

She started to turn, planning to step outside and message Coral to switch locations. But just as she turned around, Christopher yanked her arm hard.

Pain shot up her arm, and Anneliese turned back, furious. “Hands off?”

One of the men beside them quirked a brow and gave Christopher a teasing look. “Ex- girlfriend, Mr. White? She’s pretty. You should be nicer to her.”

“Don’t be ridiculous, Christopher snapped, “She’s my sister. You two go on ahead to the private lounge. My sister makes a mean cup of coffee–way better than your average barista. I’ll have her personally brew you a few in a bit.”

Sister? The two men visibly paused, glancing at each other before exchanging a knowing look and grinning with unspoken understanding. A lover–to–be–sister, surely.

Christopher babied his sister. He even kept multiple framed photos of her on his desk. Moreover, the real White heiress had attended several White Inc. galas in the past–she looked nothing like this woman. Sure, Selina was attractive too, but nowhere near as jaw–droppingly gorgeous as the woman before them.

And really, who would ask their biological sister to brew coffee for business guests the moment. they met?

This wasn’t their home–it was a public cafe. A host entertaining guests in their own place was one thing. But in a coffee shop?

They left, and Anneliese shook off Christopher’s grip.

After being pushed away several times, Christopher’s frown deepened. He looked like he was about to scold her, but when he saw her rubbing her arm, he held back.

Maybe he had grabbed her too hard just now, but she wasn’t Selina, pampered from birth, and couldn’t take a bit of pain.

“Do you know how upset everyone was after you suddenly left yesterday?

“Selina felt guilty. She thought she ruined dinner for all of us and hung up not long after. I tried calling her this morning, and she didn’t even pick up. You should call her later and apologize.

“Also, I’ve got an important business meeting–1 need you to brew some coffee and bring it to the Pisces Lounge.”

With that, Christopher turned to leave.

Anneliese almost laughed at how absurd it was.

He expects me to apologize to Selina without even asking what happened–and on top of that, he wants me to go make coffee? What, does he think I work at this cafe?

She couldn’t help thinking back to the Whites‘ obsession with coffee.

When she first returned to the family, she didn’t even know the difference between a mocha and a cappuccino. They’d mocked her for it and acted like she was beneath them.

Then Selina had set her up and made a public joke out of her, and to this day, people still called her a backwater bumpkin.

Trying to redeem herself and win their approval, she’d put serious effort into learning. She even got certified as a barista. For a while, she made custom coffees every morning and evening for each member of her family.

Eventually, she realized that all that effort meant less than nothing–she’d have been better off giving her love and loyalty to a dog.

Satisfied, Christopher tucked away the registry. “That’s more like it. I’m going to entertain the guests. You better get moving–make the coffee and bring it over.”

This cafe prided itself on its personalized service. If a customer wanted to make their own coffee, that was perfectly fine. And with Anneliese there, what was the point of ordering?

Which was exactly why Anneliese couldn’t be spoiled any further.

“Have someone keep an eye on secondhand sites, auction houses, and luxury resale stores. You can also post a high–reward notice online. I don’t care what you do–that ring back as soon as possible.”

Jackie felt the pressure mounting. But this is like searching for a needle in a haystack!

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