Chapter 130 So It Was Colin
Just as she was about to set down her cup, Anna thought about the money Qiana had spent and finally found the nerve to say, "Hey, are you not much of a talker? Sorry, I just got here. How about I call a couple of friends to join us and make things more fun?"
Anna put down her wine glass, unsure of how to please the guest, and nervously reached out to touch Colin's chest.
But the man suddenly grabbed her hand. Feeling anxious, she tried to pull her hand back, but his grip was too strong.
Colin flung Anna's hand away and said, "Are you really that desperate for money?"
Anna shuddered. She hadn't expected this person to be Colin. Was he here to catch her on purpose, or did he just happen to run into her while out for entertainment? Anna immediately got up and turned on the room's light, but then, feeling awkward, quickly turned it off again.
The room plunged back into darkness.
Colin stepped closer to Anna and said, "Anna, are you really that desperate for money? Why are you selling yourself short? The salary I give you isn't enough? You actually came here to work as a hostess. Unbelievable."
Anna's face turned pale at his words. She immediately retorted, "Yes, I am desperate for money. You know that, don't you? You're my boss, not my husband. Why are you meddling in my personal life? I do my job well during work hours. What I do after work is none of your business."
Anna's voice was a bit high-pitched, with a hint of bravado.
Colin, equally angry, didn't hold back: "Who was it that swore in the office today to work hard for me? Were those just empty words? Or were you just kidding me?"
Anna stiffened her neck and said, "That's right, I was kidding you. So what? Why is everyone pressuring me?"
Anna's mind was already on the verge of collapse. She hadn't expected the first customer she met here to be Colin. Her emotions were crumbling.
Colin clenched his fists in anger, then released them, saying, "Fine, I get why you're doing this. You're the heir to the Powell family, used to a life of wealth. Now that your family is bankrupt, I understand you can't accept such a drastic change. But that's no reason to sink so low."
Anna listened to Colin's accusations, and tears welled up uncontrollably. She didn't understand why Colin was misunderstanding her.
But with tears in her eyes, Anna said, "So what if I am? I'm used to a wealthy life. Is it wrong for me to earn money? You don't understand, so what gives you the right to stand on a moral high ground and look down on me?"
Colin, hands on his hips in anger, said, "Don't you have a proper job? Isn't the money you earn enough for you?"
Anna, crying and losing patience, said, "Colin, are you here to lecture me? You always loved doing that. If you love lecturing people so much, why don't you become a teacher? If I don't earn money, how can I repay you for my dad's surgery fees?"
Colin hadn't expected Anna to be earning money to repay him. He said, "I've never forced you to repay me. Besides, you owe me more than just that money. Have I ever asked you for it? And even if I did, I could deduct it from your salary. Why do you have to do this kind of work and throw away your dignity?"
Anna got the hint. He was basically calling her a sellout, saying she was shameless and just blowing money on useless stuff.
"Colin, what are you trying to say? You think you can lecture me? Are you calling me vain?" Anna shot back.
Colin snapped, "Do you really think the money you make here can pay off the 2 million dollars you owe me?" He let the 2 million slip out in his anger.
Anna, with tears blurring her vision, looked at him and said, "What 2 million dollars? I only took money for my dad's surgery. When did I owe you 2 million? Don't make stuff up. Even loan sharks aren't that bad."
Colin sighed, "Fine, Anna, if you want to know about the 2 million dollars, I'll tell you."
After hearing Colin's explanation, Anna felt even more crushed. It was like a heavy weight on her chest, making it hard to breathe.
Anna didn't want to show her worst side to anyone, but every time she was in a tough spot, it was always Colin standing there.
She didn't want to talk about those painful things, but she couldn't hold it in any longer.
"Colin, I'm sorry. I didn't expect Sterling to dump the 2 million debt on you. Why is everyone pressuring me? I don't want this either. If I had a choice, do you think I'd want to work as a hostess here?" Anna said, her voice breaking.
"Do you think I want to drink with you rich guys? Don't I want a stable job and a peaceful life? And for the record, I don't go out with customers or follow them to hotels. How does that make me vain? You don't get it. You're the heir to the Rivera family. Do you understand what it's like for us living in hardship? I don't even want to talk to you. You think working here means I've let myself fall? Do you think I want this?"
She wiped her tears, sat on the floor, poured herself a drink, and downed it in one go, almost choking.
Colin listened to her tearful complaints, took a deep breath, and his anger started to fade. "If you want to talk, you can talk to me," he said.
Anna poured herself another drink, downed it, and then said, "Fine, Mr. Rivera, if you want to know about our commoner life, I'll tell you today."
"I know Sterling isn't pressuring me for the debt now, but I'm still broke. Do you know I don't even have $100 right now? I had a boyfriend, but we broke up. Back when I was the heir to the Powell family, I had money. I spent money on my boyfriend without a second thought. But after the Powell family went bankrupt, he was nice enough to return all the money I spent on him. Do you know? 2 million dollars, not a penny less. But before I could even warm it in my pocket, my mom took it to pay off gambling debts."
"That wasn't a small amount. I was hoping to save enough to buy a house someday. But in the blink of an eye, it was gone."
As Anna spoke, tears streamed down her face. She figured Colin had seen all her misery today. If there were a mirror now, she'd probably knock herself out cold here.
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