Ana pursed her lips, not satisfied with the answer. "She's still just a secretary. An actress now, yes, but from an unknown family. And our son… he is—"
"Our son is complicated," Alan cut in smoothly. "And complicated men don't need a princess. Sometimes, they need someone who can fight back."
Ana looked at him in silence.
Alan returned to his laptop, his tone neutral but final. "Watch her closely. She may not have status but she has presence. And in our world… that's what people remember."
Ana let out a quiet breath, trying to mask her irritation behind a calm smile. She picked up her purse from the sofa armrest and adjusted her pearl earrings in the phone camera before turning back toward Alan, who was once again lost in his work.
"I'm going for shopping," she said casually, her voice laced with subtle meaning. "There's a boutique in the southern district I've been meaning to visit for weeks."
Alan didn't look up. "Take one of the drivers," he replied without thinking.
