Chapter 89 Compliments
Anna's POV
The same people who had been whispering and questioning my right to stand before them were suddenly paying attention.
I swallowed slowly and tightened my grip on the podium. At least they were listening now.
"I know some of you don't like me." A few people exchanged glances. Others looked away.
The honesty caught them off guard. "I know some of you think I don't belong here."
A few uncomfortable chuckles spread across the room. "But let's be honest with ourselves."
I leaned forward slightly. "If your opinions mattered more than Xavier's, one of you would be sitting in his chair right now."
That earned a few laughs.. Even some of the men who had been openly hostile moments ago couldn't stop themselves.
I noticed Serena trying not to smile.
Interesting. Maybe this wasn't going as badly as I thought. "Xavier isn't here tonight because he's handling business."
I paused. "And unlike most wives, I actually know what that means."
A few glasses lifted. The tension in the room eased considerably. "He left me in charge because he believes I can handle it."
I looked around the hall. "And whether you agree with that decision or not doesn't really matter."
This time nobody argued. Nobody interrupted.
Because they knew I was right. Xavier's word was law.
Questioning me openly was the same as questioning him.
"And while we're speaking about business..." The room became attentive again. "There seems to be a lot of gossip lately."
A few people shifted uncomfortably.
"Lucas." The room immediately grew quieter. Everyone had heard the rumors.
I continued before anyone could interrupt. "I don't know where Lucas is."
That much was true. "But I do know this." I scanned the room "Anyone spreading stories before knowing facts is doing Zack's work for him."
That got their attention. Several capos exchanged looks. Some nodded.
I pressed on. "Whether Lucas is guilty or innocent is not for us to decide tonight."
I remembered Xavier's expression earlier.
The conflict hidden behind his eyes. The pain he was trying so hard not to show. "That decision belongs to Xavier."
The room remained silent. "And until Xavier makes that decision, anyone turning rumors into facts is helping our enemies."
A murmur spread through the crowd.
I took a breath. My confidence was growing now. "Tonight isn't about Lucas." I raised my glass. "It's not about me either."
Several people raised theirs as well. "Tonight is about the cartel." More glasses rose. "It's about loyalty." A few cheers followed. "It's about money." That got louder cheers. "It's about power."
Even louder. "And most importantly..." I smiled. "It's about making sure Zack regrets every decision that brought him against Xavier."
That did it. The room erupted in to cheers.
People raised their glasses. Others shouted Xavier's name. A few even shouted mine.
I honestly wasn't expecting that. From the corner of my eye, I saw Serena looking genuinely impressed.
I almost laughed. The same woman who had practically shoved me toward the stage looked shocked that I was surviving up here.
I raised my glass higher. "To Xavier."
"TO XAVIER!" The response shook the room.
I smiled. "Enjoy the rest of the evening."
Then I stepped away from the podium. Immediately, conversations resumed and music slowly rose again.
People returned to drinking and laughing.
The moment I stepped down, Serena grabbed my arm. "What the hell was that?"
I laughed nervously. "I have no idea."
"Anna, they loved it."
"I thought they hated me."
"They did."
I blinked. "Did?"
Serena nodded. "Now they're confused."
I rolled my eyes. "That's not better."
"It's actually much better."
She squeezed my shoulder. "You sounded like you belonged up there."
For some reason, that wasn't comforting.
Because a few months ago, I would've been terrified of these people.
Serena finished the last sip of her wine and placed the empty glass on a passing tray.
"I should get going," she said.
I nodded slowly. "Thank you for coming."
She smiled. "You're welcome."
I hesitated before adding, "I could do with more of your presence these days, especially now that Xavier would be traveling."
Serena studied me for a moment, as though trying to determine if there was more behind my words.
Then she nodded. "I'll look into it."
"Please do."
She gave me a small wave before turning and disappearing into the crowd.
For a while, I simply stood there watching people drink, laugh and negotiate deals worth millions as though discussing the weather.
The party continued long after Serena left.
Gradually, people began saying their goodbyes.
To my surprise, several of them approached me before leaving. Some offered polite greetings.
Others congratulated me on the speech. A few simply nodded respectfully before walking away.
The hostility I had felt earlier seemed to have lessened. Not completely. But enough for me to notice.
One of Xavier's capos eventually approached me.
He was a short, fat man with a thick beard and a face that permanently looked annoyed.
He stopped in front of me and folded his arms. "I still think Xavier made a mistake putting you in charge."
I couldn't help laughing. "Good evening to you too."
The man grunted. "But your speech was impressive."
That surprised me.
He shrugged. "Maybe you're not as bad as I thought."
I smiled. "Thank you for your honesty."
He pointed a finger at me. "Don't make me regret that compliment."
Then he turned and walked away before I could respond.
Not long after, a tall elegant woman approached me.
She looked me up and down before speaking. "I want to give you one piece of advice."
I nodded politely. "Go ahead."
She leaned closer. "Get pregnant for Xavier as soon as possible."
My smile almost cracked. "Pardon?"
"A child secures your position." She lifted her glass. "The sooner, the better."
I forced a smile. "Thank you for the advice."
She looked satisfied with herself and walked away.
I watched her leave and silently wondered if every person in this world had suddenly become obsessed with my reproductive plans.
As the night wore on, the crowd grew smaller and smaller until only a handful of people remained.
The music had softened. The laughter had faded. Most of the guests were gone.
I finally approached one of Xavier's men. "Have you heard anything from Xavier?"
The man shook his head. "No, ma'am."
My stomach tightened. I was about to ask another question when a different voice spoke from behind us.
"Boss is back."
I turned so quickly my neck almost hurt.
The man smiled. "He just arrived."
My heart skipped a beat.