She's still hurt that's why

Anne got inside the house and saw Victoria, Clara, and Carl, happily eating. She looked at the food and saw that it was jambalaya. One of Anne's favorite food.

"well done Victoria, you finally cooked something edible," Anne said

"Actually, it was Carl who cooked," Victoria said to Anne while eating.

Anne looked at Carl who was already staring at her. It was easy for her to believe that Carl cooked because Victoria was too stingy and broke to cook such tasty food.

Anne had the urge to have a taste of the food because of how tasty it looked. Besides, she was hungry and had not eaten since morning.

"Anne, come eat. It's delicious." Clara said to Anne.

"No! I'm not eating anything that is cooked by Carl" Anne said harshly looking at Carl to piss him off but he didn't feel hurt by what she said. Rather, he felt sorry for her because he knew she was hungry.

"Your loss because you're missing out," Victoria said

Carl wanted Anne to at least have a taste of his food but he didn't know how to convince her because he knew how stubborn and proud she was.

Anne would rather stay hungry than ask Carl for his food. That is how big her pride is.

"Anne, how about we make a deal... I'm going to leave here first thing tomorrow morning if you eat my food. After all, you don't want me here right?" Carl said to Anne

"Deal," Anne said without even a second thought.

She is hungry and she wanted Carl gone. It's a win-win situation for her.

Victoria sighed. She didn't want Carl to leave because she loved his company. But at this moment, all Carl cared about right now was for Anne to eat. He knew she was starving and he didn't want her to stay hungry.

If leaving Alabama will make Anne happy, then so be it. Carl thought.

Anne sat down and slowly took a bite of the food and Carl carefully watched as Anne was eating his food, hoping she loved how it tasted.

Even though Carl is exceptional when it comes to his culinary skill, he was still a little tensed that Anne might not be impressed by how it tasted.

Anne saw that food was good so she started rushing and devouring the food into her mouth. Her facial expression shows that she was enjoying the food. She loved how tasty it was.

Carl couldn't help but stare at Anne as she was eating. He was smiling and feeling happy within himself that Anne was enjoying his food even though she was too prideful to admit it.

Victoria, on the other hand, observed how Carl was staring at Anne. She saw nothing but love in Carl's eyes and she felt happy because she knew that Carl was a perfect match for Anne.

"Mummy, do you know that Carl is a real-life superhero and he has a toy gun?" Clara said to Victoria out loud.

Carl slapped his forehead hard. He never knew that Clara sucked at keeping secrets.

Although, Anne knew that Clara wasn't talking about a toy gun.

"of course Clara, Carl is really a superhero," Victoria said to Clara referring to Carl's personality. He's a lifesaver.

Carl felt like he should come clean and tell Victoria what Clara meant by him having a toy gun.

"Well… umm, the toy gun Clara is talking about isn't really a toy gun… It's actually real." Carl said to Victoria in a low tone.

"What do you mean by that?" she said, wondering what Carl meant by 'it's actually real'

"what he meant is that Carl has a real gun that is always with him. Even now, I guess" Anne said to Victoria.

"Anastasia, just because you can't stand Carl doesn't mean you have to come up with lies about him." Victoria scolded Anne, forgetting that Carl has just confessed the same thing.

"Victoria, Anne is actually telling the truth," Carl said and Victoria looked at him with fear in her eyes.

'A real gun??' Victoria said in her head.

This is why Carl didn't want to tell Victoria. He knew she would panic and he didn't want that.

"There's no need to panic Victoria, Carl is a prosecutor and he's licensed to have a gun," Anne said in a calm tone as she gathers the empty plates they used for eating.

"But I don't think prosecutors are licensed to have such weapons," Victoria said.

"I work with the police department in New York and aside from that, I also hunt down fugitives, plead them guilty before the court, and put them behind bars. I am licensed to have a gun because hunting down most criminals is a life and death situation" Carl explained.

"work with the police department? Pff" Anne scoffed in a way that sounded as if Carl was lying.

"what is it, Anne?" Carl said to Anne in a husky tone.

"why don't you just say the truth instead of acting so humble in front of Victoria? You don't just work with the police department in New York…"

Anne faced Victoria "….Victoria, this man right here, is the president of NYPD," Anne said and Victoria gasped.

"is Anastasia telling the truth?" Victoria asked Carl and he slowly nodded his head.

"Clara, come help me out with the dishes," Anne said to Clara while standing up with the plates and Clara followed her to the kitchen.

"Carl, if you're president of NYPD that means, you must be a very wealthy man am I right?" Victoria said to Carl as soon as Anne and Clara went to the kitchen.

"The Maybach parked outside is yours isn't it?" she asked with raised brows.

Carl didn't know how to respond and it made Victoria guess that she was right. Carl is a very wealthy man who owns different big companies and aside from him being a prosecutor, he's a CEO himself. He's just a humble and quiet billionaire.

'In fact, he smells expensive' Victoria thought to herself.

"C'mon you don't have to act all humble and simple in front of us," Victoria said to Carl because of how quiet he was.

"I'm not acting, this is who I am," Carl said firmly.

"But I let you eat our cheap brown soup, you're sitting on our bare floor, and I..."

"...There's nothing wrong with that, I never complained." Carl cuts in

"At least you could've said something." She said.

"Like what? Everyone, kneel before me, for I am a billionaire" Carl mimicked in a British accent, and Victoria couldn't help but laugh.

"So you're not just rich, you're also funny," Victoria laughed.

"I don't like showing off how wealthy I am so that I won't get treated based on my financial status. I like being treated equally," he said

"Carl, you're indeed a good man and I can't wait for Anastasia to come to her senses to make you a part of her life," Victoria said smiling at Carl.

Carl gave Victoria a confused look wondering how Victoria knew he was in love with Anne.

"what? Are you surprised I know? It's way too obvious not to have figured it out. The way you stare at Anne, even the blind knows you're into her." Victoria said.

"but she doesn't feel the same way about me. In fact, she hates me" Carl said in a sad tone.

"Who told you that? That's not true at all" Victoria opposed.

"didn't you see the way she ate my food like she wants me to disappear from her presence as soon as possible," He said.

"We both know Anne was just hungry..." Victoria said.

"Not just that, she always finds fault in everything I do. Nothing I do impresses her, it's like she gets irritated whenever she sees me" Carl lamented.

"Trust me, Anne doesn't hate you. She's only scared of letting someone in her heart so she doesn't get hurt again. Anne came here to heal her broken heart and to stay far away from her ex-boyfriend so she could move on. Seeing you here only made her remember her past and that was why she got upset." Victoria clarified.

"And I have apologized countless times for lying to her but she still doesn't want to forgive me. I guess that's my punishment." Carl said

"Carl just be patient with her. Perhaps, she's still hurt that's why" Victoria said.

'Peeeeeeee' there was a loud horn from a huge van, outside that alarmed everyone in the house.

"oh my God!! what is that??" Victoria exclaimed. She quickly rushed outside to see for herself same with Carl.

She saw a huge van parked in front of their house and a man who seemed to be the driver of the van, walking in their direction.

"Mr. McAlester please sign here, here, and here," the driver of the van said to Carl giving him some papers and a pen.

Carl immediately signed the papers and Victoria who looked lost and confused was wondering to herself what was going on.