"Three years ago, my mother fell ill and I needed money. When Raka's mother found out about my mother's illness, she gave me money so that I would leave Raka. Raisa is right, I took the money from their family." Anya said softly.

"Mrs. Mahendra gave the money in the form of a check and I didn't understand how to withdraw it so I asked Raisa's help to do it. That's how Raisa found out about the money." She added.

​​

"And the money?" Aiden asked.

Anya was silent for a moment as if thinking about what to answer. No matter what Anya said after this, Aiden was sure she would lie to him. Why didn't Anya want to tell him the truth?

"For my mother's treatment." Anya answered carefully. She looked closely at Aiden's face, feeling a little afraid of the man. Anya's heart ached as she recalled what happened three years ago. Her eyes were slightly teary but she struggled with all her might to keep her tears from spilling.

Aiden did not have the heart to expose Anya's lies, but his face also looked gloomy, "Don't get in touch with the Mahendra Family anymore." In the end, that was all Aiden could say.

Anya nodded and continued eating. Meanwhile, Aiden got up from his seat and moved to the sofa in the room.

Anya looked at Aiden leaving his seat with a sad face. She knew Aiden was mad at her. Did Aiden know she was lying?

She sat at the dining table in silence, stirring the soup with her spoon. It felt like her appetite had disappeared.

Three years ago, she did receive the check from Raka's mother. But before she could bring the money to the hospital, she was robbed. Her robber took her money and also kicked her body and legs so that she could not walk for more than half a month.

Anya couldn't understand Raisa's way of thinking. She knew that the robber must have something to do with Raisa because in the end, the money fell into Raisa's hands. However, she still pretended as if Anya had accepted the money. She also kept trying to destroy Anya's reputation whenever she had the chance.

Anya could feel the rage that slowly built inside her heart. She never did anything she was accused of. She never seduced Aiden. She was not the third person between their engagement. Still, everyone thought of her as a cheap woman.

She did not get to use the money given by Raka's mother, but everyone trusted Raisa and thought that she was a gold digger.

She didn't bother Raka and didn't see him again after they separated, but everyone thought she was chasing Raka because she wanted his treasure.

No one believed that Natali did all this to her.

Nobody knew that three years ago Raisa was the one who robbed her.

No one believed that Raka was the one who kept chasing her. She had tried to explain and cut ties with Raka, but Raka kept coming to her, making everyone misunderstand her.

Anya raised her head, looked at Aiden who was sitting on the sofa, "Aiden, I ... I accidentally saw the document on your desk." Said Anya in a low voice.

"What documents?" Aiden asked.

Anya pressed his lips tightly. She hesitated, but decided to confess, "You're investigating the check."

"Why did you tell me about that document?" Aiden replied, looking at Anya's worried face.

"I know you don't like other people to lie to you. I don't want to lie to you!" Anya got up and walked towards the sofa.

She stood in front of Aiden, her hands clasped together, showing her current uneasiness, "I don't want to lie to you, but I can't tell the truth. I don't know what to do." Her eyes filled with tears. Anya held back her tears while biting her lip.

Aiden held out his hand for Anya and Anya accepted it. She let Aiden pull her body into his arms.

"Aiden, I… I feel sad. I don't know what to do." Anya sobbed when she said this.

She wanted to hide Raisa's crimes. But the more she thought about it, the angrier she felt. She felt she did not deserve to be treated like this. Why should she help Raisa?

However, she wasn't aware that Aiden already found out what happened. Still, Anya decided to lie to him. Anya defended Raisa, and her main goal was so that Raka wouldn't find out about this.

Aiden didn't care to whom the money was returned, be it Raka's mother or Raisa. What was more important was that Anya and Raka had separated because Raka thought Anya received the money from his mother.

Aiden must not reveal that secret. He would let Raka misunderstand all of this forever.

If Raka found out that Anya did not accept the money, Raka would blame himself and continue to chase Anya out of guilt. Aiden didn't want to see that so he let Anya lie.

"What can I do for you?" Aiden lowered his head and kissed her forehead gently.

Anya's eyes turned red when she thought of the frustration she had been hiding all this time, "That check. The check from the Mahendra family, it is true that I received it. At first, I wanted to take it to the hospital to pay for my mother's hospital fees. But I was robbed on the way."

"I know." Aiden replied.

Anya looked at Aiden in surprise, "What else do you know?"

"I know your leg was injured so you couldn't walk for half a month. I know you don't have money to go to a doctor so you just treat it with oil." He replied.

"I also know you called Raka's mother and said that the check was stolen, but Raka's mother didn't believe you and insulted you as a greedy woman." Aiden continued.

"I know you called the police, but there is no name on the check so you can't prove the check is yours. The police don't want to help you investigate it. Who took the money?"

Aiden said all the things he knew one by one. Hearing the words that kept coming out of Aiden's mouth, Anya felt her eyes stinging even more. She couldn't hold back her tears anymore. Her tears rolled down her cheeks.

Aiden raised his hand and wiped the tears that rolled down Anya's cheeks. He hugged Anya's body tighter and kissed her cheek, wiping away the tears one by one.

"Anya, don't cry." He whispered softly.

"The day after that, Raka went abroad." Anya lifted her head, tears still streaming down her face, "I really needed it at that time, during the toughest times of my life. But now everything is finished. I hope you keep this a secret for me."

"Very well." Aiden replied.

Anya hugged Aiden tightly and buried her face in the man's chest, "It's fine that Raka misunderstood me, but I hope you don't think of me as a woman who is hungry for wealth. I don't want your money. I just need money for my mother's treatment. I can work to pay for my tuition and pay for my own life."

"Anya, I know what kind of woman you are and I have never looked down on you. I agree that you go to work because that is your dream. You don't have to support yourself and pay your own tuition fees. Because I will do it for you." Aiden's eyes were filled with tenderness as he looked at Anya.

Anya was deeply touched. Her tears were flowing because her heart was moved by Aiden's kindness, "Aiden, why are you so nice to me?"

Aiden's usually cold eyes looked warm when he looked at Anya, "Because you deserve the best and I believe I am the best for you."

"Aiden ..." There was one more thing that Anya expected from Aiden. She hoped Aiden saw her as Anya, not Keara.

She hoped that Aiden's tenderness was given to her, the real her, and not because of her face that resembled Keara's.

For the first time, Anya felt pain in her heart…