Chapter 113: Chapter 113

Anna took the child for a check-up, so the call was answered by Mary.

On the other end of the line, Conrad Sterling heard Mary’s voice and commanded her directly, "Put Anna on the phone."

"Sorry, President Sterling, Anna’s not here right now. If it’s not urgent, why don’t you call back in the evening?"

Mary said this deliberately. Actually, Anna and Pop wouldn’t take that long to come back after the check-up.

She mainly wanted to test how urgent Conrad really was.

President Sterling, always cautious and clever, probably couldn’t see through Mary’s little trick over the phone, or maybe he saw through it but couldn’t be bothered to pursue it.

He directly asked, "I heard someone proposed to her?"

"Oh, President Sterling, you know about this too? Did you see it on Anna’s social media? I should quickly have her delete that." Mary had posted the photo under Anna’s name, so now she was playing two roles, making sure nothing slipped.

Conrad didn’t have the time or mood to chat idly with her, so he simply asked, "Who?"

"Well... I’m not sure it’s my place to say. Anna is a public figure and needs privacy protection. Besides, the man isn’t in our circle. If the news gets out, he might be harassed by the media indefinitely, which wouldn’t be good."

Hearing her words, Conrad didn’t know whether to feel angry or amused: "I’m not in the circle either. When you drew me into this, didn’t you consider so much?"

"Uh... mainly because Anna’s career is still unstable, and she has suffered from countless privacy-invading news before. If she starts a new romance, I would advise her to handle it low-key."

"Are you saying she is considering accepting?"

"I haven’t asked her how she feels yet."

Mary, being a veteran agent, was skilled at keeping the intrigue alive with vague answers.

Her answers over the phone were seamless, ensuring not to reveal any specifics about the person who proposed to Anna.

After all, an unknown enemy is often imagined to be stronger, especially to a man as outstanding as Conrad Sterling; too much clarity and most would be dismissed by him.

Later, Anna finished the check-up with Pop.

To their surprise, when the mother and daughter returned to the ward, Conrad Sterling was there.

Pop had a good relationship with him, so as soon as she saw Conrad, she reached out, wanting Daddy to hold her.

Conrad, with a stern face, took the little bundle over, and from his holding stance, it was clear he’d improved significantly.

Once in his arms, Pop tried to touch his hair, comparing it to her own little fuzzy head.

The bond between this father and daughter was probably built through the ’war friendship’ of haircuts.

Anna, having carried the child all day, was indeed tired, and now with someone to take over, she felt relieved.

But it was odd, shouldn’t Conrad be with Marilyn, busy with her birthday and his own proposal, why was he here?

However, as Anna turned, she was met with Mary’s suggestive eye signals.

"Anna, President Sterling is here for you."

"For me? What’s up?" Anna glanced back at Conrad who was alone holding the child.

Mary initially wanted to pull Anna out first so they could rehearse their lines.

Yet, before she could act, Conrad had already spoken first, "Posting that kind of photo on social media, wasn’t it just to get me over here? Now that I’m here, don’t you have something to say to me?"

Anna exchanged a look with Mary and continued to ask Conrad, "Are you talking about the photo I posted on social media... the proposal one?"

The photo was originally a spur-of-the-moment post by Mary, she really feared Anna would slip up once confronting President Sterling.

Luckily, Anna was undoubtedly her most in-sync artist, the chemistry between them was simply perfect.

Just by exchanging looks, Anna could tell what Mary had done and took the blame for her. Googlᴇ search novel※fire.net

Mary was nearly moved to tears, but seeing President Sterling still there she tried hard to hold it in.

"I just casually snapped and shared life moments. Who said I did it to make you come over?"

"A few days ago you were upset about my plan to propose to Marilyn, and suddenly you publicly claim to be proposed to; is it really just coincidence?"

"What do you mean, Conrad? You think I’m directing my own play here? Dramatizing it just to provoke you? Do you really see me as so lacking in charm? That having someone want to spend their life with me and coincidentally proposing during these days is impossible in your eyes?

"Exactly, why wouldn’t it be possible?" Mary chimed in defiantly, "Our Anna has a lot of appeal. Back abroad, countless people lined up to send flowers and cars. Now just returned domestically someone sends a ’pigeon egg’, such a big ’pigeon egg’, it’s showing sincerity, am I right?"

Right after Mary bragged a bit, she noticed Conrad didn’t respond, and Anna’s expression turned subtle.

"What’s wrong? Did I say something wrong?" She leaned closer to ask Anna quietly.

"Your words weren’t wrong, but you gestured the diamond’s size."

"And what’s the big deal about that?" Mary still didn’t get it.

"The Sterling Group also has a jewelry division," Anna reminded her.

Moreover, any industry the Sterling Group delves into would practically achieve a monopoly.

Mary’s gesture on such a pigeon egg’s size was initially unaffordable by many, tracking the sales in the short term can easily reveal it.

Seeing Conrad drafting emails, he was probably getting his team to investigate.

Mary intentionally kept the intrigue alive, never expecting to leak info just because of an extra remark she made. Apparently, President Sterling deliberately used that line, and Anna didn’t fall for it, but she got herself caught.

When it comes to scheming and cunning, who can compete with President Sterling who conquered the business world?

Mary discreetly took little Pop away, leaving the battleground to him and Anna.

"Was the photo posted by your agent?" Conrad asked once Mary left.

"You could tell?" Anna laughed, "Seems like President Sterling you must pay a lot of attention to me."

Anna’s style of posting on social media always included a selfie.

She might be called narcissistic, but she’s quite adept at setting aside the idol facade and pulling expressive faces, those self-made emoticons were rich with expressions, yet today’s photo only had a man mosaic-ed.

At first when Conrad saw it, he suspected her account was hacked.

But on closer look, in the bottom of the picture, Anna’s hand was visible with a bunch of bright red roses beside it, and the blot on the table seemed like diamond reflection.

So many hints were packed in one photo, indeed requiring keen focus to notice.

Of course, President Sterling wouldn’t admit: "Being flooded daily, even if I don’t want to look, I end up seeing it."

"Really? I’m sorry for that then."

Anna rarely didn’t argue back, her gaze fell on the last kiwi in the fruit bowl, picking it up and handing it to Conrad, "Want it?"

Anna said, taking the fruit knife and preparing to slice the kiwi in half horizontally.

Yet carelessly, the knife tip cut her hand.