Chapter 122: Chapter 122

Conrad Sterling was being led by the arm by Marilyn Ford, looking in the direction where Anna Thornton was.

Marilyn also followed his gaze and glanced over there, as if she had just noticed Anna Thornton was being harassed.

"Miss Thornton is a guest after all, and Jean and the others are going too far with their antics. I’ll immediately have someone stop them, Conrad, you should head into the hall first."

Upon hearing this, Conrad Sterling did not retreat into the hall as Marilyn Ford suggested.

But Marilyn’s interruption made him sober up, and he didn’t step forward to rescue Anna Thornton.

It was that little woman who didn’t heed the advice and insisted on coming here.

"Letting her suffer a little might be good, otherwise if she doesn’t change her personality, she’s bound to cause more trouble in the future." Conrad Sterling persuaded himself not to intervene with such thoughts.

Henry Willow, standing by, also witnessed this scene. Seeing that it was inconvenient for Young Master Sterling to step forward on such an occasion, he planned to help Anna Thornton out of this bind.

However, before he could do anything, Sarah Grant pulled him tightly, preventing him from going.

"You’re not helping that vixen! I won’t let you get in contact with her again, lest she completely ensnares you."

"My soul is locked firmly by you, Auntie. No one can take it away, rest assured." Henry Willow comforted her, "But Anna is my friend, and I can’t just watch her being bullied."

"No way, no way! Just no way!"

Sarah Grant clung to his hand, refusing to let him take a step away, completely unwilling to be reasonable.

On the other side, the drama queen trio had moved on from mocking Anna Thornton’s knock-off clothing to physically harassing her, trying to strip her clothes.

Though Marilyn Ford said she would find someone to stop it, she first dispersed the surrounding notable guests, letting them enter the hall to prepare for dining, yet still not coming over to Anna Thornton.

At this moment, a tall figure walked against the flow of people towards the scene, draping an overcoat mixed with a masculine scent and cologne over Anna Thornton.

Anna Thornton looked up and saw Finn Grant standing next to her.

After removing his coat, the man revealed a good physique with broad shoulders and a slim waist, wearing a black shirt underneath with one hand tucked in striped trousers, giving an air of roguish charm despite the formal attire.

"Let’s see who else dares to lay a hand? Bullying my woman, tired of living?"

Finn Grant had a notoriously fiery temper, well-known among the people of Aethelgard.

So as soon as he appeared, the drama queen trio instinctively took a step back.

But what did he just say?

Anna Thornton is... his woman?

To confirm she didn’t mishear, Jean Zane plucked up the courage to ask, inadvertently exposing her feigned ignorance from earlier: "Young Master Grant, you know Anna Thornton?"

"Know her? She’s my fiancée!"

Finn Grant said this and initially intended to wrap his arm around Anna Thornton’s shoulder to declare his ownership.

However, the latter, mindful of the live broadcast from afar, nimbly dodged the gesture.

"Ahem!" Finn Grant, not terribly embarrassed, patted the dust off his shoulder and continued, "About this Nick Walters you spoke so highly of, if he’s really that impressive, I’ll buy all his designed clothes for my woman to use as pajamas, do you have a problem with that?"

Who would dare have a problem with him?

The drama queen trio was almost incredulous and collectively shook their heads.

One must understand that these rich heirs of Aethelgard were accustomed to behaving as they pleased, relying on their privileged status and family backgrounds, generally afraid of only two people.

One being Conrad Sterling, the other Finn Grant.

The fear of Conrad Sterling was mostly due to the strong aura surrounding him that made one recognize his difference from oneself upon getting close. Conrad was not of the same kind as these pampered heirs but more like their ancestors, grandfathers, and fathers, having built his own supreme commercial empire through his ability amidst storms and stress—a presence that naturally instilled fear among these idle scions.

As for the fear of Finn Grant, the reason wasn’t so complex. It was simply because he had issues and was very aggressive, and the Grant family’s status was something one couldn’t contend with!

"What’s going on here?"

Marilyn Ford had noticed Anna Thornton being bullied earlier, and now she finally appeared, fashionably late, to mediate between the drama queen trio and Finn Grant.

Glancing at the champagne stain on Anna Thornton’s clothes, Marilyn Ford, as the host of the banquet, first graciously apologized to her: "I’m truly sorry, there’s a spare dress in my room upstairs, let me take you to change into it. Everyone here are my invited guests, let’s not harm the harmony."

The last part was mainly directed at Finn Grant: "Cousin, don’t you agree?"

Marilyn Ford actually called Finn Grant cousin?

This title utterly surprised Anna Thornton!

She’d heard Finn Grant mention Marilyn Ford by full name on several occasions, even saying they weren’t close, yet it turned out the two were cousins.

Indeed, the four major families are a circle, excellent at internal digestion.

Marilyn Ford’s mother also bore the Grant surname, so by generational ranking, she was indeed Finn Grant’s legitimate aunt.

However, it was true that Finn Grant and Marilyn Ford weren’t close. His own birth parents had passed away nearly twenty years ago, leaving no one from the uncle’s generation. With the already weak kinship lacking elders to bridge connections, it was normal for cousins not to frequently interact.

Moreover, given Finn Grant’s situation, even his own aunt probably deemed her dainty daughter not suitable for regular contact with him.

Nevertheless, showing some family respect at critical moments, Finn Grant had to give Marilyn Ford some face: "Alright, let’s deal with this later. First, take my fiancée to change clothes."

As Finn Grant spoke, he again tried to take Anna Thornton’s hand.

Seeing the live cameras being brought over by Marilyn Ford, the birthday party protagonist, Anna Thornton quickly evaded him, avoiding him as if avoiding the plague. The most update n0vels are published on NoveI-Fire.ɴet

Yet Finn Grant insisted on sticking near her, standing beside her, acidly remarking: "You weren’t this distant when creating buzz with Conrad Sterling."

"None of your business!"

"I could give you a free headline again, let you steal the limelight at the birthday banquet."

"Then about getting back the Thornton Family’s company for you? Do you need me to take revenge for you, have you thought it over?"

"If you are tempted, don’t embarrass me. My appearance fee is very expensive, not something any random third or fourth-tier small business can afford. If I act, it’s a hit; do you want it? Then exchange for it with yourself."

The conversation between Finn Grant and Anna Thornton was in hushed tones, giving an impression of closeness, at least more than just friends.

Moreover, the attendees hadn’t yet recovered from Finn Grant’s earlier statement. Anna Thornton was his woman?

This major scion of the Grant family, easily prone to sporadic madness, made it difficult for anyone to discern truth from falsehood in his words.

However, Conrad Sterling, standing on the crowd’s outskirts, was inflamed by Finn Grant’s arrogant demeanor, particularly the sight of Anna Thornton wearing another man’s coat was especially irksome.