Chapter 171: Chapter 171

"Forget it, treating everyone to a meal on the first day of filming is standard procedure!"

"But across the set, they called President Sterling over. Isn’t that just to show off to you?"

"She wants me to see? Then I just won’t look!"

Anna Thornton is true to her word!

When Conrad Sterling appeared on set, his first glance was drawn to their two ice cream trucks labeled ’Anna Thornton, the most beautiful’.

Marilyn Ford, seeing Conrad’s arrival, immediately stood up from her chair.

"Conrad, you’re here."

"Everyone, President Sterling is treating us to dinner at a restaurant tonight," Sharon Langley took the opportunity to emphasize.

Upon hearing this, the crew immediately started to cheer.

Seeing Marilyn holding tightly onto Conrad’s hand, someone gossiped, "I heard that Miss Ford and President Sterling are about to tie the knot, is it true?"

"They’ve been increasingly public, so it seems likely to be true."

"A perfect match of talent and beauty, so well-suited!"

"Exactly. Compared to some female celebrities who use hype tactics, Miss Ford appears so gracious and gentle."

This ’some female celebrities’ was referring to Anna Thornton.

Marilyn indeed wanted Conrad to visit today to flaunt their relationship in front of Anna, hoping she’d give up.

However, it seemed Anna didn’t notice the commotion at all.

She was busy discussing with the director and colleagues where to eat that night.

In this film, Anna had scenes with seven male characters, except for Florian Hollis and Quinn Locke, she was meeting the other five for the first time.

However, these choices were suggested by Anna and Quinn; they picked skilled but lesser-known actors in the industry.

These men were humble, reliable, highly skilled, demanded reasonable pay, and were not difficult to work with.

Therefore, everyone got along easily, and on the first day, Anna was already bonding with them.

Surrounded by seven men, all talking at once, she had no time to concern herself with Conrad and Marilyn’s public display of affection.

So, Marilyn’s attempt failed.

But Conrad, throwing glances at Anna several times, got no response, causing him to frown in dissatisfaction.

"Then let’s go to ’Imperial Palate’, it’s the best restaurant around here," Anna suggested.

"Why don’t I treat tonight?" Florian, noticing Anna’s financial struggles, suggested, "As the only gentleman and the most famous here, it’s only right not to let a lady pay."

His remark was cheeky, making the other men embarrassed, despite it being true.

But Anna insisted, "I said I’d treat, so no one is allowed to fight me on this! Now that I’m a film investor, you all better listen to me. Mary, take my wallet later and cover the bill for me."

"You’re treating but not coming yourself?" Quinn asked her.

"I can’t eat much at night, so I won’t go. I’ll just order a salad for delivery. The main thing is for you all to enjoy yourselves."

Weight loss is an eternal topic for female stars, and the male actors present couldn’t argue with her.

Meanwhile, Marilyn’s crew was also being treated to dinner at ’Imperial Palate’ by Conrad.

There was no choice; it was the best restaurant near the set!

Midway through the meal, Conrad returned early to find Anna sitting alone under a tent on the film set with a chair.

She held a script in one hand and clutched her stomach with the other, hunched over.

Hearing someone approaching, Anna thought it was Mary.

"Mary, my delivery is late. Do you have any stomach medicine on you?"

Clutching her stomach in discomfort, Anna turned around, only to see it was Conrad.

The man looked down at her from above, leaving Anna pale-faced.

"Yeah, my delivery is late."

"Aren’t there restaurants nearby? Why didn’t you go out to eat something?"

"I got caught up reading the script and memorizing lines, I lost track of time."

Anna’s voice was pitiful, causing the words Conrad wanted to scold her with to get stuck in his throat.

"Get up, I’ll take you to eat something."

"No need, I can go by myself. Aren’t you with Marilyn?"

As Anna spoke and got up, Conrad noticed that she couldn’t stand straight, so he moved in to support her.

"Conrad Sterling, I wasn’t joking when I spoke to you before. Since you chose Marilyn, you shouldn’t bother me anymore. Also, if Marilyn sees this, you’ll just bring trouble upon me."

"Did you purposely not join everyone for dinner, triggering a stomachache, just to make me feel sorry for you?"

"Hmph, Conrad Sterling! If you think that, you underestimate me, Anna Thornton! I said if I lost, I’d give up pursuing you, and I mean it, I won’t spend another thought on you!"

Seeing her so determined, Conrad wasn’t sure whether to be happy or frustrated.

"Is that so? Then you should take better care of yourself. If you don’t want Marilyn to see me too close to you, then behave and eat properly next time." Follow current ɴᴏᴠᴇʟs on NoveI~Fire.net

Anna, naturally rebellious, replied, "I won’t behave and you don’t need to worry about me!"

However, she couldn’t fight Conrad, who half-dragged and half-pulled her to a small diner on the edge of the set.

Originally, he planned to get some porridge, but the only place nearby sold beef noodles.

Anna wanted to order spicy beef noodles, but Conrad changed it to a plain broth version.

Staring at the broth with a few floating vegetable leaves, Anna complained, "How do I eat this?"

"Your stomach isn’t well, and you dare eat spicy food? Aren’t you afraid of more pain?"

"Then make sure you don’t cry out in pain!"

Conrad shoved the chopsticks, scalded with hot water, into Anna’s hand, forcing her, "Eat! Even if it’s a little, you must eat!"

"Do you treat Pop when I’m not home? No wonder my little tyke ran away," Anna pouted.

"Pop is Pop, and you are you! Are you three years old? Do I need to spoon-feed you?"

Though Anna complained, she wouldn’t harm her stomach.

She picked up a mouthful of noodles and with difficulty swallowed it.

Indeed, beef noodles without chili lost their soul.

Seeing Anna manage to eat three or four bites, Conrad got up to visit a nearby pharmacy.

When he returned, he placed a cup of water and a box of stomach medicine in front of Anna.

After eating and taking the medicine, Anna’s complexion finally improved.

"Will you dare skip meals for weight loss again?"

"I said it was losing track of time memorizing lines, not for weight loss. I work so hard every day that I won’t gain weight eating normally, you think I’m like your hand-fed Miss Ford?"

Anna meant to retort to Conrad’s comment, yet it inadvertently revealed a hint of bitterness.

Once, she too was a pampered Miss Thornton.

But due to a family incident, she was forced to grow up at eighteen amid hardship, tricked by Conrad... ending up young and pregnant.

The man suddenly found it difficult to meet her gaze; he felt like he was sitting on pins and stood up again.

"I just saw they were selling strawberries and mulberries outside. I’ll get you some dessert fruits."

By the time Conrad returned with the fruit, Anna was no longer at the diner.

Returning to the set, Marilyn and the others had returned from dinner.

"Conrad, is this for me?"

Before Conrad could speak, Marilyn had already taken the fruit box from his hand.

"No wonder President Sterling left the meal halfway; he was thinking of getting Marilyn her favorite strawberries," Sharon Langley said with envy.

The area, close to the outskirts, had fresh strawberries, which Marilyn clearly liked at first sight.

Conrad said nothing, instinctively glancing towards another woman’s direction.

Anna had returned to the set, sitting in her seat, rolling her eyes at Conrad.

Stupid jerk, who wants your strawberries anyway?