Chapter 201: Chapter 201

Jane Jennings also hadn’t expected to encounter them here, so she forced a smile: "What a coincidence!"

Tonight, Manager Jennings looked different from her usual business attire and serious demeanor at the company.

Anna Thornton glanced and immediately noticed that Jane Jennings was wearing this month’s new style - a beaded chiffon dress, only recently arriving in Aethelgard.

She hadn’t had time recently to visit the mall, yet others were already wearing it.

"Miss Thornton, long time no see!" Jane Jennings greeted Anna Thornton proactively.

"A long time? Didn’t we just meet this afternoon?" Anna Thornton retorted.

"Yes, we met this afternoon and you couldn’t wait to find President Sterling to have him invite me here."

Upon hearing this, Anna Thornton understood Jane Jennings’ implication.

Jane had said this afternoon that she had tried her best to support Anna Thornton, and even if Anna went to report her to President Sterling, she was confident.

But she hadn’t expected Anna actually went to Conrad Sterling to report it!

"I was the one who invited you, it has nothing to do with anyone else!" Conrad Sterling explained, "Today, Anna and I are getting married, you should get to know us again!"

"Wha... what? You’re getting married?" Jane Jennings looked at Conrad Sterling and Anna Thornton in astonishment, as if doubting her ears.

"Sorry, I’ll go to the restroom first!"

Anna Thornton listened to Manager Jennings’ chaotic high-heeled footsteps heading to the restroom and exchanged a knowing glance with Mary.

Finally, it was clear why Jane Jennings had targeted them since Anna Thornton joined the company.

"Conrad Sterling, you really are not good at reading the room!"

Facing Anna Thornton’s sudden criticism, President Sterling was puzzled: "What do you mean?"

"Such big news like getting married should be announced after sitting down and finishing dinner as the finale. You said it too early, wasted Manager Jennings’ special effort to dress so beautifully tonight. I could tell she put a lot of thought into her necklace and earrings alone."

Conrad Sterling glanced sideways at her: "Better think about what dishes you want to eat!"

When Jane Jennings came out of the restroom, Conrad Sterling had already ordered the dishes and handed her the menu at the perfect moment.

Jane Jennings took it, glanced at the dishes ordered, and frowned: "Why are there animal innards? You’ve never eaten these, Conrad!"

"You mean tripe?" Anna Thornton chimed in, "He ordered that for me."

The last time Conrad Sterling accompanied Anna Thornton to eat hot pot, he noted what she liked to eat. So today, he quietly ordered all her favorites without needing her to instruct. Thɪs chapter is updated by novel(ꜰ)ire.net

"Even ordered brain?"

Jane Jennings covered her mouth just at the sight of those words, feeling slightly nauseated.

"Uh... the brain, I ordered it! We, as agents, need more brain food, lest our artists get sold without us knowing!" Mary explained with veiled meaning.

Jane Jennings looked again, finally just tossed the menu aside: "I don’t have much appetite!"

Upon hearing this, Conrad Sterling looked at her with discontent.

"Then serve these dishes as ordered, quickly! So Anna doesn’t stay hungry, making Young Master Sterling worry." Henry Willow, known as Conrad Sterling’s good brother, understood his meaning best.

Tonight, does it matter if others have an appetite? Not really!

Conrad Sterling booked the meal at a hot pot place, clearly just to accommodate Anna Thornton alone, not even counting himself.

So once the hot pot turned on, only Anna Thornton and Mary ate happily.

Conrad Sterling didn’t like to eat animal innards and red meat so before the hot pot boiled, he voluntarily picked out all the Sichuan peppers in Anna Thornton’s oil dish and took care of cooking food for her once it started boiling.

Henry Willow loved to eat everything, but unfortunately, he was on a diet now and couldn’t eat, only able to smell the hot pot aroma and drool on the side.

Jane Jennings saw Conrad Sterling only taking care of Anna Thornton, and grumpily ordered a few plates of vegetables, cooking them in the clear broth herself.

But she truly had no appetite, only ate a couple of bites before putting down her chopsticks.

Jane Jennings stood up: "Conrad, can you step outside for a moment? I have something to tell you."

Jane Jennings headed out of the private room first, while Conrad Sterling kept loading Anna Thornton’s plate with food, piling up in her oil dish.

"Stop, stop! Don’t pile any more onto me!" Anna Thornton disdainfully pushed him, "I’ll serve myself once I finish, it’s not like I don’t have hands! Someone has something to discuss with you, go quickly."

Conrad Sterling put down his chopsticks and promised Anna Thornton before getting up: "I’ll be back soon!"

Anna Thornton buried her head in eating, not responding.

But once Conrad Sterling left, she and Mary simultaneously looked at the only remaining knowledgeable person in the private room - Henry Willow!

"Why are you all looking at me? I know nothing."

Henry Willow took a sip of tea to settle his stomach, explaining to Anna Thornton: "Let me put it this way, though I and Young Master Sterling seem close, we’ve only known each other for about three years. But Jane Jennings has been acquainted with him for at least twenty years; that’s a friendship established since childhood. If you want to ask how the two of them started, I really can’t answer that. I just know Young Master treats her like a sister, definitely no romantic feelings, but whether the female party wants to have more, that’s uncertain!"

That Conrad Sterling knew Jane Jennings even earlier than Henry Willow, and by so many years.

So four years ago when Conrad Sterling was in Veridia, was Jane Jennings also there?

How had Anna Thornton never noticed?

Before today, Anna Thornton hadn’t seen how close the relationship between Jane Jennings and Conrad Sterling was.

Though from the usual office dynamics, Jane Jennings’ subtle attention and admiration for President Sterling could have been construed as a typical subordinate’s crush, after all, there were many female employees in the company with similar thoughts about Conrad Sterling.

It seems Conrad Sterling’s style is to grow closer privately while appearing distant outwardly, for Jane Jennings’ protection.

Just like he asked Anna Thornton to keep their marriage hidden!

But Henry Willow said Conrad treated Jane Jennings as a sister?

Anna Thornton’s instinct... feels something is amiss!

Conrad Sterling stepped out of the private room, finding Jane Jennings already waiting at a quiet corner around the corridor.

From the moment she saw Anna Thornton, Jane Jennings had many questions she couldn’t hold back any longer: "Conrad, are you really marrying Anna Thornton? You’re not joking, right?"

"Have I ever joked with you?"

Conrad Sterling was not a person who joked.

That’s exactly why Jane Jennings felt incredulous.

"Then what about Marilyn Ford? Wasn’t our initial plan about Marilyn..."

"I’ve already broken up with Marilyn Ford!" Conrad Sterling interrupted Jane Jennings.

"You should stop mentioning her, especially in front of Anna."

"But why Anna Thornton? Do you have a new plan that requires this woman?"

"There will be a new plan, but it’s unrelated to her!"

That means Conrad Sterling’s choice of Anna Thornton was unrelated to other matters, simply because of her as a person.

"No, it’s impossible!" Jane Jennings was unwilling to accept this fact, "Is it because she gave birth to a daughter for you? That woman wrote you a letter four years ago and now returns with her daughter, clearly trying to use the child to tie you down! Did she threaten you? You’re marrying her for the child’s sake, out of pity for them as mother and daughter..."

The more Jane Jennings guessed, the less confidence she had, her voice growing smaller.

When had Conrad Sterling ever been threatened by someone?

Moreover, if he were to soften for his own flesh and blood, he would not have ignored it when he learned Anna was pregnant four years ago!

How heartless a man was Conrad Sterling?

He was born for revenge, having long disregarded his own life and death!

He didn’t like children because he regarded all undeveloped beings as impotent and weak vessels!

He needed no love, could even use marriage as a gambit!

Yet why did he suddenly change his mind?

And why specifically choose Anna Thornton?!!

"Conrad, you haven’t forgotten, have you? The Thornton Family from Veridia also has deep hatred with you! They did just the same despicable things those four major families did, Kenneth Thornton built his fortune by stepping on your family’s dead bodies, how can you be with his daughter?"

"Although Kenneth Thornton is already dead, the Thornton Family’s downfall and Kenneth’s poisoning had our pushing them there! If Anna Thornton finds out then..."

"Shut up!" Conrad Sterling, usually calm, changed his facial expression when Jane Jennings uttered those words.

"I warn you, don’t mention a word in front of Anna!"