Chapter 298: Chapter 298

"Now that it’s just the two of us, if there’s anything you want to say to me, go ahead."

Anna Thornton walked with Chase Quinn to the hospital’s garden, and only then did he speak: "Anna, after Holly Sutton’s body was found, I went to see it. The coroner responsible for the autopsy is a friend of mine, and he told me the deceased had been abused for some time before her death..."

"Previously, Holly was about to be sentenced when she escaped. She was wanted everywhere in the country. Without a place to stay, it’s not surprising she’d be wherever she could during that time," Anna expressed.

"Anna, is that really what you think? Your stepmother was a very cunning person. If she planned to escape, she surely would have left herself a way out. What could have happened that drove her to madness, making her want to crash into you and die together? And I remember when we met before, you mistook me for someone following you. Did something come to your mind?"

Conrad Sterling suddenly sent two people to follow Anna Thornton, which she found suspicious at the time.

Looking back now, it’s possible that during Holly Sutton’s disappearance, she’d fallen into Conrad Sterling’s hands. After Holly escaped, Conrad worried it might threaten Anna Thornton’s safety, so the timing of assigning bodyguards coincided with Holly’s escape.

Anna Thornton knew Chase Quinn was here today to remind her.

But she shook her head: "It’s probably just my nerves being too sensitive. No one’s following me. With Holly Sutton dead, all grudges from four years ago should also come to an end. I don’t want to hear her name again or be curious about what she went through while escaping prison."

Hearing Anna Thornton’s stance, Chase Quinn sighed helplessly: "It seems I’ve been a fool. Only meant to remind you, but had to say one more thing. Anna, I know you’re smart, but Conrad Sterling is even more complex and dark than you think. Be careful of him."

"Senior, I might not be as righteous as you think either."

At least regarding Holly Sutton’s abuse before her death, Anna Thornton felt she deserved it.

The two talked in the garden for about ten minutes. Conrad Sterling was standing by the window of the upstairs hospital room, unable to hear their conversation but able to monitor their every move.

Fortunately, the humanoid surveillance President Sterling didn’t detect any improper actions from Chase Quinn towards Anna Thornton. If he had only bad-mouthed President Sterling, he wouldn’t have left unscathed anyway.

Of course, whether Chase Quinn would fare well depended on Anna Thornton’s attitude.

Since Conrad Sterling dared to act, he never feared being spoken of behind his back.

The business world is like a battlefield. From the moment he carried his deep-seated hatred, it was destined that he couldn’t be a peace ambassador but a bloodstained warrior licking the blade.

What surprised him was that when Anna Thornton returned, she didn’t ask him anything. The matter of Holly Sutton, this person, seemed to have truly become a thing of the past.

So everything from four years ago should also be buried and not resurface.

Conrad Sterling breathed a sigh of relief from the bottom of his heart.

In the afternoon, Mary brought Pop over from Aethelgard.

The two little ones showed no sign of shyness upon meeting, as if they’d known each other for a long time.

And indeed, they had, having spent ten months together in the same womb.

Lola didn’t like to talk, so Pop brought a gift for him.

It was a kindergarten assignment, where the teacher asked every child to draw with the theme of ’Our Family.’

Pop had already drawn three family members in the big house.

She introduced them to Lola: "Mommy, Daddy, and Baby."

"And Brother~" Pop had brought the crayons just so she could add him in after seeing what her brother looked like.

But actually, it didn’t matter whether they met or not; Pop’s drawing of her brother didn’t look like Lola at all.

A tiny stick figure, with a somewhat uneven circle for a head, eyes as small as green beans, and a triangle for a mouth.

With Lola’s developed sense of aesthetics, he didn’t want to acknowledge that the drawing was of him.

However, as a mom, Anna Thornton of course had to encourage the little one: "Great job drawing, Pop!"

"And Auntie Mary~" Encouraged, Pop added another stick figure.

Mary, flattered, exclaimed in surprise, "Wow, I can’t believe there’s one for me too!"

Conrad Sterling leaned over, but didn’t see himself in the drawing.

There were a total of four stick figures on the drawing, with one for Mary, so where was he?

"Sweetie, did you miss drawing someone?" Anna Thornton noticed something was off too, "Your dad wants to ask you, where is he?"

"Right here~" Pop pointed with her little finger to a combination of a rectangle and two small triangles next to Anna Thornton.

"What’s this? Just an arm?" Anna Thornton really couldn’t figure it out.

"Let me see." Mary leaned closer to examine, then couldn’t hold back her laughter, "Isn’t this a big pig’s trotter?"

Pop covered her little mouth, her bright eyes darting around: "Mommy said, Daddy is a big turkey leg, hehe..."

"Haha! Sweetie, you’re amazing." Anna Thornton couldn’t help giving Pop a big thumbs-up.

Lola had been a bit reserved initially, but seeing Conrad Sterling’s displeased expression, the cheeky little one laughed and declared, "I love this drawing!"

Conrad Sterling: "..."

President Sterling wanted to put on a stern face but couldn’t really; after all, this was Pop’s first complete artwork.

The little one was quick-witted, drawing a big pig’s trotter quite skillfully, deserving encouragement.

But... what on earth had Anna Thornton been instilling in the child?

Lola accepted Pop’s drawing, deciding to frame it.

Anna Thornton proposed to Lola that she would take him to live at the Sterling Residence in Aethelgard. Lola suggested they hang the drawing in the most prominent spot in the hall.

Every painting decorating Sterling Residence was worth a fortune, so hanging Pop’s children’s work there would indeed be out of place and draw attention.

Don’t think he didn’t know; it was clear Lola intended this to bother him.

Conrad Sterling realized, this little guy had indeed come to settle a score, to collect his dues!

Since reuniting with Anna Thornton, Lola called her mom, and their mother-son bond grew closer by the day.

But until now, Lola hadn’t called Conrad Sterling dad even once!

Lola simply hadn’t accepted Conrad Sterling as his father.

As the adult, Conrad Sterling should have taken the initiative, but neither he nor Lola was much for expressing themselves.

Thus, they had the awkwardness of strangers for several days until he saw the two little ones chatting together today.

Lola seemed to have many questions for Pop. He’d ask one, then glance over at Conrad Sterling.

President Sterling was genuinely curious, wanting to hear their conversation.

Yet just as he approached, Lola immediately guardedly pulled Pop away to another spot.

Having just tried to join in only to be ’kicked out of the group chat’, Conrad Sterling: "..." Google seaʀᴄh novel_fіre.net