Chapter 304: Chapter 304

Conrad was cracking crabs for Anna, looking down intently, not answering the question.

"It must be, right?" Anna answered for him, "The first time you saw me, you were captivated by my charm. After all, even President Sterling had to bid high for my worn clothes for his collection. You even deliberately placed the dress in your bedroom. Do you often look at it to reminisce about our first dance on my eighteenth birthday?"

Upon hearing this, the man briefly looked up at her and placed the crab meat into Anna’s bowl. "You still remember dancing with me?"

"How could I forget? I even remember that someone shamelessly snatched the opportunity. If you hadn’t intercepted, I would have danced with that year’s piano prince. We had rehearsed, after all."

Conrad didn’t know that she had some thoughts about Chase Quinn too.

Looks like, in the future, he needs to be more cautious about Anna meeting up with anyone named Quinn.

Anna ate the crab he peeled for her and was satisfied, then suddenly curious, "Conrad, since you like me, why didn’t you chase me directly?"

Actually, Anna felt he was interested in her. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have escaped from the mental hospital to seek out Conrad, with the guts to make a deal with him.

However, if that deal hadn’t fallen through, who knows how different Anna’s life might have been.

"If I had pursued you then, would you have agreed?" Conrad asked her.

"Of course not. Didn’t you know, back then, the line of guys chasing me could stretch from Kaelport to the artificial island two kilometers out! Besides, what I disliked the most then were businessmen reeking of money." Anna spoke truthfully.

"And that’s the end of that!"

"But you’re not the type to give up easily just because a girl made a few sarcastic remarks, right?" Anna refused to let Conrad pin the blame for not pursuing her back then on her. "So, you just lacked the courage. If you showed even a tenth of the persistence you show me now, I might not have ended up a single mom."

Conrad had thought, perhaps if he had been a bit gentler with Anna back then, she wouldn’t have had to go through so much hardship with her daughter later on.

Chasing a prissy heiress was easy for Conrad.

But pursuing a smart woman, who has grown independent through harsh realities and holds grudges and wariness towards him, was much more challenging.

President Sterling chose his path, so even if it’s tough, he has to walk it.

This is probably what they call the consequences of your own actions!

Fortunately, with his glorious injuries and repeated triumphs, Conrad could feel Anna softening towards him. No longer carrying those invisible spikes nor wearing a fake mask every time they met.

As of last night, Anna showed her true self to Conrad, half-drunk and half-awake. It turned out that she longed for and anticipated him, willing to let him touch her deepest, softest places.

"And now?" Conrad ventured to ask her.

"What do you think of businessmen reeking of money now?"

"I really was naive back then. Is being wealthy a mistake? No! Money opens doors. Without money and power, you’re only at other’s mercy. If being wealthy were a mistake, then let me bear the world’s burden!"

Seeing her look like such a little money-grubber, Conrad couldn’t help but smile, "Then you should be pleased with a husband who can earn the world’s wealth."

"Pfft~ You? You’re just a big pig’s trotter." Anna couldn’t help but sneer at Conrad.

"At least a rich big pig’s trotter," Conrad emphasized.

"Still a big pig’s trotter!"

Thinking about pig’s trotters, Anna felt hungry and stopped the banter to focus on eating.

After finishing the meal, she felt gratified seeing Conrad actively clearing the table to wash dishes.

She diligently peeled an orange as an after-meal fruit and awarded President Sterling with a slice, personally placing it in his mouth.

"Conrad, since you already got what you wanted last night, isn’t it time to go back and take care of the kids?" Anna was still worried about Lola and Pop being left alone in Aethelgard.

Only three years old, what mother could feel at ease?

Conrad, heartless as he was, jealously competing with two little ones: "So, you agreed to let me touch you last night just to coax me into going back sooner?"

"Hey, you’re their dad. It’s your duty and responsibility to care for them. Don’t you feel for Pop? Don’t you want to improve your relationship with Lola so she can start calling you Dad sooner?"

"Then next Sunday, I’ll return to Aethelgard, alright?" Conrad had just had his fill, not willing to leave so soon.

"No way, how could you wait another week? I’ll let you stay two more days, bring Pop and Lola over, but by the end of this weekend you must take them back."

As agreed, the family of four would reunite at Conrad’s home in Veridia over the weekend.

Hearing that Dad would personally cook, little Pop was already seated obediently at the table, eagerly rubbing his chubby hands.

Yet, Lola sensed something was off!

The sun was nearly up, and Anna still hadn’t gotten up.

Lola, worried about her mom, hopped off her chair to check Anna’s room.

But as she reached the door, Conrad stopped her: "Your mom was very tired yesterday and is resting, don’t disturb her."

"I don’t believe you, I want to see her! Out of the way!"

The two didn’t exchange words often, but when they did, a confrontation was almost inevitable.

"Did you do something to her?"

The little fellow was quite clever, guessing correctly right away.

Conrad definitely couldn’t let her in: "What if I don’t let you? What can you do?"

Lola stared up at him, assessing that with their current size difference, forcing her way through was impossible.

But she didn’t need to act personally, instead taking out a computer to control a robot.

The same robot that cleaned rooms and served coffee, which Lola brought here.

After failing to intercept Conrad last time, Lola upgraded its programming.

Now the household robot had some combat capabilities, coming from the kitchen wielding a mop with a menacing aura.

Sadly, just as the robot was about to reach Conrad, it suddenly halted and retreated two steps.

"Go on! Drive him away!" Lola intensified the task instruction. Follow current novels on NovєlFіre.net

The robot advanced two steps, but then retreated three steps.

Lola glanced at Conrad and discovered he was using his phone to control the robot.

"You copied my program?"

"And you’re allowed to hack my computer?"

Both Conrad and Lola manipulated the robot simultaneously, neither willing to back down, leaving the poor robot to awkwardly spin in place, holding the mop.

Anna opened the door at just the right moment to see this scene.

"Conrad, are you bullying the child again?"

"He’s not acting like a child! So young, yet using the internet to command adults to work and earn money for him."

Lola’s network-based studio had already been investigated by Conrad.

Because they overestimated themselves a while back and plotted to strike against Sterling Group, only to be backfired by Conrad, leading to their disbandment.

Conrad showed no mercy towards Lola, as once on the battlefield, no one would go easy on him just because he’s a kid.

The household combat robot finally collapsed, out of power from too much spinning, and crumpled on the floor.

Anna worried for her son, looking at Lola, but didn’t see a disheartened expression on the little guy.

Lola wasn’t interested in making money anymore; he planned to tackle the problem technologically.

Picking up the robot by one leg, Lola laboriously dragged it aside for research, ready to improve its programming.

After all, youth is full of possibilities.

As for Conrad, he’ll spend this life smelling of money.

"It’s okay! It’s good for kids to face setbacks to grow!" Conrad naturally rested his hand on Anna’s waist.

Taking advantage of no one noticing, he gave a light pinch. "Let’s eat."