Chapter 344: Chapter 344

Conrad Sterling returned home to find Anna Thornton and Mary in the living room, reviewing scripts.

Mary greeted him proactively upon seeing him return, but Anna showed no reaction.

Conrad Sterling didn’t mind; instead of heading to the study, he asked Ethan to bring over the documents to work in the living room.

Recently, Conrad Sterling had been pulling all-nighters at the company for meetings, but now he appeared more eager to leave work than anyone. Even when extra work came up, he preferred to have Ethan bring it home.

This erratic style of management left employees baffled and constantly on edge.

Ethan stood beside Conrad Sterling but couldn’t help glancing toward Anna Thornton.

He even strained his ears, trying to hear the plans his goddess had in mind as she discussed the upcoming drama script with Mary.

As a career fan, Ethan was deeply concerned about Miss Anna’s career direction.

Hearing them plan to take up a palace drama next, the little figure in Ethan’s heart already danced with joy.

Palace dramas are great; they’re incredibly popular these years.

Wondering what dynasty it might be? He’s eagerly anticipating Miss Anna’s palace attire.

However, his stray thoughts were abruptly interrupted by Conrad Sterling’s deep gaze, startling Ethan awake.

It was akin to the despair of playing with a phone under the desk in high school, only to look up and find the class teacher standing right beside him.

"So curious, why not transfer you to the entertainment company?"

Actually, it’s not impossible!

Last time Ethan visited the entertainment company, he thought Starlight Entertainment seemed pretty decent.

Moreover, the current boss there is Miss Thornton, far gentler than President Sterling.

Ethan was lost in thought, perhaps genuinely intrigued.

Conrad Sterling added, "Go clean the toilets!"

"Ah, President Sterling, no need for that! If I leave, who will be your assistant?"

"As long as there’s no gossiping, anyone will do! Swapping your position with a janitorial staff member isn’t off the table!"

Is President Sterling implying there’s no difference between him and a toilet cleaner?

What’s worse, Ethan found himself at a loss for words. Everyone could possibly handle menial tasks, but he might not necessarily know how to clean toilets!

To prove his worth, Ethan swiftly refocused, showing enthusiasm.

He no longer dared to probe Miss Anna’s side for news, seeing Conrad Sterling examining this month’s research report from Crestlight Hospital and assisting alongside.

He pulled out past research projects from Crestlight Hospital, knowing President Sterling would need them shortly.

See, a toilet cleaner wouldn’t have the same keen eye!

Ethan knew President Sterling always highly valued Crestlight Hospital, with an appreciation different from the profit-driven view he had for other projects.

Ethan had reason to believe, had President Sterling not become a businessman, he might very well have been a doctor.

Although Conrad Sterling exuded none of the aura associated with a doctor.

Ethan couldn’t explain why he felt this way.

Nonetheless, a toilet cleaner definitely wouldn’t have his vivid imagination.

Anna Thornton and Mary seemed in another world; they had finished reviewing their palace drama script.

In truth, palace drama plots all followed similar arcs: entering the palace, gaining favor, falling out of favor facing betrayal, darkening and returning to the palace, embarking on the path of a comeback...

The female lead of "Step by Step" was named Jean Jones. Concubine Jean entered the palace at fifteen, charming the Emperor with her intelligence and beauty. Her weakness lay in retaining sincerity amidst the palace walls, and she faltered in hoping for affection from the world’s most fickle-minded person.

In fact, the Emperor had some true feelings for her. But when court changes enveloped the harem, the Emperor leaned more towards solidifying the throne than embracing the beauty, decreeing the extermination of the Jones Family, except Concubine Jean.

Yet, like the Emperor, a big pigfoot at the top of the world, he brazenly longed for both the throne and beauty.

First, he murdered her entire family; then he appeased Jean Jones with a title, seeking to forcefully cherish her.

But Concubine Jean was stubborn and astute; knowing the truth behind her family’s demise, she refused to reconcile with the Emperor.

The rest of the harem envied her exclusive favor, repeatedly conspiring against her, eventually hardening the Emperor’s heart.

At a later court banquet, losing conduct led the Emperor, dissatisfied with the mere demotion, to not only strip Concubine Jean of her title but also exile her to the borders as a slave, per her request to leave the palace.

Reading up to this point, Anna Thornton couldn’t help but purse her lips.

Concubine Jean’s mistake lay in maintaining hope in men. Even during her cold war with the Emperor, immersed in resentment over her family’s slaughter, she hadn’t fully given up on a certain big pigfoot.

Anna Thornton stated that she felt a strange resonance.

The Emperor and a certain Sterling big pigfoot aren’t they quite similar?

They desire both the throne and beauty, shamelessly seeking love after wrecking homes and lives.

Anna Thornton isn’t as foolish as Concubine Jean, who, after her family’s demise, continued to remain in the palace, only giving the big pigfoot and other concubines the opportunity to harm and torment her, insisting on enduring wounds before finally leaving the painful place with a broken spirit.

The reason Anna Thornton shared a roof with Conrad Sterling was partly so her two children could smoothly inherit the family fortune, and partly she too was seeking opportunities.

One was merely inviting torment; the other aimed to torment the scum—fundamentally different!

"Anna, what are you thinking?"

Mary noticed Anna Thornton slightly distracted, her gaze directed at President Sterling.

While working, President Sterling’s posture remained upright and straight; broad shoulders, narrow waist, long legs—a flawless physique.

A stoic male idol truly hits women’s soft spots, no wonder Anna Thornton would swoon over President Sterling.

You couldn’t find a second, equally wealthy and handsome husband even with a lantern; seemingly Anna wanted to reconcile with President Sterling, so it’s no surprise divorce hadn’t been mentioned lately.

"I suddenly feel a bit sentimental."

"Sentimental about what?"

"Feels like I’m the female lead in a comeback story, skipping the abuse scenes, directly unlocking the Ren and Du meridians, choosing to return to the scumbag, and embarking on a comeback to torment the scum, ascending to the pinnacle of life along the path bathed in Mary Sue’s aura."

Mary: "..." She might have mistakenly thought President Sterling was being sentimental!

Two days later, the audition for the palace drama was held at the filming site.

Anna Thornton and Mary arrived at the site relatively early, watching as participants gradually arrived, with Mary exclaiming each time someone showed up.

Especially when a fancy nanny car stopped downstairs, Mary pulled Anna Thornton over to the window, "Anna, look quickly, that seems to be Zoe Bowen; there were rumors she’d audition, wasn’t there?"

Though the audition schedule was confidential, fans gathered downstairs to watch.

Since nearly all of the industry’s popular actresses were present. This year’s entertainment circle was turbulent, and encountering a good script and team was rare, naturally attracting many.

Among them were Anna Thornton’s fans, though they appeared to face quite the ostracism.

As Zoe Bowen alighted, her first action was to check for fans holding her signs.

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Zoe Bowen told her agent two words, and promptly, the agent brought up two fans holding her signs for autographs.

"Sister Bowen, I really loved your portrayal of the Empress; your acting was simply outstanding."

"Thank you for the support!" Zoe Bowen smilingly returned the signed placard to her fan.

It’s hard for actresses over thirty to have true fans; such is the harsh reality for middle-aged actresses in the industry.

Luckily, she turned over with her last piece, although Zoe Bowen glanced disdainfully at the signs held for young Flora’s placards around.

Leading roles aren’t suited to just anyone; mere beauty and youth aren’t enough.

In the waiting room for auditions upstairs, the same sentiment dwelled amongst the competitors.

While preparing, they assessed each other with disdain-laden hearts.

Among the food chain’s bottom end, Anna Thornton took the spot.