Chapter 86: Chapter 86

During the time the rice dumplings were boiling, it was intermission.

The director announced a temporary halt in filming, and the relevant staff immediately stepped forward to clean up and prepare for the final stage of shooting.

Ethan Hawthorne got up from his chair and complained, "This show is so boring. If I had known, I wouldn’t have come."

The show was already halfway through, and suddenly this "ancestor" says something —does he plan to leave early?

That won’t do! The focus of today’s episode is Ethan Hawthorne, with most of the shots on him. If he leaves, what can they film?

The director immediately set his work aside to persuade him, but directors of small variety shows don’t hold much weight in front of someone like Ethan Hawthorne, who hardly listened to him.

Anna Thornton sat alone on the side, resting, and took the time to look at the audience, finding three fans cheering for her, to whom she gratefully smiled.

Turning back, she saw the director, the host, and the staff all gathered around Ethan Hawthorne, while she had no one beside her, once again deeply experiencing the entertainment industry’s hierarchy.

If even Ethan Hawthorne was treated , wouldn’t Marilyn Ford’s grandeur be even greater?

It’s said that the domestic entertainment industry rules are scarier than abroad, and without fame or fans here, one has no say.

Moreover, a large portion of fandom is fixed on various handsome male artists, making female artists’ survival space even smaller.

Not to mention, she was a female artist who had already had children!

Just thinking about this path was daunting, but no matter how difficult, she had to walk it.

Returning to develop her career was Anna Thornton’s decision, and having children was something she acknowledged herself.

Since she decided to reveal her cards, Anna was prepared for all obstacles.

This variety show with hardly any shots of her would be the starting point for her conquest of the domestic entertainment industry.

Of course, Anna also didn’t want Ethan Hawthorne to leave early, and she was just about to say maybe she’d try to persuade him?

Just as she stood up, she suddenly heard an uproar of exclamations from the audience.

Anna looked towards the source of the commotion and saw Conrad Sterling and Ethan coming in through the back door of the recording site.

The two passed through the audience one after another, causing waves of excitement.

"Oh my God, is that President Sterling?"

"It really is President Sterling, he’s so handsome!"

"Mom, I’ve finally seen a living domineering CEO come out of a novel!"

Seeing so many female college students on site blushing and swooning over Conrad Sterling, Anna amusingly crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow at Conrad.

However, President Sterling glanced over her, his gaze not stopping on Anna.

"Alright, Conrad Sterling, acting all aloof? You’re so afraid of being associated with me, so why come to my variety show recording site? Tsk!" Anna mocked him in her heart.

The show director was originally trying to persuade Ethan Hawthorne, but when he turned around and saw President Sterling, his eyes nearly popped out, and he immediately switched his focus: "P-President Sterling, why did you come personally?"

"Well, our President Sterling happened to meet a client nearby and stopped by to check out the filming. Just casually watching, don’t be nervous, film like you normally would," Ethan, speaking for Conrad, said.

President Sterling himself came, how could anyone keep a usual state of mind?

The focus in the room almost instantly shifted from Ethan Hawthorne to Conrad Sterling.

Even the fans in the audience holding Ethan Hawthorne support banners couldn’t help but secretly talk about him: "So this is the big boss of Sterling Group? He seems so low-key usually, I didn’t expect him to not lose in presence standing with celebrities."

"Not just not losing; I think he even wins. Honestly, don’t hit me!"

"We won’t hit you. If he were an artist, I’d definitely be his fan!"

Ethan Hawthorne’s "treasured darling" status was thus taken away, but since it was Conrad Sterling, he couldn’t say anything.

He even took the initiative to come down and greet, "President Sterling, what a coincidence you came to my variety show site?"

Ethan Hawthorne was quite good at giving himself a leg up, saying it as if Conrad Sterling specifically came for him, trying to restore his ground.

To this, Conrad didn’t refute, just nodded as a greeting: "Caught it."

"This shows we have fate. We must sit down for a drink sometime."

Conrad Sterling actually agreed?

The queue of people wanting to invite him stretches to next year, and usually, he has no ties with Ethan Hawthorne, yet he agreed to have a drink with him this time.

With such dignity given to him, Ethan Hawthorne was visibly in a good mood and no longer fussed about leaving.

Moreover, with Conrad Sterling personally watching the show from the audience, he couldn’t possibly leave early.

Although President Sterling said everyone should maintain their usual attitude, with him on-site, each staff member gave their utmost, and the director even personally brought him the best, closest VIP seat.

After all, the show’s sponsorship for the second half of the year is being fought for today.

Even Jay Cross, the host, touched up his makeup temporarily.

If you have to say who is the most indifferent in the room, it should be Anna.

Earlier, she greeted Conrad Sterling, but he refused to respond, and she just acted as if he didn’t exist.

Watching the staff and director busy with preparations for the upcoming recording, Anna also walked to her designated position.

"President Sterling, Miss Thornton looks really good in that dress." Ethan whispered beside Conrad Sterling.

Upon hearing this, Conrad Sterling glanced over and indeed thought she looked quite pretty.

"But President Sterling, you delayed too long with President Ford earlier. For these types of programs, the cooking process is the best part, yet now we’re only left with the final segment."

"Are you blaming me?"

Conrad Sterling shot him a glance, and Ethan was immediately frightened, his stomach trembling: "No, no! I definitely didn’t mean it like that! Just talking casually!"

Ethan wasn’t sure what was wrong with him; his tone did sound somewhat accusatory.

As an assistant with no rights, he wondered what qualifications he had to blame his benefactor?

If he had to say it this way, Ethan was just feeling a sense of unfairness for Miss Thornton.

The reason President Sterling was late was because he was discussing with President Ford about hosting a birthday party for Miss Ford.

As an assistant, Ethan had no right to comment on his boss’s personal affairs, but he had his own biases.

This bias was between Marilyn Ford and Anna Thornton, after interacting with both, Ethan’s heart leaned more towards Anna Thornton.

The bias wasn’t for any particular reason, but as a man’s instinctive urge to cherish Miss Thornton.

Both top-tier beauties, Marilyn Ford received boundless love. Despite her close relationship with President Sterling, she rarely even looked at assistants like them, after all, she needed dozens of assistants to cater to her daily life.

In contrast, Miss Thornton was very approachable. Although Ethan had been tricked by her initially, with more interactions, he understood that Miss Thornton meant no harm, she merely had an eccentric personality.

Moreover, this personality didn’t discriminate, Ethan observed that even President Sterling had been tricked by her quite a bit, which instantly made him feel balanced.

The key issue was that Miss Thornton wasn’t as fortunate as Miss Ford, without a powerful family background for support, nor did President Sterling pave her way into the entertainment industry. It was heard that she faced opposition even after joining Dynasty Entertainment under Sterling Group, and was criticized due to having a little sister. Her child’s father, the boss beside Ethan, still showed no sign of taking responsibility or compensating her...

Earlier when they entered the program site, Ethan noticed Anna sitting alone in a corner, without an assistant, nor did any staff members approach her for care.

In summary, it was a bold, capitalized ’miserable’!

Even Ethan couldn’t help but feel heartache for her, and even considered switching jobs to be Miss Thornton’s assistant.

Of course, this unrealistic idea emerged briefly before he forcibly suppressed it.

Ethan’s favorite is still President Sterling!

After all, President Sterling pays him the highest salary.

Nonetheless, Ethan thought he could be Miss Thornton’s fan, supporting her with the salary paid by President Sterling!

Yes, that’s the best decision, he thought, marveling at his own cleverness!

Conrad Sterling was unaware of the drama his assistant was concocting beside him, as his gaze followed the show’s filming, allowing him finally to focus squarely on Anna.

Once they started filming, Anna was ready to take the rice dumplings out.

She tied on an apron, stood in the open-style kitchen, illuminated from the side by warm, yellow lights, her hair even showing a soft grace suggestive of tranquility. ʀᴇᴀᴅ ʟᴀᴛᴇsᴛ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀᴛ novel※fire.net

If you set aside everyone else around, the scene would be even more harmonious,

Conrad Sterling again observed another side of Anna Thornton... Homely and charming, hadn’t she once boasted about this?

Yet, seeing her cook off-stage, preparing food for another man—especially someone like Ethan Hawthorne...

"Anna, are the rice dumplings ready to eat now? Young Master Hawthorne can’t wait any longer." The host Jay Cross initiated the process.

"Yes, they’re ready."

Anna opened the pressure cooker lid, amidst the steam, used chopsticks to take out the rice dumplings.

"Smells great!" Compliments come even when the aroma hasn’t been smelled.

Conrad Sterling suddenly had a thought, unable to help but smile.

"President Sterling, why are you smiling?" Ethan asked him.

Earlier Ethan had noticed that President Sterling’s face didn’t look so good at first, seemingly upset about something.

And now, for no obvious reason, he smiled?

One moment unhappy, then happy, Ethan rarely saw President Sterling with such varied emotions.

But Conrad Sterling clearly didn’t want to share, quickly reigning in his lips.

It’s nothing, he was just curious to know what expressions others would have after tasting Anna Thornton’s delicacies.