CHAPTER 403: CHAPTER 403: WHAT A JEALOUS BASTARD

Anna Thornton had just finished her shower and turned off the water when the bathroom door was suddenly pushed open from the outside.

She quickly grabbed a towel and wrapped it around herself.

Then she locked eyes with Conrad Sterling, who was holding the doorknob with half of his body poking in.

"Here’s your clothes, don’t catch a cold!"

Anna didn’t like wearing clothes immediately after bathing. She often didn’t even bother to wipe off the water droplets, just wrapped a towel around herself and got busy in her room, letting the leftover water evaporate naturally.

To put it bluntly, she’s quite lazy; this habit isn’t good and can easily lead to catching a cold.

But do you think handing her clothes casually like that is going to hide Conrad Sterling’s sleazy attempt to peep on her showering?

This guy, pretending to be all serious, actually climbed into the room through the window again.

Sooner or later, Anna Thornton was going to install iron bars over the outside windows on the second floor and electrify them, just to see if he still tries to climb in.

Anna decided that once she got dressed and went out, she’d settle accounts with this pervert!

Conrad, for his part, was self-aware enough to know that last night, thanks to his serious injuries and high fever, Anna had only helped him a little out of fear he might die.

So today, President Sterling brought his own bandages and ointment, and without asking anyone for help, he took care of the wounds, re-bandaging the places that had begun to bleed open.

But after cleaning up, he inexplicably sat down on Anna’s bed.

Anna: "..."

Now she was too lazy to waste words, so she turned right around, preparing to find something handy to chase Conrad Sterling out.

Whether it was because she had met Smith or because she had already given President Sterling a thrashing yesterday, Anna felt as if the violent tendencies within her had been awakened; now she was ready to hit someone over the smallest thing.

Anna chose the clothes hanger over the sole of her slipper.

President Sterling didn’t dodge, and directly took a blow from the hanger.

Only then did he swiftly grab Anna, snatching the ’weapon’ from her hand.

He happened to grab the injured hand, and as Anna resisted, she couldn’t help but gasp coldly: "Hiss..."

"Don’t move, I’ll apply some ointment on you."

Conrad Sterling pushed up the sleeve of Anna’s nightgown, revealing her slender arm.

Her fair, spotless arm had suddenly developed a dark bruise.

President Sterling stared at the bruise, his gaze deep: "Why didn’t you say your hand was broken?"

Normally, even the slightest cut would have her yelping in pain—no doubt someone so afraid of pain.

If it weren’t for Conrad Sterling seeing her when she showered earlier, Anna probably wouldn’t have told him her hand had been broken because of that man.

Huh, wait a minute?

So Conrad Sterling deliberately barged into the bathroom earlier to see if she had any injuries on her?

The excuse he found for himself seems quite adequate.

However, Anna still: "Ha ha."

The hand may have been mended, but the bruise might take several days to fade.

Conrad Sterling poured some ointment into his palm, warmed it with his body heat, and started massaging Anna without her refusal.

She just whimpered: "Ow..."

"Now you know it hurts?"

Anna couldn’t figure out if it was her illusion, but tonight this man seemed a bit temperamental.

He actually retorted her?

Between the two of them, shouldn’t Anna be the one who dictates tempers?

Even though Conrad Sterling came to save them today, Smith had already left by then. He didn’t put in much effort; Anna had brought the kids back herself and hadn’t caused him any trouble.

What does he have to be unhappy about?

Anna was exhausted to death today, like anyone without a temper.

She’d already decided that once the ointment was applied, she’d kick Conrad Sterling out of her room.

But Conrad Sterling’s ointment massage was incredibly slow.

Anna couldn’t really rush him, afraid that if she did, he’d use her fear of pain as an excuse. She really was quite afraid of pain.

Before long, Anna began feeling sleepy, her head bobbing down to her chest, her eyelids heavyas they wouldn’t lift.

After finishing the ointment, Conrad Sterling gently hugged her and placed her on the bed.

He also lay down fully dressed, wrapping his arm around her over the blanket from behind.

Anna was almost about to fall asleep, but her resistance remained strong, and she muttered with her eyes half-closed: "Conrad Sterling! Don’t think you can take advantage of me just because I’ve fallen asleep, get out!"

Upon hearing these words, the man’s large hand placed on her waist tightened even more.

"Hey, didn’t I tell you? My fiery temper..."

Anna originally planned to struggle fiercely and get up to fight him.

But before she could finish the sentence, she fell completely into dreamland.

Dealing with that psychopath Smith today had left her mentally and physically drained—too exhausted.

Listening to Anna’s steady and peaceful breathing, Conrad Sterling turned off the lamp at the bedside.

However, when the room darkened, he still had no intention of sleeping.

He hugged the woman in his arms tightly, as images from earlier in the study room flitted before him. The photos were taken at various times, including when Anna was abroad for those years, as well as today, when she was smoking on the rooftop with Smith...

Did Smith teach her how to use a gun?

Did she learn to smoke and swear from that man?

Moreover, Pop recognized Smith as his godfather!

...

Given Conrad Sterling’s knowledge of the Smith family and the deeds of this current successor, he was quite worried when he first learned that Anna and her group were trapped.

But as he gathered more information, especially when discovering the close connection between Anna and Smith, his worry only intensified.

A ruthless, cold-blooded terrorist who didn’t harm her and the children at all.

In Conrad Sterling’s mind, this person was even more worthy of fear!

And this apprehension was different from his wariness towards Finn Grant!

Finn Grant, despite being like a frisky husky, always jumped between Conrad and Anna, but most of the time, President Sterling didn’t consider him a threat.

However, Smith was different because he shared a past with Anna Thornton that Conrad had not been a part of, making him wary.

Anna’s personality was molded during those years abroad.

Clearly a proud and pure daughter of a wealthy family, she had returned a glamorous, stunning actress adopting a bold and confident persona.

Not only did she pick up bad habits like smoking and drinking, but she also frequently swore and used curse words.

What exactly did she go through?

For just blaming him for corrupting her, Conrad Sterling would definitely settle things with Smith sooner or later!

If Smith were to realize that Conrad’s numerous provocations against him were due to this grudge, he’d probably sit down for a proper talk.

Though his wife and children are yours, back then you didn’t intend to have them.

I can raise my own pets according to my own preferences; why should you care?

If you have what it takes, rewind time and you can protect her!

Even jealousy over the happy times I had with my pets—what the hell, you’re such a jealous person!

Of course, that’s a story for later!

Smith’s whereabouts are very elusive, and since his stronghold isn’t in Cathayan, he’s erased all traces of his presence this time. After leaving, there’s been no news.

The priority target for Conrad Sterling to deal with, by sequence, wasn’t him!

But rather Ethan Hawthorne!

With President Sterling starting to exert pressure, Ethan Hawthorne’s good times would soon come to an end.