Seeing Anna agree, George flashed a satisfied smile. "It's good you understand. I'm doing this for your own good. Considering you've already had a child, you're lucky someone still wants you. The White family is a big name. Marrying into it means you'll never have to worry about wealth again," he said insincerely.
Anna had no interest in continuing this charade with him. She asked coldly, "Where's Grandma?"
"Upstairs, resting. You can go get her." George waved dismissively. Now that everything was settled, there was no need to hold the old lady any longer.
Anna brought her grandmother back home.
Grandma's already in her early seventies, looked much older due to her fragile health over the years.
As they left the house, she clutched Anna's hand tightly, her voice full of worry. "Anna, don't worry about me. George is a beast for using me to threaten you. That Zach is no good. You mustn't marry him."
Seeing her grandmother's concern, Anna gave a small smile and reassured her. "Grandma, I know what I'm doing. Don't worry, I'll handle it."
Grandma had heard about the White family's son and his reputation for mistreating women.
She feared her granddaughter would only suffer if she married him.
"Anna…" Grandma's lips trembled as she held Anna's hand even tighter.
Anna smiled gently, comforting her. "Don't worry, Grandma. I'm not that foolish. Let's get home. Natalie and Kyle are waiting for you. They said they want to eat your homemade samosas."
When Grandma heard that the kids were waiting for her, her worried expression finally softened.
Anna decided to bring her grandmother to stay at her place, and Natalie and Kyle were overjoyed to see her.
---
The next morning, Anna was woken up by the sound of her phone ringing. She reached for it on the pillow and saw it was her best friend, Tiffany, calling.
Still yawning, she answered with a slightly raspy voice, "What's up? Is something going on?"
"Anna, you came back to the country and didn't even tell me!" Tiffany's exaggerated tone made it sound like the sky was falling.
Anna raised an eyebrow, her lips curling into a charming smile. In a laid-back tone, she replied, "I have some things to take care of here, so I'll be staying for a while. We've got plenty of time to catch up."
"Anna, if I'm not mistaken, you're back to represent the international fashion design company for a collaboration with the Luke Corporation, right?" Tiffany asked.
"Yeah," Anna confirmed without denying it, yawning again. "Several companies here have been wanting to work with us. My boss wants to expand into the local market, so they sent me to check things out. We'll be holding a press conference soon to officially announce our entry."
"Wow, Anna, you're the chief designer for an international fashion company now. If the local fashion companies find out you're back, your doorstep will probably be flooded with people," Tiffany remarked.
Collaborating with an international fashion design company meant connecting directly with the global market, allowing a company to expand its reach abroad almost instantly.
Previously, Harry had made several attempts to collaborate with international fashion companies, but each time he was met with lukewarm rejections.
This time, however, it seemed the Luke Corporation was determined to secure a partnership with an international fashion brand!
The Luke family used to be in real estate, but then suddenly ventured into the clothing industry.
In just five years, they became the leading brand in the country. However, because they rose so quickly, their fame was only domestic.
That was why they wanted to collaborate with an international fashion design company this time.
But this was just something Tiffany had heard, without any solid proof, so she didn't tell Anna.
"They probably will, but you have to keep my identity under wraps. I don't want anyone to know before we announce which company we're partnering with," Anna said.
"Of course! It's been ages since we last got together. How about bringing the kids out, and I'll treat you to a meal?" Tiffany suggested excitedly.
"I'm afraid today won't work. My grandma's not feeling well, and we've scheduled a doctor's appointment. How about we meet up after the press conference is over?" Anna replied wearily.
"Is the press conference next Monday?" Tiffany asked.
"Yes, once it's over, dinner's on me," Anna said with a smile.
After Tiffany agreed and exchanged a few more words, they hung up.
In the afternoon, Anna took Grandma to the hospital for a check-up. It was just a routine examination, so Anna waited outside the room.
As she glanced down at her phone, a small, soft body suddenly bumped into her legs.
Instinctively, Anna caught the little figure and looked down to find a boy of about five or six years old.
The boy was incredibly cute, with a round, chubby face, bright black eyes, a button nose, and rosy lips.
What surprised Anna was how much this boy resembled her own son, sharing quite a few similar features.
"What's wrong, little one?" Anna knelt down and noticed an unusual flush on the boy's cheeks.
She reached out to touch his forehead and realized he had a fever.
Shawn Luke felt a cool sensation on his head. He opened his eyes slightly, his vision blurry as he looked at the person in front of him.
"Uncomfortable… hot," he murmured softly, his voice as gentle as a kitten's purr.
"Sweetie, where are your parents? You have a fever and need to see a doctor," Anna asked gently.
Perhaps it was because the boy resembled her own son, but Anna felt a tug at her heart, and her voice softened.
"Mommy, hot," Shawn said, tugging at Anna's sleeve, looking up at her with pleading eyes.
Anna was a bit surprised and amused. The poor kid must be really out of it to mistake her for his mom.
She picked him up and said, "I'm not your mom. Do you know your parents' phone number? I can call them."
Shawn's head felt heavy and foggy. Nestled against Anna's neck, he found the faint scent on her strangely familiar.
He clung tightly to Anna's neck, continuing to call out, "Mommy," in his small voice.
Anna sighed, feeling a mix of emotions. The fever was too high to delay any longer, and she had no idea where his parents were.
After looking around and seeing no one, Anna decided to call her grandmother, explained the situation, and then took the boy to find a doctor.
Anna had his temperature checked, it was over 102°F. They needed to start an IV.
The boy held onto her tightly, mumbling "Mommy" in his dazed state.
Anna's heart softened even more. She decided to wait until his fever broke before contacting his parents.
Just after finishing her IV drip, the door to the hospital room suddenly swung open, and a tall man walked in.
Anna instinctively glanced over, her eyes following those impossibly long legs until they landed on his face.
Her heart skipped a beat. Wasn't this the same man she had bumped into at the airport last time?