"How many years have you been abroad? And now you’re getting all polite with me? Are you not treating me as your sister anymore? Anna, the great beauty," the woman in the white dress said, pretending to be angry.
Anna couldn’t help but laugh, and she reached over to hold the arm of the woman in the white dress. "How could I not consider you my sister, Winnie? It’s just that the weather is so hot, I’m worried about you."
Winnie gave her a slightly haughty look, but the smile on her lips couldn’t be hidden no matter how hard she tried.
After leaving the airport, Winnie took Anna to her car, and they started chatting while waiting for the airport staff to bring their luggage.
"Anna, have you dated anyone while you were abroad all these years?" Winnie asked teasingly, looking at her friend who had been overseas for so long.
Anna gently shook her head, even in the presence of only the two of them, her back was straight. "Winnie, you know well enough, there’s only ever been one person I want to marry."
Upon hearing this, Winnie’s expression became somewhat strange. She glanced around, made sure there was no one nearby, then leaned closer to Anna and said, "Anna, if you’re still set on marrying Desmond Fairchild, you’d better give up on that idea. You’ve been abroad, so you might not know, but Desmond Fairchild has a fiancée now."
"Fiancée? Oh, Winnie, are you just hearing things and making wild guesses? Don’t I know Desmond’s character? If there’s anyone he could truly spend his life with, it would be me, Anna, and no one else." Anna was momentarily surprised but quickly returned to normal.
Seeing Anna’s demeanor, Winnie could only sigh helplessly and then took out her phone, unlocked it, and handed it to her. "I knew you wouldn’t believe it. Go ahead and search online. This news has been all over the place recently, and I’ve heard Desmond brought the girl home, and Grandma Fairchild happens to like her too."
Anna then sceptically took the phone and started searching online as Winnie instructed. Sure enough, it was just as she said. Even now, the discussions around those events were still lively.
Anna’s face gradually turned cold as she looked at the photos of Desmond Fairchild, who was gazing gently at an unfamiliar woman beside him, and her heart churned with waves.
She had never imagined that there would be another woman beside Desmond Fairchild. They grew up together, and since adolescence, she always believed that the woman standing beside him in the future would be her.
In her career, she had enough capability to assist him, and she believed that emotional matters only held people back. She was confident that Desmond, like her, was a rational person who could make the best judgements and decisions for himself.
So she had felt assured leaving for so many years, but she never expected to learn such news upon her return.
"Anna, are you okay?" Winnie asked worriedly upon seeing Anna’s frosty expression.
Being her friend for so many years, Winnie was well aware of Anna’s obsession with Desmond Fairchild. When she first found out about Desmond’s fiancée, her primary concern was for Anna, and she didn’t dare to tell her about it.
But now that Anna was back, there was no hiding it anymore.
However... perhaps it was just her imagination, but Winnie always felt that Anna’s feelings for Desmond seemed less like love and more like an obsession, or perhaps the best choice she made after weighing all her options.
"I’m fine. The luggage has arrived. You can send me home now." Anna returned the phone to Winnie, her expression back to normal.
Although she didn’t quite understand why Desmond was with such a woman, she felt confident that he didn’t truly like her, as there were many twists and turns in wealthy families. Perhaps there were special reasons binding them together.
Even though Anna thought this way, there was still a hint of uncontrollable unease within her that even she couldn’t fully understand.
Anna returned to her apartment in Bayside City, quickly tidied up, and then went to the Fairchild family’s old mansion.
"Old Mrs. Fairchild, Miss Anna has arrived," the butler said, bringing Anna inside.
Anna had changed into a light purple suit, with a light and elegant makeup. She stepped forward slightly and respectfully spoke, "Grandma Fairchild."
Anna’s father was originally Old Mrs. Fairchild’s butler, but after Desmond Fairchild moved out, he was then assigned to Desmond by the old lady.
Anna could be said to be someone Old Mrs. Fairchild watched grow up, and she used to be very fond of this pretty little girl.
Upon hearing the butler’s words, Old Mrs. Fairchild immediately smiled. "Ah, Anna, you’ve come back. When did you arrive? Come over here to grandma."
Anna gave a gentle smile, placed the gift she was holding to one side, and sat beside Old Mrs. Fairchild.
"I just got back today, fresh off the plane, and I thought I should come see Grandma Fairchild first." She said softly.
"You silly girl, coming straight here without resting a bit. It must have been a long flight and you must be tired. Stay for dinner tonight, I’ll have the kitchen prepare your favorite shrimp from before," Grandma Fairchild said with a beaming smile.
The elderly always enjoy being with the younger generation, it makes them feel a little younger themselves.
"It’s a pity Seraphina is so busy with work these days and can’t come home for dinner, otherwise I’d have asked her over so you two could meet. I’m sure you’d have plenty in common to talk about." After chatting for a while, Old Mrs. Fairchild suddenly expressed this regret.
Upon hearing this name, Anna’s hand by her side involuntarily clenched a little, though she didn’t show any emotion on her face. "Seraphina?"
"Oh, look at me, you’ve been abroad so long, of course you wouldn’t know. Seraphina is Desmond’s fiancée. The two of them are getting married soon, and you must come to their wedding," Old Mrs. Fairchild said, patting Anna’s hand.
Before Anna could respond, Old Mrs. Fairchild continued on, telling many stories about Desmond Fairchild and Seraphina Sinclair, stories that nearly made Anna doubt whether this Desmond Fairchild was still the one she used to know.
Just as Old Mrs. Fairchild and Anna were having dinner, Desmond Fairchild returned.
After arguing with Seraphina Sinclair a few days ago, he had been staying with Old Mrs. Fairchild.
"Desmond, come over here and see who’s back," Old Mrs. Fairchild waved with a smile at Desmond.
"Desmond Fairchild, it’s been a long time," Anna stood from her seat, flashing a graceful smile. ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ꜰʀᴏᴍ NoveI-Fire.ɴet
"Anna? When did you get back? I thought you were studying abroad," Desmond Fairchild said, looking at her with a bit of surprise.