Just then, Harry's phone rang. He glanced at the screen and frowned before answering.
"Harry, are you coming back soon? Shawn's been fussing all day and hasn't eaten anything since morning. You know he's still not well. If he gets sick from hunger, what are we going to do?"
Harry frowned. "Yeah, I'm on my way. I'll be there soon."
Ever since Shawn met Anna two days ago, he had been acting like he was under some kind of spell, crying and calling for his mom at home.
Since Harry had little experience with women and finally had a son, his mother, Mrs. Luke spoiled Shawn endlessly.
This morning, he had started acting up again, and his grandmother, worried sick, urged Harry to come home quickly.
He had been about to leave when the call came.
Harry looked at the woman in front of him, still holding his jacket with a slightly bewildered expression.
Withdrawing his gaze, he said in a calm tone, "I don't want you to appear in front of my son again."
Anna looked puzzled. What did he mean by that?
"I don't like women who use any means necessary," Harry said coldly, his voice sharp with frost.
Anna was baffled. When had she ever become such a woman?
She gave a short laugh of disbelief, raising her chin and looking up at him defiantly. "Mr. Luke, what kind of person I am is none of your business, and your son has nothing to do with me. As for bumping into you, I apologize. I'll compensate you for the jacket, either in cash or with the same style."
Harry's gaze lingered on her face, noticing the stubbornness in her expression. Was she really that defiant?
"No need. You can't afford it," Harry chuckled lightly, his lips curling slightly as he stepped back and gave Anna a dismissive glance.
With his hands in his pockets, he said coolly, "Consider the jacket as compensation for the time you spent with Shawn during his IV treatment. And don't bother appearing in front of me again."
As Harry brushed past her, Anna was left standing there, speechless with anger.
What had she done to make him think she had any interest in him?
Looking down at the clothes in her hands, she bit her lip, thinking mischievously:
If she had known he was so dismissive, she should have bumped into his legs earlier, then let's see if he could've taken off his pants in front of everyone!
Back home, Anna took a sample of her son's hair, along with a piece from Zach, and sent them to Dennis Chang.
Dennis came from a long line of doctors, and even before reaching adulthood, she had achieved great success in medicine, earning the nickname "genius doctor."
The two had met three years ago in the operating room, and perhaps because of their similar personalities, they got along exceptionally well.
Anna called Dennis and explained the situation in detail.
Dennis was straightforward and agreed without hesitation. "Sure, but once you send it over and we do the tests, it'll be next Monday before we get results."
"Alright, no problem. Thanks a lot," Anna said with a smile.
Dennis chuckled teasingly, "Since when are you so polite with me? But after all these years of searching, are you sure that man is really Natalie and Kyle's father?"
"Just wanted to confirm, so I have a better idea," Anna said, her eyes downcast, a hint of helplessness flashing across her face.
"Got it. Don't worry, as soon as the results are out, I'll let you know," Dennis Chang replied confidently.
"Thank you," Anna said before hanging up the call.
It was Friday, and with only two days left, it was time to start preparing for the press conference.
Just as she was about to leave, her phone rang. She glanced at it, an unknown number?
It was on her work line, likely related to the international fashion collaboration. After a moment of hesitation, Anna decided to answer.
"Hello, is this Marie, the chief designer for the international fashion company?" The woman's voice was clear and carried a tone of respect.
"Yes, this is she. And you are…?" Anna replied. Marie was her alias when designing clothes.
"Miss Marie, hello. I'm Ruby Huang, the design director at Luke's Fashion. I know you're hosting a press conference next Monday, and I'd like to invite you for coffee tomorrow to discuss Luke's Fashion's basic situation," Ruby said respectfully.
Luke's Fashion was determined to secure this collaboration with Marie, and Harry had instructed that nothing could go wrong.
Anna considered it.
Since returning to the country, she intended to work with Luke's Fashion, so learning about the company in advance seemed reasonable.
With that in mind, she agreed readily. "Sure, I'm available tomorrow afternoon."
"Thank you, Miss Marie. How about 3 PM at the coffee shop on the third floor of the downtown mall?" Ruby suggested politely.
"That works," Anna replied.
The next day, at 3 PM.
Anna arrived at the spot where she had arranged to meet Ruby Huang.
The city center was bustling on the weekend, but the café on the third floor was surprisingly quiet.
As Anna stepped inside, a tall woman approached her.
"Hello, are you Miss Marie?" Ruby's voice was gentle, with a hint of respect.
She looked up to see a woman dressed in a black suit. The design was unique, making it appear both relaxed and formal.
"Luke's Fashion design director?" Anna asked.
Ruby smiled and replied, "That's me, Miss Marie. Why don't we sit down?"
Anna followed Ruby to a table.
Each seat in the café had a small partition, and the place was filled with soft music and the rich aroma of coffee.
It was a perfect setting for a discussion.
After sitting down, Anna glanced at the menu and immediately understood why this café was so quiet despite the crowded mall.
The prices were sky-high, with a simple cup of coffee costing over 300 dollars.
"Miss Marie, would you like something to drink?" Ruby asked, noticing Anna's reaction to the menu.
Anna shook her head. "No, let's get straight to business."
"Alright." Ruby's expression turned serious as she pulled a stack of documents from her bag and began, "Miss Marie, here's the company's style over the past few years. Please take a look."
Anna examined the documents closely, noticing that while there were many designs, none stood out as particularly remarkable.
"Anna, Ruby, what are you doing here?"
A sweet, affected voice suddenly interrupted Anna's thoughts.
She looked up to see Tina walking toward her, with Zach by her side.
Anna instinctively frowned. Was this guy a bloodhound or something?
How did he always manage to sniff her out no matter where she went?