Chapter 9 Flirting With Their Eyes

The next day, Anna went to a hospital for LASIK surgery that corrected her myopia.

She had always wanted to do this procedure, but Nicole stopped her every time. According to her, glasses made women appear smarter and more academically profound.

Anna had always known about Nicole’s scheme, but she convinced herself that appearance did not matter—it was her inner beauty that mattered.

“Jamie, you were right. The world only cares about your face.”

“My dear, it’s not too late to make that realization.”

…

On Sunday, the atmosphere at the Dawson family mansion was jolly.

Countless celebrities and renowned businessmen from all walks of life had gathered together to celebrate the respectable Grandmother Dawson’s 70th birthday.

The Dawson family’s ancestors were once nobles of Johannes City. Although they were not the richest in Johaness City right then, the family name was still well known and highly regarded within the city. Moreover, they had marriage relations with the billionaire Ackman family.

The mansion’s ballroom was filled with guests waiting to congratulate Grandmother Dawson.

Grandmother Dawson wore a red dress that night. Even though she had a full head of white hair, she was still hale and hearty. Moreover, she had cared for her skin so well that almost no wrinkle could be seen on her face. She appeared just as graceful and honorable as before.

With the help of a maid, Grandmother Dawson tottered into the ballroom with a cane in her hand.

Everyone swarmed up to her to help, at the same time congratulating her.

Grandmother Dawson searched for Anna among the crowd, but could only see her elaborately dressed stepmother, Nicole, and her sister, Chloe, who was wearing an eye-catching bright red dress.

“Where’s Anna? Didn’t she arrive with you?” Grandmother Dawson asked Nicole.

Nicole hurriedly squeezed through the crowd to get to Grandmother Dawson. She smiled and answered, “Ah, the child had been acting quite strange lately. Two days ago, she told us that she had matters to attend to at school and was going to spend the night there. She hasn’t come home since. Honestly, I have no idea where she is. She won’t even pick up her phone.”

Grandmother Dawson frowned. “Perhaps she really does have things to do at school.”

“Grandma Dawson, don’t worry. It’s your birthday! Anna would surely come,” Chloe assured as she lovingly wrapped her arm around Grandmother Dawson’s as if she were her own grandmother.

Grandmother Dawson patted Chloe’s hand and joked, “Chloe, you look wonderful today. You’ve even wearing the same red as me. Some might even think that you’re the one celebrating your 70th birthday!”

“Grandma Dawson, are you poking fun at me?” Chloe blushed and asked in a honey-sweet voice.

All the guests laughed and complimented Chloe’s beauty. She truly stood out among the crowd.

There were even people who commented that whoever could get her as his future bride would be the luckiest man on earth.

Chloe held her head up proudly and turned to Bryan. Bryan responded with a playful eyebrow raise. Subtly, the two flirted with their eyes.

Bryan was dressed in a tailored silver suit. He, too, stood out among the crowd, displaying an imposing yet elegant appearance. Many of the upper-class ladies present were secretly stealing glances at him.

Somewhere among the crowd, a whisper could be heard. “How could there be such a huge difference between the two Hamilton sisters! Every time I see them, Anna looks like she could be Chloe’s assistant!”

“Shh! Don’t be so loud! The Hamilton or Dawson family might hear you. Not only is Anna the sole successor of Lincoln Group, but she is also the future bride of the Dawson family!”

Seeing that Anna had not arrived, Bryan anxiously called her again and again, but she never picked up the phone.

Anna had been acting strange those few days—every time he tried to talk to her, she would merely answer with short grunts and murmurs.

Vexed, Bryan sent a text to Anna. [Where the hell are you? Everyone’s here, waiting for you. It’s Grandma’s birthday, can’t you show some courtesy?]

Just then, someone approached Bryan with a glass of wine in hand. “Bryan, where is that eminent fiancee of yours? Is this event much too grand for her?”

Bryan clutched his phone tightly in his hand, forcing a smile on his face. “It is true that my fiancee prefers to dress in plain clothes rather than dolling herself up like the other ladies here, but I still love her very much. I hope that you can refrain from speaking ill about her.”

A few people around him snickered. “It’s alright. We all know what marriages of convenience are like.”