From Sneers to Cheers: Anthea’s Ascent

Chapter 513

Anthea bought a few trinkets, then dragged Sherman along to sample some grilled skewers.

The state of the roadside stall was enough to make anyone with the faintest concern for hygiene shudder. Still, Sherman sat down with a straight face, as if nothing was amiss, and ordered a few vegetarian options.

Anyone who knew him would have been stunned by the sight-Mr. Christensen, usually so aloof and distinguished, squeezed onto a wobbly stool at a street vendor's table with the crowd? Unthinkable.

The next day arrived in the blink of an eye.

Anthea and Sherman made their way to the airport together.

First class had only eight seats, but as the plane took off, the other six remained empty.

Settling in, Anthea pulled out a phone case she'd bought at the night market last night, planning to swap it onto her phone. As she opened the packaging, she realized there was a second, identical case included.

She looked over at Sherman. "Our phones are the same model, right?"

Sherman took his out, checking. "Seems like it.”

"Here, you can have this one, then." Anthea handed him the phone case.

Sherman accepted the case and stared down at it, clearly caught off guard. It was pink. Not only that, it was covered in sparkling rhinestones and pearls—exactly the sort of thing a teenage girl might love.

Do all women really like pink this much?

Anthea grinned. "If you don't want it, you could always give it to Mrs. Christensen.

I remember her phone's the same as mine."

"No, I like it," Sherman said, and without missing a beat, snapped the pink case onto his phone.

Suddenly, his phone looked brand new-albeit a little... dazzling.

Anthea couldn't resist teasing him, "You should change your lock screen to a pink background, too. That way it'd really match."

He just looked down at

if he was annoyed, Sherman handed her

was an image that looked as if it belonged

eyebrows shot up in surprise. "You

was serious. "I've always

him a

Sherman nodded, calm

so Anthea could only nod and

man with a love for pink-no wonder he was drawn

His taste was

the picture as his lock

later, the plane landed at

just after

stepped out of the arrivals gate, Anthea spotted

Alex Peterson?

second—I just saw someone I know." "Alright." Sherman

Anthea jogged over. "Alex!"

in surprise. "Anthea? You're here to

got back from Capital

to meet someone."

I won't

swallowed whatever else

walk back

up, and his gaze

between them

steely and dangerous, both pairs

warning, a

Gontent

moment later, Sherman looked away and turned

Anthea nodded. "Yeah."