Chapter 175: The Savior
Bella turned her head in shock, seeing Felix heading straight for Gianna, guilt flashing in her eyes.
She'd only messed with Gianna because she thought Felix and Julian were busy in the study. She didn't expect Felix to come out so soon.
Fear surged through her, 'Is Felix going to come after me for Gianna?'
But Felix didn't even glance at her. He went straight to Gianna, "You okay?"
Gianna shook her head, "I'm fine. Don't worry, I'll handle it."
"Alright, I'm here. Let's see who dares to touch you."
Everyone was stunned by Felix's gentle demeanor towards Gianna. Wasn't he supposed to like Bella?
And what Gianna said was a bombshell!
The Redstone family hadn't disclosed that Gianna was brought back to donate bone marrow to Bella, so hardly anyone knew.
"If Gianna really donated bone marrow to Bella, calling her Bella's savior isn't an exaggeration, right?"
"I get it now. The Redstone family is shameless! They lost a daughter for over ten years, never looked for her, and when they did, it was to find a bone marrow match for Bella. They treated her differently, never considering Gianna as part of the family. If I were Gianna, I'd be furious!"
"Bella had the nerve to say Gianna was competing for their parents' affection. She's had their love for years, and Gianna even donated bone marrow to her. Isn't it reasonable for her to want some parental love?!"
The crowd's chatter and disdainful looks almost overwhelmed Bella.
Shame washed over her, making her wish she could disappear.
Bella thought, 'Gianna, how dare you say this out loud!'
Gianna looked at the downcast Bella with a cold sneer.
Since she started this, she wasn't planning to let it go, "Over twenty years ago, I wasn't lost by the Redstone family's servant; I was abandoned at the orphanage door by Julian and Lauren. They brought me back just becasue I was a match for Bella. If I didn't look like Bella, they might not have even claimed me. They would've forced me to donate bone marrow and then sent me away!"
Everyone was shocked, unable to believe the Redstone family could do such a thing.
With things escalating, Julian and Lauren couldn't ignore it.
Upon hearing the news, Julian and Lauren hurried over, both looking furious.
Lauren, almost losing her mind with anger, rushed forward to hit Gianna but was scared off by Felix's icy gaze.
"Lauren, if you touch her, the Redstone Group will be bankrupt by tomorrow." Felix's voice was low but full of threat.
Lauren didn't dare move forward, but her gaze at Gianna was still murderous.
"Gianna, this is a family matter. How dare you speak of it in front of guests? Have you not brought enough shame to the Redstones?!" Lauren said.
Gianna looked at her calmly, eyes cold.
If Felix weren't here, she believed Lauren would have already hit her.
"Lauren, you let Bella spread rumors that I threatened you to make the desserts I like. What else can't I say? You and Bella were the one who shamed the Redstones, not me."
"You!" Lauren gritted her teeth in anger, while Julian, standing beside her, finally caught on and looked at Lauren with an angry expression.
"What desserts?! Explain this to me clearly!" he asked.
Lauren knew the truth would ruin her, so she covered her face and started crying.
"I don't know what she's talking about. I called her back for her birthday, and she said if we didn't make what she liked, she wouldn't come! I had the kitchen make all her favorite foods. Isn't that enough? I don't know what else to do!"
Gianna chuckled, "Lauren, did I ever threaten you to not make Bella's favorite foods?"
Lauren paused her crying, then coldly said, "I can't remember clearly, but when you said you didn't want chocolate cake, didn't that mean you didn't want the kitchen to make Bella's favorite foods?"
"You're good at dodging blame. If I didn't have a call recording, I might have been wronged by you today. After all, who would believe a mother would scheme against her own daughter, right?"
Lauren's face turned ugly, but Gianna didn't give her time to react. She pulled out her phone and played a recording.
After listening, the crowd's expressions varied, but they all shared looks of disgust and disdain towards Lauren and Bella.
Seeing Lauren's defeated face, Gianna walked up to her and said, "I believe everyone heard clearly. On the phone, I only asked for my favorite vanilla cake. I never threatened you not to make Bella's favorite foods."
She then continued, "And Bella is the child you've pampered since she was young. It's impossible for you not to make her favorite foods. You deliberately didn't make anything for Bellajust to make me look bad in front of the guests, so they'd think I was competing with Bella for affection."
Lauren's lips trembled with anger, "What nonsense are you talking about?! That's not true at all!"
Gianna's expression shifted from calm to disappointed, "Lauren, since you hate me so much, why call me back for my birthday? If you just wanted me to be a foil to Bella, there was no need. I'm no longer the sixteen-year-old girl craving family affection. Whether or not I have family to celebrate with, the day will pass. Why scheme against me on this day?"
Feeling the disdainful gazes from all directions, Lauren felt her dignity shatter, and her rationality snapped.
"Because I really hate you, I wish you were dead!" Lauren shouted.
Julian, sensing something was wrong, quickly shouted, "Lauren, shut up!"
But it was too late.
Lauren couldn't hear anything. Overwhelmed by anger, she only wanted to hurl the most venomous words at Gianna.
"Every time I see you, I feel disgusted. When you stand next to Bella, you are so utterly different from Bella. Bella is perfect in every way, and you? Besides having a face that resembles hers, you can't compare to Bella in any other way!
"You're disobedient and can't do anything right. You're a stain on my life!
"Someone as rotten as you should have been strangled at birth! I was soft-hearted back then, and now you've turned the Redstone family upside down. Why don't you just die..."
Before she could finish, Julian suddenly slapped her hard.
The entire living room fell silent instantly!
