Chapter 304
Gianna pressed her lips together, "Yeah."
Faith let out a long breath and asked, "You still into him?"
Gianna stayed quiet, but Faith saw her knuckles go white on the steering wheel. That said it all.
Faith sighed, "Gianna, if you're still into Felix, maybe give him another shot. Sure, he lied about Jonah, but he was just scared of losing you. I think he really loves you."
Gianna shot her a look and raised an eyebrow, "Weren't you calling him a jerk like, two days ago? What's with the change of heart?"
Faith shrugged, "I thought he screwed you over, but turns out he was just with Penelope to piss you off. He didn't even kiss her. For a guy like him to swallow his pride for you, that's something."
Gianna smirked and said slowly, "He might swallow his pride, but don't forget, he's lied to me a bunch. I need a normal guy, not some control freak trying to run my life."
Faith chuckled, "You know how many girls would kill to have Felix care that much? Any other girl would be over the moon."
"Well, I'm not any other girl, and I'm not putting up with his crap," Gianna's face was calm, eyes full of resolve.
Faith nodded, "Gianna, that's what I love about you. We all bend a little, but you always stick to your guns and never let anyone push you around."
Gianna shook her head, "Not always. I've ditched my principles before, and it just made people walk all over me."
Since she got back with the Redstone family, she'd swallowed her pride to fit in, but all she got was more hurt from them.
Now she got it: to love others, you gotta love yourself first. If you dulled your edges to please others, they just sawyou as a pushover.
Faith didn't say more, but she felt a pang of sympathy for her.
She'd seen Gianna bend over backward for the Redstone family and Felix, and it just wasn't worth it.
Luckily, she was over it now. Whether it was Felix or the Redstone family, she wasn't ditching her principles anymore.
Half an hour later, they pulled up to the dinner spot.
As soon as they stepped out, Emily and Naomi were at the door to greet them.
Emily raised an eyebrow and grinned, "Ms. Redstone, Ms. Walton, welcome!"
Gianna gave a cool nod, while Faith smiled, "It's after hours, no need for the formalities. Hope we're not crashing the party."
Emily smiled, "Not at all, we're thrilled to have you."
They chatted as they walked into the restaurant. The design team had picked a barbecue joint with a laid-back vibe.
Seeing Gianna and Faith, the rest of the design team looked a bit stiff, not used to hanging out with the big shots except for Naomi and Emily.
Emily left the main seats for them. Once they sat down, Faith smiled, "We're just here to eat. Don't mind us, just have fun."
At first, everyone was a bit uptight, but seeing Gianna and Faith just chatting and not paying them much mind, the mood started to loosen up.
Halfway through the meal, Faith brought up the bonus they were getting, and the place just lit up.
Seeing everyone's pure joy, Gianna couldn't help but grin.
The party went on until after eleven.
If it wasn't for work the next day, they probably would've gone for karaoke.
Watching Emily and Naomi sort out rides for everyone, Faith said, "Remember when Emily first started? She was so nervous showing you her designs. Now, look at her, all grown up in just six months."
Gianna smiled, "Her family runs a business, so she's been around this stuff forever. It's in her blood, and she's only gonna get better."
Faith nodded, "True that."
"Ready to roll?" Gianna asked.
"Dominic's picking me up, no need to drive me home," Faith replied.
"Then I'll wait with you," Gianna said.
After saying goodbye to Emily and Naomi, who also shared a cab, they waited.
Soon, Dominic pulled up.
Before hopping in, Faith hesitated and then turned to Gianna, "Gianna, I really think you should consider forgiving Felix. You've been through so much together, and you might never love someone this much again. I just want you to be happy."
Gianna smiled, "Okay, I hear you. Now get in the car, it's freezing out here."
Faith wanted to say more but held back.
This was Gianna's call to make.
After watching Dominic's car drive off, Gianna got in her own car and took off.
But as soon as she hit the main road, she noticed a few cars tailing her.
Her eyes narrowed, and she floored it. Sure enough, the cars behind her sped up too.
As she was figuring out her next move, two cars flanked her on either side.
The passenger in the car on the left rolled down the window and aimed a gun at her.
A shot rang out, shattering her driver's side window. Her car swerved left, crashing into the car beside it, almost flipping over.
Glass shards cut Gianna's cheek, drawing blood.
Her eyes turned icy. These guys were pros and clearly out for her.
Thinking fast, Gianna yanked the steering wheel, causing the car on the right to swerve. She floored it, leaving the two cars behind.
But the pursuers quickly caught up, shooting at her car and barely missing the tires.
The gunfire kept coming, and Gianna gripped the wheel tight, speeding up and thinking of places to lose them.
From what she could tell, there were at least five cars chasing her. She needed a plan.
Suddenly, she remembered a bridge a few miles away and got an idea.
She floored it towards the bridge.
It was close to midnight, and the road was empty, letting her reach the bridge without any trouble.
Just as she was about to turn onto the bridge, a car came straight at her from the opposite direction. By the time she saw it, it was too late.
With a deafening crash, Gianna's car was sent flying!
