Chapter 45
<Chapter>Chapter Forty-Five: Very Calm </Chapter>
"Miss Redstone, good afternoon. I'm with the resort staff. We have a barbecue and camping event tonight. Are you interested in joining us, Miss Redstone?"
Gianna didn't have any plans for the evening, so she signed up on a whim.
When she arrived at the campsite at the appointed time, she was surprised to see quite a gathering.
These days, the ones who frequented this spot were all connected to the Uriah family in some way.
What Gianna hadn't expected was the attendance of Felix and his entourage, Jonah's film crew, and Natalie Clinton with her circle of friends.
Originally, Gianna had settled down by a small, personal grill, ready to barbecue solo, when Natalie Clinton spotted her.
"Gianna, come join us, hang out with our group!" Natalie beckoned.
Gianna intended to decline, but Natalie approached and insisted, “Why be a loner with your grill? Join us for good company and conversation."
With Natalie's warm invitation, Gianna reluctantly joined them.
Sandwiched between a bunch of spirited dames, she stood out like a sore thumb.
The elderly ladies of the other prominent Dawnridge families, seeing Gianna, quizzed Natalie about the newcomer.
Just as Uriah was about to speak, Natalie announced, “This is my dear goddaughter, Gianna. Any of you with a suitable young man in the family, keep her in mind for introductions!”
Gianna couldn't help feeling a bit exasperated, "Grandma..."
Besides, her divorce from Felix wasn't even finalized yet, so romance wasn't her focus. Her priority was getting 'MY FASHION' off the ground.
Natalie looked at her affectionately, "Dear, don't you worry. When you're ready to tie the knot, I’ll make sure you have a lavish dowry!"
At these words, everyone buzzed with excitement, suggesting potential young bachelors to introduce to Gianna.
Felix, overhearing Natalie's words, seethed. They weren't even divorced, and there was already talk of suitors. Did they think he wasn’t disgraced enough?
Mitchell, enjoying the drama, teased, "Felix, can you even stomach your barbecue anymore?"
Felix gave him a chilly look and replied, "If you're bored, go skewer some more meat."
The barbecue was a do-it-yourself event; the staff only provided the meat and essential ingredients. You had to slice your own meat, mix your own marinades, and if you made a mistake, it could result in a culinary disaster.
Mitchell, clueless in the kitchen, had been tasked with skewering.
The squishy sensation of flesh in his hand sent involuntary shivers down his spine, and in a rush to change the subject, he pleaded, "All right, I admit it, I'm wrong. Can't you take a joke without making a whole case out of it?"
Felix remained silent, his expression chillingly detached and radiating a clear 'keep out' vibe.
Mitchell glanced at a peculiarly quiet Bella, cracking a smile, "Bella, you're unusually quiet tonight, not at all like your usual self."
With a forced smile, Bella replied, "Just lost in thought, a bit spaced out."
Mitchell chuckled and stayed quiet. He likely understood the true cause of her silence; the surveillance footage had evidently captured why the horse Gianna had been riding suddenly became agitated.
Everyone had thought Felix would reprimand Bella or at least give her a warning, but instead, he let her stay by his side as if nothing had happened.
Still, with a guilty conscience eating at her, Bella didn't know how to face Felix, and without Jasmine around, she remained silent.
Just then, Felix suddenly rose from his seat and briskly walked toward the following table.
An elderly lady was busy introducing a suitor to Gianna and was pressing her to add him on WeChat. Gianna, unable to thwart the old woman's enthusiasm, reluctantly took out her phone to scan the code, internally planning how she'd explain the situation later.
But in an unexpected move, a sleek arm reached over her, snatching the phone from her grasp.
Surprised, Gianna turned and saw Felix, her frown unable to be concealed.
"Give me back my phone."
With an indifferent look, Felix pocketed the phone, "It's not safe with you. I'll keep it."
The other elderly ladies at the table, uninformed of Felix and Gianna's marriage, looked bewilderedly at Natalie Clinton. "Sophie, what's going on here?"
Before Natalie could explain, Felix spoke up coolly, "Ladies, my apologies, but Gianna is married - to me. The earlier talk about introducing her to someone was just my grandma trying to get a rise out of me. Please, don't take it to heart."
Felix's declaration was like a depth charge in the tranquil sea, drawing all eyes to Natalie Clinton's face.
"Sophie, is this true?! Why didn't you tell us anything before? You kept it so well hidden!"
"I can hardly believe it. We thought Felix would be the last one of us to tie the knot, and yet he turns out to be the first among our grandsons to get hitched!"
"Sophie, that's just not fair. She's your own granddaughter-in-law, and you had us believe she was just some distant relative! You're gonna have to treat us to dinner to make this right; this isn't something we can just brush under the rug!"
...
As the crowd's attention shifted to Natalie Clinton, Felix quickly pulled Gianna aside.
It wasn't until they had left the bustling barbecue area and entered a serene grove nearby that Felix finally released Gianna's hand.
"Are you out of your mind? When Grandma was trying to set you up, why didn't you say no?"
Gianna looked at him calmly, "Why would I refuse?"
Felix, his face turned ashen, bit back his anger, "Gianna, don't forget we're still not divorced!"
She nodded, "I'm aware. That's why I was only planning to get to know the guy, nothing more."
"Frustrated and seeing pure anger in Felix's eyes, Gianna held out her hand, "Can I have my phone back now?"
She had looked forward to a pleasant barbecue, but once again, Felix had spoiled it. As usual, nothing positive occurred when he was present.
Felix grabbed her hand, "Stay with me for a bit, and I'll give you your phone."
Gianna frowned, swiftly withdrawing her hand, "Keep the phone!"
It wasn't a big deal; she could buy a new one. The thought of spending even a moment alone with Felix was unbearable.
As she turned to walk away, Felix wrapped his arms around her from behind, murmuring, "Gianna, I misunderstood you today, and I'm sorry."
Gianna stiffened for a moment before pushing Felix away and stepping back, her expression icy, "You don't have to apologize to me. If you were truly sorry, you wouldn't have let Bella stay by your side unscathed after reviewing the surveillance footage."
Felix's expression darkened, "I promise, Bella won't hurt you again."
Gianna laughed coldly, without any warmth. "Since you've chosen to protect Bella, don't bother apologizing. 'Sorry' won't be enough for me to let her off the hook."
"What do you plan to do to Bella?!" Felix said.
