Chapter 224 She is Anna!
Just as she entered the Vittorio grounds, the last person she wanted to encounter appeared before her!
Standing in the courtyard, the woman was dressed simply, her demeanor casual yet poised, and her makeup undeniably calculated.
It wasn't just anyone; it was Camilla—the very Camilla she had crossed, and who had crossed her.
Weird, Anna never heard of any connection between Camilla and the Vittorio family. What was she doing here?
Anna's grip on Giorgio's arm tightened unnaturally as an inexplicable sense of dread crept into her heart, leaving her feeling uneasy.
"Anna, I knew I'd find you here!" As expected, the words that spilled from Camilla's lips were startling.
Anna was taken aback!
Camilla figured her out.
What now?
While Anna's panic set in, Giorgio remained the picture of grace and nobility, his expression unflustered as he calmly spoke, "Miss, I'm not sure what you’re insinuating. Please leave."
"No, Mr. Vittorio, the woman beside you isn't Katherine. She's Anna, and she's deceived you! I have proof!" Camilla strode forward, reaching out to grasp Anna's arm.
There was a noticeable scar on Anna's little finger, a reminder from her childhood when she was cutting rice alongside her stepfather and grandmother. Her teacher had commended her hard work in front of the entire class; everyone knew about it.
And Camilla was set on exposing this to everyone.
In desperation, Anna knew her life would crumble if she was unmasked, rendering all her enduring efforts worthless.
She couldn't be exposed.
"Miss, are you here to cause a scene because I cost you your job at the boutique? If you want help getting rehired, just ask instead of making a scene. You can't handle the consequences," Anna warned, a hint of a plea in her tone that doubled as a veiled threat.
"Huh?" Camilla sneered, unfazed, "You know very well whether I'm causing trouble. There's a scar on your hand—dare to show it to everyone and prove if I’m slandering you. If you refuse, it only shows your guilt."
She was confident; her voice rang out, with another attempt to grab Anna.
Giorgio's gaze went icy as he stepped forward, his commanding presence shielding Anna behind him as he exuded a formidable aura.
"The Vittorio family is no place for your antics. Little Tony, escort her out."
At his command, Little Tony moved swiftly, taking hold of Camilla's arm, "Come on, keep it up here, and you'll regret it."
"No, please! She's a fraud—believe me, trust me!" Camilla struggled vehemently, crying out in desperation.
After that day, the more she thought, the less things added up. Learning that Anna hadn't been in Vista Heights at all and was gone without a trace only cemented her suspicions.
But now, no one believed her. Was she really going to watch Anna walk free while she was punished as a troublemaker?
No, she had to find a way to expose Anna herself.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I swear on my life that I am telling the truth! Check the facts, or you might regret it.!" Her voice pierced the sky, reverberating throughout the courtyard for all to hear.
The next moment, Viviana, leaning on her expensive mahogany cane, emerged from the living room with the Vittorio family in tow.
"Enough," she declared.
Upon reaching the forefront, she commanded, " If you've done nothing wrong, you have nothing to fear. Katherine, produce your hand. Miss Camilla, be forewarned—if Katherine is innocent, I assure you, your transgressions will not be taken lightly."
It was a voice of serious gravity—impartial and brooking no refusal.
Anna's eyes dimmed slightly.
Catching a glimpse of her guilty expression, Abel spoke up, "Giorgio, Katherine, this woman's been all talk in front of us, making wild claims we've never once believed. But she insisted on a chance to prove herself, and Grandmother allowed her to stay, for peace and harmony."
Colombo chimed in, "Today is Katherine's birthday, a day for celebration, not for unpleasantness. I say we let Miss Camilla prove her case. If she can't, we'll charge her with slander and have her detained. That way, she can't spread false accusations or sully the good names of Giorgio, Katherine, the Vittorio and Stefanelli families."
Their words seemed kind, but were actually pushing Anna into a direct confrontation, not wishing to miss the chance presented by Camilla's sudden appearance.
Faced with their skepticism and intimidation, Giorgio retained his noble poise amidst the turmoil. "Grandma, do you truly think I don't know my own wife? That I need to prove anything to an outsider? Have you possibly thought that I am that ignorant?"
His tone became pointed, questioning their judgment and exerting a subtle pressure that tightened around them.
The accusatory crowd tensed, as if they were struck by an unspoken truth. Unable to retort, they almost seemed guilty of overstepping.
Even Viviana pressed her lips together, unable to think of a response.
Camilla just stood there, realizing how troublesome her predicament was. Until that moment, even up to five minutes before, she had been confident that the Katherine before her was actually Anna. But Viviana's earlier words and Giorgio's demeanor filled her with doubt.
If she was wrong, the repercussions ranged from a simple public fracas to a month's imprisonment.
No, the stakes were too high to pay such a dire cost! She had to secure irrefutable evidence before she could bring Anna down.
“Ms. Viviana, Mr. Vittorio, since you both stand so firmly by Miss Stefanelli, and considering today is her birthday, I won't intrude any further. After today, should you have any doubts or need to reach out, you can always ask me for help. If it turns out I've been mistaken, I will personally apologize to Miss Stefanelli. Goodbye.”
With that, she turned and left without another glance.
What a swift change of heart.
Anna released the breath she didn't even realize she was holding as her clenched fists relaxed.
Thankfully, it was just a false alarm... Crisis averted...
Abel, noticing her eased tension, felt a twinge of bitterness and couldn't help but comment, "Katherine, you seem to be taking this pretty hard. If this were any other day, you would've slapped her already."
His minor quip might as well have implied that Anna was feeling guilty, that her emotions were off-balance.
Anna's gaze sharpened. Another challenge so soon?
She couldn't afford to slip up now.
“Mr. Vittorio, I'm simply avoiding giving the media and other malicious parties any fodder. Plus, as Grandma always says, if you've done nothing wrong, you have nothing to fear. Why would I need to strike her? But let me ask you, Mr. Vittorio, between your earlier insinuations about death and targeting me at the bonfire, and now taking an outsider's word over mine, where exactly have I fallen short?”
“I...” Abel was at a loss for words.
His suspicion toward Katherine's true identity was genuine, but faced with Katherine's powerful aura now, he was at a loss for a rebuttal.
“Enough! Let's end this discussion here.” Viviana interjected, her sweeping gaze finally resting on Anna. “Katherine, come to the study.”
With that, she walked back to the house, leaning on her cane, exuding a serious and visibly upset demeanor.
Anna felt a surge of apprehension.
Called to the study alone? Did she suspect something?
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