Chapter 226 An Unexpected Birthday
In a lavish studio apartment.
She sat on the sofa, observing the unfamiliar luxury and the refined, scholarly man whose hands were politely clasped.
"Mr. Vittorio, thank you for protecting me at a critical moment. If not for you, Anna's people surely would have taken me."
Giuseppe elegantly poured a glass of freshly squeezed juice and handed it to her before seating himself.
"You keep mentioning Anna. Do you have any concrete evidence?"
The man before her was too friendly, too gentlemanly, clearly learned and respectful.
Without reservations, Camilla candidly replied, "No, but I've known Anna for over a decade. I can't mistake the aura she carries. Her refusal to confront the situation today is a clear sign of guilt. Besides, Anna came to Crownhaven, and there's been no word from her for a while now. She's definitely a prime suspect."
So, no concrete evidence?
From behind his gold-rimmed glasses, Giuseppe looked at her deeply and reminded her in a friendly tone, "Miss Camilla, I understand you, but you must know we need evidence for such claims. Without concrete proof, no one will believe you."
"Yes, I know. That’s why I appreciate you listening to me. I won't act rashly; I’ll find the evidence to expose Anna's masquerade!" Camilla declared with determined and piercing eyes, a picture of deep-seated vengeance.
Giuseppe wasn't particularly concerned about Anna's doings; in his view, it wasn't the time to expose her yet—not at least until Katherine awoke and was out of danger.
He pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "Miss Camilla, my secretary just informed me that Giorgio's people are still looking for you. It's definitely risky for you to go out for the next few days. How about you stay here for now? Think about any evidence you might have. Once they believe you've left and the coast is clear, then you can come forward with your revelation. How does that sound?"
His voice was gentle, his demeanor polished and cultivated.
The deadliest men were often those cloaked in gentleness.
Camilla couldn't contain her excitement; she was barely able to mask the thrill in her voice, "Really? I can stay?"
"Mhm. If you need anything, just let me know," he said.
"Thank you so much!" Camilla's cheeks were flushed with a rosy glow, and her eyes sparkled. She was seemingly convinced that Giuseppe had taken a liking to her.
Giuseppe offered a slight smile and then turned to leave the apartment.
As the door closed behind him, his gentle expression dropped instantly. To the housekeeper in the hallway, he instructed, "Keep an eye on her. She's not to leave."
"Yes, sir."
...
Meanwhile, all seemed calm on the surface, but beneath, storms were brewing.
Completely oblivious, Anna had finished dealing with Giorgio and it was already six in the evening.
The lamps were lit and the villa's landscape lighting had come on, creating an enchanting and beautiful atmosphere.
Unexpectedly, the dining table inside was set up with elegant candles, fresh flowers, and gift boxes—it all looked so romantic and affectionate.
"What's this?" Anna furrowed her brows in curiosity.
He wasn't one to waste, so why the candlelit dinner?
Giorgio glanced at her, casually replying, "It's Katherine's birthday present. It'll go on social media."
Ah, so it was for Katherine!
Understanding dawned on Anna. His nonchalant manner, in her eyes, meant she wasn't the one being celebrated right now.
She smiled faintly, "Alright, I'll play along for the photos."
The two of them sat at the table, and Little Tony quickly whipped out his phone and snapped a picture before Anna even had a chance to pose, saying, "Mr. Vittorio, Miss Stefanelli, all done."
That fast?
Talk about half-hearted.
No, wait. If he was being perfunctory, she should feel relieved... What was she complaining about in her head?
Anna took a sip of water from the glass beside her, pushing down her emotions, and asked, "Where are Charlie and Penny? Let's have them come out for dinner too."
As she said this, she began to tidy up the silverware on the table, ready to turn on the main lights. But just then—
'Whoosh!' The entire room lit up with gorgeous lights. Looking up, she saw stars strung above, and the floor below was strewn with clear, beautiful jasmine, blinking with tiny lights amidst the flowers. It was especially dreamy.
At the end of the ocean of flowers stood Charlie, in a smart suit, and Penny, wearing a princess dress, slowly approaching. Each pushed a fancy cart adorned with a cake while carrying a giant bouquet of flowers at least a meter and a half tall, singing a sweet melody,
"Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you!"
"Happy bir-th-day, dear Mommy, Happy birthday to you~~"
As the sweet melody of filled the air, her two children approached Anna and lifted up a bouquet of flowers in their tiny hands.
"Happy Birthday, Mommy! Charlie and I put these flowers together just for you! Look, I even drew a picture for you," Penny chirped gleefully.
"And I made you a cake, Anna, all by myself!" Charlie added proudly.
They were the picture of pure adorableness.
Anna was taken aback, her heart a mixture of surprise and profound emotion. Rarely had she celebrated her own birthday. Growing up, her adoptive parents were too busy; a simple pork bun sometimes marked the occasion. Only Alessandro made an effort to surprise her with cakes and gifts.
As an adult, swept up in the whirlwind of life, she would fuss over her kids' birthdays, often barely recalling her own. And now, they had prepared such magnificent gifts for her – the largest bunch of flowers, the biggest and most beautiful cake she'd ever received.
"Thank you, my sweethearts," Anna felt a surge of joy as she knelt to embrace the children. She couldn't imagine a moment happier than this.
"Anna, Daddy arranged all of this," Charlie said. "He even got you a present."
Anna was momentarily stunned.
Charlie must be mistaken. The decorations and presents were all intended for Katherine, weren't they?
Wishing to spare her children from the complexities of adult matters, she smiled and suggested, "How about we go have dinner?"
Her reaction puzzled Giorgio, who watched from a distance as she led the children away. His expression darkened with disappointment.
Meanwhile, Anna hadn't anticipated an entirely different dining setup waiting for her – a table that wasn't dressed with French pastries or meaty steaks, but with delicious-looking Italian-style pizzas!
"It's pizza, it's really pizza! I'm so lucky!" Anna couldn't hide her delight.
Charlie's eyes widened in curiosity. "I've never really eaten pizza before. I always thought it was greasy, but it does look quite appetizing."
"Charlie, pizza is delicious," she assured him. "It's perfect."
"And guess what," she continued, "Little Tony prepared the pizza."
Anna was touched by Little Tony's thoughtfulness. She glanced over at him, recording the moment in the corner, and expressed her gratitude. "Thank you, Little Tony. You're the first person to prepare a birthday dinner for me since I've grown up. I really appreciate it!"
With a modest grin, Little Tony began to speak, "Miss Stefanelli, the truth is, all of this tonight..."
But his words were abruptly cut short, intercepted by a stern, warning glance from Mr. Vittorio, who had orchestrated the entire evening's arrangements.
She seemed to beam at everyone but him; why, as if he should be the one fishing for a token of gratitude?
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