Chapter 230 Familiarity Breeds Affection
The words floated through the air lightly, yet struck like a bombshell in Anna's ears. She felt an earthquake in her pupils, and her entire being turned to stone.
What... what did he just say?
Could he be misunderstanding and feeling jealous? Was that what he meant? She had only made a casual remark, and he—Giorgio watched the girl before him stand frozen like a statue; he was clearly pleased with her reaction. If she had no feelings, she wouldn’t have reacted like that.
He placed a gift in her delicate hands, his voice calm and clear, "This gift is for you, not Katherine." Then, he strode away into the crisp night.
His parting words were as earth-shattering as his previous statement.
Anna remained rooted to the spot, the phrase 'for you, not Katherine' echoing in her ears countless times. Her heart started racing, 'thump, thump!', and her breathing grew erratic. She really hadn't expected him to prepare a gift just for her or to say such things!
What was he trying to convey?
The night was too long and too out of the ordinary for Anna, and it was the same for Katherine.
In the quiet of the late night, a bouquet of exquisite red roses sat in her room, a gift from Fabio. Katherine had always loved flowers; Giorgio used to have Little Tony send her a bouquet every year for her birthday, but this year, he hadn't.
On the news, the Vittorio Group's official Twitter was showing photos of Mr. Vittorio celebrating Katherine's birthday—with an elegant dinner, a custom necklace, and a romantic candlelit evening. It was clear that after the marriage, Mr. Vittorio's attitude towards Katherine had shifted significantly; he was doting on his wife.
Countless online users were expressing their admiration and envy, even as they sent their congratulations...
And that woman?
Fabio took out his phone and directly dialed Giorgio’s number, "Have you forgotten who you should be taking care of the most?"
It was an accusation; it was dissatisfaction.
Giorgio certainly hadn't expected a call from Fabio so late at night. Accustomed to his lofty position and not taking criticism well, he responded coolly, "The gift for her is ready. Haven't you seen the news? I'll have Little Tony deliver it tomorrow."
Fabio scoffed, "Is that for Katherine or Anna? Mr. Vittorio, your true wife is Katherine. Maybe it's time you recognized your boundaries with Anna and kept your distance."
Additionally, Anna might be the one who was after Katherine's life, yet there he was, cozying up to the potential killer over candlelit dinners. How could he live with himself, knowing Katherine's here, out cold?"
"You need to get over here now and stay by Katherine's side."
They say there was a fine line between love and madness when it came to doting on a sister, and with Fabio, that couldn't be truer.
Giorgio's brows knit together, his voice slicing through the air with icy precision, "Nobody orders me around. You've got guts. If it serves me to show up, then I'll be there. Just wait."
With those final words, he coldly ended the call, without an ounce of warmth.
Fabio's grip on his phone tightened.
Snap! The next second, the phone was slammed down onto the table with a thundering crash. "Damn it!"
Rizzo observed all this, casting a glance at Katherine lying on the bed, his gaze growing intense before he remarked, "Mr. Vittorio not stopping by to see Katherine on her birthday does seem rather cold. In my opinion, it's not good for Miss Stefanelli to remain unresponsive like this."
Fabio snorted with a mix of anger and confidence, "You think Anna can win Giorgio's heart? That’s wishful thinking. Since their engagement, Katherine has bent over backwards for him, only to be met with indifference. How could he possibly have feelings for someone like Anna?"
In Fabio's eyes, Giorgio only had a heart for his work. Women? They were mere accessories.
Rizzo, however, held a different view, "From what I see, Mr. Vittorio isn't too bad towards Miss Anna. And come on, as a man yourself, you should understand the concept of... familiarity breeds affection."
“Familiarity breeds affection...”
Such a phrase, outwardly beautiful and heartwarming, but laden with undertones of a more profound, complicated affection!
Fabio's expression darkened as he stood up, "What are you implying? That Anna and Giorgio have... been intimate?"
Rizzo glanced at Katherine, then answered calmly, "I'm merely stating the possibilities. There's no need to get upset, Fabio."
"Even if you're just discussing possibilities, don't do it in front of Katherine," Fabio snapped back, wary about Katherine hearing any of it. She was already unconscious; how much crueler would it be for her to hear such talk?
Just then, a weak voice cut through the silence.
Both men turned to see Katherine stirring on her bed!
It was her voice!
"Katherine, Katherine, can you hear me?" Fabio called out anxiously.
"Miss Stefanelli, do you hear me speaking to you?" Rizzo chimed in with concern.
Later that night...
Anna hadn't fallen asleep until late, and by seven the next morning, her phone's ringtone jolted her awake.
"Anna, Katherine showed signs of waking up last night. Find a way to bring Giorgio over, but keep it low-key."
Was there a reaction? As in she was about to wake up? Should Giorgio go over there with the power of love to wake her?
"Got it, I'm on it!" Anna hung up the phone, sprung to her feet, slipped into her shoes, and dashed out of the screening room to knock on Giorgio's door.
A click after about five seconds signaled the door opening.
An imposing, dignified man stood before her.
Fresh from a shower, clad only in a white towel wrapped around his waist, he displayed a chest and arms full of robust, defined muscle. His damp, warm aura mixed with his natural, steady musk invaded her senses—he was the epitome of masculinity!
"Ah! Why aren't you dressed yet?" Anna blushed, raising her hands to cover her eyes.
She looked more bashful than a teenage girl.
Giorgio, casually drying his hair, tossed back effortlessly, "You're the one who's come at an inopportune time."
Uh...
She hadn't expected him to have just showered.
Awkwardly turning away, Anna said, "There's something important. Mrs. Stefanelli called saying Katherine's showing signs of waking up. She wants us both there. She might need you to talk to Katherine."
At her words, Giorgio's actions froze, and his gaze—indifferent yet profound—settled on Anna as if evaluating her.
Rushing to fetch him the second she got the call? She must be desperate for him to be the one to awaken Katherine.
"Am I a doctor or a miracle cure? I'm busy." His chilly comment thrown behind him, he turned and strode back into his room coldly.
"Hey, you're like a miracle cure to her!" Not caring whether he was dressed or not, Anna followed him, babbling incessantly, "In every romance novel and melodramatic show, it's always the male lead who awakens the female lead. Plus, you're her husband—if not you, who else? And right now, no work matters more than Katherine waking up. You have to go."
"Hey, I'm talking to you. Are you even listening? What kind of husband behaves like this?"
Her incessant prompting and complaining were like the endless chirping of a sparrow—utterly irritating!
Stopping in his tracks, Giorgio whirled around and pinned her against the wall with a domineering presence, "Have you said enough?"
The question was charged with a commanding tone, surrounded by an intimidating aura.
Anna's breath caught, her peripheral vision clouded with the sight of his collarbones and chest, her cheeks burning hot.
"Uh... yeah... I'm done..."
His gaze swept from her quivering lashes to her tightly pursed lips. Leaning in close, he stared directly at her, "When you're finished, leave. You don't need to meddle in what's between her and me."
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