Chapter 286 Dating Anna!
Cough, cough!
She was just really annoyed and angry at his remark.
"It's not because I'm upset. Why would I be upset by him? Hahaha."
Sara and the two kids exchanged glances before unanimously saying, "It sure looks like it."
"Can a parent really be so heartless?"
"We demand an explanation from the public!"
The barrage of questions from the reporters was like a relentless wave overwhelming the Stefanelli family.
To make matters worse, the official media had called out the issue early in the morning on Twitter, criticizing the act of abandoning one's children as utterly immoral.
The online community lambasted the Stefanelli family to no end.
Inside the living room, Davide and Carla were livid, "It's all Anna's fault for saying that kind of thing to the reporters, raising a thankless wretch!"
"If only we had strangled her at birth, we wouldn't have this mess!"
"Fabio, how do you think we should handle this?"
Fabio pocketed his phone, dismissing the online backlash with a sneer, "She just wants to worm her way back into the Stefanelli family out of vanity. So be it. Let's just give her what she wants."
"What? You mean to take her back into the family?" Carla asked, shocked and disagreeing, "She doesn't care about us at all. Otherwise, she wouldn't have done something this reckless. Why bring her back to be a nuisance?"
"Oh, the very thought of her gives me a headache, let alone seeing her!"
How could Fabio even bear the thought of seeing Anna?
With a mix of logic and cool reassurance, he advised, "The public wants answers. We can't just brush this off without damaging our company's reputation.
As for her, it's just a matter of giving her a separate room and some cash. The Stefanelli family's not exactly strapped for cash."
Davide and Carla exchanged glances. With no better solution, they conceded, "Fine, let's do that for now."
The three of them stood up and walked out of the living room.
The grand doors of the Stefanelli family were finally open.
The reporters, upon seeing the trio, immediately rushed forward, "Davide, Carla, Fabio, are you finally ready to respond to abandoning Anna?"
"Considering Anna's attitude, it's clear she resents you. What's your plan?"
"Why have you never revealed Miss Stefanelli's existence over the years?"
One pressing question followed another in a fervent crescendo.
Any misstep in their response could catapult them to the peak of public scrutiny.
Davide glanced over the crowd and calmly addressed them, "Everyone, please quiet down. My wife and I have something to say about this. Firstly, as parents and philanthropic entrepreneurs, it's out of the question for us to act heartlessly or unethically. When we were blessed with twins, we were thrilled beyond measure and would've done anything for them. How could we ever abandon them? Sending Anna away was not because she had bad luck.
A fortune teller told us Anna had a strong destiny but lacked 'water' and wouldn't survive past 20 if she remained in Crownhaven. To ensure her healthy growth, she had to live in a place with clear mountains and waters. We had no choice but to follow these instructions. As for not visiting her, it wasn't out of lack of love but because the fortune teller warned that our fortunes clashed with hers. Our deep hope for her safety forced us to endure our longing."
Over the years, we've provided her adoptive parents with a decent sum of money and have often asked them to send us pictures of her growing up, something her adoptive mother can attest to," Carla continued.
"Yeah, people get attached to pets, so how could I not feel for my own flesh and blood? Anna's animosity towards us stems from not knowing the truth. Indeed, we weren't by her side to provide warmth, and we understand her distaste for us. If anything, we feel worse than she does, filled with guilt and self-reproach. That's why, this morning, we made a special effort to consult with a fortune teller and made the decision to bring Anna back home."
What?
Bringing Anna back home!
"Is the Stefanelli family going to acknowledge Miss Stefanelli's existence officially?"
"Will Miss Stefanelli really start living openly and rightfully with the Stefanelli family from now on?"
"Like Miss Katherine, will Miss Stefanelli have equal shares in the family's estate?"
‘Shares?’
‘Don't even think about it!’
Carla even suspected that Anna might have sent the reporters, but she maintained her composure and smiled graciously, "Yes, we treat all our children with equal love and care, Anna and Katherine alike. Rest assured that we will spare no expense on our daughters, and regardless of Anna's resistance, we will make up for the past and warm her with love, no matter how long it takes."
Her statement was deeply moving and utterly sincere—a textbook example of handling the situation gracefully. It quickly made its way to the internet, and the reaction was explosive.
The online community did a complete one-eighty, in their opinion, "So that's the real story!"
"Don't jump to conclusions without knowing the facts."
"The Stefanelli family is still the Stefanelli family we know!"
"Apologies are in order."
"Solid support!"
Then there was the Vittorio family.
After seeing the interview and the public reaction, Viviana laughed meaningfully, "The Stefanelli family truly knows how to turn a crisis into an opportunity. You all could learn a thing or two from them."
Matteo and his wife exchanged a wordless look, not saying much. As seasoned entrepreneurs, they knew that only those directly involved could really discern the truth from the lies. Some things are better left unsaid.
Colombo nodded in agreement, "Grandmother's lesson is well-taken. I will handle it properly."
Hearing his voice, Viviana's expression instantly darkened, "Handle it properly? Do you have the right to say that standing here? Where is that undutiful son of yours?"
"The Stefanelli family's reputation is on the rise, and if the Vittorio family remains silent, what will people think of us? They'll view the Vittorio family as irresponsible playboys with messy personal lives! Aren't you going to do some damage control?"
"Uh... Grandma, what exactly do you mean?"
"What do you think I mean? Announce that Giuseppe and Anna have been secretly dating and are now a couple. They'll be getting married in the future!"
‘What?! Giuseppe and Anna are dating and getting married?’
Colombo, shocked, said, "Grandma, is that really such a good idea?"
They had hoped that their son would find a woman of noble stature and strength, someone who could outshine Katherine, not some country girl from a wealthy family.
Henna also objected, "Yeah, Grandma, Giuseppe is still young. Is this really necessary?"
"Huh? Young? Did he think about that when he was in bed with her? Now he wants to hide like a scared turtle?" Viviana said with disdain.
Even though she disliked the impolite Anna, she maintained, "The Vittorio family cannot afford any stains on its reputation. For the company's image, he must date Anna!
Should this matter not be dealt with properly, he can resign and go learn how to conduct himself properly in an overseas branch."
Her statement was unequivocal and final, They must date.
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