Chapter 772
Pepper immediately shook her head. “Adrian, Gianna and I would never be capable of something like that. Didn’t you already ask someone to investigate? The real culprit must have deliberately framed her. I honestly don’t understand how Wendy could believe it so quickly. You watched Gianna grow up in the Malone family. Yes, she can be pampered and stubborn at times, but no one values her family more than she does. Hurting her own family is something she’d never do. Deep down, you know that too p>
Adrian gave a small nod, his trust clearly leaning far more toward Pepper and Gianna.
He looked at Wendy and spoke in a gentler tone. “Wendy, there has to be some misunderstanding here. Who even told you something so unbelievable?
“Gianna has treated you like her mother for more than twenty years. These last few days, she’s secretly been crying because she thinks you’ve stopped caring about her. She’s always admired and respected you. If she found out you suspected her of this, she’d be devastated p>
Wendy stared at Adrian with undisguised ridicule before shifting her gaze to Pepper, who stood pressed against his side, gripping his arm as if they belonged together. The two of them wore the same expression toward her, confusion mixed with blame.
A cold laugh escaped Wendy’s lips.
“How touching. The three of you really do look like a perfect family. Adrian, you truly are an excellent father to Gianna p>
Steven was Adrian’s only son. Ellie was the family’s only child of the next generation.
With the rumors spread, Steven’s future could be destroyed. Ellie had only just begun showing signs of recovery, and any emotional shock could trigger another relapse. Her condition might worsen completely.
For a child like Ellie, healing depended not only on medicine, but on timing and luck. If that chance slipped away, it might never return.
She could lose her voice forever.
Yet even after Wendy pointed out the person responsible, Adrian still refused to believe it. Worse, his first reaction had been to shield the culprit and defend her.
How laughable.
Coming here had been a complete waste of time. She should never have bothered. She should have dealt with it herself from the beginning and made every person who harmed those children suffer the consequences.
The moment the thought crossed her mind, Wendy turned sharply and walked away.
But the look she had thrown at Adrian before leaving, icy, disappointed, filled with disgust, struck him like a blade through the chest. His breathing tightened, and the color instantly drained from his face.
Seeing her about to leave, Adrian finally came back to his senses. He pushed Pepper aside and hurried after Wendy, bracing one hand against the office door she had just opened. Panic was written all over his expression.
“Wendy, wait. I was wrong. I’ll call Gianna right now and bring her here. I’ll question her myself. Or we can go straight to the Malone residence together and confront her p>
Unlike Adrian, who was still trying to
deny reality, Pepper immediately understood the moment she saw Wendy’s certainty. Gianna had definitely done it. Worse still she had probably left evidence behind.
Adrian was already furious. There was no way Pepper could allow him to confront Gianna now.
Suddenly, she cried out.
“Ah p>
Her body went limp as though all strength had vanished, and she collapsed toward the floor.
Hearing the sound, Adrian instinctively turned around. He saw Pepper stumbling and nearly reached out automatically to catch her.
But then, from the corner of his eye, he noticed Wendy standing directly in front of him. He remembered the look she had just given him, colder than anything he had
ever seen.
His movements halted.
That brief hesitation was enough.
Pepper had already hit the ground.
Her hair had fallen loose around her face, making her appear miserable and fragile. She could barely process the fact that Adrian had not caught her, that he had simply watched her fall
Everything had been planned carefully. She intended to use her injury as an excuse, collapse into Adrian’s embrace then pretend to faint. He would have rushed her to the hospital immediately.
That would have given her enough time to think of a way to protect Gianna.
Instead, Adrian had not only failed to catch her, but even after she fell, he remained standing there without moving toward her.
Lying on the floor, Pepper’s eyes landed on a pair of immaculate silver heels. Above them was the elegant hem of a cream-colored dress, luxurious and refined.
For one dizzy moment, it felt as though time had reversed to years ago, back to when she had always stood beneath Wendy, forced to look up at her again and again.
They were sisters by blood.
But fate had never treated them equally.
Beauty, intelligence, talent, charisma-Wendy had surpassed her in every possible
way.