When His Perfect Mask Shattered I Awoke (Anneliese) novel Chapter 623

The Malone family's residence in Oceaton was located here.

Gianna hurried into the villa.

Adrian happened to be lounging in the living room, engrossed in the financial news on his iPad, when her hurried, heavy footsteps echoed down the hallway. The sound made him look up in surprise.

"Gianna? What happened to you?"

She looked utterly disheveled—her clothes rumpled, her hair tangled, and her face drawn and haggard. Before entering the house, she had deliberately messed with her outfit, tousled her hair, and scratched her face, leaving two bright red welts on her cheek. Her appearance was a complete wreck.

"Dad!" she wailed, sobbing, tears streaming down her face. "Dad, I've been bullied!"

He sprang to his feet, alarmed. Without a moment's hesitation, she threw herself into his arms, and he held her close, patting her back gently as he tried to soothe her.

"Hush, don't cry. Tell me, who bullied you? I'll definitely make them pay!"

At that moment, Pepper walked out carrying a plate of freshly cut fruit, dressed in casual loungewear that made her seem gentle and soft.

The sight of Gianna sobbing in her father's arms startled her. She immediately set the plate down on a nearby table and hurried over.

"What's going on?" Her voice overflowed with concern.

"Aunt Pepper!" Throwing herself at Pepper, Gianna broke into huge sobs. It took a long time of coaxing before she calmed enough to choke out the story.

"That woman was the one who shoved Anahi first!

"At the time, Anahi was bleeding so badly. It was terrifying. I was so shocked by the blood that I didn't even realize she was only pretending. When we were brought to the police station, I just wanted to stand up for my friend, and I admit—I may have been a little harsh with my words.

"It turned out she's a friend of Jonny's new wife, Anneliese. The two of them were so slick and persuasive, speaking so charmingly that Jonny believed everything they said. They even managed to fool Steven! He didn't help me, even when he arrived at the station."

Her tears fell harder, her voice thick with unspoken grievances. "I was held at the police station for nearly an entire day and night!"

"Anneliese?" Adrian frowned.

He knew Jonathan had married recently, though little was known about the bride—her background was obscure, her origins a complete mystery.

He could never have guessed that she possessed such cunning.

"Let it go, Dad. Steven's working right now anyway. His only fault was trusting Jonny too much and thinking that disciplining me was the right move. I won't hold it against him.

"Besides, Jonny has assigned Anneliese to the same lab as me. Soon, she'll even be competing in the competition you're sponsoring—the same one I'm entering. We'll be seeing each other all the time. I don't want to make a scene; it could hurt the relationship between the Malones and the Fullbusters."

Rubbing her swollen eyes, she made herself appear as pitiful as possible. "It's alright now, Dad. I'm feeling better after crying it out. I'm exhausted, so I'll head to my room to rest."

Her wilted posture—desperately enduring the grievance for the sake of peace—stabbed him deeply.

He thundered, "She was even assigned to your lab? We can't just sit back and do nothing. If we don't teach her a lesson, she'll think the Malone family is an easy target. She'll just keep bullying you!"

Grabbing his phone, he barked instructions to his assistant, "Check whether there's a contestant named Anneliese Claude in the upcoming competition, and cancel her eligibility immediately!"

"Dad…" She squeezed his hand tightly. "Won't Jonny get mad? Anneliese is good at complaining."

He grunted coldly. "No matter how capable he is, he's still younger than me. Do you think I'd be helpless against his wife?"

"You're the best, Dad!" Snuggling into her father's arms, she affectionately nuzzled him.