Gianna's voice was soft yet resolute, causing both people in the room to freeze in shock.
Vince’s body shuddered slightly, and his gaze toward her was filled with malicious mockery.
"That act you put on last time was pretty convincing. I almost believed you. Are you trying to use the same trick today?"
Michelle shot him a glare and then, feeling sorry for Gianna, stepped forward to embrace her gently. "Gia, it's my fault. I forced you to marry Vince all those years ago and couldn't get rid of that woman from the Chandler family..."
She shot another angry glance at Vince. "I’m giving you one day. End all ties with that woman, or don’t come back to this house!"
As though he had seen through their actions, Vince straightened his back, his eyes full of disappointment as he looked at Gianna. "The only people who know Roxan’s family background and her parents' contact details, apart from her and me, are you. Gianna, can you guarantee you didn’t orchestrate this mess?"
Gianna let out a light laugh.
Back in college, Roxan had framed her countless times, and Vince never believed her. Even if she swore in her life, she was always treated like a clown in his eyes.
Trust, once broken, was thinner than paper.
She had stopped defending herself after that, but today, she refused to stay silent. "Since all three of us could have done it, why is it that you’re certain it’s me? You have no evidence. What are you basing these accusations on?"
Vince narrowed his eyes, trying to detect even the slightest trace of guilt in her, but he found none.
"You’re talking nonsense. It can’t be Rox. She..."
Michelle, unable to listen any longer, interrupted his words. "Enough! It’s obvious that you’re so captivated by that woman from the Chandler family that you’re doubting Gia. Have you forgotten Evelyn's kindness to you?"
Mentioning "kindness" made Vince react like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. His eyes darkened, and his voice turned as cold as ice. "Yes, I owe Aunt Evelyn a debt. But who exactly I owe it to, and what it was for, you know best."
Michelle, struggling to control her emotions, released Gianna and stepped forward to slap him across the face with all her strength. "Enough! You have no right to speak of her!"
The slap hit Vince’s left cheek with a loud crack, causing it to swell immediately. But he didn’t utter a word. He just stood up and walked out of the room.
Michelle, furious and distressed, sat down and took a long time to recover.
She grasped Gianna’s hand, apologizing for her son’s behavior and explaining why Vince had always been antagonistic toward them since college.
It turned out that Evelyn had once been Antonio’s first love.
They had been in love during college, but due to family reasons, they had separated. Years later, Evelyn and Michelle had both given birth at the same hospital. Due to a nurse’s mistake, their babies had been swapped, and the mix-up lasted for three years.
It was only because little Gianna fell ill and the blood types didn’t match that they discovered the error.
After the children were swapped back, Evelyn couldn’t bear to part with Vince. After her husband passed away, she decided to settle with Gianna in New York, and she and Antonio put their past behind them. Since then, Evelyn and Michelle had grown closer.
For a time, both families lived harmoniously.
But during the summer of their senior year in high school, Vince accidentally found out about his father’s past with Evelyn. He believed she was just a mistress his father had brought back, and he began to target Evelyn. As a result, his relationship with Gianna also grew distant.
Then came the assassination attempt where Evelyn saved Vince’s life, but he turned the baseless hatred onto Gianna. He believed she had used her mother’s death to manipulate him, ruining his freedom and marriage. This misunderstanding eventually led to the consequences they were facing today.
