When His Perfect Mask Shattered I Awoke (Anneliese and Zacharias) novel Chapter 775

Adrian almost let it slip that Gianna reminded him of their daughter, but he managed to stop himself just in time.

He was fully aware that mentioning their daughter at this moment would be a mistake. It would only intensify Wendy's anger further.

After a brief pause, Adrian continued, "I just thought I should treat Gianna a bit better. Even if she's not your daughter, she's still your niece. She grew up without a mother figure, so it's no surprise she ended up on the wrong path. I didn't take that into account. That's my fault."

Wendy offered no response to his explanation. Instead, she turned her attention to Pepper standing beside her.

Pepper's complexion worsened. What had once been merely pale had now turned almost ghostly white.

So Gianna's so-called wayward behavior is because she lacks a mother growing up?

Every word from Adrian felt like a blade cutting deeper into her chest.

If he had even a trace of consideration for her, he wouldn't have spoken like that in front of Wendy, completely disregarding her dignity and emotions.

Pepper's body swayed slightly, as though she might collapse at any moment, and a suppressed sob escaped her throat.

"It's all my fault... I'm the one who left Gianna when she was still a child. That's why she didn't have a mother's guidance. Adrian, don't blame Wendy. She was never responsible for raising Gianna."

Adrian's brow tightened faintly. Since when have I ever accused Wendy of failing to raise Gianna properly?

But seeing Pepper's fragile, unsteady state, the words he wanted to say stuck in his throat. A faint sense of guilt still lingered in him.

Wendy glanced between the two of them, her expression calm and unreadable.

"Enough of this. I'll call Steven and find out what's going on," Adrian said, shifting his focus back to the situation.

Earlier, Gianna had claimed that Steven had ordered his bodyguards to forcefully take her away against her will.

Adrian dialed Steven's number, but there was no answer. It was obvious Steven knew exactly what was happening—he simply chose not to pick up.

His brows knitted together, and he was about to try again when Pepper suddenly spoke beside him, her tone tense.

"Steven wouldn't do anything reckless to Gianna in a fit of anger, would he? Gianna really went too far this time. If this pushes Steven into doing something extreme as well, it'll just turn into a bigger disaster."

If anyone ever harmed her son or daughter, she would not hesitate to fight them to the end.

A mother always wants the best for her children. If her daughter were still alive, she would never have allowed her to suffer even the slightest hardship or contamination—she would have borne it all herself if possible.

With that thought, Pepper didn't seem like someone who would recklessly push Gianna into trouble while hiding safely behind the scenes.

Wendy looked away and picked up her phone to call Steven.

She needed to know exactly what was happening between Steven and Gianna right now.

Unlike Adrian's unanswered attempts, Wendy's call was picked up almost instantly the moment it rang.

It happened so quickly that it was clear the phone had already been in Steven's hand.

That realization made something obvious to Adrian. Steven hadn't been unreachable earlier—he had simply chosen not to answer his father's calls.

The implication landed like a silent slap across Adrian's face, especially with Wendy standing nearby. His expression darkened immediately.