Chapter 128: A Price Must Be Paid
For Gianna, who could only move one hand, accomplishing once-effortless tasks had become incredibly challenging. On the table were two bottles of mineral water. Gianna picked up one with her one hand, attempting to unscrew the cap with her teeth. However, it was her first time doing something like this, and she was terrible at it. Naturally, the bottle cap failed to unscrew. Not only that, she had also bitten her gums hard enough to draw blood, leaving a metallic taste in her mouth.
The bottle dropped onto the ground with a thud, causing Gianna’s heart to shudder. A sense of helplessness spread throughout her being. She slumped back into her chair, scoffing at herself. “What a joke, isn’t it? The esteemed heiress of the Sherman family can’t even unscrew a bottle cap. If Dad found out, I can’t even imagine how much he’d tease me…”
Recalling the bold words she had spoken to her father before she left, Gianna was so embarrassed she wished the ground would open up and swallow her whole. “Had I known it would turn out this way, I wouldn’t have sought out Raquel. I knew she looked down on me, but why… why did I still walk into the trap without any hesitation?”
Her gaze gradually grew distant. Gianna’s arms folded over each other as she leaned her upper body onto the hospital bed. She blankly stared at Caleb, who was still in a coma. “Caleb, I spoke such embarrassing words at the Quixall residence. I’ve disgraced my family. Do you think I should have been more sensible by voluntarily confessing my mistake to Dad and kicking myself out of the house?”
Suddenly, a bang echoed in her ear. Gianna turned around in shock, only to see a disheveled woman crawling toward her. The latter’s face, half-obscured by tears and loose hair, looked downright terrifying.
“Gia, Gia, please forgive me, forgive me…”
A hand, trembling and smeared with blood, reached out. It was about to brush against the hem of the purple dress. A flash of disgust flickered in Gianna’s eyes as she instinctively recoiled. Raquel grasped at nothing but air and lost her balance completely. Her face met the ground with a heavy thud. She didn’t get up; her cheek pressed against the ground. Tears trickled down from the corners of her eyes, each drop disappearing as they mingled with her long, disheveled hair.
“Earlier, I made a mistake by treating you harshly. Later on, I reflected on what I’ve done. You’re my best… I didn’t appreciate your goodwill. Go ahead, hit me, punish me.”
Using both her hands for support, Raquel hoisted herself up from the ground. “I’m sorry. You can punish me in any way you want. Just don’t ignore me, okay?” Her eyes, half-hidden by strands of hair, were filled with hope, as if she regarded Gianna as her only savior.
Gianna didn’t respond. Instead, she looked toward her father, who was standing at the door. “Dad, what’s going on? Why did she come to the hospital to apologize to me?”
Phillip still had a hint of anger on his face. “That’s exactly what she should do! Anyone who dares to bully my daughter must pay the price!”
As confusion overshadowed joy, Gianna utterly failed to comprehend the situation. What on earth is going on? How did my dad find out that I was bullied by Raquel? Who told him? However, all these questions were answered when she saw the person standing behind Phillip.
Norman wore a serious expression. “Ms. Sherman, I was the one who informed Mr. Sherman. I lied to you before when I said I had something to take care of at home.”