Chapter 68
Chapter 68
Genevieve was a little surprised and called out, “Lauraine?”
“Gen, I heard this woman cursing at you when I was downstairs, and then I caught her sneaking up here. Fortunately, I arrived in time. Looks like my hunch was right; she truly wanted to hurt you!” Lauraine Hoffman explained.
Lauraine was Anthony’s younger sister, the daughter of the Hoffman family, and the person who received Genevieve’s bone marrow donation.
Lauraine had been rehabilitating abroad all those years, and Genevieve did not anticipate her return home country.
They did not have much interaction back then, so Genevieve had a vague impression of Lauraine.
Observing Rosalie was about to get up from the ground, Lauraine quickly rushed over to sit on her and gave her a fierce slap in the face.
“I’ll beat you to death for bullying Gen!” Lauraine shouted.
No matter how hard Rosalie tried to break free, she could not. She was so angry that she was soon tangled in a brawl with Lauraine. Both women tugged at each other’s hair, neither were willing to give in.
“Where did you come from? Do you know who I am? I’m Anthony’s fiancée! Rosalie argued.
Upon hearing this, Lauraine laughed in exasperation and hit Rosalie even harder.
“Bullshit! My sister-in–law is Gen. She is standing right in front of me. How dare you pretend to be my brother’s fiancée? There’s no way he’d marry you, Lauraine retorted.
Rosalie’s arm was wrapped in gauze, which was obviously hurt by burns, so her movements were not as agile as Lauraine’s. She was at a disadvantage, and her expression was filled with anger.
Her injuries were more severe than Genevieve could have imagined.
Before Genevieve could react, someone by the door shouted coldly, “Both of you, enough!”
Anthony approached with a fierce stride, his gaze icy as he surveyed the two women sprawled on the ground. His attention then shifted to Genevieve, who stood by with an air of detached indifference. He inquired, “What exactly happened here?”
Genevieve offered a slight, cool smile, embodying a blend of aloofness and indifference.
As she was about to respond, Lauraine scrambled to her feet and hurled herself into Anthony’s embrace, her voice tinged. with distress.
“Tony,
this woman bullied me. She attacked and berated me. Look at how much of my hair she’s pulled out. It’s so painful… Lauraine lamented her ordeal..
Rosalie, tears brimming in her eyes, was caught off guard as Lauraine swiftly played the role of the victim, beating her to Anthony’s side. Her eyes twitched ever so slightly.
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Observing that Anthony did not rebuff Lauraine, Rosalie composed herself, restraining her tears and adopting a feigned
smile.
“Oh, Anthony’s your brother? You must be Louraine then. I’ve heard about you. This is all a misunderstanding,” Rosalie hastily claimed.
Lauraine looked back at her angrily and retorted, “Misunderstanding? I found you trying to harm Gen, and when I intervened, you furiously attacked me because your little scheme failed. Tony, she claims to be your fiancée. How ludicrous! When did you have two wives?”
Anthony’s expression darkened as he turned his gaze to Rosalle, who quickly protested, “That’s not true. Lauraine has misunderstood.”
Anthony’s attention then fell upon Genevieve, who seemed like a mere spectator, disengaged from the fracas, which irked
him.
“What’s your take on this?” Anthony demanded abruptly.
Genevieve, momentarily caught off guard, replied with a faint smile, “It really depends on whom you choose to believe. If I support Louraine’s claim that she’s telling the truth, would you trust my word? You’ve always had a tendency to believe Rosalie without question.”
She mused, ‘It’s absurd. If he really believed me, why did he show no concern before? It’s clear he picks whom to trust, favoring Rosalie over others. Now, faced with a conflict involving his own sister and Rosalie, it’s bewildering that he’s still wavering.
Lauraine eyed them suspiciously, then immediately grabbed Anthony’s arm.
“Tony, don’t you believe me? Just look at what that woman is holding. She intended to attack Gen from behind. Can you honestly associate yourself with such a malicious person?” she implored.
In her heart, Lauraine was resolute in supporting Genevieve, grateful for her bone marrow donation.
Lauraine scolded inwardly, ‘Who does this Rosalie think she is?
Anthony’s lips tightened, his gaze intensifying as he observed the object in Rosalie’s possession. His eyes narrowed sharply.
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Rosalie, sensing the scrutiny, quickly concealed the extra bandage, feigning innocence. “I didn’t do anything. I merely wanted to confront Ms. Lawrence about her actions and why she refuses to own up to them,” she said, turning resentfully toward Genevieve.
Genevieve lowered her head, a chuckle escaping her lips. Following this, she casually strolled toward Rosalle.
With Anthony present, Rosalie felt emboldened and faked a few sobs.
However, in a swift movement, Genevieve grabbed the gauze from Rosalie and deftly wrapped it around her neck.
Caught off guard, Rosalie stumbled backward, landing painfully on the ground, her face draining of color.
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Genevieve continued to tighten the gauze around Rosalie’s neck, causing her complexion to pale even further.
Lauraine, witnessing the scene, was taken aback by the sudden turn of events.
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Anthony’s expression was a complex mix of disapproval and restraint as he watched Genevieve’s actions, his forehead creased into a frown, his icy gaze fixed on her. He held back from intervening, his self–control evident in the tautness of his forearms and the prominent veins.
Genevieve maintained her grip until Rosalie was visibly struggling for breath.
Finally, Rosalie collapsed to the ground, clutching her neck and gasping for air, her eyes brimming with tears.
Genevieve nonchalantly brushed off her hands, her demeanor calm yet infused with an undercurrent of cold indifference. “I confess to this instance,” she stated plainly. “But regarding other accusations, I have no idea. Rosalie, did you really think you could manipulate me at your will? You need to recognize your place and the number of enemies you’ve made. You’re nothing but a despised adversary to many. It’s unfortunate you weren’t consumed by the fire.”
With a light chuckle, she tossed the gauze onto Rosalie’s face dismissively, akin to discarding trash, and then sauntered away with ease.
Anthony’s gaze followed her, dark and penetrating, as he left the women behind to follow Genevieve.
Rosalie, still reeling from the confrontation, attempted to pursue them but was halted by Lauraine.
“Why the rush? You attacked me just now. We haven’t settled that score yet!” Lauraine asserted.
Rosalie, concealing her frustration, responded with a forced smile, “I wasn’t aware you were Lauraine. Back when I dated your brother, you were still battling your illness. Had it not been for Genevieve’s ultimatum of marriage in exchange for a bone marrow donation, we might have been family by now.”
Lauraine, unimpressed and arms crossed, retorted dismissively, “Don’t bother with that pretense. I’m not fooled. You might deceive someone as oblivious as Tony, but I see right through you. You’re nothing but a scheming, pretentious vixen. We’re both women; do you really think I’d fall for such nonsense?”
Rosalie’s face stiffened, and she could no longer maintain her fake smile.
Lauraine then turned around and left.
Meanwhile, Anthony, having caught up with Genevieve, regarded her with an inscrutable gaze.
Genevieve, meeting his eyes coolly, asked, “Is there something else? What, have you come to interrogate me again?”
Anthony, recalling the earlier incident in the ward, silently reached for her hands. Pursing his lips, he tenderly caressed her reddened palms, his profile marked by a sharp jawline and a hint of frostiness.
Genevieve attempted to pull away, but Anthony held fast, refusing to release her.
“I know you despise her, Genevieve. But don’t harm yourself in the process,” he cautioned, his voice deep and gravelly, his gaze steady and seemingly perceptive, yet he offered no further words.
Caught off guard, Genevieve withdrew her hand with a cold detachment and responded, “She started it, so don’t blame me for being rude.”
Having said that, she began to walk away. However, a sudden thought made her pause. She turned back to Anthony and inquired, “I have proof that she bribed a server to start the fire. Are you interested?”
Anthony’s expression hardened as he pondered her offer. “Yes. State your terms,” he agreed with a frown.