Cynthia smirked, her eyes glinting with malice. "Gianna''s lost her voice, just like your little brat did. Don''t think I don''t know it''s your doing, Anastasia. You''ve got a heart of stone."


    Her voice dripped with venom as she spat out Anastasia''s name, her face twisted with fury. Mentioning Gianna always sent her spiraling. Cynthia despised Anastasia so much that she spent her days stabbing voodoo dolls at home, cursing her with every fiber of her being. When Anastasia threw a big bash for her twins'' first month, Cynthia saw the news and crafted dolls for those babies too, cursing them daily. Herman wasn''t spared from her maledictions either.


    With Herman backing her, Anastasia had a solid support system, living the good life. Cynthia longed for the day the Salstrom family would crumble, hoping something disastrous would happen to Herman, something that would leave no trace of him.


    Anastasia listened to Cynthia''s tirade without feeling an ounce of cruelty herself. Her voice was icy as she replied, "Gianna brought this upon herself. I don''t strike unless struck first. You might choose not to tell me what you know, but Gianna''s not going to have it easy in there. And don''t even think about visiting her. You might just get a call one day, asking you to pick up her body. Suicide from guilt happens all the time in ces like that."


    Her words were meant to intimidate Cynthia, hoping to extract some information.


    "Anastasia, you venomous snake," Cynthia hissed, her eyes zing with hatred. "If anything happens to Gianna, I swear I''lle after you with everything I''ve got. You''ll never find out who that brat''s real father is. Not in this lifetime."


    Cynthia''s refusal to divulge the secret only made Anastasia more suspicious. If Pattie''s biological father was indeed the notorious Mr. Winchester from back then, Cynthia would have surely informed him to snatch the child and expose Anastasia''s past, reveling in her downfall and the chaos it would cause the Salstrom family and her marriage to Herman. Why wouldn''t she?


    Anastasia probed cautiously, "You''re keeping this under wraps because Pattie''s father must be someone significant, someone I know, right? Revealing it would benefit me, so you keep mum." Cynthia''s unease grew as Anastasia''s deductions hit close to the mark.


    Just then, Herman emerged from the restroom. Seeing Anastasia and Cynthia talking outside the McDonald''s, he hurried over, worried Anastasia might be at a disadvantage.


    As soon as Cynthia spotted Herman, she turned on her heel and bolted.


    Anastasia started to follow, but Herman called out, "Anastasia, what''s going on?"


    ncing at Cynthia disappearing into the crowd, Anastasia replied, "Nothing."


    Not wanting to ruin the day they took Pattie out for some fun, she decided against discussing Pattie''s biological father with Herman. He wisely chose not to press the issue.


    After enjoying their McDonald''s meal, the trio headed home. But the words Anastasia had used to scare Cynthia came true that very night.


    Gianna died in prison.


    The prison authorities called to inform Herman, and Anastasia overheard the news.


    Stunned by Gianna''s death, Anastasia was at a loss for words, unsure of what she felt. When Pattie had been hurt, she was furious, ready to exact revenge on Gianna. But now that so much time had passed and Gianna was truly gone, it all seemed surreal, leaving her in a daze.


    Gianna, overwhelmed and unable to cope, sumbed to illness in the harsh prison environment. Her frightening appearance made her a target for bullying, and under the weight of both physical and psychological torment, she became a shadow of her former self. Even though Hermanter retracted his charges against Gianna, the other inmates continued to torment her for amusement in their dreary lives behind bars. Gianna''s once fierce nature was crushed, leaving her to obsessively scrawl Herman''s name on the floors and walls with her own blood. The resulting infection worsened her illness, and by the time anyone noticed, she was already gone.


    Cynthia and Colton were notified the following day.


    The news of Gianna''s death hit them like a ton of bricks. They rushed to the prison, only to be met with her cold, lifeless body. Cynthia felt the world spin around her, and she fainted from the shock.