At that moment, a tall figure strode over and asked in a deep voice.


    Anneliese looked up and saw a man in his forties approaching. He was dressed in a well-tailored suit, his whole presence calm, refined, and unmistakably that of


    someone in a position of power.


    Although time had left its marks on his face, it only added to his maturity. A clearly visible streak of undyed white hair wasbed back at his forehead, signaling that he was no longer young.


    He was obviously very disciplined. His posture was straight and proper, the result of years of regr exercise. He did not have the greasy sheen that middle-aged men often had.


    At this moment, however, the way he looked at Gianna was filled with concern. The slight furrow between his brows carried a sharp, serious edge.


    Gianna immediately reined in the somewhat twisted anger that had been on her face. Her eyes reddened, and she turned her head away.


    "Dad!"


    She looked exactly like someone who had suffered a great injustice and, upon seeing her support arrive, was ready toin.


    She had not even said anything yet, but Anneliese and Nicole both felt a strong wave of malice.


    Anneliese nced at the middle-aged man and quickly exchanged looks with Nicole.


    Nicole was clearly flustered and nervous. The Malone family had ties in military and political circles, and Gianna''s father had entered the business world and be a giant in the logistics industry.


    They were a family with real standing in the capital-far beyond anything the Horowitz family, a second- or third-tier family from Oceaton, could offend.


    She had stepped in to help Anneliese just now, partly out of instinct. After all, there was no way the two of them could just stand by and let Gianna bully Anneliese alone.


    Another reason was that she had just heard Anneliese and Jonathan''s love story. Nicole knew that Anneliese carried herself with confidence as Mrs. Fullbuster.


    There was no need to feel inferior to the Malone family''s young heiress.


    But the head of the Malone family had arrived. Gianna''s father was a major figure in the business world whom even her own father could not hope to have connections with.


    With the Fullbuster family backing her, Anneliese would probably be fine.


    But if she offended Adrian, he could ruin the Horowitz family with a single move.


    Seeing Nicole''s face turn pale, Anneliese gave her a reassuring look and stood up first.


    "What happened here?" Adrian asked, his face darkening slightly as he looked at the messy coffee stains on Gianna''s clothes and her visibly reddened eyes. "How did things end up like this?"


    Gianna hesitated, then pointed at Anneliese.


    "Dad, that is Jonathan''s new wife. We had a bit of an unpleasant exchange just now, and I didn''t expect her to suddenly—"


    She lowered her head and tugged at the front of her stained clothes, stopping mid- sentence as if reluctant to say more.


    Earlier, she had already had a run-in with Anneliese that involved the police, and she hadined to Adrian about it at home.


    Adrian did not have a good impression of Anneliese in the first ce.


    Now that Gianna immediately identified her as Jonathan''s wife, his opinion of Anneliese worsened even further. He naturally assumed that, Anneliese was once again using Jonathan as backing to bully


    Gianna.


    Sure enough, Adrian pulled Gianna closer to his side and fixed Anneliese with a


    dark, scrutinizing gaze.


    He had previously heard that


    Jonathan''s wife had no real


    background and was a divorcee. He had also listened to Gianna and Peppensay a few unttering things about Anneliese, so he had already formed a rough image in his mind.


    Adrian had imagined a stunning but scheming woman in herte twenties or early thirties, smooth and calcting in every interaction.


    Yet, the young woman standing before him now looked as if she might even be


    younger than Gianna. She was undeniably beautiful, clean, and gentle.


    Anneliese stood there calmly and gracefully, not rushing to argue or defend herself. She did not match his assumptions in the slightest.


    Even though he had thoroughly dismissed Anneliese before ever meeting her, looking this young woman now did not stir much dislike at all. Instead...


    "Dad!"


    Gianna''s displeasure was obvious. The father who always spoiled her hadn''t gone after Anneliese at once, and panic suddenly crept in.


    She gently tugged at Adrian''s sleeve pitifully. Only then did Adrian speak, his voice low and heavy.


    "Even if your father-inw, Keh, were standing here, he''d have to show us some respect," he said coldly.


    "Youngdy, marrying into the Fullbuster family doesn''t mean you can do whatever you want. I won''t make things too difficult for you, though. Just apologize to Gianna."


    Seeing Adrian finally take Anneliese to task, Gianna''s expression immediately eased.


    She looked at Anneliese and raised an eyebrow slightly, the mockery and arrogance in her eyes in to see.


    Faced with Adrian''s rebuke,


    Anneliese did feel somewhat


    pressed by the force of his presence


    almost to the point of being short of


    breath, but her expression showed


    no real panic at all.