She waved Kevin over, "Come, have a seat."
Kevin walked over and sat down beside her.
"My daughter is a poor girl. We were warned multiple times not to reveal these things. But my husband and I are getting old, and she deserves someone who will truly care for her."
Giselle shook her head. As Ofelia's mother, even though she was her adoptive mother, she had raised Ofelia with all her heart.
Her love for Ofelia surpassed everything.
Knowing that she couldn't let Ofelia lose a good man just to treat her husband's illness, even if it meant the truth would come out and they might be kicked out of the hospital by the Griffins Family, she had to speak up.
"Look, isn't this girl in the photo beautiful and adorable?" Giselle pointed to the person in the photo, a gentle smile on her lips. "She's my daughter, Ofelia."
"Ofelia? Isn't this... isn't this Flynn's daughter, Odelia?"
In high society, few people wouldn't know the 'talented and beautiful' first beauty, Odelia.
"Yes, they look exactly alike. Actually, Ofelia isn't my biological daughter. She was a child we took in many years ago. Her biological parents are Flynn and Dulcie, and she and Odelia are identical twins."
"Identical twins?"
The news was so sudden that Kevin felt an indescribable shock.
The girl in the photo had fair skin and a pure, lovely smile, like a breath of fresh spring air.
But Ofelia, with her dark skin, thick eyebrows, and freckled face, looked worlds apart. He could hardly believe that the woman who had disguised herself so plainly could be so stunningly beautiful. "Isn't she beautiful? My daughter is really beautiful," Giselle couldn't help but praise her daughter, though her face turned somber, and her cloudy eyes filled with pain. "But a few months ago, her father and I were in a car accident and ended up in the hospital. We had no money for treatment and were almost kicked out when her biological parents showed up, saying they could help us get treated for free."
"Really? That sounds like the Griffins Family is quite kind," Kevin replied, knowing that the Griffins Family was well-known in Fortune's City for their charitable work.
"Kind? They agreed to treat us for free, but only if my daughter donated her bone marrow to their son with leukemia and never showed her face, which looks exactly like Odelia's! Otherwise, why would my daughter make herself look so ugly? I'm afraid she won't find a partner looking like that."
Giselle then took Kevin's hand warmly and said, "Kevin, I know you're a good kid. I'm telling you all this because I want you to know that my daughter isn't ugly. Please, don't despise her and treat her well."
"You can see even her name is similar to the Griffins daughter, though we named her Ofelia when we found her not knowing her Twin sister name collides with her too. The Griffins family wanted her to change her name too but I just couldn't stand down and do nothing so we refused".
Kevin's face showed confusion as he tried to process the overwhelming information. Ofelia, who was so unattractive that she had no friends, looked exactly like Odelia? And she was actually Flynn Griffin's biological daughter?
Living in the same Fortune's City, not only did the Griffins Family not bring Ofelia back into their family, but they also forced her to donate bone marrow to their son with leukemia! He even began to suspect that the car accident involving Ofelia's adoptive parents might not have been an accident at all. How could everything be so coincidental?
"The Griffins Family warned us repeatedly not to say anything. If anyone found out, they wouldn't continue treating my husband. But we're old, and we can't let Ofelia's future be ruined just to get treatment. We can't be that selfish."
This was why Giselle was determined to leave the hospital. She wanted to stop the treatment so that Ofelia could leave Fortune's City and be herself, without having to disguise herself as ugly person every day.
"That just shows how awful the Griffins Family is," Kevin said angrily, feeling deeply indignant on behalf of Ofelia.
"Kevin," Giselle looked at him with a serious expression, "It's clear you're not from an ordinary family. Plus, you know so much about the Griffins Family, which suggests you have a certain background yourself."
Giselle knew Ofelia well; that girl was tight-lipped and would never voluntarily talk about the Griffins Family with Kevin. Yet, Kevin not only knew Odelia's name but also Flynn, indicating that his connections and background were far from ordinary.
She continued, "My husband and I are not capable enough, and Ofelia has suffered because of us. But what I fear more is that if one day we're gone, Ofelia will have no one to care for her and will continue to be bullied by the Griffins Family."
Though the future was uncertain, Giselle knew one thing for sure: the Griffins Family was no good.
"Auntie, why do you trust me so much?" Kevin asked as he took the family photo from Giselle's hands and looked closely at Ofelia in the picture, still feeling a mix of shock and surprise.
"I may be old and my eyesight poor, but my heart is as clear as a mirror," Giselle sighed again, looking at Alexander lying in the hospital bed. "Although she is our adopted child, she is kind, honest, filial, and hardworking. She's been through a lot with us. She's a pitiful girl."
"Don't worry, Auntie. I know what to do," Kevin assured her, handing the photo back to Giselle. "Keep this photo safe and don't let anyone else find it."
"Alright, alright," Giselle nodded repeatedly.
She took the photo, walked to the bedside, and tucked it into her bag while saying, "I haven't seen my daughter as she used to be for a long time. I miss her so much that I take it out to look at it from time to time."
Between the lines, Kevin could feel Giselle's deep love for Ofelia.
His complicated heart gradually calmed down, but whenever he thought of Ofelia, it would stir again. Suddenly, an idea sprang into his mind: he wanted to transfer Alexander Velcross and Giselle to another hospital for better treatment, and he would cover all the medical expenses. The Hamilton Family wasn't short on money.
"Auntie, if I cover the treatment costs, does Ofelia still need to disguise herself?"
"What, do you think she looks ugly now?"
"Auntie, what are you saying? I never thought she was ugly before, and I certainly don't think so now. I just think it's tough for a girl to go through all this."
Kevin never considered himself someone who sympathized easily, but for a moment, he felt pity for Ofelia, as if they were both lost souls in a vast world.
"Forget it, forget it," Giselle waved her hand dismissively. "My daughter is strong-willed; she wouldn't agree to it. Besides, the old man is like this now, whether he gets treated or not, what's the difference? I've wanted to leave the hospital for a long time, but that girl won't let me."
They chatted for a while in the hospital room, and then Giselle went to open the door.
Half an hour later, Ofelia rushed in, full of energy. "Mom, I'm sorry, I overslept... Hey, Kevin, when did you get here?"
When she had spoken to Kevin on the phone earlier, he had only said, "Got it," so she thought he would come later.
Knowing Ofelia's background, Kevin felt a mix of emotions when he saw her again, but he just smiled and said, "I just got here, right, Auntie?"
"Ah, yes, yes."
Giselle nodded enthusiastically and then turned to Kevin, "You haven't had breakfast yet, have you? Ofelia, take Kevin to get something to eat."