Chapter 429
The art exhibition was held at the Orenth Central Art Gallery. When Penelope
arrived with Timothy, she spotted Jack standing guard at the entrance, scrutinizing every young woman who walked in.
“He’s looking for me,” Penelope said.
The day Louis had tied him up in the warehouse, he had already been beaten before she arrived. His eyes were so swollen he could barely see, and the dim lighting in the warehouse had prevented him from getting a clear look at her face.
If he had seen her clearly then, Judy would have known much sooner that she was Edith’s daughter.
“I’ll go in first,” Penelope said to Timothy.
Timothy nodded. “I’ll go pick someone up.”
They parted ways as planned, and Penelope walked toward the gallery entrance. Just as she approached, Jack’s eyes lit up and he stepped in her path to block her.
“Hold on a minute.”
He stopped her, his eyes wide as he studied her closely.
Penelope stood calmly, letting him look her over.
Just then, Judy emerged from inside. Her brow furrowed when she saw Penelope.
“What are you doing here?”
Penelope found it amusing. “To see the art exhibition, of course.”
The moment he heard her voice, Jack’s expression solidified.
“It’s her! It’s definitely her!”
Judy’s pupils constricted. “Are you… are you sure?”
“At the warehouse that day, I didn’t get a good look at her face, but I heard her voice! Yes, it has to be her!”
Judy looked at Penelope again, her eyes a mixture of shock, anger, and an unconcealable trace of fear.
It was her. It was her all along.
No wonder she always stood up for Edith. No wonder she’d been working against them. No wonder she could get Louis involved and no wonder even Judy couldn’t shuts down her account…
Suddenly, everything made sense.
Her name was Penelope Laurier. Judy should have figured it out sooner but Edith bringing that other gift to see her before she died had misled her completely, turning her from the hunter into the hunted.
She had been taking hits passively, and when she tried to fight back, she’d been targeting the wrong person.
Edith! Even on your deathbed, you managed to trick me one last time!
A slight smile played on Penelope’s lips as she started to walk past the seething Judy.
But Jack grabbed her arm, baring his teeth. “You’re not going anywhere today! Come with me. I’ve got a score to settle with you for having me beaten up. I’ll show you… Ouch!”
Before Jack could finish his threat, Penelope sent him staggering back with a swift kick.
She was wearing heels, and the kick
was powerful, making Jack cry out in pain He immediately tried to
counter with a punch, but shee dodged it cleanly before landing another kick in the exact same spot.
This time, Jack didn’t just yell; he dropped to his knees.
“You… you actually know how to fight? You just wait, I’m going to get my guys…”
“Jack, what the hell are you doing? This is… this is Mrs. Stapleton!” Judy shouted, having regained some of her composure.
“Didn’t we agree? As soon as this woman shows up, we grab her and make sure she doesn’t see Donald,” Jack said, confused.
“I said she is Mrs. Stapleton!” Judy repeated through gritted teeth.
The idiot had just blurted out their entire plan.
“I don’t care whose wife she is, I… Wait, whose wife did you say?”
Judy took a deep breath. “Theodore’s!”
“Theodore, as in the president of the Zenith Group?”
“Who else?”
Jack was stunned. He never imagined that the woman in front of him was Theodore’s wife. Recalling what he’d just done, his face turned pale.