Chapter 140
Crystal had just slathered on a thick layer of foundation, desperately trying to hide the red handprint on her cheek. But the moment she heard Anastasia’s name, her expression darkened. “What about Anastasia?” she snapped.
Did that little tramp finally kick the bucket?
Their voices were anything but quiet, and with Penelope looking pale and flustered, it wasn’t long before the surrounding guests began to stare.
Suddenly realizing she was attracting attention, Penelope slapped a hand over
her mouth, panic flashing across her face.
Crystal’s eyes narrowed, picking up on something, and she felt a rush of excitement.
“What happened to Anastasia?!” she demanded, louder this time.
Penelope looked even more rattled. Her eyes darted around the crowd, as if she desperately wanted to bury the truth. “N-nothing, really, she’s fine
“What’s going on here?” The question was delivered in a deep, commanding voice that cut through the buzz of conversation.
All eyes turned to the birthday honoree himself—Mr. Archer, patriarch of the Archer family.
He wasn’t alone. A whole entourage swept in behind him, but all attention was drawn to the man at the very center: tall, broad-shouldered, dressed in an impeccably tailored suit that accentuated his imposing stature. His features were striking and chiseled, giving him an almost mythic handsomeness. The air around him seemed to crackle with authority, and the tension in the room ratcheted up the moment he appeared-no one dared meet his gaze for long.
What truly shocked everyone, though, was the way Mr. Archer himself addressed this man: with the utmost respect and deference, almost as if he feared him. Who is that
Crystal found herself staring, utterly transfixed. In her twenty years, she’d never laid eyes on anyone so devastatingly attractive, so magnetic. Everything about him radiated a raw masculine power.
Her cheeks flushed, and a wave of resentment toward Anastasia washed over her. That little tramp! She actually dared to hit me my face is still swollen, I probably look terrible right now…
“Crystal?”
Mr. Archer had to call her name twice, his displeasure obvious before Crystal snapped out of her daze.
She blinked, then deliberately raised her voice. “We were just talking about Anastasia! Something’s happened to her, but Penelope won’t say what. Penelope, tell them!”
Say it! If Anastasia’s done something disgraceful, now’s the perfect time to let everyone know and watch her go down in flames. Ná´‡w novel chapters are publɪshed on
Penelope, still caught up in her infatuation with Harrison, snapped back to reality at Crystal’s prompting. She snuck a nervous glance at Harrison before whispering, “Anastasia, she
“What about her?” Harrison’s voice was deep and cool, betraying nothing.
Penelope bit her lip, looking tortured. After a moment’s hesitation, she seemed to steel herself.
“Anastasia… she went into a room with a man. They were… doing that sort of thing.”
For a heartbeat, the entire room froze.
“Oh?” Harrison’s gaze lifted, unreadable, but the sudden weight in the air made everyone’s chest tighten.
“Penelope, that’s enough! Do you think this is something to joke about?” Gabriel was the first to react, shooting Harrison a nervous glance before glaring at his daughter.
Penelope’s eyes shimmered with tears as she protested, “Dad, I’m not lying! It’s the truth
“Penelope isn’t making this up!” Another voice rang out-it was Mrs. Archer, stepping forward despite the mounting pressure. She darted a fearful glance at Harrison.
“Mr. Lancaster, if I may be honest-we’ve suspected something about Anastasia for some time now. That’s why we invited you here today. We didn’t want you to be deceived by her any longer!”
Mr. Archer felt his heart plummet. He almost couldn’t breathe.
So that’s why Harrison Lancaster suddenly decided to grace their family with his presence? Even though he’d sent a handwritten invitation, there was no way a man of his stature would bother with the Archer family-unless there was more going on.
So his daughter-in-law had been playing games behind his back.
With all his years of experience, how could he not see through this? To exploit Harrison Lancaster for her own gain-was she tired of living, or did she want to drag the entire Archer family down with her?