Chapter 345

Whispers rippled through the crowd, everyone murmuring behind cupped hands. The fake housekeeper, however, remained oblivious, assuming they were all just stunned that Anastasia had supposedly become someone’s kept woman.
Only Shirley stood frozen, her brow slick with cold sweat. She wanted to slip past the crowd and warn the housekeeper, but the moment she moved, she locked eyes with Logan’s cold, warning glare.
Logan’s smile was polished and impenetrable. “Ms. West, my wife is having a conversation right now. I’d suggest you stay out of it,” he said smoothly, blocking
her way.
Shirley’s face went bone white, her legs threatening to buckle. If Logan was stopping her, then this could only be on Mr. Harrison Lancaster’s orders. And did he just say “wife”? Anastasia had really married Harrison?
Panic clawed at her chest. If Harrison found out everything that happened today was orchestrated by her…
Anastasia glanced at Shirley’s ashen face, then pivoted back to the fake housekeeper, guiding the conversation, “So, you’re telling me that the man who carried me away at the Founders’ Day was your madam’s husband? And that you’re here today because she sent you?”
The fake housekeeper, thinking Anastasia was trying to deny it, puffed up indignantly. “That’s right! My madam said she’d make sure you wouldn’t last a day in Fairhaven!”
She raised her hand, about to give the order to have Anastasia dragged away, but Anastasia interrupted, her tone almost gentle.
“Before you do that, maybe you should check the video from Founders’ Day- refresh your memory about what your madam’s husband actually looks like?”
Juliet, picking up on the cue, dashed forward, phone in hand.
Puzzled, the housekeeper peered down at Juliet’s phone. The moment she saw the video, her whole body went rigid.
She stared, wide-eyed, at the striking man on the screen-then snapped her gaze up to the icy, imposing figure now standing protectively at Anastasia’s side. Her mind short-circuited.
How could this be? Wasn’t Anastasia supposed to be too afraid to bring her “patron” here?
“Well?” Anastasia’s lips curled into a half-smile. “Do you recognize him now? Some housekeeper you are not even knowing your own madam’s husband?”
A cold sweat broke out on the woman’s forehead. She remembered Shirley’s promise of a fat reward if she succeeded but if this went south, that payday would vanish into thin air.
Thinking quickly, she turned to Harrison. “Sir, I’m new, I haven’t met you before, so I didn’t recognize you. I really am here on madam’s orders—she told me herself to teach this shameless student a lesson!”
Anastasia laughed, then turned to Harrison, her tone teasing. “Darling, since when did you get yourself another wife behind my back? How come I’m the last to know?”
Harrison slipped an arm around her waist, his gaze softening ever so slightly. Even knowing she was joking, his voice was quiet but firm. “You’re the only one.” The fake housekeeper blinked, struggling to process what was happening.
But Harrison’s patience had already run out. He lifted his gaze, his voice turning frosty. “Logan.”
Logan stepped forward, still wearing his courteous smile, but his voice carried. “Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to introduce my employer’s wife—Mr. Harrison Lancaster’s legally wedded bride!”
All eyes followed Logan’s gesture to the girl in Harrison’s possessive embrace: Anastasia.
She leaned into Harrison’s arms, her delicate features framed by a serene, almost otherworldly smile.
The crowd erupted in a stunned uproar.
Even though most had already guessed as much, hearing it confirmed left them reeling.
“Anastasia actually married Mr. Harrison Lancaster?!”
“My god, how is that possible? The Sterling family’s got some standing in Fairhaven, sure, but in Riverton they’re nothing. How could she possibly be a match for Mr. Harrison Lancaster?”
“And there wasn’t even a hint of this before. How did Anastasia keep it so under wraps?”
As the shock faded, a new realization dawned on everyone.
“Wait, then what’s with this housekeeper?”
All at once, every gaze zeroed in on the fake housekeeper.
What could be more absurd than this circus-a so-called housekeeper claiming to represent the real wife, all while standing in front of the actual couple?
The woman’s mind had gone completely blank. Nothing was going according to plan. Wasn’t this man supposed to be Anastasia’s patron? How had he become her husband? And wasn’t Anastasia supposed to be a kept mistress-when did she become the legitimate wife?
Before she could do anything, two burly men in black suits strode forward and seized her, twisting her arms behind her back and nearly forcing her to the ground.
The Rosewood Manor security team made regular bodyguards look like mall cops their grip was merciless, and the fake housekeeper screamed in pain.
Harrison’s eyes were glacial as he gave a single, chilling order. “Find out everything. Then get rid of her.”
Just a few words, but the threat in his voice was unmistakable. Terror seized the woman as she blurted, “I’m innocent! Ms. West and Helen paid me, I’m just following their orders! Please, have mercy!” For more chapters visıt
She pointed straight to Shirley and Helen in the crowd.
Instantly, every head turned-stunned and disbelieving-to stare at Shirley and Helen.
Helen felt her mind go numb, stumbling backward, her face drained of color.
How could this be? How could Anastasia’s “patron”-no, her husband-be the one and only Harrison Lancaster?
How could Anastasia be Mr. Harrison Lancaster’s wife? Wasn’t she just a kept mistress?
Under the weight of so many eyes, and caught in Anastasia’s cold, steady gaze, Helen nearly collapsed on the spot.
Shirley looked equally stricken, wilting under Harrison’s chilling presence. She knew, without a doubt, she was in serious trouble.