Chapter 142

A sudden sense of dread crept into Penelope’s heart. Her face went pale, and for
a moment, she couldn’t bring herself to open the door.
Anastasia arched an eyebrow, a smirk playing on her lips. “What’s wrong,
Penelope? Too scared? Here-let me help you!”
Before Penelope could react, Anastasia stepped forward and, with a flourish of enthusiasm, shoved the door open.
In the next instant, the scene inside the room was laid bare for all to see-
“Oh my God! Nora
“Hugh?!”
“What-how could they
The stunned voices rang out. Penelope and Mrs. Archer stood frozen in shock. The source of thɪs content is.net
Gabriel, who had been lingering near the back, heard Nora’s name and immediately pushed his way forward. The moment he saw what was happening, he staggered, then his whole body tensed with rage.
He stormed into the room.
“Nora! You wretched woman! How dare you betray me?!”
Mrs. Archer, only just registering what was happening, let out a piercing shriek. “Hugh!!”
She hurried in right after Gabriel.
“Slut!” Gabriel seized Nora by the arm and slapped her across the face.
Mrs. Archer lunged at her husband in a fit of fury.
Crystal, after a brief moment of disbelief, suddenly turned and slapped Penelope hard across the face.
“Penelope! I treated you like a sister, and now your mother goes and does something this shameless?!”
All at once, the room and hallway erupted into chaos-screams, sobbing, shouting, accusations, desperate explanations.
Anastasia was watching the spectacle with great interest when, out of nowhere, everything went dark-a large hand covered her eyes.
Babe?” She reached up, trying to pry the hand away, but it wouldn’t budge.
“No more watching,” Harrison’s voice was low and stern, his expression thunderous.
Why not?” she whispered.
Why not? Harrison shot a glance at the indecent scene in the room and growled, “You shouldn’t be looking at things like that.”
Anastasia blinked. Seriously? She’d seen way more scandalous things before.
But on second thought, maybe now wasn’t the time to challenge her husband.
If she couldn’t see, she could still hear, right?
Inside the room, Nora was sobbing and desperately trying to explain herself to Gabriel, insisting she’d been drugged.
Gabriel’s suspicious gaze immediately turned to Anastasia.
Penelope, her cheeks burning with the marks of Crystal’s slap, stepped forward and draped a coat over her mother’s shoulders. Tears prickled in her eyes as she snapped, “Anastasia! Was this your doing?!”
Anastasia, still nestled obediently in Harrison’s arms with his hand shielding her eyes, replied coolly, “What does this have to do with me?”
“How could it not? My mother called you here to talk-she said you’d meet in this room. So why were you next door?”
“I must’ve gone to the wrong room,” Anastasia scoffed. “And thank goodness I did -otherwise I’d be the one drugged right now! And since we’re asking questions, maybe Mrs. Sinclair should explain how this even happened. Don’t tell me you booked the room and have no idea what went on inside!”
People weren’t stupid. Immediately, all eyes turned suspiciously to Nora.
Of course-Nora arranged the meeting and now claimed she knew nothing? Who would believe that?
What was her plan? If Anastasia had come in, what would’ve happened to her? Nora’s hands clenched so tightly her nails dug into her palms.
Penelope realized she’d let her emotions get the best of her, handing Anastasia the perfect opening. She fell silent.
“I really don’t know what happened Nora played the victim flawlessly. With no way to explain herself, her face went ghostly pale and tears streamed down her cheeks. “Gabriel, you have to believe me. I was waiting here for Anastasia, I just had a glass of wine, and then-I don’t remember anything after that