Chapter 217
That little witch-she’s finished this time!
Penelope caught the look on her mother’s face. “Mom, is it about Anastasia
Nora nodded, her voice low and tense. She glanced at her daughter, who had lost weight over the past few days and hadn’t dared to look at her phone. A mix of pain and anger flickered across Nora’s features as she leaned in to whisper what had happened to Anastasia.
A spark of vicious delight lit up Penelope’s eyes-the first light they’d shown in days. The thought of Anastasia being tormented by Mr. Harrison Lancaster, possibly wishing she were dead, filled her with a giddy sense of satisfaction.
While mother and daughter quietly reveled in their triumph, a sudden, violent crash shattered the moment. The front door of the Sterling home flew open, kicked in by force, and a group of intimidating men in black stormed inside.
They were bodyguards, radiating a cold, menacing energy. Without a word, they marched straight for Nora.
“Who are you people? What do you think you’re doing? Do you know whose- mmph!!”
Before Nora could finish, one of the guards shoved something into her mouth, muffling her screams as they dragged her away.
Penelope was frozen for a split second, then panic set in. She chased after them, shouting, “Who are you? Let go of my mother!”
Just then, Gabriel returned home.
Penelope spotted him and clung to hope. “Dad, help! They’re kidnapping Mom!”
Gabriel’s expression darkened. “Who sent you? You’ve got some nerve barging into my house!”
The lead bodyguard barely spared him a glance. He hadn’t planned to explain, but considering Gabriel was, after all, their lady’s father, he said coolly, “We have a few questions for your wife. If you’ve got a problem, take it up with the folks at Rosewood Manor.”
At the mention of Rosewood Manor, Gabriel’s face drained of color.
These men… they were Mr. Harrison Lancaster’s people?
Nora’s terrified, tear-filled eyes pleaded silently with her husband, but Gabriel didn’t dare intervene. Instead, he stepped aside, seething internally-what had she done to anger Mr. Harrison Lancaster? Would this drag the entire Sterling family down with her? He didn’t spare her another glance.
…
Anastasia wasn’t the least bit surprised to see Nora brought before her.
Harrison stood nearby, his chiseled features shadowed with a cold, dangerous air. He absently stroked Anastasia’s hair, his gaze gliding over Nora, who lay bloodied and broken on the floor, looking more like a discarded animal than a person.
“Would you like me to take care of her?” Harrison asked quietly.
Anastasia knew exactly what he meant. When her husband said “take care of,” he didn’t mean a polite dismissal-he meant erasing Nora from existence.
“No… please, no!” Nora managed to lift her head, her face ghostly pale, eyes wide with terror. “Mr. Lancaster, I’m begging you… please, let me go!”
Anastasia said nothing at first, watching Nora’s pitiful state with cold satisfaction. Only after a long moment did she lean into Harrison’s arm, her voice soft and sweet. “It’s alright, darling. I can handle this myself.”
After all, nothing was more satisfying than taking revenge into her own hands. Besides, she still didn’t know the whole truth about her mother’s death-and if Nora really was involved…
Her eyes narrowed as she glanced at the barely conscious woman. When the truth came out, death would be the least of Nora’s worries.
Logan, the ever-dutiful assistant, looked to Harrison. “What should we do with her, sir? Shall we send her back?”
Anastasia rose gracefully, a faint, pretty smile curving her lips. “I’ll do it. After all, she is my stepmother-she used to care for me, in her own way.”
She lowered her gaze, locking eyes with the woman on the floor.
Nora felt a bone-deep chill. Anastasia was smiling, but for the first time, Nora understood-this was no longer the foolish girl she could push around.
Logan glanced at Harrison for confirmation.
Harrison’s eyes softened as he looked at Anastasia. “Go ahead,” he said, granting permission.