Chapter 365

At last, Harrison’s tense expression eased.
Anastasia took his hand, ready to lead him upstairs-when suddenly—
“Mr. Lancaster, ma’am, the Sterlings are here. They say they’ve come to apologize to you!”
The Sterlings? Apologize?
Anastasia arched an eyebrow in surprise.
Outside.
“I won’t! I don’t want to apologize to Anastasia!” Penelope’s face was streaked
with tears as she struggled against her father’s grip.
Kneel and apologize to Anastasia? No way. She would never do it!
“Are you trying to destroy this family?” Gabriel’s rage boiled over. Out of nowhere,
he slapped her, hard, the sound echoing in the foyer.
Penelope screamed, stumbling to the floor.
“Penelope!” Nora rushed to her daughter’s side, pulling her into her arms. She saw Gabriel raising his hand again and threw herself between them, weeping. “She’s your daughter! How could you hit her like that?”
“Daughter?” Gabriel was practically shaking with fury, his breathing ragged. “I’d rather not have a daughter who brings this much shame!”
Penelope’s head was still ringing from the blow. She pressed her palm to her burning cheek, her face ghostly pale as she heard her father’s words of disgust.
Nora, terrified by Gabriel’s outburst, sobbed so hard she could barely speak. “Penelope hasn’t done anything truly wrong. You forced her to come apologize- she’s already miserable enough! How could you hit her so hard
“You’re still defending her? Wasn’t what happened to the Lancasters enough of a warning?” Gabriel roared. “Aaron crossed Anastasia, and look what happened- one of the most powerful families in the city, gone in a heartbeat! And now, after all that your precious daughter has done, if she refuses to apologize, what do you think Harrison Lancaster will do to us?”
Nora’s face went rigid with terror.
“This is all because of how you raised her! She never learned anything good from you-just how to seduce men!”
“She already tried to steal Ms. Jones’ boyfriend and brought the Jones family’s wrath down on us. I let her off once! Is she incapable of living without a man’s attention? Now she dares go after Ms. West’s fiancé, and even tries to frame Harrison Lancaster’s wife! Does she want to see the Sterling family utterly ruined?”
“The Wests are already coming after us. Harrison Lancaster could make a move against us any minute. And meanwhile, I’m stuck with a daughter who’s become a laughingstock in every social circle, dragging our name through the mud!”
“A slap is letting her off easy! Sometimes I wish I could beat her to death!”
Nora and Penelope both turned ashen.
“Now, this instant—” Gabriel grabbed Penelope by the arm, so hard she thought he might break her bones. “Get in there, kneel, and beg Anastasia for forgiveness! You will not get up until she forgives you!” Orıginal content can be found at ⓝovelFind.net
“If she doesn’t, you can get out. You’re no daughter of mine!” His eyes were cold as ice.
Penelope stared at him, stunned, unable to believe what she was hearing.
Just then, Logan stepped out and glanced coolly at the scene unfolding on the doorstep. “Mr. Lancaster and Mrs. Lancaster are waiting for you inside.”
In a heartbeat, Gabriel smoothed his face into a sycophantic smile, bowing slightly. “Of course, of course.”
Inside the living room.
Anastasia was nestled against Harrison’s side, half curled in his arms. At the sound of footsteps, she looked up to see Penelope-her cheek swollen, her eyes vacant-Nora, her hair disheveled and eyes red from crying; and Gabriel, looking exhausted but fawning.
“Mr. Lancaster, Anastasia!” Gabriel greeted them, bending at the waist, voice bright with false cheer. He shoved Penelope forward, his tone turning cold. “Well? Aren’t you going to apologize to your sister?”