Chapter 424

“The person lying in that operating room should have been me.”

“That would have made all of you happy.”

“Penelope!” Theodore glared at her, his eyes bloodshot. He couldn’t stand her talking like that, but in truth, he was even more conflicted, more tormented than she was. “Please, just give me some space. Let me be alone, okay?”

Penelope took a step back, then another, and another, the distance between them growing wider.

“Theodore, I never imagined we would end up like this.”

Fate has a cruel sense of humor.

He watched her retreat, and when the distance became unbearable, he turned and went back inside. He was running away, but right now, running was all he could do.

Back at the Johnson family home, Penelope sat on the steps for a long, long time, until Carson returned.

He looked as if he had aged years in a single day, his walk unsteady.

This time, Penelope didn’t go to help him, didn’t urge him to rest.

“I asked you why you chose me, and you said you were sorry,” she said, looking at him.

Carson sighed and sat down beside her.

“And all I can say now is still, I’m sorry.”

“So you knew who I was all along.”

“I wanted to know who opened the back gate, whose hair tie that was. I investigated, and I found you. I also learned about your connection to the Bishop family.”

“I don’t understand. Why would you want me to marry Theodore? Isn’t that absurd?”

“It is absurd. But our family has locked itself in a prison of our own making. Isn’t that even more absurd? To open the lock, I had to find the key. And you are the key.”

“The woman impersonating me is lying in a hospital bed, Mrs. Stapleton tried to kill herself after hitting her, Theodore has fallen in love with me—the person he should hate most-and you want to give me the entire family business. Ha.” Penelope couldn’t help but laugh. Wasn’t it laughable? It was hilarious.

“If everything has to fall apart for us to find our way back to normal, then let it fall apart. The hatred is released vengeance is sought, the one who couldn’t love has loved You would be hurt in the process, I’m giving you everything have as compensation.”

“You’re a cruel man!”

“I know. Not just to you, but to Renata and Theodore as well.”

“Are you proud of yourself?”

“The truth is, I have stomach cancer. I don’t have much time left.”

Penelope was stunned again.

Carson turned and smiled at her. “It’s for the best. I can go be with my daughter.”

They were all mad. It wasn’t just Mrs. Stapleton; Carson was mad, too.

Penelope stood up. All she wanted was to escape this place, to escape the web Carson had so carefully woven for her.

“My offer that if you got pregnant and gave the Johnson family an heir, I would give you all our assets-that no longer stands,” Carson said.

Penelope laughed bitterly. It didn’t matter anymore.

“I will give you all the Johnson family assets, and you don’t need to get pregnant.” Those words made Penelope pause.

“Actually, after Ron examined you, he told me quite clearly. Your body has sustained severe damage. You can’t get pregnant.”

You can’t get pregnant…

Penelope burst out laughing again. So her hope of having a child with Theodore of a happy family of thre had been nothing but a fantasy from the very beginning. fo

“Penelope, I’m sorry. Please forgive my selfishness, but this was the only way I could think of. The Johnson family fortune is the only

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compensation can offer you You’re Smart woman, you know what’s in best interest.”

Penelope turned, a cold smile on her face.

“So it’s still not enough, is it? What else do you want me to do?”