Chapter 592

Penelope shook her head, trying to clear it. It was a miracle she could still think coherently enough to argue with him. But after all that talk, it was all for nothing. Frustrated, she shoved a full bottle of liquor at Hamilton, challenging him to chug it with her.
Just then, Maria arrived. Seeing Hamilton in a drinking contest with Penelope, she rushed over to Michael to ask what was happening.
After Michael’s brief explanation, Maria ran to Hamilton’s side.
“Hamilton, let’s not drink with her anymore. It’s bad for your health! As for Natalie, as long as she stays out of our lives and out of the entertainment industry, we won’t give her any trouble!”
“Do you own the entertainment industry? Why should she leave just because you say so?” Penelope yelled at Maria.
Maria glared back. “You’re only acting this way because you’re Mr. Stapleton’s ex- wife. Otherwise, would you even be standing here, making deals with Hamilton? Do you think you’re worthy?”
“You’d better shut up. I’m drunk enough that if I slap you a few times, it’ll be your own damn fault for running your mouth!”
Penelope brandished a fist at Maria, then grabbed another bottle and started chugging.
Naturally, Hamilton wouldn’t back down. He started drinking heavily too.
After one gulp, Penelope realized something was wrong. There was no taste of alcohol at all. It was just plain water. She paused for a second, glancing at Lydia nearby.
Lydia averted her eyes, a clear sign of guilt.
Penelope was more than happy to accept this act of kindness, but she knew she had to play her part. After drinking half the bottle, she pretended to stumble. After another gulp, she feigned nausea, but gritted her teeth and kept drinking, forcing it down.
Her performance was so convincing that Michael and Simon couldn’t help but applaud.
“Penelope is amazing!”
“That woman has guts!”
To avoid being discovered, Penelope finished the entire bottle of water, not leaving a single drop. Then, with a dramatic flair, she smashed the bottle on the ground, destroying the evidence.
Lydia gave her a thumbs-up. “Ma’am, you have an incredible capacity!”
Penelope coughed. “That was nothing. I can drink two more!”
It was just water, after all. The only issue was feeling a bit full.
Hamilton, who was already struggling, saw Penelope finish a whole bottle without
collapsing or slurring her words. He started to lose his nerve.
He managed to get halfway through his bottle before he finally couldn’t hold it in and sprayed it all out.
“You lose!” Penelope exclaimed excitedly.
Hamilton’s body went limp, and he
slumped into his chair. His mind
was a complete fog unable to process anything, so he didn’t notice the deception.
“I… I lose.”
“Then you’re not allowed to give Natalie any more trouble!”
“Are you thinking of backing out?”
Hamilton took a deep breath. “Fine. I lost fair and square. From now on
“Penelope, you and Natalie are two of a kind. No wonder you’re friends!” Maria suddenly cut Hamilton off, shouting at Penelope.
Penelope’s face darkened. “What do you mean by that?”
“Natalie cheated and got pregnant with another man’s bastard. And you, you insisted on divorcing Mr. Stapleton. You probably found a new lover too didn’t you? Maybe the children you had weren’t even his…
“I’ll rip that mouth of yours off!”
Penelope lunged at Maria, but she had drunk a lot, and her legs were unsteady. She missed Maria and ended up falling.
This only made Maria more smug
“Mr. Stapleton should get a paternity test for those two sons of yours.
Maybe he’ll find out the children. aren’t his… Ah!”
Before Maria could finish, she was kicked hard in the side and sent sprawling to the ground.
She looked back in shock to see Theodore staring down at her, his face a thunderous mask.
“Mr. Stapleton, I just think Penelope is a person of poor character, perhaps
Theodore’s gaze was glacial. “Say one more word, and I will kill you.”