Chapter 326

“You promised you’d take responsibility if anything went wrong, but you lied to me!”
Eleanor was screaming. “Monica, you’re the one who said you couldn’t stand seeing Nora around Daniel again! That’s why you decided to kidnap Payne-I even tried to talk you out of it! Now something’s happened and you want to pin it all on me?”
“You-” Monica was so furious she could hardly breathe.
If it hadn’t been for Eleanor, she never would’ve gone near Payne. But now Eleanor was blaming her, and sounding so righteous about it.
At this point, Eleanor could only brazen it out and keep denying everything.
“Monica, do you have any proof?”
Monica’s lips trembled. “Eleanor, I must have been blind to ever trust you.” Hans pulled her aside as she glared daggers at Eleanor. “We’re finished. I never want to see you again.”
She stormed off in a fury.
Eleanor clutched her chest, looking as if she’d just had a terrible fright.
Nora shot her a cold look and walked away.
Whether Monica was lying or not, the police would get to the bottom of it. All that mattered now was that Monica told the truth.
The whole ordeal had left Monica devastated-she looked utterly defeated.
Ms. Cooper couldn’t stand the injustice, but there was nothing she could do. She clenched her fists, staring at Nora. “Nora, you know I was manipulated by her. Please, tell the police to let me go.”
She was so naïve.
Nora didn’t like Eleanor, but she didn’t care for Monica either.
“The police will figure out who’s guilty and who isn’t. But if you don’t have evidence, you’ll take the fall for her.”
She was utterly unsympathetic. All the suffering Una had endured-Nora would see that justice was done.
Monica stared at her in disbelief. “You know it wasn’t me.”
“And you were stupid enough to go along with her. She said ‘jump’ and you jumped.”
Kidnapping a child-she deserved whatever she got.
Nora didn’t want to argue anymore; she just wanted to get back to Payne.
Monica started to panic and turned to Hans. “Hans
Hans reached out and gently touched her hair but said nothing.
Monica bit her lip hard. “You can’t just leave me here. If Dad finds out, he’ll be furious.”
She was terrified Hans would take Nora’s side, so she tried to use their father as leverage.
For a moment, something cold and sharp flickered in Hans’ eyes.
“I warned you to stay away from Eleanor, didn’t I?”
“I Monica couldn’t say another word. Orıginal content can be found at (.)net
…
Nora returned to North Manor.
Louis was there.
Payne was curled up in his father’s lap, wrapped in his coat, fast asleep. After everything he’d been through today, his face was still pale.
Nora tiptoed over. “I’m so sorry he was frightened.”
She had promised to take good care of Payne.
Louis pulled the coat around his son a little tighter. “This wasn’t your fault.”
There’s no way to guard against people who are determined to hurt a child.
Payne stirred at the sound and crawled out from under Louis’s coat, launching himself into Nora’s arms. “Mommy!”
Nora held him close, hugging him tightly. “Mommy’s here.”
Daniel stood a little ways off, watching the scene with a dull ache in his chest.
Every time he saw them together, they looked so much like a real family.
He was jealous-and it hurt.
“Mr. Winters,” he greeted quietly.
Louis rose to his feet. “Thank you for helping us get Payne back.”
Daniel forced himself to set his feelings aside and nodded. “Please, stay for dinner.”
He told the kitchen to start preparing the meal.
Louis was about to reply when Payne’s small voice piped up.
“Mommy, I want to go home.”