The two of them were only using each other, devoid of any real affection, so the accusation was all it took to set them off.
Penelope took a step back, folded her arms, and watched the show.
Mr. Sullivan slapped Mrs. Sullivan. Mrs. Sullivan sank her teeth into his arm.
Zebulon called Rebecca a manipulative schemer. Rebecca sobbed about how heartless he was.
For a moment, the family was at each other’s throats.
After a brief but vicious skirmish, they seemed to realize that, true or not, they needed to present a united front to get what they wanted.
Mr. Sullivan took a deep breath. “Even if what you said is true, so what? Our family stands together, and our interests are aligned!”
Penelope clapped slowly. “Impressive, Mr. Sullivan. Such bravado, despite the dozens of times your wife has made a fool of you.”
Dozens of times? Ward flinched, then gritted his teeth. “Enough of your nonsense. I’ll say it one last time: if you don’t want your life ruined, you will agree to our terms!”
“That’s right! You have to!”
“And I want my hundred million! Not a penny less!”
As the family shakily regrouped, Penelope scoffed. “Keep dreaming.”
She turned and walked away.
“Penelope, in ten days, I expect to see that Zenith Group contract on my desk,” Ward yelled after her. “Or you can expect to be thrown out of the Stapleton family!”
Before she even reached the door, she could hear the Sullivans starting to fight again. Who said her provocations were useless? They had tried to make her miserable, and now she was returning the favor.
Having vented some of her anger, she decided to put the Sullivans aside for now and focus on Chasel. The moment she got in her car, her phone rang. It was Una. Mr. Anderson had collapsed at home and was now at the hospital.
Penelope’s heart sank. She spun the car around and raced toward the hospital.
Penelope drove them home. She wanted to offer some words of comfort, to tell him not to worry, but he took her hand and patted it gently.
“I won’t ask questions since I can’t help much, but if things get to be too much to handle, you have to tell me. At the very least, I can stand in front of you.”
Penelope hugged him tightly. “I know, Dad. I won’t try to do it all myself.”
After dropping them off, Penelope was about to go find Chasel when an unfamiliar number called her.
“Are you Warner Lancaster’s granddaughter?”
Warner was Lucien’s father.
“What is it?”
“You’d better get over here. Your grandparents are at my restaurant, eating scraps from other people’s plates. It’s just pitiful!”

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