Chapter 1641: I also want to show them… this.

Cassandra pressed her hands on the sink, her head hanging low. Her lips quivered, her stomach twisting, making her sick to her stomach. She looked up, staring at herself in the mirror.

It had only been hours since she was released from prison, but only now could she see the difference in how she appeared before her arrest and now. However, her appearance was the least of her concerns now.

"Get it together, Cassandra," she whispered, almost glaring at herself for burdening Kiara and everyone else. "Get. It. Together."

Yet, even if she wanted to, just a moment of silence was enough to make her spiral.

Perhaps, it would be better if tonight hadn’t transpired.

If she didn’t have to meet Hugo, the Bennets, and Penny, things would’ve been easier to digest. However, she couldn’t.

If anything, meeting them and having Penny surprisingly cover up for her made the knots in her stomach tighten.

While Kiara was in the shower, Cassandra couldn’t help but recall everything. And the more she did, the more she felt embarrassed. She was the embarrassment, not Hugo’s begging to Atlas. She should be ashamed of Hugo for extending his help this much, considering what Cassandra had tried to do to Nina before her arrest.

And now, Nina’s brother—or rather, her family—not only tried to understand her situation, but they were also trying to help her.

She appreciated the help, but at the same time, it made her disgusted with herself.

"Hah..." Cassandra huffed heavily, a tear rolling down her cheek as she looked away from her reflection.

I don’t deserve this.

Yet, what made this all sickening was that even if she knew she didn’t deserve such treatment, she couldn’t refuse.

Why?

Because, at the end of the day, she needed help.

She didn’t want to end up in jail for a crime she didn’t commit or waste all of Kiara’s efforts.

---

Meanwhile, in the guesthouse...

"Oh." Hugo peeked through the door, his mouth parting open as he peeled his gaze away from the person "sleeping" soundlessly on the bed. He shot Penny, who was standing beside the door frame, a look.

"That’s Nina’s mom?"

Penny nodded. "Apparently, she was working for the Millers all this time."

"What?"

"I didn’t know, but that’s what Patricia said. Just so happened she chose to tell when things were falling apart on her end."

"..." Hugo blinked, then blinked some more. "Wow. Patricia... she caught her?"

Technically.

Penny drew a deep breath and then lifted her eyes up at Hugo. "I can’t let Cassandra and Kiara into Prime Group, Second Brother. Even if I understand your reasoning, Cassandra’s case is huge enough to affect anyone. Even I or Prime Group. And the last thing I want is to give whoever’s the puppeteer the opening to drag Prime Group into this mess."

"That’s fair." Hugo nodded, leaning his side against the door frame. "I didn’t think of that when I came here."

"What I can offer is very little protection, but that’s all there is," she continued. "My men already have their hands full. I can’t—"

She paused, her breath catching in her throat.

Sensing her abrupt stop, Hugo raised his brows. He reached out to hold her shoulder, waiting for her to look up before he smiled.

"It’s okay," he said. "If there’s nothing else you can do, then so be it. Don’t feel bad about it just because I asked. First Brother didn’t."

"That’s not it," she said with a sigh. "I’m just worried about something else."

"What something else?"

Penny didn’t answer immediately as she thought of her husband. "Renren left tonight."

"Oh? I thought he was asleep."

"No." She shook her head. "He had seen the case files from that incident."

Deep lines appeared between Hugo’s brows, tilting his head to the side. "What case files?"

"Don’t bother looking into it. My husband’s already pretty pissed about it," she grumbled.

"..." Now that she said not to look, Hugo was more curious to check. However, that was not something he should let his sister know. "So? Where is he now?"

"Out." Penny snapped her eyes up at him. "I don’t know, actually. All I know is he’s out there... probably watching Mark bury some bodies."

"I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that. That’s a crime, and I’ll have to have your husband arrested."

"I know..." Penny pinched the bridge of her nose and briefly massaged her brows. "Anyway, what I’m saying is, Cassandra—"

Bzzt! Bzzt!

She stopped as something vibrated in the quiet night.

Penny raised her brows, searching where the sound came from until her eyes landed on Hugo’s pockets.

"What about her?" Hugo asked, still unbothered by the vibration in his pocket. Only when Penny said, "Shouldn’t you pick that up?" did he finally realize the call was coming from his phone.

"Oh," he nodded as he reached out to fish out his phone. "Bad habit. I usually ignore them."

She knew, or rather, everyone knew, considering how hard it was to reach him when he was out.

As Hugo pulled out his phone, he checked the screen and furrowed his brows.

"What?" she asked, watching him look back at her.

"It’s... it’s First Brother," he replied, showing her the screen. "I wonder what he wants? Did he change his mind?"

Curious why Atlas was calling after Hugo pulled up that pathetic act just an hour ago, he answered the call.

"First Brother, did you change—"

"We’re heading to Penny’s place tonight. Go in there as soon as possible—I mean, now. We need to talk to her and Zoren about something," Atlas remarked without any greetings, then ended the call abruptly.

"Huh?" Hugo scrunched up his nose, pulling his phone away from his ear and gazing at it.

"That’s quick," Penny pointed out. "What does he want?"

Hugo met her eyes and shrugged. "He said they’re on their way here and that he needed me to go there as well. He wants to talk to us about something. I think he also mentioned wanting Zoren in the meeting."

"..." Penny furrowed her brows, tilting her head to the side. "That sounds alarming."

"Uh-huh, it does sound urgent," he nodded. "First Brother doesn’t go out of his way at this hour if it’s not important."

The two of them locked eyes with each other again. Nothing was said as Penny shot the room on their side, another look.

"I guess it’s much better to have them come over," she muttered. "I also want to show them... this."