Chapter 30

Allison was shaking violently, engulfed in a tidal wave of humiliation.

She bit her lip hard, and her fists balled up light. Unable to bear any more of the disgrace, she skedaddled from the office in a hurry.

Who knew how long it took before she found a tree to lean on, her tears finally breaking free.

She and this man were from different worlds.

She was indeed from the wrong side of the tracks; she never deluded herself about that.

But she was genuinely drawn to his tenderness. It turned out that he was a real jerk to everyone else but Penelope.

Back in the office, Lucian rubbed his tired forehead. He had regained his composure, with no sign of the earlier meltdown on his handsome face.

Then a strange ringtone went off. He looked down to see a phone on the carpet.

He picked it up and saw ‘Daisy‘ displayed on the screen.

It was Allison’s phone, a 4–year–old model that was seriously outdated. It lacked the features of modern phones, but she was thrifty, and the paint on the edges had already worn off.

There was also a handmade charm hanging from the phone.

Lucian’s breath hitched, his slender fingers gently caressing the charm that had appeared in his dreams countless times.

How did Allison get this?

Fifteen years ago, he was in Brookhaven when an earthquake struck.

He was trapped under rubble when, at his most desperate, a girl in a light yellow dress with this charm appeared and told him not to sleep.

When he woke up, he was in a makeshift hospital.

He didn’t remember the girl’s face, but her childish voice had stayed with him.

“Don’t sleep.”

His fingers gently brushed the worn edges of the phone and his eyes never left the aged charm.

After a few minutes, he dialed Shawn, “Help me look up a woman named Allison.”

“Allison?” Shawn was puzzled, “The maid hired by the Flanagans?”

“Yeah.”

At the Flanagans‘ mansion.

Just Leah Flanagan–Eaden and Margo were in the study. Margo was her maid, who had been managing the household since Grace fell ill. Margo was utterly loyal to Leah Flanagan–Eaden.

“Ma’am, don’t worry, I spent big bucks to alter Allison’s background; there won’t be any hiccups. As for Miss’s photos, I also paid top dollar to bury them.”

Leah Flanagan–Eaden nodded, looking at the pile of photos on the desk as she massaged her temples.

Her daughter never gave her a moment’s peace.

These photos were of Penelope’s wild escapades under the glitzy lights. In the blurry atmosphere, young men and women were indulging their unchecked desires. If these photos were to go public, not only would Penelope’s reputation be tarnished, but the Flanagans‘ name would take a serious hit.

As the daughter of a wealthy family, she had no regard for her personal life.

What a disgrace!