Chapter 410

Evelyn felt an involuntary tremor of fear course through her body as she stared into Gwendolyn’s intense gaze.

When Gwendolyn saw her fear, she let out a mocking scoff.

“You shall be sent to the secluded countryside estate tomorrow morning. I’ll arrange for bodyguards to keep a watch on you. The old housekeepers of the Harris family still reside there, and they will monitor your every move as you toil away in the fields,” Gwendolyn announced.

After a short pause, she continued, “Before dusk falls each day, you will endure ten whippings and then kneel in the courtyard. You shall also recite the entire Heagurn Sutra scriptures as a form of punishment for your sins. You can only rest when you have completed the recitation. This will be your daily routine. How does it sound? Quite magnanimous, don’t you think?”

Evelyn’s spine stiffened and her already weakened complexion grew even paler.

The Heagurn Sutra, with its six hundred volumes and over five million words, seemed like an insurmountable task to read from cover to cover. The mere thought of attempting to read it in a single night felt overwhelming.

It was undeniably a cruel punishment.

“You’re so vicious, Gwendolyn,” Evelyn hissed with a bitter expression.

Gwendolyn stared at her and said coldly, “Did you show any mercy when you exploited my sympathy?

You injected me with drugs and attempted to drown me. You even hired multiple assassins to end my life. Weren’t you ruthless too? What about your plans to unleash a biochemical virus against me? Or your manipulation of Eloise to repeatedly harm me? You even instigated Lorelai to push Dad down the stairs! You fabricated my lineage and forced Asher to stand by your side so that you could seize the Harris family’s inheritance. Aren’t you ruthless?”

As their eyes remained locked, Evelyn let out a resigned chuckle. “I’m glad I managed to introduce countless obstacles in your life.”

When the thought of Asher crossed her mind, she couldn’t help but add, “There are many things that Asher is unaware of. I’ll take responsibility for my actions; there’s no need to implicate others.”

Gwendolyn’s expression remained impassive, her eyes still filled with a deep, chilling resolve. “You deserve your punishment, and as for him, I will never forgive him.”

With those final words, she returned to the sofa and took her seat beside Cedrick.

After William pulled Evelyn to her feet, Gwendolyn said, “Lock her in the basement tonight. She shall be sent to the countryside first thing in the morning.”

“Yes, Ms. Harris. Does she need to pack her belongings?” William asked.

“That wouldn’t be necessary. From now on, she won’t need those luxury jewelry, designer bags, or high-end cosmetics.”

With that, Evelyn was escorted away, her body limp and powerless.

Before leaving, she glanced back at Gwendolyn and flashed a sinister smile. “You may have made a grave mistake for sparing my life.”

In the grand hall, her weak laughter reverberated, filling the air with an eerie atmosphere.

However, without the backing of Marcus and Asher, Evelyn had lost all grounds for resistance. The people seated on the sofa remained unmoved, showing little concern for her words.

Kieran remained silent throughout the entire ordeal.

With the situation seemingly resolved, he finally rose from his seat. “Kiddo, I intend to depart from Salinsburgh the day after to attend to matters at Fairlake Hospital. I shall return on the day of your wedding ceremony.”

“Okay,” Gwendolyn replied.

After Kieran left, Treyton followed suit. “Kiddo, Jennifer has been participating in a wilderness survival reality show in the mountains near Quinton Village. I plan to visit her soon. We will return on the day of your wedding ceremony.”

Gwendolyn nodded without saying anything in response.

She understood their desire to temporarily leave the Harris family and seek solace elsewhere to ease their discontent. Given the circumstances at home, Gwendolyn empathized with their feelings.

Since most matters were resolved, she notified Sienna to remind Asher that tomorrow they would be signing the inheritance agreement with Jared, the family lawyer, at the Harris residence.

It seemed unlikely for Gwendolyn to return to Mount Tranquil.

Cedrick swiftly lifted her in his arms and left the Harris residence. They made their way to the waiting car, which transported them back to Harrick Villa.

The following morning, not a single trace of news circulated online regarding the Harris family’s homecoming feast. Even the once-celebrated actress, Evelyn, had vanished overnight. It was as though she disappeared from the public’s eyes.

Concerned netizens and passionate fans, eager for any shred of information, frantically searched the internet. They were disappointed to learn that Evelyn’s Twitter had been deactivated. The digital realm had also been purged of any traces of her existence.

Meanwhile, at Mount Tranquil, the door to the underground cellar creaked open. Evelyn, who had spent the night huddled in a dark corner, was escorted into a car by Ezra and William. They then made their way to the remote countryside.

Henceforth, it would be their duty to keep a watchful eye over Evelyn.

Cedrick had also secretly dispatched two men to keep a close watch on them every day.

They parked the luxurious car on the main road and walked along the rustic path. After crossing a small mountain, they finally reach their destination.

After an arduous hour of walking, Evelyn’s feet were on the verge of collapsing; her body was depleted of fluids and energy. At long last, she arrived at the residence of the retired housekeeper from the Harris family. It was a quaint house with tiled roofing.

The retired housekeeper was called Margaret Oilson, a fifty-year-old lady who lived with her disabled husband and son.

When Margaret laid eyes on Evelyn’s beautiful yet innocent face, she was taken aback.

The sight of bloodstains drenching her body, a subtle swelling on her left cheek, and the telltale marks of a slap, combined with her fragile figure and evident frailty, immediately evoked a surge of sympathy within Margaret’s heart.

“Mister, she looks really pitiful. What grave mistake did she commit for Ms. Harris to send her here for hard labor?”

Ezra glanced at the silent Evelyn and warned, “Don’t be deceived by her appearance. Her heart is more vicious than a venomous snake.”

He then shared with Margaret all of Evelyn’s heinous sins and repeated Gwendolyn’s instructions with utmost seriousness.

Upon learning of the girl’s despicable actions, Margaret’s gaze toward Evelyn transformed into one of intense animosity.

“Don’t worry, Sir. A ruthless scumbag like her deserves no pity. I’ll make sure her life is a living hell.”

Ezra nodded and took out the payment. Next, he and William carefully carried the box of Heagurn Sutra into the house.

Margaret fetched a set of her old cotton clothes and made Evelyn change out of the expensive little dress she was wearing.

It was only eight in the morning, and Margaret immediately led Evelyn to the fields for farm work.

The arduous journey and lack of rest the previous night had obviously taken a toll on Evelyn. Her lips were pale and her face drained of color from sheer exhaustion.

“Mdm. Oilson, can I have a sip of water and rest for a little while?”

Margaret frowned, her tone dripping with sarcasm as she mockingly rebuked Evelyn. “You haven’t even lifted a finger, and you’re asking for water and rest. It must be nice to be accustomed to a life of luxury.

Do you need me to cook for you so that you can have your meal before you start working?”

As Evelyn was on the brink of exhaustion, she decided to feign ignorance and act vulnerable instead.

“I haven’t eaten since last night, and I’ve been physically tortured. I haven’t had a good rest, and I’m completely drained. Mdm. Oilson, please, I beg you.”

“Stop your wishful thinking!” Margaret snapped, unsympathetic to her plight. “There are house rules here. We wake up at five-thirty in the morning and have breakfast at six. Once the time is up, breakfast is over. It’s already eight o’clock now, and you expect me to cook for you? Do you think you’re here to enjoy life?” She continued in a harsh tone, “You’re here for labor and repentance! You need to atone for your sins! I suggest you stop acting like a pompous b*tch as I have a heart of stone, and I won’t fall for your tricks!”

Despite Evelyn’s attempts to reason, Margaret’s stubbornness prevailed, leaving her with no choice but to succumb. She was dragged to the fields and forced to dig through the mud.