Chapter 562 Well Deserved

Cedrick didn’t know what she had done at the Harris residence the day before. Hence, as he was driving toward Mount Tranquil, he asked, “Why do you want to go back to Mount Tranquil all of a sudden?”

After all, Treyton was staying in a villa elsewhere, and Kieran had already gone to Fairlake. Apart from the members of the branch families, Asher and Sienna were the only ones there.

In response, Gwendolyn turned to look at the view outside the car and explained casually, “I brought Annie to Mount Tranquil yesterday and told Asher to go back to reciting scriptures. Looking at the time now, I think he’s still reciting. Since I can’t sleep, I want to check on him.”

Cedrick had been with her for a long time, so he understood what she meant by just listening to her brief explanation. “Well, it’s good to check things out. When it comes to certain things, you’ll need to see it for yourself to feel completely at ease.”

Gwendolyn said nothing in response and stared at the streetlights dazedly.

Upon glancing at her. Cedrick asked concernedly, “Gwenny, what if Annie isn’t Evelyn? What are you going to do?”

In a cold tone, Gwendolyn answered, “Although I don’t have evidence to back that up, I bet she and Paul were the masterminds behind the attack we faced on the way to the airport in Astoria. Hence, I still have a score to settle with her. Now that she’s in Chanaea, my territory, I’m not letting her leave so easily.”

“Annie is easy to deal with, but what about Paul? After all, he’s a count in Ospea. Besides, Antea Group is well–established. If you want to go up against him. Gwenny, you ought to be careful,” Cedrick advised.

Obviously, Gwendolyn knew that as well. “Let’s just find out what’s the deal with Annie first. If she really isn’t Evelyn, I’ll deal with her in a professional manner. Otherwise, I’ll use the Harris family’s rules to teach her a lesson.”

Her tone grew solemn as she spoke, and she was staring at the brightly lit villa on top of Mount Tranquil. “Now that she’s on Mount Tranquil, she can forget about ever using Paul to make a comeback.

Gwendolyn went to the Harris residence discreetly because she didn’t want to startle the other members of the Harris family. Therefore, she told Cedrick to park the car somewhere halfway up the mountain, and they both continued the journey by foot.

Around ten minutes later, Gwendolyn and Cedrick arrived at Marcus‘ old villa and headed to the ancestral hall through the back door.

As they approached the ancestral hall, they heard Asher’s chanting.

Due to his hoarse voice, Asher sounded terrible, and he seemed to be struggling. However, he was chanting slowly and calmly.

Gwendolyn peeked through the window to observe the situation in the ancestral hall.

At that moment, Asher was kneeling on the cold marble floor tiles instead of a cushion. With a stack of scriptures in front of him, he chanted in a proper manner with one in his hands.

Although he had his back straightened, he was swaying, and he sounded dehydrated.

Despite kneeling and reciting in the ancestral hall since the afternoon, no one knew if he had drunk any water. It was a rather inhumane punishment.

However, Asher seemed to hold up well. Perhaps he was used to it due to the way he tormented himself back then.

A strange emotion rose within Gwendolyn’s heart when she saw the figure from afar.

Indeed, she was angry at Asher because she had regarded him as a loving brother for the past twenty–

odd years. In fact, Asher even looked after her like how a caring mother would. Yet, he had lied to Gwendolyn for many years, all for the sake of an illegitimate child who had harmed Gwendolyn before.

Worse still, Asher condoned Evelyn’s horrendous behavior when he ignored the fact that Evelyn had pushed Marcus down the stairs so that she could claim the right of inheritance.

When she recalled the past events, a complicated look appeared in Gwendolyn’s eyes, but it became cold as seconds ticked by.

Cedrick heaved a sigh inwardly when he saw the look on her face. Gwendolyn loves Asher, but what he did in the past shattered her heart. She hasn’t been able to overcome the hurdle in her heart ever since. I don’t want this to haunt her forever, though. Over the past six months, Asher has been repenting and apologizing profusely, and I can tell he has truly repented for his mistake.

“Gwenny- Cedrick was just about to advise her, but she suddenly put her hand over his mouth and dragged him backward silently.

“Shh! I think I hear someone coming. Be quiet, she whispered into Cedrick’s ear.The two hid in a dark corner behind the ancestral hall, Gwendolyn then leaned in to whisper, “Help me keep an eye on the situation inside. I need to look for Leif.”

Cedrick wouldn’t dare to mess up her plan, so he nodded obediently.

It was three in the morning, and the Harris residence on Mount Tranquil was dead silent save for the hoarse chanting voice in the ancestral hall.

Gwendolyn had purposely told the guards at the entrance of the old villa to leave so that anyone could sneak in without worry.

A few minutes later, a figure was seen approaching the ancestral hall.

Cedrick immediately narrowed his eyes and tried to lay low as he hid and quietly waited in the dark corner. From this angle. I think I can see the person’s side profile.

The garden lights in the villa were dimmed in the dead of night, but Cedrick could still see the incomer.

That’s a slim woman. Could that be Annie? If that’s her, something fishy must be going on. Otherwise, why would she visit Asher this late at night?

The woman stood motionless at the entrance of the ancestral hall and listened to Asher’s chant.

The woman stood there for a few minutes, and it didn’t seem like she was planning to head inside.

Cedrick grew suspicious, so he came out from the dark corner to take a closer look at that slim figure.

It wasn’t until he got closer that he saw the woman’s face. That’s Sienna instead of Annie! She must be worried sick about Asher. Otherwise, she wouldn’t be awake at this time.

With that in mind, Cedrick sighed and retreated silently back toward the dark corner.

Sienna stood outside the ancestral hall for over half an hour while sobbing. Eventually, she heaved a heavy sigh and left the old villa.

Having done what she wanted to do, Gwendolyn returned shortly after Sienna left.

“So? Did anyone go in?” Gwendolyn asked softly.

Cedrick shook his head. “It was Sienna. What did Leif tell you?”

“Apparently, Sienna came to check on Asher a few times in the afternoon, but Annie never showed up.”

“Perhaps you’ve been overthinking it, Gwenny. Annie merely looks similar to Evelyn. They aren’t even of the same age,” Cedrick consoled her.

Gwendolyn remained unfazed. “She could change her appearance through surgery and create a new identity with a different age. I only believe in my own findings.”

Cedrick hugged her and noticed that her shoulders were freezing. Hence, he immediately took off his jacket and draped it over her. “Still, Annie didn’t show up tonight. What are you going to do next, Gwenny?”

“It has only been a day, so it doesn’t mean anything. Perhaps she’s holding herself back. If she doesn’t show up in the next three days, I’ll take things up a notch. Asher loved and protected Evelyn back then.

I’m sure Evelyn won’t be able to sit on her hands if she knows what Asher is going through. After all, Asher is being punished for her sins. Although she was a vicious woman, she cared deeply for him,”

Gwendolyn answered. I still remember that when things were going south for the Harris family, Evelyn tried to take all the blame to save Asher. It was obvious how much they loved each other.

With that in mind, Gwendolyn scoffed and grinned mockingly.

After that, she turned around and left without sparing Asher a glance.

Cedrick followed her from behind and made their way back to the luxury car before returning to the Jenson residence.

Gwendolyn couldn’t keep her eyes off her phone during their journey home. Despite it being the wee hours of the morning, she was still busy going through Harris Group’s recent financial reports.

Cedrick suppressed the impulse to say something, but he eventually gave in and said, “It’s been so long. and you never punished Asher except for severing ties with him. This time around, his punishment is well–deserved. However, Gwenny, don’t you think this is unfair to Sienna? She was kept in the dark, but now, she has to suffer because she’s Asher’s wife. She must be in despair when she sees him getting punished. When she came to see him, I heard her sobbing softly. Obviously, her heart is aching, and she’s having trouble sleeping. That was why she went to see him. While Asher is suffering physically, she has to suffer mentally despite not having done anything wrong.”

Upon hearing that, Gwendolyn stopped scrolling through the financial reports and lifted her gaze.

Evidently, Cedrick’s words moved her.

However, she was quick to snap out of her dazed state and realize what Cedrick meant.

“Are you saying that I should forgive Asher if I don’t want Sienna to suffer along with him?”

Cedrick kept his eye on the road while driving with one hand. “You know me so well, Gwenny.”

Gwendolyn’s expression grew cold instantly. “I wasn’t kidding when I cut ties with him. Had it not been for my luck, Evelyn would have killed me long ago! He’s my brother, and yet, he chose to defend that illegitimate daughter! The mere thought of it chills me to the bone.”

Cedrick let out a sigh. “In other words, you won’t forgive him because you’re still mad at him.”

Instead of explaining herself, Gwendolyn glanced at the street lamps outside the car window and said coldly. “We need to find out if Annie is actually Evelyn. It should take a few days. Until then, Sienna will just have to bear with it.”

Cedrick said nothing further as he drove back to Harrick Villa and hugged Gwendolyn to sleep.

Things remained peaceful and quiet at Mount Tranquil throughout the next few days.

Leif called Gwendolyn to report on the situation. “No one has entered the ancestral hall lately, Ms.

Harris. Mr. Asher’s legs are quite badly injured, and he is no longer able to speak. This punishment seems to be a little too harsh on him. How about-”

Gwendolyn cut him off, “Have him continue by writing it down. He cannot stop until he has finished writing it all down.”

“Could we at least give Mr. Asher a cushion to kneel on? The floor in the ancestral hall is so cold that it’s hurting his already weakened knees,” Leif suggested in an attempt to help relieve some of Asher’s pain.

If I let him have a cushion, Annie will know that my heart has gone soft. All of the abuse that Asher suffered throughout the past few days would then be pointless. No, I need to remain firm! Asher is no longer my brother! He’s simply the eldest son of the Harris family! He is unworthy of my mercy! He deserves this punishment!

With that in mind, Gwendolyn replied, “Just do as I said. Unless he faints, the punishment shall continue. You do not have to inform me of such things in the future.”

She then hung up the phone immediately after and headed over to the e–sports club.

Gwendolyn wanted to check on Jennifer, who had been working there for two days.

Upon arrival, she saw Jennifer taking notes while having a one–on–one meeting with an experienced manager.

She listened in on the conversation for a bit before calling out to Jennifer, “How are things going? Have you gotten used to working here yet?”

“I love this job. I get to share the joy of the players when they win tournaments, and I get to discuss the outcome with them when they lose. I’ve gotten used to everything except having Mr. Treyton tutor me on the graduate studies.”

Gwendolyn let out a snicker. “Poor Treyton… I bet he doesn’t even know that you’re complaining about him!”