Chapter 429: Chapter 431: Hush Money

After giving his instructions, Jackson Kensington left with a heavy heart, looking for all the world like he was about to undertake a great enterprise.

Jeanette Kensington slipped into Lorraine Warren’s room right after he left. Her face was still pale, but her steps were brisk, not at all like someone who was seriously ill.

She peeked her head in and closed the door. “Mom?”

Lorraine Warren pushed herself up into a sitting position on the bed and beckoned her over. “No one saw you come here, did they?”

“I sent Caleb away. As for the other servants, it doesn’t matter if they saw me. After all, Mom, you just went through such a huge ordeal. Isn’t it normal for me to come check on you?”

Jeanette Kensington walked closer, pulled up a chair, and sat down next to Lorraine. Her eyes were filled with heartache. “Mom, are you in pain? You scared me to death just now. You bled so much…”

“Nothing ventured, nothing gained,” Lorraine Warren said. “Besides, I was in control the whole time. Don’t worry. It looked scarier than it was; I’m actually fine now. Your father is just an indecisive man. If you don’t force his hand, he’ll stay that way forever.”

Lorraine Warren squeezed Jeanette Kensington’s hand affectionately, her voice laced with the certainty of victory. “Daughter, once the Kenway family name is changed, who will dare say your status isn’t legitimate!”

Jeanette Kensington lowered her eyes, a forlorn look on her face. “But that doesn’t solve the fundamental problem. My reputation is already in tatters. A lot of commercial gigs won’t hire me anymore, and I haven’t been invited to any of the major galas…”

Lorraine Warren sighed and patted her hand. “Where there’s life, there’s hope. This is just a temporary setback. You haven’t broken any laws. This won’t last forever. In a couple of years… no one will even remember this happened. We’ll have your dad spend some money to get you back into show business.”

Jeanette Kensington looked haggard. “I hope so…”

Her hunger strike was partly to go along with Lorraine Warren’s act, and partly because she truly had no appetite. Ever since her identity as a mistress’s daughter was exposed, the fact that she had bullied a fellow group member in Hansea also came to light. Someone claiming to be a staff member released audio and video recordings. In an instant, her status and reputation plummeted, leaving her with no hope of making a comeback.

Lorraine Warren saw Jeanette’s dejection and comforted her, “Is show business all that great? Even if you don’t work in the entertainment industry, Mom and Dad can still spoil you like a princess. Just think of it as taking a break, okay, Jeanette?”

Jeanette Kensington lowered her eyes and didn’t answer.

She remembered why she’d gotten into show business in the first place.

’It wasn’t because she liked it, but simply because she wanted to outdo Naomi Kenway.’

’When she was little, she never understood why she had a father but was still considered to be from a single-parent home. It wasn’t until she was a little older that she found out her father didn’t belong only to her. He had been stolen away by someone else, and that was why she and her mother were never given their rightful status.’

’She often wondered, why was Naomi Kenway, who was so stupid and clumsy, so well-liked by everyone? She, Jeanette Kensington, was determined to prove she wasn’t the least bit inferior to Naomi.’

’But after succeeding so many times, she had stumbled this once and found it impossible to get back up.’

*

Lately, Jackson Kensington had been busy at the office. Feeling for him, Lorraine Warren made a point of bringing him a meal every day.

She was walking out of the building with a food container when, after only a few steps, someone grabbed her arm. The man was disheveled and grimy, his eyes filled with a mixture of ferocity and desperation. “Quick! Give me money!”

The color drained from Lorraine Warren’s face when she turned and saw him. “Lee Warren, what are you…”

She looked around. She had come out in a hurry today and hadn’t brought her bodyguards.

Lee Warren clutched her sleeve, refusing to let go, and repeated his demand. “Give me money, now! They’re going to beat me to death! You can’t just stand by and watch me die. We were, at least…”

“Shut up!” Lorraine Warren cut him off, her voice cold. “I’ve already given you plenty of money. Don’t even think about getting another cent from me. You need to kick that gambling habit, find an honest job, and support yourself. That’s all I have to say on the matter.”

The ferocity in Lee Warren’s eyes grew. They were bloodshot, as if he’d been drinking. “If I could make my own damn money, do you think I’d be here begging you? You’re living the high life as some rich man’s woman. Don’t tell me you can’t cough up a hundred thousand. If you won’t do this the easy way, then don’t blame me for playing rough. Push me too far, and I’ll spill the beans on everything that happened between us back in the day!”

Lorraine Warren trembled. “I already gave you half a million in hush money, didn’t I?” she said in disbelief. “We signed a contract. We agreed never to bring this up again. Are you trying to breach our agreement?”

Lee Warren ran his tongue over his teeth and gave a sleazy grin. “A contract? What’s a contract? So what if we signed it? Go on, sue me. I’d love to see you try. I want to see if you have the nerve. That contract is to keep you in line, not me! So what if I don’t honor it? What are you gonna do?!”

“You… you’re shameless…”

Lee Warren started rummaging through Lorraine’s bag. “Where’s the money? Huh? Where did you hide it? You bitch! After all these years with Jackson Kensington, I refuse to believe he hasn’t given you a dime!”

“Aha! Here we go…” Lee Warren impatiently pulled out all the cash and bank cards. He grinned greedily, like a starving wolf whose eyes glowed at the sight of prey.

Lorraine Warren struggled to snatch her wallet back, letting out a piercing shriek.

“Mom?! Mom!!” Jeanette Kensington’s voice cut through the air. The two bodyguards at her side moved swiftly, seizing Lee Warren and returning the cash and bank cards to Lorraine Warren.

Lorraine Warren hastily stuffed the bank cards back into her bag, her heart still pounding from the scare.

Jeanette Kensington stepped forward with concern. “Mom, are you okay?”

Lorraine Warren shook her head.

Lee Warren was pinned down by the bodyguards, one of whom was already calling the police. He immediately panicked. “Jeanette! Daughter, save me! Please, save me! I can’t go back to prison! I only just got out!”

Jeanette Kensington turned to him, her face filled with disgust. “What are you screaming about, you psycho? Keep spouting nonsense and I’ll make you regret it!”

Lorraine Warren’s expression, however, turned to one of pure panic in an instant.

Lee Warren suddenly broke into a wide grin. “What’s this, Lorraine? Don’t tell me our precious daughter still doesn’t know the truth about her parentage?”

Lorraine Warren frantically pulled a wad of cash from her bag and threw it at Lee Warren. “Take this ten thousand and get lost! I’ll transfer the rest to your account. If I catch you spouting any more nonsense, I swear I won’t let you off the hook!”

The bodyguards threw Lee Warren to the ground. He scrambled to pick up the cash like a dog, then held it and let out a chuckle, the ferocious look on his face vanishing instantly. He got to his feet, brushed the dust off his shirt, thumbed through the bills, and spat on the ground. “PTUI! Now that’s more like it. If you’d just paid up earlier, we could have avoided all this drama!”

After walking a few steps, he turned back and pointed at Lorraine. “I want the rest of the money today!” he warned. “Otherwise, don’t blame me for what happens next!”

“Mom…” Jeanette Kensington seemed to have turned to stone.

Lorraine Warren knew Jeanette had a million questions, but with so many people walking by, this was hardly the time or place to talk.

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