Can’t Win Me Back

Landon was looking down as he twirled his pen between his fingers.

Everyone else in the room shook their heads as they glanced scornfully at Penelope, who was causing a scene.

“Zoe was en route to the hospital for treatment when she vanished without a trace, and they have yet to locate her. I know it was you who took her!”

Penelope’s voice reverberated as she advanced toward Landon, pounding the table with both hands. Ignoring the presence of the board members, she continued, “Landon! Give me back my daughter!

“If you don’t return her to me, I will hold a shareholder meeting and have you ousted from Harper Group! Return Zoe to me!”

Landon stopped twirling his pen. However, he still didn’t look up at Penelope.

“What are you doing, Penelope?” one of the board members interjected.

“Perhaps Ms. Zoe left of her own volition while the police weren’t looking. If you wish to pursue this matter further, it’s best addressed with law enforcement.”

“Indeed,” another chimed in. “This is a board meeting; personal family matters shouldn’t be aired here.

It reflects poorly on Harper Group.”

“Personal family matter?” Penelope’s eyes widened incredulously. “Are you dense? If it were your child, would you spout such callous remarks?”

The board members fell silent. In their minds, they acknowledged that Penelope hadn’t exhibited such behavior when Bill was alive. Her widowhood seemed to have taken a toll on her sanity.

Landon, despite being the focal point of the conflict, had remained passive.

tone, “That

“Alright, Mr. Landon!”

left the room, fleeing the tense

“Mr. Landon” echoing in their wake slammed into Penelope. The realization that her outburst had made her look like a buffoon was a punch

“Landon,” she spat, her voice

a darkness. “Trash deserves to be discarded.” “Return Zoe to me! She is my flesh and blood!” Penelope screamed, “You’ve already refused to acknowledge me as your mother. Zoe is the only one I

as Penelope went

Zoe with indulgence but lacked any true parenting skills, was now a cornered tigress. For most of her life, Penelope had coasted by,

She appeared to

shouldered the family burden at a tender

her true colors upon

she threatened, “You’re not going to give

will hear about this!

tell them everything—how you brutalized and kidnapped your

you, Landon! Your reputation

cut through her tirade. Landon had tossed his phone onto the table. A video was

the phone, her face draining of color. She watched Zoe being

pulled at her

a monster that you nurtured

video. His lips were a pale line, pressed thin with repressed fury. and cold. “You failed to raise her. So, I

She’s your biological daughter after all. Go ahead and let those tears out. You’ll never be able to see her again

spewing curses between clenched teeth. Jordan summoned

by Penelope’s antics, Jordan turned to Landon. “Mr. Landon, I’ll have Madam Penelope escorted to the VIP parking