Unmasking Mrs. Newton's Secret Identities novel Chapter 1256

"You can't do this to Mona!" Lester exclaimed, his face twisted in frustration.

"And what right does she have to do this to my husband?" Helen shot back, showing no leniency. "How are we the ones at fault? If she insists on extorting us, it will only lead to mutual destruction."

Lester's face clouded with anguish as he looked down, lost in thought. He seemed to be wrestling with the implications of Helen's uncompromising approach.

While he had promised Mona he would keep her secret, he hadn't anticipated this turn of events.

Mona had only mentioned using her illness to extort money from Chandler to support her mother, never hinting at the full extent of her demands.

If Mona couldn't find peace even in death, what good would the money do?

Judging by Helen's tone, it was clear that finances were the least of her concerns. Even if their entire company failed, she and Chandler would still have assets far beyond what most people could ever imagine.

Besides, a ten-million-dollar settlement wouldn't necessarily stop Chandler and Helen from relentlessly making Mona's mother's life a living nightmare.

Regardless, Mona had made her decision, and Lester felt compelled to support her.

Seeing Lester's ongoing hesitation, Chandler patted Helen's arm and gestured for her to step aside. "I'll take it from here."

After a brief pause, Helen reluctantly stepped back into the restaurant.

In the narrow alley, Lester leaned wearily against the wall, his demeanor betraying his despair.

In the silence that followed, Chandler pulled out a pack of cigarettes and offered it to him.

Lester looked up, taken aback to see someone as refined and distinguished as Chandler indulging in such a simple pleasure.

Although Helen sensed some truth in his words, she could tell he was holding back. Nonetheless, she felt reassured, knowing that Chandler never spoke without certainty.

…

The following day arrived swiftly.

In the hospital room, Mona sat propped up against the head of the bed, her face ashen and fatigued. She gazed blankly out the window at the overcast sky, as if contemplating her own dark and dreary fate.

Just then, Lester entered with a thermal container and set it on the table. As he carefully arranged the dishes, he said, "I've prepared all your favorites. Let me know if my cooking isn't up to your standards."

Mona regarded him with a detached gaze. "You don't have to do this. We ended things five years ago."

Ignoring her, Lester placed a piece of meat on her plate. "That was your decision. Being together is a mutual choice, and so is breaking up. One person's decision doesn't make it final."