“Shut up!” Norah scolded, casually picking up a cup nearby and throwing it at Josie. The cup was empty, but it would still hurt if it hit.
Josie gasped and instinctively reached out to dodge. Perhaps she was too scared; in the process of dodging, she kicked the table forward. Norah was sitting directly across from her, and coincidentally, the edge of the table hit Norah’s waist. Norah was knocked forward onto the table, causing several cards to fall from her chest.
Among them was a two, a K, and a Q.
Realizing the cards had fallen, Norah was momentarily stunned.
Thelma seized the opportunity and said, “It’s so obvious; do you still want to deny that you cheated?”
Norah was furious. She glared at Josie, but this young lady, caught “red-handed,” didn’t panic too much. She calmly brushed off her clothes and said, “Alright, alright, I admit I cheated. What do you want me to do?”
She wore an expression that seemed to say, “I bet you won’t dare to do anything to me.”
It seemed this young lady was used to being domineering in this family, and even Ruth couldn’t do anything about her.
Thelma twirled a card in her hand, thinking seriously. “Since I’m new here, I naturally won’t go too far. After all, leaving a line today will make it easier to meet again in the future, right?”
Norah raised her chin slightly, remaining silent.
“So… how about you kneel down and apologize to me? It’s very simple, right?”
The surroundings fell silent instantly, even Ruth and Josie looked at her with disbelief.
However, Thelma spoke so casually and naturally.
“Are you joking? Kneel down to you? Who do you think you are?”
Thelma recalled how terrified Norah had looked when she raised her hand earlier. It was clear that she had been taught a lesson by Thelma before, and now she wanted her to do a striptease to humiliate her, wasn’t that just taking advantage of her amnesia?
“Accepting the outcome, isn’t that what you just said?”
Norah glared at her coldly, unsure if she was trying to use her gaze to make Thelma back down.
“Kneel down for me! That’s the bet I want.”
She looked calmly at Norah, her icy gaze carrying a sense of sharp pressure.
She would not relent until Norah knelt down; that was her attitude.
Standing upstairs, Sam Noah watched this scene. He looked at the woman; she was no longer shy or timid. She seemed to have transformed back into her former self, filled with aggression, like a small beast ready to tear someone apart at any moment.
The tense atmosphere left Ruth unsure of how to mediate, while Marco could no longer remain a mere spectator. He hurriedly walked downstairs, apologizing to Thelma, “Thelma, Norah just loves to joke. Don’t take her seriously. How about this: I’ll play a tune for you to lighten the mood?”
Norah immediately became dissatisfied upon hearing this. “Brother, what are you talking about? What status do you have to entertain others?” Marco shot her a cold glance. Although he smiled, his tone clearly conveyed his gritted teeth, “Just be quiet.”
It was evident that despite her arrogance, Norah still held some respect for her brother. Though she was unwilling, she chose not to speak further.
Ruth also chimed in, “Marco plays the piano quite well.”
Thelma was not foolish either; Ruth’s words implied that the matter was settled. Naturally, she would not want to undermine her mother-in-law’s authority, so she took a step back and said, “Alright, then I will listen attentively.”
Just as things seemed to be wrapping up, Fernando came down from upstairs and whispered something in Marco’s ear. Marco’s expression stiffened, and he instinctively glanced upstairs, just in time to meet Sam Noah’s slightly cold gaze.
Marco’s expression became somewhat awkward as he turned to Norah and said, “Norah, you will accompany me with a striptease.”
Norah doubted her ears. “Brother, are you joking?!”
Marco closed his eyes and adjusted his breathing before whispering in her ear, “Be obedient, or else neither of us will be able to leave unscathed today. Noah was just upstairs; he saw everything, and this is what he means.”
Norah: “…”
Norah looked upstairs, but at that moment, there was no one left.
Clenching her fists, the thought of performing a striptease in front of so many people was an immense humiliation for her. However, she understood what her brother meant by not being able to leave unscathed.
