If Brian had actually left the clinic earlier, he would have missed his chance to cure his gout for good. The thought of enduring that torture for the rest of his life made him raise his hand again.

But in the end, he couldn't bring himself to slap Penny a second time. "Why? Why on earth would you do something like this?"

Suddenly, Penny's face twisted with hatred as she glared at Tasha. "It's her fault! Everyone says she only maintains control of her company and got where she is today by seducing men! I was afraid she'd lure you in and break Mom's heart."

Shocked, Brian stumbled backward, unable to process his daughter's words.

"How could you think that way? If anything like that were happening, do you think your mother wouldn't notice? Everyone in our circles knows Mrs. Sharpe's actual reputation in Utren. How could you believe such rumors so easily?" Brian snapped.

Tasha's face had turned ashen. She told Felix, "Dr. Zeller, I'll be leaving now."

Felix knew that treating B