Chapter 64

Penelope pursed her lips, hesitating. But as she stood there, Theodore turned and glanced at her. His expression was unreadable, but she thought she saw one of his eyebrows arch slightly.
It would be rude not to go over now.
Taking a deep breath, she walked toward him, wine glasses in hand.
“Mr. Stapleton, it’s a… a lovely night. Clear sky, bright moon.”
The moment the words left her mouth, Penelope wanted to face-palm. What was she even saying?
Theodore didn’t respond, but his eyes fell on the two glasses of wine in her hand, and his expression hardened.
“They’re both for me!” she blurted out, adding silently, Don’t give me that look. I’m not here to hit on you!
He only glanced for a second before turning his gaze to the distance. In the moonlight, his chiseled features seemed as luminous as the moon itself. The occasional flicker of a distant light cast a halo around him, making him breathtakingly beautiful.
Penelope followed his gaze and saw a massive, glowing billboard featuring the actress and singer Natalie, currently the hottest star in the country.
Right. She remembered now. He was a huge fan.
It was hard to picture him as a crazed fanboy, but it was a lead. Updates are released by ~net
“I quite like Natalie,” she offered. “I just watched her latest drama, the one where she plays a princess. She was absolutely stunning in it. Have you seen it?”
She figured starting with his idol might be the easiest way to get his attention.
It didn’t work. He kept staring into the distance without sparing her a single glance.
Penelope sighed. Theodore was a prize everyone wanted a piece of, which meant she didn’t have much time.
“Mr. Stapleton, I spent the last few days conducting on-site research at your new shopping district, and I’m convinced a partnership between us is viable. Please, let me explain. First, the positioning of your office building as a ‘one-person office’ is a great concept, but it lacks a strong enough hook
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For the next few minutes, words poured out of her like machine-gun fire as she laid out her entire proposal. When she finished, she took a deep breath, hoping that at least some of what she’d said had gotten through to him.
“The partnership is a possibility.”
What did he just say?
Overjoyed, Penelope turned to him, only to see him tilt his head and pull an
earbud from his ear.
He’d been on the phone this whole time?
“Why are you still here?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.
Penelope wanted to curse, but she quickly composed herself. At least she still had a chance.
“Mr. Stapleton, about the collaboration between our companies
As she began, she felt a strap on her dress loosen. She instinctively reached up
to adjust it, and it snapped.
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The dress immediately began to slide down. She frantically clamped a hand over her chest just as she heard someone approaching from behind.
Panicked, she felt a hand on her shoulder. In the next second, Theodore pulled her into his arms, shielding her from the newcomer’s view.
“Mr. Stapleton
“Sorry, now’s not a good time,” Theodore said coolly to the person behind them.
The man, seeing only the flash of a red dress, immediately pictured a steamy rendezvous and left with a knowing smirk.
Pressed against Theodore’s chest, Penelope caught the clean, crisp scent of pine that clung to hime scent that was dangerously captivating.
“Was that intentional?” he asked.