Chapter 109

Penelope’s head was spinning. A giant gold brick was one thing, but was she strong enough to carry it?
“You… you should keep it for yourself, or give it to your son. I couldn’t possibly accept it.”
The old man clicked his tongue. “Is that all the courage you have?”
“My courage has its limits, especially when it comes to taking things that don’t belong to me. I have to wonder if my life is worth the risk.”
“Alright, we’ll talk about this later. For now, eat.”
Penelope had already eaten several pieces. She noticed Theodore was still sitting with a dark expression, his utensils untouched. She quickly put two pieces of chicken on his plate.
“He cooked his beloved Coco for you. The least you could do is crack a smile, or at least have a bite.”
Theodore shot her a glare and pushed his plate away.
Seriously? He’s that stubborn?
Penelope was about to reason with him again when Mr. Johnson let out a sudden sob.
“It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have tricked him into coming here just to eat with me. I’m just… I’m so lonely. Lately, I can’t sleep, I have no appetite… I feel like there’s no point in living anymore.” Read full story at
It was just one meal with his father! Was it that difficult?
Penelope felt a surge of anger. She picked up the plate Theodore had rejected, speared a piece of chicken with a fork, and tried to feed it to him.
“Get away from me.”
“You have to eat it. If you don’t, I… I won’t marry you!”
Theodore’s eyes narrowed. “You think that’s a threat?”
It wasn’t.
An idea flashed in her mind. “Then I’ll marry your father!” Sputter!
Mr. Johnson, who had been wiping his eyes, choked on his own saliva. He looked at Penelope, his expression a mixture of shock and confusion. “Well… I suppose that’s not entirely out of the question.”
Theodore actually laughed, a humorless, angry sound. He snatched the fork from Penelope’s hand and took a bite.
Seeing him finally eat, Mr. Johnson’s eyes filled with tears again. Penelope felt a sense of satisfaction.
Later, Mr. Johnson brought out a
bottle of his treasured liquor. Penelope couldn’t drink, but she poured a glass for Theodore, urging him to have a drink with the old man. Even one sip would be enough to lift his spirits. But under Mr. Johnson’s persistent coaxing, Theodore ended up finishing the entire bottle with him.
“I’m so happy tonight. You finally spent some time with me. It really is good to get
married. Find a fierce one-she’ll be able to keep you in line.”
The first half of his sentence made Penelope’s heart ache for him; the second half made her want to punch him.
Theodore didn’t respond. In fact, he had barely said two words the entire evening, his face a constant mask of cold indifference Penelope could. sense that his feelings for his father went beyond simple displeasure; it was something deeper, more resentful.
“Dear… you… you still can’t forgive me, can you?” Mr. Johnson slurred, the alcohol loosening his tongue.
Penelope realized it was no longer her place to be there. She made an excuse and went upstairs. A glance at the time told her she would probably have to spend the night.
“A guest room? We don’t have any guest rooms.”
When Penelope asked Una for a room, she was told the villa didn’t have one. Unbelieving, she searched the second floor herself and found that Una was right. The rooms were either filled with junk or completely empty, except for Theodore’s.
Exhausted after two weeks of
nonstop work, Penelope gave in and went into his room. She took a
shower and found a clean white
button down shirt in the closet. The wardrobe was full of new clothes Mr. Johnson had bought for Theodore, none of which had ever been worn.
She put on the shirt and lay down on the bed, intending to wait for Theodore to
return. But she fell asleep within minutes.
She was drifting in a hazy sleep when she heard the door open.
“Mmm, you’re back?” she mumbled, her eyes half-open.
“Yeah.”
He went straight to the bathroom, and it sounded like he was in there for a very long time.
Just as she was sinking back into a deep sleep, a loud crash jolted her awake.
She opened her eyes to see Theodore stumbling out of the bathroom and
bumping into a cabinet.
“Are you drunk?”
…