Chapter 219

Timothy pulled out his phone and showed Penelope what he’d found on Theodore’s computer.
It was a photo of a bottle of sleeping pills.
The caption beneath it read: “Today is her wedding day, but I’m not the groom. What’s the point of living anymore?” The source of this content ɪs
Penelope stared at the words, frozen.
“That… that doesn’t mean he actually took them
“He posted this picture in one of their fan forums,” Timothy explained. “People went crazy in the comments, begging him to calm down. A couple of days later, someone posted an update saying he’d swallowed the whole bottle. They said he was lucky they got to him in time and that he was recovering in the hospital, but he’d had a complete mental breakdown.”
As he spoke, Timothy swiped through a series of screenshots, each one more shocking than the last. Penelope had known Theodore was a fan of Natalie’s and had done some obsessive things, but it was so hard to comprehend that she had pushed it to the back of her mind.
“After he was discharged, he posted this,” Timothy continued. “If one day she decides to choose a new love, I will drop everything to stand before her and tell her that my heart and soul have always belonged to her and her alone. Whether she wants me or not, I am willing to sacrifice myself for her.””
Timothy read the line aloud, a look of disgust on his face.
“Does that sound like a fan talking about their idol? It’s obvious he’s in love with her-insanely in love!”
Penelope pushed his phone away. “Don’t you ever hack into anyone’s phone or computer again. It’s not just wrong, Timothy, it’s illegal.”
“The point is that you shouldn’t keep making the same mistake by marrying a two- faced hypocrite like him!”
“Timothy, the relationship between us is… it’s complicated. You wouldn’t understand.”
“I don’t need to understand anything!” he shot back, jumping to his feet. “If you’re determined to be a glutton for punishment, I can’t stop you. But I’m telling you right now, I will not be at your wedding!”
“Timothy!”
“Penelope, what’s so great about Theodore Stapleton that you’re willing to debase yourself like this? He might be Mr. Stapleton, but you’re the daughter of our family. Do you think Mom and Dad would want to see you like this?”
With that, he stormed out of the room.
Penelope pressed her fingers to her forehead. She wanted to tell Timothy that her marriage to Theodore wasn’t a normal one, that they didn’t have to love each other, that it was just a partnership that would eventually end in divorce: But…
Did she still believe that?
If she truly did, then why did the sight of Theodore’s grand, all-consuming love for Natalie make her feel so sick? A knot of pain was already tightening in her chest.
…
That afternoon, Penelope went to have lunch with Theodore.
After they ate she debated whether to confront him about what she’d learned. Just then, a message from Timothy popped up on her phone Natalie was attending an event that night, and Theodore had posted in the fan forum that he was going to be there.
“Time for your medicine.”
He handed her the warm herbal drink. Preoccupied, Penelope drank it all in one go. The bitter aftertaste hit her her, and Theodore offered her a piece of candy. On impulse, she pushed the candy aside, threw
herself into his arms, and tried to
kiss him.

He usually indulged her playful advances, but this time he pulled away, gently pushing her aside.
“Not now.”
A sharp pain twisted in her heart. “Wh-why?”
Why not now? Is it because you’re going to see your goddess tonight, so you don’t want to be touched by me?
“No reason. Just finish your medicine and go home. I have work to do.”
With that, Theodore sat down behind his desk and genuinely began to work.