PAMPERED

368 I missed you… did you?

Silence hung in the air as the night breeze blew past the two figures standing several meters apart.

Penny held her breath, instantly sobering up. She assessed Zoren, who was gazing down at the cat in his arms. He was still in a black dress shirt, his sleeves rolled up to his elbows, suggesting he had come from an occasion.

‘Didn’t he meet Patricia today?‘ she wondered, pressing her lips together. ‘Why is he here again? He isn’t supposed to be here.‘

The main point of letting Patricia into Zoren’s life was to find out who sent her. But there was another reason Penny hadn’t told Benjamin.

She didn’t want Zoren to wait in this place every Thursday, especially with the weather expected to be bad in the coming weeks.

‘Did he figure it out already? So soon?‘ she asked herself. “That stupid woman… she can’t even do a proper job.‘

Meow.

When Chunchun purred, Zoren slowly lifted his gaze in Penny’s direction. The moment his eyes fell on her, her breath hitched. His expression was plain, making her wonder if he could see her or not. After all, the place she was standing in was quite dark. The lights at the corners of the playground barely reached her vantage point.

‘He can’t see me, can he? she wondered, keeping her lips sealed. Even so, she held her breath and didn’t move a muscle.

Now, what?

Moments ago, Penny had wanted to walk up to the Skyline Plaza and barge into his place. She had such courageous and audacious thoughts because of the alcohol she’d had tonight. But now that he was just a few steps away, she couldn’t even move a muscle.

Meow.

Her eyes instinctively fell on his arms, seeing Chunchun getting too comfortable there.

You missed him… I know,‘ she whispered in her heart, her eyes softening at her cozy cat. ‘I missed him too.‘

Penny opened her mouth but then closed it again. For another moment, all she could do was

stare at him.

He was still staring back at her, his fingers casually ruffling Chunchun’s fur.

‘Can he really see that I’m here?‘ she wondered. ‘He didn’t hear me call Chunchun, did he?‘

Myriads of questions flew through her mind, considering what she could do. Zoren, after all, was almost blind. Not long ago, he had lost his eyesight completely. Although he regained it the next day according to Benjamin – Penny knew it was still blurry.

10:39

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368 I missed you… did you?

Well…‘she cleared her throat and kept her chin high, smiling. T’ll let him have Chunchun for now since it seems she likes it there.‘

With that thought in mind, Penny planned to leave as quietly as possible. She carefully turned around, glancing at the dark pathways she could use to make her exit. But just as she took a step, she heard his voice. @

“Is this your cat?” he asked, his voice a little amused. “Penelope?” (2)

Penny paused, surprised. ‘How did he know it was me?‘ she wondered as she looked back at him, only to see him smiling.

“When you’ve lost one of your senses, the rest are all heightened,” he explained as if he could read her thoughts as well. “I can smell you.”

For a second, Penny didn’t respond as she recomposed herself. “Well, that slipped my mind, she replied, facing his direction again. “What a surprise, Mr. Pierson. What are you doing here in the middle of the night?”

“Just… taking a walk,” he smiled gently, his eyes falling on the cat in his arms. “So, she’s your cat?”

“Yes.” Penny nodded. “She’s my child.”

“She smells nice.”

She smiled. “Of course.”

“It doesn’t look like she wants to go away,” he pointed out as Chunchun nestled comfortably in his arms.

“She’s a little clingy,” she said as she took a step forward, only to stop. Her brief hesitation, however, disappeared immediately, and she continued to approach him.

She stopped three steps away from him.

“Mr. Pierson, it’s nice bumping into you, but it’s a little late. So, I’ll head home now,” she said, reaching out to take Chunchun from his arms.

Much to her dismay, Chunchun suddenly slapped her hand away. Zoren laughed.

“She doesn’t want to go home yet, he quipped while Penny clasped her hands together. “I thought we’re on a first–name basis now. Did you have a fun time tonight?*

*Hmm?”

“I can smell alcohol, he revealed with a smile. “I thought you don’t like drinking much.

“Ahh. Ha ha. Penny laughed awkwardly. “Well, my brother took me to a party and I met an old friend. So, we ended up drinking a bit more. So, yeah… I kind of had fun tonight.”

“Kind of?”

“Mhm. Kind of. She gazed at Chunchun again, almost glaring at her rebellious child. However, Chunchun comfortably leaned its head on his arm instead. ‘Chunchun, I’m your mother!*** Since when did her cat become a daddy’s girl?!

10.29

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368 I missed you… did you?

“My cat seems to really like you,” Penny awkwardly remarked, knowing her cat would just swat her again if she forced it. “Mr. Pierson, would you mind looking after her for a while?”

“I don’t mind at all.” He shook his head.

“Thank you.” Penny smiled, knowing she could just snatch her cat when she got the chance. “Anyway, like I said, it’s a little late. So, I’m going home for now.”

“Okay.”

“Goodnight, Zoren.”

“It was nice bumping into you too. Have a good night, Penelope.”

Having said that, Penny stared at his face with her lips drawn into a thin line. She then cast Chunchun another glance before she took a step to the side. Penny dragged her feet until she walked past him, telling herself, ‘Where did all that confidence from earlier go?‘

As Penny walked away from him, she suddenly froze.

“Penny.”

Huh?

Penny slowly looked back at him, wide–eyed. Zoren still had his back turned to her before he turned around to face her again.

“Penny,” he called again, his expression solemn but soft. “I missed you… did you?” (12

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I’m actually very tempted to stop chapters before this one. :3 it’s such a good cliff

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