SWNOVELS Chapter 598
Miranda watched Penelope's tender demeanor. Her heart was aching with guilt. She realized her son was so thoughtless. His mind was always buried in work, neglecting Penelope. It became increasingly clea to her how gentle and understanding Penelope was. With a sigh, she shook her head. "It's already 3 p.m. Lindberg Corporation clocks out at 5, and it's a half-hour drive. What's the point of working for just one more hour? Stay. Have dinner with us tonight."
Penelope was a shy girl, so as an elder, there were things Miranda felt she needed to lay out for her son.
With Miranda's words hanging in the air, Lucian couldn't bring himself to return to work. He slumped back onto the couch, and only then did Miranda feel a sense of satisfaction. She felt she had wronged Penelope enough and quickly rose to leave with Lacey, giving her son and Penelope some space.
Penelope pushed herself up from the couch and settled into her wheelchair. Her voice was quivering with tears, "Lucian, I don't know what I've done wrong. You've been so distant lately, and it's scaring me. It hurts. If I've done something, please tell me. Don't keep me at arm's length."
"No, you've done nothing wrong, Penelope. It's me - I've been too caught up with work and neglected your feelings," Lucian said, staring at Penelope's face, which in that moment, reminded him so painfully o Allison. "Penelope, you've saved me, saved my mother, and I've always been grateful to you."
He had seen Penelope's videos. He knew about the photos that had blown up on Twitter - it was Penelope. The scandal that followed was orchestrated by her, framing Allison in deceit. And the initial mix-up with Allison's records? That, too, was Penelope's doing.
Penelope was far from the innocent she pretended to be.
She was cunning and envious.
But none of that could erase the fact that she had saved him and his mother.
"Penelope, I can offer you a sum of money. Didn't you say you wanted to study design in France? I can get you into the best school there. Once your leg is healed, I'll send you straight over."
Penelope gasped, shocked by
Lucian's words. It was an indirect
rejection. Her heart panicked at the thought. Hadn't everything been fine? Why was Lucian suddenly suggesting she go to France? Did he no longer want to marry her? No, Penelope had schemed for so long to marry into the Lindberg family, enduring so much pain. She couldn't possibly agree.
"Lucian, did I do something wrong? Do you want to send me away?" A tear traced a path down Penelope's face, which was a picture of pitiable beauty.
"Penelope, this is for the best, for both of us," Lucian said gently. "Think about it."
"No, Lucian, I don't want to leave
you. I love you. And everyone in Northfield knows I'm your fiancée. If you don'marry me, what will I do? How will I live?" Penelope's lipsz quivered, and her tears were spilling freely. "Lucian, is it because of Allison?"
Seeing his expression change, she knew Allison was at the heart of it all.
Through her tears, Penelope said,
"Lucian, I truly love you. I don't care about Allison. She's my friend, and can overlook your feelings for her I'm your fiancée; I've been by your side for so long. Lucian, I gave you my first time. How can you...