The next day, Penelope woke up early, and the first thing she did was inspect the shoe wardrobe.
When the butler returned, he observed Penelope sprinting past him to the entrance. Chuckling, he asked, “What are you looking for?”
“Just taking a look,” Penelope replied loudly.
The black leather shoes, the ones he had worn the day before, were quietly resting in the shoe wardrobe. Knowing that he had come back last night, she breathed a sigh of relief. Then, with a smile, she hurried upstairs to freshen up.
The butler watched her running around in the morning and couldn’t help but remark that she didn’t seem like a pregnant woman at all.
Penelope crossed paths with Warren in the corridor and greeted him with a smile. “Good morning! You look very handsome today!”
She then walked into the bedroom, completely ignoring the bewildered man. The butler smiled and said, “Good morning, Mr. Duncan.”
“Do you know what’s gotten into her?” Warren walked down the corridor and glanced back at her closed bedroom door, as if he could sense her cheerful mood from outside.
“Perhaps she’s just young and in a good mood every day,” the butler replied with a smile.
Warren chuckled, “That answer doesn’t quite fit her.”
The butler smiled and proceeded to water the plants with a watering can.
****
Penelope wore a long white sweater with a cowboy-style skirt layered over it. She walked past him several times, attempting to catch his attention.
He finally looked up, tearing his gaze away from the magazine to focus on her. “What’s going on with you?”
“Don’t you notice that I look very different today?” Penelope said with a smile, her hands behind her back.
He glanced over at her, replying, “New clothes?”
Penelope pursed her lips. “These are the clothes you bought for me last time.”
“Oh… In that case, they do seem a bit whiter,” Warren commented under Penelope’s anticipation.
Penelope gave up and pouted, pointing to her lips. “New lipstick.”
“You have money to buy lipstick?” he asked.
Penelope looked exasperated and rolled her eyes. “Am I so poor that I can’t even afford lipstick?”
He replied, “It depends on how you define ‘poor.’ If having a four-digit balance is the standard, then you’ve met it.”
Penelope walked over and flopped down on the couch, her joy diminished.
The doorbell rang, and Penelope stood up to open the door.
Grace entered with numerous bags in tow. She cast a quick glance at Penelope, who had opened the door and went straight to the point. “The hottest lipstick?”
“You have a sharp eye,” Penelope complimented with a thumbs-up.
“Mmm.” Grace brushed it off and headed straight for her target.
“Uncle Warren.”
Warren regarded her, asking, “Why are you here?”
“I need your help,” Grace stated bluntly. She set the gifts aside and batted her eyelashes. “See, I’m full of sincerity.”
He nodded and glanced at Penelope, who hung her head in shame. She had been living in his house for a long time but had never once given him a gift. She seemed to have no concept of etiquette.
“Just tell me, is your credit card blocked?”
“No, it’s because I want to study costume design. Please help me persuade my grandma,” Grace replied, shaking her head.
“You can just go if you want. Did she stop you?”
“Yeah, she didn’t agree, no matter what I said,” Grace sighed. “I want to fulfill my mother’s wishes, but my grandmother always believes that it was her job that caused my mother’s illness. So, she doesn’t want me to pursue it.”
Jessie had left behind a successful clothing brand. Warren had hired someone to oversee the company, and it had been thriving.
“I chose to major in management because my grandmother insisted on it. I was young, and I didn’t really understand what I liked. But now, I’ve realized that I have a passion for costume design, and I want to follow in my mother’s footsteps,” Grace said, looking at Warren earnestly. “Uncle Warren, do you believe in me?”
“I believe in you,” he replied with a gentle smile. “Your mother told me the same thing. You look just like her.”
“Really?” Grace was surprised.
“Yes, exactly the same, including this part where you stand up to your grandmother,” he added with a smile.
Grace said, “So, both my mother and I need your help, right?”
“It’s my pleasure,” Warren replied with a gentle smile.
“What about grandma?” Grace inquired.
“I’ll handle that. You go ahead and do what you love,” Warren assured her.
Grace rushed over and hugged him, tears welling up in her eyes. “I knew coming to you was the right decision!”
He patted her head and said, “Don’t let your mother down. She worked so hard for this.”
“I’ll start from the beginning and make sure my mother’s work wasn’t in vain,” Grace affirmed.
“Well, I’ll be looking forward to it,” Warren replied and smiled at her.
Grace sniffled, tears still in her eyes. “No problem!”
Penelope raised her hand next to him. “Can I ask a question? Is it necessary to learn painting before pursuing costume design?”
“Yes,” Grace nodded.
Penelope cupped her face and gazed at Grace with anticipation. “Hey-hey-hey, can I learn with you?”
“Study design?”
“No, learn to paint,” Penelope clarified.
“Sure,” Grace replied generously.
Warren regarded Penelope skeptically, and she met his gaze with a bright and innocent smile.
If she could paint a portrait of him and take it with her, maybe forgetting him wouldn’t be so easy, right?
****
Penelope crouched next to the suitcase, observing Warren as he talked with the butler.
He was dressed in a dark blue plaid coat, exuding an air of sophistication. Handsome and attention-grabbing.
After a while, Warren finished his conversation and noticed her still squatting there, bearing a striking resemblance to Ross, who sat beside her with a similar expression. They almost looked like siblings.
“I’ll be going on a business trip to Japan. If you need help, feel free to ask the butler. He and Mrs. Brown will take good care of you,” Warren informed her.
“Okay,” Penelope replied, keeping her head down.