Speaking of the old Mrs. Duncan, Penelope really admired her. She not only intervened in her grandson’s marriage but also in her son’s marriage. Her desire to control was comparable to Queen Victoria in history.
But there was no way. They could choose not to follow the elders’ advice, but they must at least listen.
Only the old Mrs. Duncan was a bit too kind this time. She smiled and waved to Asher, totally different from last time when she drove them out angrily.
“Your due date is in July.” Of course, the old Mrs. Duncan had not forgotten her. Her glance of kindness made Penelope’s body numb.
“Yes,” Penelope nodded.
“It is hot at that time, and you’ll be in labor,” the old Mrs. Duncan said with a smile. “But it doesn’t matter. We can set the marriage date for October. That time will be much more comfortable.”
Penelope raised her eyebrow, surprised by the complete change in her attitude.
Asher asked, “Do you agree?”
“Her stomach is so big. Can I disagree? You see, you consider me to be too stubborn,” the old Mrs. Duncan responded.
Asher glanced at Penelope and said, “We will talk about marriage later. Right now, the baby is the most important.”
“That’s right. Of course, it’s the first thing that matters,” the old Mrs. Duncan nodded.
Asher gave Penelope a look, and the two found a chance to slip out.
“I bet that Miss White got cold feet,” Asher said with absolute certainty.
“You just don’t believe your grandmother figured it out?” Penelope chuckled.
“She is not the kind of person who can easily change her mind. She raised me up. I know her.”
Sure enough, Asher asked a servant and understood the reason. Miss White, the old Mrs. Duncan’s favorite, had already chosen another. The reason given was that she didn’t want to be a stepmother because she was so young.
Such a reason sounded very credible and reasonable. What woman did not want to have a child with the man she liked but preferred to be a stepmother?
The strange thing was that at the beginning, she had agreed. Now, suddenly, she got cold feet. Hadn’t she seriously considered it before? In any case, the result was a shame to the old Mrs. Duncan, which led her to sanction their marriage.
According to the script, Penelope should promise. Then, they would delay the wedding again and again until it was eventually canceled.
But now she had a lover, and when she did these things, she felt very uncomfortable.
On the way home, Penelope carefully suggested that she should go. “If we continue, we’ll be caught in a lie.”
Asher looked at her. “Are you willing to go back?”
“Why would I be unwilling? That is where my life is.”
It was essential to recognize your position. Everyone did. Some dreams could be realized, while others simply needed to be let go.
Asher drove her to Warren’s company and opened the door, asking, “Would you like me to go with you?”
“It’s not a fight where the more people, the better,” Penelope smiled, closed the door, and walked toward the elevator.
Asher looked at her back. She appeared lonely but resilient. The shadow on the ground grew longer and soon disappeared behind the door.
****
Warren turned around and was surprised to see her there. He reached out to hold her hands and placed her on the couch. Then, he got a cup of water for himself.
“I came here without telling you in advance. Will I bother you?” Penelope said with a smile.
He sat next to her, holding her hand, and said, “It’s okay. I’m not busy now.”
Penelope scanned his office. She had been here three times and had already remembered the approximate outline.
“What’s the matter with you?” Warren watched her closely.
“We visited your mother today, and she agreed that I should marry Asher,” Penelope said with a smile.
Warren raised his eyebrow. “It seems that the White family refused her.”
Penelope gave a thumbs up. “You’re awesome!”
“It’s not me. I’ll show you this.” He took a folder from his desk and handed it to her.
Penelope looked at it. “What is this?”
“The woman in the photo is Miss White. As for the man, you know him,” Warren explained.
Penelope certainly knew Asher, her partner.
“I don’t understand,” Penelope shook her head.
He continued, “Asher went to Miss White and said something. Miss White suddenly refused to marry him. Now understand?”
Penelope nodded. “Your mother has no choice but to shrink back from difficulties naturally.”
“So, don’t you want to say anything?” He chuckled, and then his deep voice flowed from his throat. He said, “Both the uncle and his nephew are in love with you. How do you choose?”
Penelope’s eyelids jumped. She looked at him. “Do you like me?”
“If not? I have a hobby of taking care of pregnant women?”
Penelope was stunned for a moment. It seemed that even if he liked her, he wouldn’t give up playing a joke on her.
“Don’t worry. Asher won’t like me,” Penelope said as she put the pictures back in the folder on the table.
“Why so sure?”
Because he is gay.
Penelope said, “I have been friends with him for three or four years. If he liked or didn’t like me, would I know?”
Penelope stood up and walked in front of him. She leaned over to him and said softly, “If you like someone, your eyes can’t hide it.”
“What do you see in my eyes?”
“I see this.”
She got close to his chest with her hands around his neck. She closed her eyes softly and kissed him.
Time seemed to stand still. Their breaths stopped for a moment, and then they deepened the kiss simultaneously.
Regardless of tomorrow, they focused on this moment.
They were drawn to each other, driven by the most primal of hormones between the opposite sexes.
He reached over to her cheeks, and the callus on his thumb seemed much softer.
“Do not leave,” he said.
Penelope paused. “Do you know what I want to do?”
“I know you, even though we haven’t known each other for a long time.” He gently stroked her waist.
“If you don’t want to leave, will you sit still?” He hugged her tightly as if she would leave the next moment.