Chapter 14 Foregone Conclusion
Penelope chewed her food mechanically during breakfast, her thoughts distant.
Ajax had left early for work, but not before giving her a look—an unspoken command to take care of herself.
His gaze was always full of power, even tinged with a threat, so that even after he was gone, Penelope still felt a lingering fear.
…
When Penelope returned to the Vilehart residence, Berta's displeasure was immediately apparent.
Berta had been prepared to scold her for staying out all night, but when she noticed Penelope had changed into a fresh outfit and spotted the faint, ambiguous hickey on her neck, it became the perfect leverage.
Berta smirked coldly. "Oh, so you were out with a man?"
Penelope, not wanting to argue, ignored Berta.
However, another voice from the living room interrupted her. "Penelope, were you with Ajax yesterday?"
It was then that Penelope realized her father had returned.
Angelo was sitting on the sofa, looking at her with a concerned expression.
"Dad," she greeted, her voice trembling as she walked over to him.
Usually, Angelo showed a level of care for her, and now, after days of suppressing her emotions, Penelope finally had an outlet for her feelings.
Her eyes reddened as she approached him. "You're back."
Seeing the affectionate moment between father and daughter, Berta let out a quiet, displeased hum and left the room to avoid witnessing it.
Although Angelo had been away, he was well aware of the events that had unfolded.
The matter of Ajax wanting Penelope to marry in place of someone else could not be delayed any longer.
With little regard for any objections, Ajax had even invested in the family company. It was all so sudden, and Angelo was deeply troubled as he asked, "Penelope, wha's going on with you and Ajax?"
Penelope looked down, her mind clouded with thoughts of his threats.
"He's…" She forced a bitter smile and answered, "I'll marry him, be his substitute bride."
Angelo paused for a moment, deep in thought. "Penelope, did he mistreat you?"
Penelope considered the events of the night before—the fact that Valeria had run away from her wedding, the responsibility Ajax had placed on her shoulders, and the pressure of his threats.
Penelope didn't want to worry her father more, so she dismissed the matter, saying softly, "No, he hasn't mistreated me."
Her expression, her tone—they betrayed her.
Angelo saw the truth but said nothing.
In fact, although he hadn't interacted much with Ajax directly, he was well aware of the man's reputation. Now that his daughter was involved with him, Angelo was concerned for her but couldn't help having his own thoughts.
"Penelope, marrying Ajax might not be such a bad thing. He's well-known in Fiaris, with power and influence. His business skills are no small matter. Establishing ties with him could help boost the Vilehart family's prospects," Angelo remarked.
Penelope understood what he was implying, and her heart sank.
Even though Angelo seemed to care for her, his thoughts were still focused on climbing the social ladder. At a time when she was struggling, he seemed to take some satisfaction in her misfortune.
"So, you should get along well with Ajax," Angelo continued, his voice carrying a hint of command. "I'd be best if you could bear him a child, carrying on the Grimwald family line. You're a smart girl. I'm sure you can win his heart."
Penelope felt a pang of sadness. Her father thought it would be so simple, but Ajax had no feelings for her. He wouldn't look twice at someone like her—so young, so naive.
Her marriage to him was nothing more than a means of atoning to Ajax.
She could already imagine her future, where she would have to live according to his whims. One wrong move, one misstep, and she'd be living in a personal hell.
The thought made her shiver.
After a long pause, Penelope spoke, her voice quiet and filled with sorrow. "Dad, do you know his address? The address of Leo…"
"You mean Leonard Ashrey?" Angelo asked in return. "A few years ago, his uncle left us an address, but it's been so long now, and he may have moved abroad."
"It's fine…" she murmured, her heart heavy.
Penelope knew that the person she had been longing for was now out of reach for good.
After getting the address from Angelo, she wrote Leonard a letter.
In the letter, she expressed her longing and her helplessness.
What Penelope never expected, however, was that as soon as she placed the letter in the mailbox, waiting for the courier to collect it, Berta appeared.
Berta pulled the letter out from the mailbox without hesitation, tearing it open and reading the contents. The more she read, the more she seemed to delight in her discovery.
"So, Penelope, you've really latched onto Ajax, haven't you?" Berta muttered to herself, a malicious gleam in her eyes. "Le's see if a fickle woman like you can really keep Ajax's interest."