Chapter 4

The announcement left the crowd stunned.

Between the romantic decorations and Mrs. Lawson's introductory speech, it had been obvious that the family intended to arrange a match. No one had expected the bride-to-be to publicly shoot it down.

Though caught off guard, the guests knew better than to pry into private family affairs. After a brief, awkward silence, a smattering of applause broke out across the room.

Moira let out a visible sigh of relief. But Adrian, the one who should have been thrilled, looked positively thunderous.

He downed his drink in a single gulp and stormed out of the hall alone, leaving Moira behind without a word.

---

The moment Penelope stepped off the stage, she pulled her mother into a quiet corner for a serious talk.

"Mom, didn't I tell you already? I don't love Adrian anymore. Why would you do something like this without my permission?

"I'm telling you one last time! There is zero chance between me and Adrian. If you ever try to set us up again, I'll pack my bags and go study abroad, and I won't ever come back.

"You know my personality. I mean what I say."

Only then did Mrs. Lawson realize the gravity of the situation. "Alright, alright! I won't ever mention it again! Don't scare me like that, sweetheart. You're all I have, what would I do if you moved overseas?"

She let out a helpless sigh. "It's just... what are we going to do about the company's future?"

Penelope finally let out a breath of relief, wrapping her arms around her mother to comfort her. "Mom, I'm already learning how to run a business. I'll take over the company in time.

"This is Dad's legacy. Even though you raised Adrian, he's still an outsider at the end of the day. Relying on someone else for our future will never bring us true peace of mind.

"And another thing, Mom, be nice to Moira from now on. Don't give her cold looks whenever she visits. She's the woman Adrian loves. Offending him won't do us any good."

Mrs. Lawson blinked, staring at her daughter as if seeing a completely different person.

"Penelope..." she murmured to herself. "I feel like you've changed. You've grown up.

"You used to be so innocent and naive. You never used to think about these things."

Penelope let out a bitter smile inside. Having survived such inhuman agony, if she stayed naive, the two of them would end up in an early grave without even a place to be buried.

---

When the gala ended, Penelope and her mother stood near the entrance waiting for their driver, only to run into Adrian leading Moira out.

Catching sight of the two, Moira took the initiative to greet them with a warm smile. "Mrs. Lawson, Penelope, why don't you ride with us?"

Penelope waved her hands in a flurry of refusal. "No need, no need! Our driver is bringing the car around right now. Adrian should take you home first, future sister-in-law! It's not safe for you to travel alone this late.”

Hearing Penelope address her so naturally, Moira's cheeks flushed crimson, and she lowered her head bashfully.

Adrian frowned in displeasure, looking up at Penelope with a gaze so icy it could freeze blood. "What did you just call Moira?"

Penelope smiled, answering with complete sincerity. "Sister-in-law, of course! You two love each other so much, you're bound to get married eventually.

"So whether I call you my sister-in-law now or later makes no difference."

Moira was clearly delighted by the title; she couldn't hide the radiant smile spreading across her face. "Next time we meet, I definitely have to bring you a present, Penelope!"

Adrian, on the other hand, merely knitted his brows into a dark scowl. Without another word, he opened the car door and ushered Moira inside.

---

On the drive back, Adrian remained dead silent, looking heavily preoccupied.

Sensing his strange mood, Moira took the initiative to ask, "What's wrong, Adrian? Ever since earlier, you've seemed kind of upset."

Adrian pinched the bridge of his nose, his tone cool and distant. "It's nothing. Just a little tired."

Moira nodded thoughtfully. A moment later, another thought crossed her mind, and she spoke up again. "Adrian... I feel like you've changed."

"You used to adore Penelope as a little sister. You were always so good to her and spoiled her endlessly."

"Even when we first started dating, and you knew her mother wanted to push you two together, you never held a grudge against her.

"But now... it's like you genuinely dislike her. You never smile at her, and your voice is always so cold.

"And yet... I can still tell that you care about her deep down. Can you tell me what actually happened?"

Adrian remained silent for a long moment before offering a gentle word of reassurance. "Don't overthink things, Moira. I just don't want anything causing unnecessary complications between us."

Seeing that he didn't want to elaborate, Moira assumed she was worrying over nothing and didn't dare press any further.