Chapter 5

With the engagement officially called off and her mother realizing that pushing the issue with Adrian was a dead end, Mrs. Lawson quickly set up other blind dates for Penelope.

Unaware of the setup, Penelope went to meet her match, only to discover that her date was an old acquaintance.

Marcus Carter, the man who had pursued her relentlessly for three full years.

Back then, she had been entirely fixated on Adrian and had taken it for granted that they would eventually marry, so she had turned Marcus down without a second thought.

According to what she heard in her past life, after she married Adrian, Marcus had poured his heart and soul into his career before eventually moving to the United States, never to return.

She never expected him to be her blind date today.

Reuniting under such an awkward circumstance made Penelope feel a bit self-conscious.

Marcus, however, acted completely at ease, taking the initiative to explain. "I heard from your mom that you don't like Adrian anymore and that your engagement is off.

"So I came up with an excuse and asked her to set this up. I just wanted to ask you for another chance.

"If this makes you uncomfortable, I can tell her it was entirely my fault."

His frank and open attitude instantly melted away her hesitation; had she kept acting shy and uptight, she would have looked petty.

Even if the two of them couldn't become romantic partners, they could easily be friends. She had simply been overcomplicating things.

Having just crawled out of a nightmare, Penelope had zero energy to dive straight into a new relationship, so she gently told him she needed some time to think things over.

Marcus smiled warmly, immediately assuring her that they would go at whatever pace she preferred.

Once they cleared the air, spending time together became effortless.

Marcus turned out to be exceptionally gentle and attentive. He took her to an amusement park to help her unwind, followed by dinner at a fantastic restaurant.

Throughout the outing, he anticipated her every need, knowing her favorite foods and her exact dietary restrictions.

Every little detail chipped away at her old impressions, steadily shifting her view of him.

When the date ended, Marcus drove Penelope home.

As they arrived outside the front gates, they ran straight into Adrian and Moira, who were returning at the same time.

As the four of them crossed paths, the look Adrian cast at Marcus was laced with unexplained hostility.

"For a first meeting, staying out this late is a bit much, don't you think, Mr. Carter? Aren't you being rather inconsiderate?"

Watching Adrian pick a fight, Penelope couldn't help stepping in to defend Marcus.

"It's my fault for losing track of time, Adrian. It has nothing to do with Marcus."

The moment those words left her mouth, Adrian’s expression turned even uglier.

"Marcus?"

He ground the name out between his molars, every syllable squeezed through clenched teeth as he fought to suppress a surge of rage.

Sensing the sudden hostility in the air, Moira hurried to smooth things over, tugging Adrian toward the front door.

Once they were safely inside, Moira couldn't help asking, "Adrian, you seemed to really dislike Penelope's friend. Did he do something to offend you?"

Adrian froze, then brushed it off with an impatient frown. "No. I'm just worried Penelope is getting involved with the wrong person."

Later that night, Adrian appeared outside Penelope's bedroom door. He tried the knob, only to find it locked from the inside.

His face darkened into a scowl, and he let out a cold huff. A moment later, he walked back to his own room and simply climbed across through the window.

He slipped silently to the side of Penelope's bed and threw his weight down on top of her.

In the darkness, the only sound was the rhythm of their slightly ragged breathing.

He pressed close to her ear, his teeth gritted as he interrogated her. "So, did you have fun hanging out with him today?"

Penelope shoved him away and sat up in bed.

Now, she made a conscious effort to treat him purely as an adoptive brother, meaning she had to keep their interactions strictly regulated: neither too close nor too distant.

She forced a casual smile. "Of course I did! Marcus and I went to the amusement park and rode the roller coaster, then we had Thai food, and then—"

Before she could finish, Adrian cut her off.

He glared down at her through the dark, his breathing inexplicably heavy. "Oh, brilliant. You're getting craftier by the day, aren't you? Using another man as a prop just to play hard-to-get with me?"

"No, I'm not. I've already reasoned with Mom, and she won't interfere with our lives anymore. As long as you leave me alone, we can just be family from now on. Nothing more than brother and sister."

Brother and sister?

Could she honestly content herself with being just a sister to the man she had loved?

Adrian sneered, shoving her aside. "Penelope, don't for a second think you can fool me."

With that, he stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him.