Some gossip is worth indulging in, and some isn't. Luke's approach to pursuing women was that of a domineering CEO, too proud to lower his head. I decided to leave rather than stick around for the drama - it wouldn't be good if his anger spilled over onto me.After considering the pros and cons, I entered the elevator.Uncle Paul and Aunt Karen had already left for Johnsonville. If they couldn't locate Penelope, they would likely come after me.When I arrived home, I specifically spoke to the property management, showing them photos of my uncle and aunt, and instructing them not to allow them into the community. If they saw them, they were to contact me. I was on high alert.To my surprise, my uncle and aunt went straight to First Media to wait for Joey.While I was running errands, I happened to pass by the magazine office and saw Joey dealing impatiently with my uncle and aunt.I parked in a hidden spot and watched their argument unfold from my car."You called us to Johnsonvi
Joey was shocked. "How can a young graduate with a monthly salary of just a few thousand save so much in just a few years?"Even if Penelope didn't spend any money, it would be impossible for her to save that much!My uncle and aunt were treating Penelope like a source of money."It doesn't matter if she hasn't saved two hundred thousand. Once we find her, we'll bring her home for an arranged marriage. The bride price will be an additional income. We have ways to make her come up with two hundred thousand.""Is Penelope really your biological daughter?" Joey began to doubt whether calling my uncle and aunt to Johnsonville was the right decision."Daughters are not profitable assets. Once she's married, she'll have nothing to do with us. We can only get as much as we can before she marries. Either you compensate us for her, or tell us her address."My uncle's shameless words made Wendy curse several times. "Is your uncle genetically mutated? What about Penelope? Tell her to run! L
It was lunchtime, and the area around First Media's office was bustling with activity. Some passersby stopped to take photos with their phones, and snippets of conversation could be heard all around."How could she treat her parents like that? She's heartless!""She's the editor-in-chief of First Media. With such a cold-hearted boss, how can they produce any good content?""She just became editor-in-chief and already disowns her own parents. If her career advances further, will she look down on everyone?""You don't know anything. They're not my parents!" Joey tried to explain."Sweetie, don't worry. We'll leave right now. We won't embarrass you anymore," Paul said, helping Karen up from the ground, and they hurriedly left."Her parents are so considerate, how can she be so cold-blooded!""Her parents look like such decent folk. How did they raise such an ungrateful child?""Having a daughter like that, it's like they wasted all those years!"After Paul and Karen left, the onl
"Parents cannot be chosen, it is simply fate! Why should I feel guilty?" Joey's eyes flickered with unease."If you're not guilty, then why haven't you given them Penelope's address?""Because..." Joey gripped the steering wheel. "She has already left Johnsonville. I do not know where she has gone.""I knew you were not that kind-hearted."Didn't she claim that her vast network could find Penelope in any city?I wanted to throw some sarcastic remarks her way, but upon seeing her start the car, I simply said, "From what I know about them, if they cannot find Penelope, they will pester you non-stop. Your days will not be easy.""They will bother you too, their blood relative! Let us see how you handle it!""Just take care of yourself. My affairs are none of your concern."The car started moving slowly. I took a step back, standing straight. "If their harassment becomes too much and you cannot handle it, you can come to me.""You want me to beg you for a solution? After all the t
Joey always acted arrogant when she was around me. Even when she needed something from me, she consistently refused to speak softly. The more she behaved this way, the less I wanted to deal with her. It wasn't me who was desperate, it was her. If she wanted to wait, I would wait with her.Our cars were parked at the small entrance, blocking other residents from entering the complex. The entrance soon became congested, with some people honking and others stepping out of their cars to see what was happening. The security guard also rushed over to maintain order.Joey called out to the guard, "It's my fault for parking in the wrong spot and causing trouble. Can you help me back the car out?"Joey's attitude changed in an instant. Just a moment ago, she was glaring at me, but now she was suddenly gentle and polite. I looked around and noticed that Luke's car was parked nearby, and I understood.Luke's car windows were closed, so I couldn't see his expression. Once Joey moved her car, I
"You're the chief editor of a magazine. You can use your resources to expose how my uncle and aunt mistreated and exploited Penelope over the years," I suggested."There are many families with internal conflicts and abusive dynamics. People just need to work harder to overcome their circumstances. I don't see anything newsworthy in this, and it doesn't help my situation at all," Joey responded dismissively."Escaping an abusive family isn't as easy as you think," I countered. For some people, their family is a nightmare. "You called my uncle and aunt to Johnsonville to trap Penelope, but it backfired and caused you trouble. Nowadays, people like to read stories that expose injustice and provide relief. If you write about the awful things my uncle and aunt have done from your perspective, readers will be interested.""You want me to portray myself as the villain in this story?" Joey asked skeptically.Given her past actions, she did fit the role of a typical antagonist."People are
After the video was uploaded online, another wave of internet trolls began attacking Joey, making the comments even more vicious. Joey's personal accounts were flooded, and she had to disable comments. Even the magazine's social media account suffered, with people demanding her immediate dismissal and threatening to boycott all First Media publications if their demands weren't met.Joey must be feeling extremely stressed right now. After my evening routine, I checked the comments and prepared to go to bed when Joey called."Send me the video," Joey said bluntly."Give me your email, and I'll send it over after we hang up," I replied.Joey's arrogance was unmistakable, but I didn't refuse her request."You had this video ready, knowing I'd come back to you?" she asked, her tone laced with anger."This was prepared after a conversation with Penelope. I thought it might be useful someday to expose the truth. Now seems like the perfect time," I explained honestly."You're not afraid
"You're just stating the facts. Don't let online trolls get to you. Focus on finding a job and living well."Whenever I spoke with Penelope, it felt like she was surrounded by people with sad stories, hiding away in her own world to heal her wounds. I wanted to rescue her from that world, but I was afraid that my attempts might have unintended consequences. So, the best I could do was to offer support without disrupting her life too much.Joey worked swiftly, and the newspaper featuring Penelope's story was published the following day. The article cleverly disguised Penelope's real name and was divided into three parts: beginning, middle, and end.Joey was better at evoking emotions than I was. She took the material I provided and added dramatic flair to make Penelope's story even more heart-wrenching. For example, she described how Penelope was left alone at home without warm clothing in the midst of winter while her aunt and uncle indulged in gambling. Penelope shivered as she wen