The next day, Penny visited the hospital again.After she confirmed that Susan and Willow were not around, she entered Asher's ward.However, the recording device was no longer there. She distinctly remembered leaving it on the table the day before.Both Susan and Willow were restless and irritable, so she knew that they certainly would not have paid attention to a pen. Penny assumed that perhaps a nurse had taken it.She hurriedly asked around, but no one had seen it.It was not until she passed Zane's ward that she bumped into him on his way to the restroom.Susan was inside Zane's ward as she needed to monitor his condition. Her anger flared up when she saw Penny, and she was ready to approach.However, Penny had gone straight to the nurses' station to inquire about the recording device.No one seemed to know anything about it.She returned to the corridor and spotted a bald man coming from the other end. It was Steve, Chris’ friend who had randomly approached her on the ro
The situation remained chaotic as Susan's anger continued to erupt. However, her demeanor abruptly froze when she heard the recording.In Zane's mind, a sharp pang of pain resurged and dragged with it the memories of the distressing scene he had witnessed between Susan and Sunny.Remarkably, Penny maintained calm amidst the turmoil.Nonetheless, even Penny had not anticipated such an unexpected twist. She was previously unaware that Susan was engaged in an affair with Sunny.A subtle smile curved Penny's lips as she commented, "Dad, take a good look at your devoted wife and cherished daughter. You've always dismissed my words without a second thought. Every assertion Susan made drove you to hostility against me. "It's the same with this stranger lying here before you. I barely know him, yet you deny me the chance to explain myself the moment Susan claims that he's my lover. It's been a recurring pattern for years, and honestly, I've reached my breaking point."Her gaze lowered,
Penny did not reply to Zane. She simply set her phone aside and prepared to rest after a tiring day.She found more new messages on her phone when she woke up the next day.[I lost everything at 53. I can't even face your mother for fear of her scolding me.[I've examined the contract with Purvi Group. Sunny signed an additional agreement, shortening the six months to just one month. Purvi Group has been incessantly calling me as we owe them a billion dollars. The Sullivans don't have that kind of liquidity.[The Sullivans might be burdened with colossal debt. There’s no point in transferring the shares to you. It's better for you not to have any ties to Sullivan Corporation. Penny, I'm truly sorry.]A sense of unease gripped Penny when she got to the last of Zane’s texts. She immediately called him, but it was answered by a nurse."Ms. Sullivan, the patient went into shock last night and instructed us not to inform you. His will to survive is low."Penny's mouth opened, but n
Penny thought to herself, ‘Could Mom be trying to send me a message through my dreams?’The fear of her father's loneliness.The fear of her getting into an unhappy marriage.It all seemed to be aligned perfectly.Zane was isolated and vulnerable. With the impending arrival of her bloodthirsty grandparents and the massive debt from Purvi Group, it seemed likely that he contemplated death as an escape.If Penny allowed Zane to kill himself, she would not be able to overcome the regret no matter how smooth her journey ahead might be.She pondered on her next steps and called Laura to inquire about Kenn.However, Laura had limited knowledge about the corporate world, as authority within the Jennings family was still held by Mr. Jennings.Penny dialed one number after another and eventually reached out to Jeremy.Jeremy was preparing to head to the upscale restaurant for a business dinner.The prices at this restaurant were exorbitant, the food catered to the wealthy elite.Jere
Lucas had been in his original department for so long, continuously being suppressed by his former boss. However, he had recently been promoted.His skills had always been good; the only setback was his educational background. However, since he had performed well last time, Mr. Bauer decided to keep him around for further training. He even found him to be quite competent.The moment Caleb entered the private room, the CEO of Bauer Builders, Rudy Bauer, and Lucas had already been waiting there. There were also a few other senior executives from Bauer Builders.Rudy enthusiastically stood up to greet him.“Mr. Fergerson, thank you for honoring us with your presence.”Caleb’s gaze passed over several people and landed on Lucas.Rudy, being a shrewd person, noticed Caleb’s interest in Lucas and thus pushed Lucas forward.“This is Lucas, my new protégé. Go ahead. Meet Mr. Fergerson.”Lucas had an average appearance, the type one typically would not pick out in a crowd.“Mr. Fergers
Sure enough, when Penny saw Caleb, Mr. Bauer, and even Lucas inside, her eyebrows furrowed immediately.Both her real husband and her fake husband were in this private room.She suddenly felt a headache.However, Jeremy took her hand and walked directly to Rudy.“Mr. Bauer, if I’d known you were in the opposite room, I would've come over sooner. It’s fortunate that I asked around.”Rudy was anxious because Lucas had lost something of Caleb’s, but his mood improved significantly when Jeremy arrived.“Mr. Tate, Penny, would you like to sit down and have a drink?”Jeremy then noticed Caleb. “So, Mr. Fergerson and Ms. Shaw are here too. You two are really lovey-dovey.”Upon seeing that Jeremy was accompanied by Penny, Charlotte’s eyes flashed with disdain. “Mr. Tate, you're really fickle-minded. Just a few days ago, you were with another woman.”To Jeremy, this comment was a jest.However, it was not friendly to Penny. It implied to everyone in the room that Penny was easily repl
Penny sat down next to Jeremy, who had saved her a seat right next to Caleb.Clearly, Jeremy had done this on purpose to stir the pot.Just moments before in the opposite private room, Amber had glanced at her a few times. Although she did not verbally mock her due to her upbringing, it was evident that she did not like her.They had finished early on that side, but surprisingly, Jeremy had a second act planned.Jeremy was a master at enlivening the atmosphere, and soon the table was buzzing with conversation. He then shifted the topic toward Purvi.Tonight’s dinner, hosted by Bauer Builders, was meant to thank Caleb. As long as the mood remained lively and not awkward, it would be a success.With Jeremy’s participation, everyone was chatting smoothly.Rudy had heard of Purvi and could not help chiming in.“Mr. Tate, you just acquired a big company. Are you perhaps interested in Purvi?”Jeremy chuckled lightly. “I’ve heard that Purvi is currently collaborating with several com
Penny did not feel embarrassed. After all, if Caleb could watch the Sullivans go bankrupt without blinking an eye, how could he possibly let Purvi fall?In his heart, he would certainly enjoy seeing Purvi take down the Sullivans and burden them with debts totaling a billion.This would ensure that the wife he despised so much could never recover.After all, even if Sir Fergerson liked Penny, would he really bail out the Sullivans with so much money?The first round of financing was completed, and so was the second.At this point, the Sullivans were clearly being defrauded. Being scammed out of a billion would just prove that the Sullivans were unfit to run a company.It was a bottomless pit.Even if Sir Fergerson really did contribute, it might create a rift between him and Penny.Besides, Sir Fergerson was genuinely good to her. How could she let him give up all his capital?Penny was a clear-headed person, but she could not help bearing some resentment toward Caleb.They we
Penny was displeased but was too shy to voice it out. Her body felt empty.“Are you happy that he’s back?” “No.” “Then, do you want me?” Penny bit her lip. He had caused sweat to break out across her body. Caleb’s phone rang. Finn was on the other end of the line. He answered the phone, and Finn’s voice rang out. “Imperial City is going to be in chaos tonight. The higher-ups are hunting for the results of Caspian's experiments, and even Uncle Shawn is getting involved in this. "He just called and told me that the higher-ups contacted him and basically forced him to agree to convince Caspian to give them the results. "Cas has also contacted the higher-ups himself and told them that unless Penny is by his side, the mental torture he was subjected to will stop him from recalling where he’s put the chip.” It was a matter of national security, and this was what Caspian was using as his bartering chip the minute he returned. There was no doubt the higher-ups would put a
Penny had made it out of the room by then. Her face was deathly pale. “Penny!” Caleb ran after her and pulled her into his arms. He pulled her behind a pillar where no one could see them. Caleb knew what was going through her mind, and he held her face in his hands. She did not look at him. Her chest heaved as she struggled to process the truth. Caleb did not know what to say and merely brushed the tip of his nose against hers. When she did not resist, he slowly moved down and kissed her. He knew why Caspian had chosen this sort of appearance. Not only would he manage to devastate Penny, but he could also announce to everyone that he was Penny’s first love. That way, he could also cause Caleb to find himself in a sticky situation. However, Caleb could not care less. As he kissed Penny, he tightened his arms around her waist. Their breaths turned ragged as they continued kissing for another ten minutes. Finally, he rested his forehead on her shoulder. His back was slig
Despite everyone staring at him, Caleb only had eyes for Penny. Penny did not know the reason behind that, and her brows were knitted together tightly as she watched Caspian make his way down from the second floor. He took the ring from the host and placed it before her solemnly. “I’m here to fulfill my promise, Penpen.” Penny wanted to smack his hand away, but he slowly bent over and smiled as he took her hand. He tried to put the ring on her finger, but his actions were stopped by someone else. He looked in the direction where the hand had come from, and his gaze met Caleb. “Long time no see, Caleb.” Caleb pulled Penny from her seat into his arms. She was left with no choice but to sit on his lap. Caleb could not care less about whatever sort of tricks Caspian would pull. If he allowed Caspian to put that finger on Penny’s finger, he would change his last name! Penny wanted to struggle out of his grasp, but the warmth of his body caused her to stop. He was still
Some people were speculating if they had gotten back together again, and some were even wondering if Caleb was blind. Why did he pass on Khloe Strauss and choose a designer who did not come from a prestigious family? No matter how well Penny ran her company, these people would still view her as a lowly designer fighting to make a name for herself in the market. She ignored everyone else’s stares and merely took a piece of tissue. She turned slightly to wipe the sweat from Caleb’s forehead. Caleb opened his eyes slightly and looked at her. The two did not say anything. Plenty of people were standing around them, but the light above their heads seemed to have enveloped them in a world of their own. Penny felt her heart rate increase as she clutched the tissue and returned her gaze to the stage. “This is a piece of emerald that Mr. Winston Hill has donated. Bidding starts at three million dollars.” Everyone’s gaze turned toward Winston. Winston smiled at everyone as he int
Ethan patted her head and then noticed Sean's gaze shifting toward them."Sean?"Sean leaned back and remained silent, merely twirling his phone between his thumb and forefinger. His lowered lashes cast a shadow.He stood up and heard Ethan say again, "Leave your phone."Sean chuckled. "Ethan, you're being too serious right now."He left his phone behind and went upstairs.Khloe continued to sway Ethan's shoulders."Ethan, I had Wind take action against Penny tonight. This time, success is mandatory. Failure is not an option."Ethan's expression turned grave instantly. "Didn't I tell you not to act on your own?""But I nearly lost my life because of her, twice."After saying this, she touched the area over her heart, her complexion turning pale in a moment."Khlo?"This time, Khloe genuinely felt discomfort in her heart, and the next second, she fainted."Khlo!"Ethan was no longer concerned about reprimanding her and immediately took her to the hospital.…Tonight, the
After returning to Dawn Haven Villa, Penny pulled up her laptop to check public opinion. There were those who vilified Zach, those who vilified her, and even more who vilified S.M. The autistic child's mother, who had published that post online, was even planning to hold a press conference today to accuse S.M. of not having contacted her yet.Penny obtained the mother's contact number and made a call, but the woman did not answer.After just testing the waters, Penny hung up. She then had people from Dawn Haven Villa follow the autistic child's parents and also had someone investigate the whereabouts of Linda and her group.After leaving Sky Lounge last night, that group of wealthy youths checked into a villa Khloe had purchased in Imperial City.The villa had helpers to attend to them, and the group of wealthy youths lived it up.Penny had a rough idea of the culture in Americana, which was much more open than here, with many policies far more lenient.Her fingertips tapped on
A lot of people had gathered around the police station. Zach had just won a grand prize and was currently a top male star with many fans.Hence, being embroiled in a scandal like this shocked the entire internet.The post written by the autistic child's parents placed Zach directly in the spotlight.The combination of the words 'child', 'abuse', and 'autism' had a huge impact.Fans were voicing their disbelief, but bystanders had already boiled over with rage online, hurling insults and curses.S.M. instantly became the target of public condemnation!When Penny arrived at the entrance of the police station, Zach's agent, Otis, was already waiting there. The grown man was crying so hard his eyes were red."Ms. Sullivan!"He immediately stood up from the ground when he saw Penny."I'm sorry, Ms. Sullivan."Penny did not look at him and headed straight into the police station.Zach was sitting on a bench with a police officer still questioning him.Penny had a strong presence.
Penny stood still for a while, feeling unsettled as she got back into the car.Firstly, it was due to her situation with Caleb. Secondly, it was because of Ethan's words. Was something about to happen?She looked up, intending to speak with Winona. However, she suddenly heard Winona's soft sobs. She was lying on the steering wheel, so engrossed in her emotions that she did not notice Penny getting into the car."Winona?" Penny called out.Awakened from her daze, Winona quickly sat up straight. "Ms. Sullivan.""Did your ex-boyfriend come looking for you again? Haven't you already paid him back? Won't his family let you be?""That’s not it.""Is it because he and that woman are getting married? Did they send you a wedding invitation, which made you feel upset?""No."Then what was it?Penny knew that the family situations of the people close to her were quite simple. Winona came from a single-parent family, and her mother did not care much for her.Raven's parents had passed a
Ethan's gaze fell on Penny, and his brows furrowed. His good upbringing prevented him from making any sarcastic remarks at this moment.After all, Penny was alone on her side. On the contrary, they had strength in numbers. Khloe was just discharged from the hospital today and was planning to welcome friends who had come all the way from Americana to see her.Seeing Penny alone, she felt a surge of satisfaction.Given her status as Ms. Strauss, she had many friends in Americana and would never be as isolated as Penny.She had specifically called Linda over, knowing Linda's temper was explosive. Just a little sob story from her and Linda could spew out some really nasty words.Linda spoke up again at this moment."Slut, we'll get you killed sooner or later!"She touched her face as she glared fiercely at Penny as if she wanted to devour her alive.Khloe quickly intervened, saying, "Linda, let's go. We should head inside."Ethan, Sean, let's go."Sean stood by, sighing slightl