Letting go of Zoren Pierson for today shouldn’t be a problem. After all, Penny already had so information about him. There were still chances of eting him, and if there were no chances, she would make one for herself.
"Penny?"
"Huh?" Penny snapped out of her trance and turned to the front-row seat.
Nina smiled awkwardly and said, "We already drove past Auntie’s and Mom’s restaurant."
"Oh." Penny’s lips ford an "o" shape and refocused her attention on the road. "Right. Sorry."
As Penny slowed down to make a turn for another several-minute drive, Nina studied her.
"Penny, is everything okay?" Nina asked worriedly. "You seed distracted."
"Yes, I’m okay. Just a lot of things on my mind."
"Are you sure?"
Penny cast her a sidelong glance when she was back in the proper lane. ’No, actually,’ was what she wanted to say.
It would be nice if Nina could rember which family she married into in her previous life. If only Nina could, Penny would’ve confird her theory, but there was no way Nina could do that. It only made Penny a little bitter for not trying to know which family Nina married in their previous life.
"Mhm, I’m sure," Penny humd. "I just had a lot of things to deal with at work and so family matters."
"Are the elders still pressuring you to marry?"
"No."
Nina raised her brows. "Really?"
"Told you. I’ve got it." Penny winked at Nina, making the latter chuckle.
"You’re amazing," Nina comnted. "Once I add the Pri Group office to my portfolio, I’m going to make it big."
Penny chuckled. "You think too highly of Pri Group."
"Penny, you’re the only person I’ve t who doesn’t want to bask in the glory of their achievents," Nina complained quietly. "If only you let everyone know you’re the boss of the leading security firm, I don’t think the elders would even look down on you."
"They wouldn’t look down on , but they’d surely bother . I’d rather choose the forr." Penny shrugged. "Besides, it’s better to surround yourself with people who respect you for who you are, rather than those who are only kind to you because of what you have."
Nina’s smile softened as she looked at Penny. "You really haven’t changed, have you?"
"Hmm?"
"Still as decisive and unbothered as ever," Nina remarked. "It must be nice to live without caring about other people’s opinions."
If only Nina knew...
’I lived an entire life listening to other people’s opinions except mine,’Penny thought. ’It took an entire lifeti to listen to myself and prioritize myself first before anyone else.’
Penny kept her thoughts to herself and gave Nina a brief smile. "Is Aunt Jessa still the sa?"
"Hehe." Nina’s smile cracked. "Worse. Especially when she’s in the kitchen, but that’s just how she molds the chefs under her. Tough love, as she says."
"Haha."
With that said, they drove to the restaurant owned by Jessa and Allison—a place that tested their friendship but also symbolized their success as individuals.
**********
anwhile...
"Sir." Benjamin glanced back at the backseat, concern apparent in his eyes as he looked at Zoren.
Earlier, Zoren had been massaging his brow constantly, keeping his eyes closed on their journey to his date. But now, Zoren was breaking out in a sweat and looked even paler.
"I’m canceling your next appointnt," Benjamin decided. "We’re heading to Doctor Tan’s clinic."
Zoren didn’t respond even upon hearing his assistant’s decision. He simply leaned back with his eyes closed.
His eyesight was deteriorating.
In addition to the splitting headache, his vision was becoming blurry. This had happened before, and they had almost feared he would lose his eyesight. Though it had been treated with dication and rest, the return of these symptoms indicated only one thing.
He was getting worse.
After half an hour, their car ca to a stop. Benjamin quickly got out of the front seat and opened the backseat door.
"Sir, let help—"
Zoren raised a hand and slowly opened his eyes. "Benjamin, don’t draw too much attention. If anyone finds out about this, Dean will strike again."
"Yes... yes." Benjamin nodded, lowering his head and restraining himself before stepping aside.
Zoren had been battling his family fair and square, but they always resorted to underhanded thods to attack him. Benjamin knew it all, having worked for Zoren since before he beca the head of the family.
’He wasn’t okay the whole day, but they even sent a woman out of the blue!’ Benjamin’s heart was filled with bitterness as he recalled the woman who had followed them from the hospital to the restaurant. ’Master had to deal with her nonsense on top of everything else!’
Luckily, Benjamin rembered that woman’s face. The next ti he saw her, he would make sure she disappeared before Zoren even caught sight of her shadow!
*
*
*
In Doctor Tan’s office, Zoren sat on the couch while the doctor sat across from him.
Zoren slowly focused on the blurry figure before him. "I can’t see," he calmly confessed. "I think I’m going blind this ti."
Worry imdiately spread on the old doctor’s face as he approached Zoren.
"Let check, Mr. Pierson." The doctor shone a light into Zoren’s eyes to examine them. Zoren’s pupils were abnormally dilated, the doctor noted.
Nevertheless, the doctor remained composed as he walked to his desk to request dication through telecommunications. When he returned and sat across from Zoren again, he spoke.
"Mr. Pierson, I heard you were recently in an accident," he said. "I don’t think you’re fit to work right now. You need rest and to take it easy."
Zoren kept his gaze fixed on the figure without moving. "Doctor, I’ve had this condition before. I’m not scared."
"I’m aware," Doctor Tan sighed. "It was around the ti you had to co to terms with your father’s passing. That Thursday Girl... you still haven’t found her?"
Zoren didn’t respond imdiately, but when he did, disappointnt tinged his voice. "I’d rather go blind than accept that she won’t show up anymore."
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