An hour ago...
"Are we just going to let her go?"
Penny kept her eyes on Patricia as the latter walked away in frustration. However, this was not how it was supposed to go. Patricia had been in Penny’s and everyone’s lives for so reason—like a side character that exists in everyone’s lives but doesn’t really make a big impact.
In other words, Patricia was soone Penny knew, even if the latter didn’t want to.
Patricia had nothing else to lose. Therefore, it wouldn’t be a surprise if she bantered more or argued more. Her life was over, after all.
’But that bag she’s carrying around...’ Penny thought to herself. ’... is a limited-edition one that just launched recently. There are only ten in the world. How could she afford it?’
Although Penny wasn’t an enthusiast over bags and dresses, her husband liked buying her things. Besides, Penny was surrounded by not only successful n but also powerful won—won who would wear tens of millions worth of attire for a night. Therefore, Penny was well aware of the difference between counterfeits and real ones.
"Let’s let her go. She was petty, so I guess giving her the sa level of pettiness is just right. No more, no less," Penny said with a smile. But in her mind, she wouldn’t let it go.
First, Patricia ca just to stir trouble for Nina. Second, she defiled Slater’s eyes. And lastly, she was curious.
As they all moved on, with Ginnie reassuring Penny that she didn’t care much about Patricia, Penny slid her eyes in another direction. Penny’s gaze imdiately landed on soone standing in the distance: Angel.
Angel nodded in understanding, even though all he saw was a slight nod from Penny. He slowly shifted his eyes, catching sight of Patricia.
That was how they ended up in this situation.
---
[PRESENT TI]
Patricia was sitting in the driver’s seat, her hands gripping the steering wheel. Her hands hadn’t left the steering wheel from the beginning. However, she could feel the sweat beginning to break out on her palms.
Seated in the front passenger seat was Angel. What happened earlier was that when Patricia jumped into her car and was preparing to leave after completing her "task," soone suddenly jumped into the front passenger seat.
Patricia was familiar with this man’s face—he was the one who had dragged her out of Zoren’s ho, the ti Zoren almost fed her to his vicious black panther.
’What does Mr. Pierson want from now?’ she wondered to herself, stopping in a deserted part of the city as per Angel’s instructions. ’I didn’t do anything to him, did I?’
’What am I going to do?’ she thought to herself, keeping her wide eyes down. ’Don’t tell he’s still angry at ? I stopped going to places owned by the Piersons and even lived quietly. There’s no way I offended him!’
Or was it her brother, Theo?
Patricia’s face twisted at the thought of her brother. ’Don’t tell he went to the Piersons and begged for rcy?!’That was the only thing she could think of. Otherwise, why would Zoren bother with her?
"This bag..." Angel held up the small handbag with his index finger, raising it to his face. "... Where did you get it?"
"Huh?" Deep lines ford between Patricia’s brows as she looked back at Angel strangely. "My bag? You’re asking about my bag?"
Angel cast her a dead expression. "I’m not interested in your bag. I’m interested in how you could afford it."
"What?" Patricia blurted out, then scoffed. "Are you asking this because Mr. Pierson doesn’t think I deserve a good bag? Hah! I know the Piersons are powerful and that I made so minor mistakes in the past! But how could he be so petty as to question if I bought myself a new bag? Is he going to tornt like this? I got it because I deserved it! Just because my family is struggling doesn’t an I can’t buy sothing nice for myself!"
Silence followed Patricia’s mindless yelling as Angel didn’t budge, nor was he surprised by her hysterical response.
"Your family isn’t struggling, Miss Miller," Angel replied in a dead tone, his eyes locked on her. "It’s on the brink of bankruptcy. This bag you’re carrying around might not be enough to save the company, but it’ll help."
Angel had done his research and, in fact, he was aware of the price because sothing like it had co to Zoren not long ago. And Benjamin kept yapping about how precious, limited, and expensive it was—as if the bag were for him and not for Penny.
"My boss is just... intrigued, Miss Miller," he continued in the sa flat tone, gently placing the bag down. "Will you tell the answer?"
"I had my savings!" Patricia blurted out nervously. "I bought it with my own money."
Angel tilted his head to the side. "You have savings?"
"Yes!" Her face turned red, trying to maintain a sharp front despite her nervousness. "Mister, this isn’t right anymore. You’re violating my privacy and my human rights! This is harassnt! I’ll report you to the police!"
"Please do." Angel nodded at her. "Should I drive you to the station?"
"What?"
"If you want to go to the station, feel free to do so. If you feel like I’ll harm you, then go ahead," Angel clarified, his tone clearly an encouragent. "However, what I can guarantee you today is that... talking to is probably the luckiest day of your life."
"Huh?"
"Soone bought this bag for you, didn’t they?" he asked, though not sure about it. Bluffing her into thinking he knew what was going on might get her to talk. "What did they ask you to do in return, Miss Miller?"
Just then, Angel felt his phone vibrate. Seeing the caller ID—T.M.—he answered it without hesitation.
"How is she?" asked Penny, to which he responded with, "Almost."
His answer might not have directly answered Penny’s question, but it was enough to tell her he was almost there. Almost there to get Patricia to talk.
"I’ll call you back," he said, slipping his phone into his pocket. However, he didn’t end the call. He only said so just to make Patricia think the call had ended. It was better for Penny to hear whatever Patricia had to say.
"Miss Miller," Angel called in a calm voice. "You’ve already been a part of the sche to deceive Zoren Pierson because soone saw you as the perfect scapegoat. Don’t fall for the sa trick again."
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