Chapter 211
Judson’s gaze turned icy, his eyes narrowing on Penny with an unmistakable edge of menace.
Penny, with an innocent shrug, said, “Mr. Green, there’s no need to be so tense. If I wanted to rat you out, I’d have done it already.”
“Judson, Penny’s with me; she knows where she stands,” Michael cut in, putting a reassuring hand on Judson’s shoulder. He wouldn’t have brought Penny along if that wasn’t the case. Under normal circumstances, Penny would have nodded in agreement, but this was different.
Penny’s expression turned serious. “Mr. Green, you heard what Lena said. She’s a friend of my sister’s, and while I don’t get why you’re deceiving her, you’re not planning to hurt her, right?”
Her eyes were probing by the end of her sentence.
Judson scoffed, unfazed. “I’ve been looking for her for years. Do you think I’d harm her?”
“So, your long–standing crush is Lena,” Penny exclaimed, surprised. No wonder Judson went to such lengths to stay close to Nancy.
“Why not just tell her?” Penny pressed.
www.
Judson’s brow furrowed deeply. “If Nancy knew, would she still let me stay?”
Penny hesitated, speechless.
Michael chuckled, breaking the tension, but quickly stifled his laughter when Judson shot him a warning glare. “Judson, man, I don’t mean to laugh, but once your secret’s out, Nancy’s gonna kick you to the curb,” Michael
teased.
“Shut up,” Judson snapped, his tone a clear warning.
Michael and Penny exchanged amused glances, both trying to suppress their smiles.
Before they could compose themselves, Lenard approached. “What’s so funny, guys?”
“We just heard a hilarious joke,” Penny said, feeling more at ease now that Judson seemed harmless.
When Lena and Judson are together, it’s clear even without looking that Lena is the one in charge.
“What joke? Can you tell me?” Lenard asked, eyes wide with curiosity.
Penny, lounging back with a lazy grin, teased, “Lenard, are you crushing on my sister?”
“Is it that obvious? Now I’m embarrassed,” Lenard feigned a blush.
Penny sighed dramatically. “Well, you might be out of luck. Winnie likes girls.”
“What?! No way!” Lenard’s jaw dropped, his disbelief evident.
Penny laughed. “Just kidding, Lenard. I wanted to see your reaction.”
Lenard rolled his eyes. “Geez, no wonder Winnie doesn’t hang out with you, Penny. You’ve got a wicked sense of
humor.”
“Hey now, that look on your face better not mean you’re bad–mouthing me,” Penny shot back playfully. Lenard quickly plastered on a smile. “Of course not. I’m your biggest fan, remember?”
Satisfied, Penny nodded, but her attention shifted as a group of models emerged, dressed in new outfits. Even though they were just samples, their beauty was undeniable.
Penny’s eyes lit up with admiration. “Stunning. Absolutely stunning. Now I really want to try those on.”
15:46
Chapter 2
Nancy, who was trailing behind, chuckled softly. “Don’t worry, you’ll get your chance in a week. I’ve got the dresses being rushed. You’ll love them.”
“I’m so excited! This show is going to be a hit, right, Potter?” Penny beamed.
Potter nodded enthusiastically. “Absolutely! The Little Golden Awards are going to be a smash hit!” Everyone could now understand the genius behind Lena’s work. She was a star, a true prodigy.
Not just Potter, every model there looked at Nancy with admiration and respect.
