At that, everyone began expressing their thoughts.
âYes, thatâs right! Itâs so worth attending Ms. Penelopeâs birthday party!â
âMy time isnât wasted here. This is such an honor!â
Even Lochlan had a look of surprise on his face. âMr. Flying Fish? I heard that one needs to offer at least five hundred thousand before Flying Fish picks up the case and that itâs at least one million for Zero.â He turned to Penelope. âAre you really Zero? Can I make an order? Iâm offering a million, and I need you to court a woman for me.â
Penelope stiffened, her face pale.
While she was enjoying the attention, she was also anxious.
Nervously, she said, âI⦠Well, Mr. Lochlan, do you really need me to do something as trivial as that?
Isnât this an overkill?â
Right as she said that, Kate chided, âHave you lost your mind? Why would Zero take on a ridiculous order like yours?â She smacked Lochlanâs arm.
Lochlan laughed and said, âI was just joking.â He then turned back to Penelope. âMs. Penelope, I canât believe you have a secret identity. I never thought youâd be Zero. You donât look like you know any martial arts.â
Resentment grew in Penelopeâs heart. Is Lochlan mad? Open your eyes and look at reality! Are you really Dixonâs cousin? Why are you trying to make things so hard for me?
Even though she had a guilty look on her face, she still straightened her back subconsciously. âMr.
Lochlan, no one says that a secret service agent must know martial arts. Itâs not necessary.â
Everyone in the room felt honored and proud.
It had never crossed their minds that Penelope would be Zero and that she could invite Flying Fish from Mysterious yet Majestic.
The young ones might not have heard of the organization before, but the older ones, like Jason and the other CEOs, certainly had.
They were pleasantly delighted.
âWe never thought you were Zero, Ms. Penelope! Weâre fools not to recognize you!â
âMr. Haddock, youâve struck gold!â
âMs. Canter, I canât believe Zero is your daughter. Youâre so lucky!â
Mary was still in a daze.
She had no idea what had just happened.
When did Penelope become a secret service agent? Why does this young man here seem like heâs someone prominent?
Mary shot Penelope a glare and said, âWhy did you hide this from me, your mother? I had no idea that youâre a secret service agent! No wonder you were so sneaky about the things you do.â
Penelope wanted to say that she was not a secret service agent, but she did not dare to.
She could only keep a stiff smile, which only made her look as though she was about to cry. She turned to Mary and said through clenched teeth, âMom⦠donât say that.â
Sienna chimed in, âOur Penelope is just too low profile! She even managed to keep the fact that sheâs a secret service agent a secret from you. As expected of Zero. If not for Mr. Flying Fish coming here today, we wouldnât have learned about this!â
Sienna was trying to tell her something else with those words, and Penelope knew.
Even if she was not Zero, she still had to keep up with the act as long as she could keep Flying Fish there with them.
âThatâs right. Penelopeâs not like a certain someone who told the whole world about how she was on friendly terms with Old Mr. Laith so others would become jealous of her.â
âEvery time I think about that gloating look of hers, Iâm disgusted!â
Everyone in the room knew who they were talking about.
However, Penelopeâs smile only stiffened even more.
She would have been delighted if she really was Zero.
She would not have been able to hide it until now. She would have made everyone in Mysterious yet Majestic celebrate her birthday with her.
Alas, she was but a fraud.
The longer Jason looked at Penelopeâs slightly above-average face, the more pleased and satisfied he was with her.
Sheâs my goddaughter, all right. Sheâs so humble and magnanimous even now.
âPenelope, how could you not have told your mother and me about this? Weâre the closest people to you in this world!â