Chapter 1462: Work-life balance

"You get free stuff—and there’s nothing in the world as good as free."

The four (Patricia, Shawn, Hayley, and Teddy) looked at Penny with equal parts of disbelief and surprise. If this was what Penny called good networking, what would she call the kind of other connections she have? The kind that let her walk away after smacking an officer in the head at the station?

Penny blushed happily as she sipped her juice, motioning for them to keep eating.

"..." Without a word, they resumed their meals.

"I don’t like beer," Patricia mumbled, but opened the can anyway. She took a small sip before digging into her food.

Seeing her do that, the other three glanced at each other before casting Penny a curious look.

"Uh... boss?" Hayley cleared her throat. "Aren’t you drinking too?"

"Did you see her give me a beer?" Penny raised a brow.

"I can buy you one!" Shawn blurted out, thinking Penny hadn’t gotten a beer because the auntie had only given her juice.

Penny laughed out loud, cupping her face with both hands as she looked at them fondly. "One thing you three need to remember: never let me drink more than three sips of wine. I’m a lightweight—and when I’m drunk... let’s just say, you won’t like me drunk."

Mark, seated at the table behind them, nodded in agreement. ’I’m glad this happened early... better than them learning the hard way.’

"Oh... I see." Shawn lowered his head in embarrassment.

"Don’t slouch," Penny pointed out. "If I could, I’d gladly accept your offer. Just... assume I’m allergic to alcohol. Keep that in mind."

"I understand," Teddy nodded stiffly, making a mental note. ’As long as I’m around her, she’ll never drink more than three sips of wine. NEVER.’

"But you," Penny winked, "enjoy your drinks. It’s free, and free stuff is the best."

The three exchanged looks before smiling back at her. This time, they didn’t hesitate to crack open their beers and enjoy them with their food. The dishes were best paired with a cold can, especially with the chilly weather—it helped warm them up from the inside out.

As they ate, Penny asked casual questions to keep the conversation flowing. She was sure that without her prompting, none of them would say a word. They were all a bit stiff—except Patricia, who was more comfortable chatting with her.

"By the way." Penny cleared her throat, getting their attention. "I know working overtime is sometimes necessary, especially when there’s a deadline. But if the only reason you’re staying late is because I’m still here, then don’t."

"Huh?" The four of them furrowed their brows as Penny smiled gently.

"No one in Prime Group stays late just because the boss does," she said. "I’m not saying don’t help me or support your colleagues when needed. What I’m saying is—do your best during office hours. After that, go home. Go on a date. Be with your family. Or just go read a book, watch a movie, or sleep."

She paused, her tone gentle but firm. "Health is wealth. It’s not worth working yourself to exhaustion and forgetting how to live. I believe in work-life balance. Hehe."

Teddy, Hayley, Patricia, and Shawn stared at their boss in stunned silence. Something in her words tugged at their hearts. The kindness in her tone chipped away at the hardened image they had of her.

’She really said all that...’Teddy pressed his lips together before a faint smile crept onto his face. ’...But I’d still gladly do overtime to help her.’

And that sentiment wasn’t his alone—the others felt the same.

’Why did she have to sound so kind all of a sudden?’ Patricia frowned, glancing off to the side. ’It makes me wonder why I was even mad at her all these years. It all seems so pointless now.’

Hayley and Shawn, meanwhile, smiled appreciatively at Penny. It was only their second time dining with her, but the more they talked, the more they liked her. Penny was simple and humble, despite her status. Honest and direct, too.

And in moments like this—they couldn’t help but admire her.

What they didn’t know was that Penny had once lived an entire lifetime working herself to the bone. She had poured all her energy into a research lab, often sleeping there or barely making it home before collapsing from exhaustion.

And in the end, she was rewarded with an execution chamber.

The team she had trusted was the second to abandon her—choosing to doubt her innocence. So in this lifetime, Penny vowed never to put work above herself again. It didn’t mean she wouldn’t work hard—but never again at the cost of her health.

---

Moments later...

"You guys, take care on your way home," Penny said from the backseat of the car, looking out at the four standing outside. "The finals are tomorrow, and I might need you all to help me out there."

The four smiled back at her.

"Take care, Miss Penny," Hayley said, followed by Shawn: "Thanks for the treat, Boss."

"Mhm." Penny hummed, waving dismissively.

The window slowly rolled up as the car pulled away. Her four secretaries remained on the roadside, watching her car disappear down the street.

"Our boss... she’s a good person, isn’t she?" Hayley remarked after a moment, chuckling. "I’m really glad to be part of this team."

Shawn nodded, suppressing a smile. "Miss Penny’s a little scary... but she’s been nothing but nice to us."

"Did you think she was going to yell at you every day?" Patricia teased, narrowing her eyes at him as the three began walking to the bus stop.

Shawn laughed awkwardly, scratching the back of his head. "Maybe a little."

"Haha. I have to admit, I expected the worst on our first day," Hayley added with a laugh.

As the three chatted casually, Teddy walked a step behind. Listening to their conversation, a soft smile formed on his lips.

’I also thought working for her would be hell...’ he thought, eyes gentle. ’But I was wrong.’

Just when they thought the night was over, Teddy bumped into someone. He hadn’t been paying attention and was quick to apologize.

"I’m sorry, I wasn’t looking—"

"Ted?"

The moment Teddy heard that voice, he froze. His breath hitched as his eyes widened, even before he turned to look.

"Teddy Arthur?" the man said, lowering his head a little. When Teddy looked up, the man’s face lit up. "Oh, it is you! Ted!"

Teddy’s mouth quivered as he exhaled shakily. "Oh, it’s... it’s you."