Chapter 313: You have a good friend, Penny.

When Allen came out to get Penny from the reception desk, he slowed his steps to buy himself some time to study her. Glancing at her discreetly from head to toe, Allen couldn’t help but gulp.

She wasn’t as tall as he’d imagined, but she had a figure worth flaunting. Her red dress made her skin look even fairer, and the red ribbon in her hair completed the look. Although she seemed a little too young for Atlas, his boss certainly wasn’t doing badly.

"Hello, Miss..." Allen greeted, leaving his question hanging.

Penny just smiled without replying to his obvious inquiry.

Allen cleared his throat and forced a smile. "Well, I’ll take you to the CEO’s office."

"Alright, thanks!" she nodded and happily followed Allen to her brother’s office.

Allen knocked carefully three times before opening the door, curious about what would happen once these two forbidden lovers met. But as soon as he opened the door, he realized he didn’t want to see it.

Penny, on the other hand, was smiling brightly to counteract her brother’s mood from last night. However, when she tilted her head the moment Allen opened the door, her expression twisted.

"I don’t think I should go inside," Penny whispered, and Allen nodded instinctively.

"This is going to be bad, Miss."

Just a few steps from the door stood Atlas, his arms crossed, his expression dark, and a menacing aura emanating from him. The office, surrounded by floor-to-ceiling windows, somehow appeared darker even with all the blinds open.

"I can hear you," Atlas said to the two of them, pointing a finger at Penny. "You... come in."

Allen glanced back at Penny, and although he barely understood the scandalous situation this woman was involved in with his boss, he felt sorry for her. He tried to offer a cheerful smile, but it came across as more apologetic.

"Don’t worry, Miss," Allen whispered. "My boss won’t kill you... literally, so you’ll get out of here alive." Though probably with a ruined soul and morale.

"I don’t know you, but thanks," Penny said as she reluctantly stepped inside. "You’re a good person, brother."

As she did, Allen lingered by the door, only to see his boss snap his eyes in his direction.

"Go," Atlas ordered, jerking his chin toward the door. "I need to talk to her alone."

"Ye — yes..." Allen stammered, reluctantly closing the door. His eyes lingered through the gap, catching Penny as she reached Atlas before he shut the door completely. When the faint click of the door reached his ears, he glanced at it and sighed.

’Such a beautiful woman,’ he thought. ’No wonder Sir Atlas fell for her. But then again, she messed with the wrong guy! My boss wouldn’t even bat an eye at a model or the belle of the ball at any party because he wants to set an example of the kind of man his sister should consider.’

Allen walked away from the CEO’s office with a heavy heart, feeling a little dejected that Penny turned out to be a playful woman, playing with his boss’s feelings. Now, his boss’s love life seemed to need a real funeral.

*******

Back in Atlas’s office...

"First Brother..." Penny smiled at him as she stopped a few steps away. "I’m sorry about last night. I swear he is not my husband! I mean, nothing happened!"

Penny quickly went into defense mode, repeating what she had just told Hugo without pausing for breath. It would be much better to clarify things now than to let the misunderstanding linger.

"So, don’t be angry at me anymore," she added with a deep sigh.

"Who said I’m angry at you?"

"I mean, at that person."

"I’m not angry at him either." Atlas let out a deep exhale as he assessed her from head to toe. "You seem fine, and that’s all that matters."

"Then why do you look angry?" she narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "Just now, you looked like you’d kill me or something."

"We’re adults now, and even though I understand, I want you to know I’m upset." Atlas unfolded his arms and sauntered toward the nearby couch. Penny followed. When they were both seated, he snapped his eyes back to her. "Is he the guy Yugi hired to be your husband?"

"No—no," Penny shook her head, a bit taken aback by her First Brother’s calm demeanor.

Initially, Atlas’s reaction was her biggest fear because she knew him as someone who could be vindictive. However, Hugo had had a much bigger reaction than he did.

"First Brother, are you sure you’re not angry at me?" she asked one more time just to be sure.

"Mhm. I’m not — I was just upset, but that was about something else."

"And you’re not angry at the person who answered my phone last night either?"

"Is this important?"

"Well, I don’t want you to have a bad impression of my friend."

"No, I’m not," Atlas shook his head mildly. "Why would I be?"

Why would he?

Deep lines appeared between her brows at his confusing response. "Because he claimed to be my husband and caused confusion and misunderstanding?"

"But then again, what he said last night made sense."

"Huh?" Penny furrowed her brows even more. "What did he say, aside from claiming to be my husband?"

Atlas leaned back, recalling Zoren’s firm words. "He said, ’My wife is asleep. I would’ve woken her up, but she seemed too tired. Now, if this is important, then you can tell me, and I’ll see what I can do. Otherwise, please don’t disturb someone at midnight for nothing. People have priorities, work, and life, and people get tired and need rest. Don’t expect people to always cater to you at any time of the day.’"

Listening to this, the corners of her lips curled up as her eyes softened.

"I appreciate that and respect it," Atlas added, snapping his eyes back to his sister. "I think he had a point. You have a good friend, Penny."

Penny pressed her lips together and nodded. "He is indeed a precious friend of mine whom I really cherish."