Chapter 321: Is he asking me on a date?

Earlier that day...

"So, did you find the one you’ve been waiting for?"

Zoren slowly peeled his gaze from his therapist. "Yes."

"What did you feel when she finally showed up in front of you?"

"Strange."

"And why is that?"

"I don’t believe it."

"You don’t believe she’s the woman you’ve been waiting for?"

"I can’t believe she showed up," Zoren corrected quietly, his eyes softening as his lips curled up. "And that she never forgot about me."

The doctor sighed subtly, smiling. "Did you tell her about your condition?"

"Do I have to, when it didn’t seem to be a problem for her?"

"Zoren," the doctor looked at him firmly. "Your condition is more psychological, and right now, your brain believes you’re going blind. Acknowledging the problem, facing it, and becoming open with it will help you trick your mind into thinking you’re not going blind."

The doctor paused and sighed. "Your results from the eye checkup showed they were perfectly fine."

In other words, Zoren’s brain was truly the culprit of his current dilemma. It wasn’t the first time this had happened, though. After all, Zoren had a unique thought process that started after the incident that took his father’s life.

Zoren’s brain had been sending mixed signals to other parts and organs of his body, causing them to fail. It was a rare—very rare—condition. In all honesty, if Zoren hadn’t gotten treatment, his body might’ve given in; if not, he would have been sicker as an adult.

It was even a surprise that after not attending their appointments for months, Zoren reached out again.

"Zoren, your brain used the recent accident to give you a reason to give up. Your brain thinks that accident should’ve left you handicapped," the doctor continued. "Do you know why?"

Zoren didn’t answer.

"It’s because you unknowingly believe if you were sicker, she would come back or magically appear," the professional shared his opinion brutally to make his patient aware of it. "Zoren, it’s not like that, and you have to know it’s not like that."

"I know it’s not like that."

"But your brain believes it," the doctor rocked his head. "Zoren, remember, you need to have control over your mind. It’s how you survived, it’s how you got better, and it’s how you’re going to get cured. Even with all the medicines to support your body from failing, it will never cure you."

Zoren rocked his head, even though everything the doctor was saying was simply a repeat of the past. He was sure the doctor had said these things to him before as well.

"Now that you are willing, keep it up," the doctor advised. "Keep everything that makes you want to see again: your pet and your precious friend. That way, the desire in your heart to regain your eyesight might hasten the recovery."

The doctor went on and on, giving Zoren the verbal prescription he needed to hear. Zoren, on the other hand, remained silent throughout the rest of the session. Even when the doctor bid him farewell, Zoren stayed in his seat and didn’t send the doctor out.

Silence filled the room where Zoren had his session with his doctor. For the next half an hour, nothing was said as he just sat there like a statue without moving an inch.

"Keep everything that makes me want to see..." he whispered. "Should I take Renny home?"

Now that Penny had sent him bodyguards to protect him, he didn’t need to borrow security from Old Mrs. Pierson. Therefore, there was no reason for Renny to stay in the old residence. He had already sent the borrowed security back to his grandmother, and thus Renny could now go home.

"And she likes him," he whispered, tapping his fingertip against the armrest.

After another second, the corner of his lips curled up into a subtle smile. Zoren picked up his phone from his side and sent Penny a short message:

"Goodnight."

He didn’t bother checking the time, knowing if she responded, it meant it wasn’t that late and she was still awake.

[Incoming message from Miss Penelope:

You too.]

He smiled and spoke his reply. After the brief exchange between them, she finally sent him a long farewell message.

[Mr. Pierson, I don’t know why you think I would be upset with you. However, I’m glad to hear you’re taking your health seriously. Have a good night.]

For a while, Zoren remained silent after listening to her last message. It was his cue not to respond, as she might be preparing to rest or busy with something else.

"Check time," he said, and the robotic voice of his phone told him what time it was. "Is ten in the evening that late?"

Zoren straightened his back and leaned back, pondering what to do. "Goodnight."

SENT!

"To you."

SENT!

"I’m not sleeping yet."

SENT!

He didn’t find anything wrong with sending her three messages to complete a sentence. Therefore, he didn’t imagine Penny looking at her phone in disbelief, wondering how a person who was on the brink of losing eyesight could still spam someone.

[Incoming message from Miss Penelope:

You should, Mr. Pierson. It’s late.]

"Are you going to sleep now?"

[No.]

"Why?"

[Do... I have to explain the reason?]

"No, but it will make me consider if I should tell you what’s on my mind."

Penny, who was staring at her phone, furrowed her brows while Zoren waited for her response.

[Do you need to discuss something important? Do you have any concerns, Mr. Pierson?]

Zoren listened to the robotic voice and, for some reason, he could imagine Penny’s voice saying these words to him. He smiled subtly, thinking about the concern and seriousness of her voice.

"I..." he trailed off, and his words were automatically typed into the response space. "I want to take you out to dinner, Miss Penelope. When are you free?"

---

[Bennet Mansion]

[From: Zoren Pierson

I want to take you out to dinner, Miss Penelope. When are you free?]

As soon as Penny read his message, she tossed her phone away as if hot water had scalded her.

"Oh, my God," she mumbled in horror, feeling her entire body throb. She slowly clasped her chest, her cheeks turning a little red. "Is he... is he asking me on a date?"