Chapter 744: Where’s the bride?

[Present Time]

"Wow..." Penny grinned, looking at herself in the mirror. "This is gorgeous."

Happy with the ruffled dress she was wearing, Penny turned around like a princess. She faced Mark, raising her hands on either side of her as if presenting herself.

"What do you think?" she asked, excited to hear his response.

For a second, Mark looked at her from head to toe before meeting her eyes. "Good."

"Good? That’s it?"

"..." How was he supposed to answer?

Mark had worked for Zoren, and he had never once experienced watching his master change into multiple dresses and ask for his opinion. Zoren would just dress up and then go on with his day. Never in his wildest imagination had he thought that a day like this would come.

"Mark, have you had a girlfriend before?" she asked, crossing her arms under her chest. "I know this experience is new to you, but once you have a girlfriend, you’ll have to accompany her when she shops. And she will expect compliments."

Mark blinked and blurted out, "Miss Penny, can you be honest with me?"

"Hmm?"

"My master isn’t your first boyfriend, is he?"

"Huh?"

"Otherwise, you wouldn’t be giving this kind of advice like a pro."

Penny’s face twitched, unsure whether Mark was just too innocent or she was just too pretentious. "Now that I think about it, I don’t have to ask for opinions before, since the only opinion that matters to me is mine... and then First Brother’s gravity of insult."

"..." Mark tilted his head to the side. ’What did she say?’

"Renren is my first boyfriend and also my husband. Don’t question that." Penny turned her back on him, ignoring him as she deemed this conversation irrelevant. She squinted, humming a long tune. "Don’t I look like I’m going to prom with this, though? I’ve never been to one, so I’m not sure."

"Miss Penny, is this necessary?"

She snapped her eyes at him, looking through the full-length mirror. "Mark, have you seen Renren? I know you see him every day, but have you really taken the time to study him?"

"Of course."

"So you should’ve known that from head to toe—" she paused, facing him squarely, raising her finger while pointing to different parts of her body. "From his eyes, eyebrows, those thick eyelashes, the natural contour of his face, his nose, his teeth, his body, his personality—everything about him will make you realize God took his time creating that guy."

"..."

"I can’t just go there, stand with him, and look like a clown!" she stressed. "I need to be perfect—even if it’s fake."

"But I don’t think you’d need that."

Penny blinked several times, tilting her head. Mark, on the other hand, let out a shallow breath while staring at her.

"You’re beautiful, Miss Penny," he commented, flustered with slight embarrassment. "I thought you already knew that."

"What?"

Mark lowered his gaze and then peeked at her. "I don’t think what you wear will matter. Your presence alone is enough to show the Pierson family you’re the perfect person for the seat at the table."

"Aww..." Penny smiled at him, a little moved by his words. "Do you mean that?"

"Yes. I think your confidence alone is enough."

"Hehe. Thanks." Penny turned around again and stared at herself in the mirror. "That’s very encouraging, but Renren has been going above and beyond for me and my family. I’m not going to let anyone, even if they were the Pierson family, bully him by using me and our marriage."

Just like Zoren said, their marriage was not a weakness.

The corners of her eyes sharpened as her lips curved upward. "They’re in for a surprise."

"..." Mark didn’t answer her and just studied her cunning smirk in her reflection. "Miss Penny, are you sure you don’t want to let him know that you’re coming?"

"Hmm?"

"I think it’s much better if you go together."

"Then the element of surprise is gone." Penny snapped her eyes at his reflection. "I don’t think you understand my plans, Mark. Nor do you have any idea of this story’s theme. If I go with my husband, how can I appear like a dame in a shining gown to save my husband?"

She then snapped her fingers at him. "It’s like hitting two birds with one stone. I get to make my grand entrance and save my husband, and then I can seduce my husband and have him see me as his one and only savior."

"..." Mark pursed his lips. ’I don’t think that will ever happen.’

However, by the look on her face, Penny was convinced of this "wonderful" plan.

"Miss Penny, have you seen him interact with other family members?" asked Mark out of plain curiosity. "Aside from the chairwoman, of course."

"Hmm... nope!" Penny blinked innocently. "Care to tell me?"

"Well, the thing is, Master is—"

"Oh, this looks nice!"

Mark was cut off as Penny suddenly caught a dress from one of the racks, rushing to it and taking it out. The people who had come early to help her choose a dress smiled at her as if they were simply there to make her happy.

’I see. So she’s not interested in hearing it, huh?’ Mark shook his head, sighing as Penny and another helper went to the temporary dressing room to change.

’Sometimes, Miss Penny is like a young girl who enjoys the adventures of new things,’ he thought, considering the many layers he had seen on Penny so far. ’And then there are times... she’s just dangerous.’

Either way, Mark didn’t see it negatively. If anything, he saw this as Penny, showing how safe she felt. Unlike when she was drunk and in survival mode, he liked her better like this—minus the fact that he had to stand there and try to come up with compliments.

Thankfully, Mark didn’t have to endure this all morning because, not long after, he heard a voice coming from where they were.

"Penny, I am here~!"

Looking back to the owner of the voice, Mark sighed in relief as his eyes landed on the ever-confident Lily. When she and Mark’s eyes met, she smirked, her eyes telling him she didn’t come to play.

"Where’s the bride?"