Chapter 798: Why Zoren, and not him?

Meanwhile...

Dean strode fiercely, his steps hurried and heavy, following Zoren and Penny as the two of them approached their car.

"Penny!" he called out loudly, knowing he wouldn’t be able to get close to them because of the guards surrounding them. It didn’t feel good, as it only amplified the distance that had steadily grown between them. "Penny!"

Penny and Zoren didn’t stop. Zoren pretended not to hear Dean’s call. He opened the door for her, smiling at her like a true gentleman. But when Penny didn’t get in, he already knew what she was going to say.

"Get in first," she said, which he had already guessed in his mind. "I’ll just talk to him."

Zoren didn’t respond immediately, gazing at his wife in silence. "Will you be alright?" he asked, "Or should I stay with you?"

"It’s okay," she reassured. "I can handle him."

"Alright," he nodded after a second. "I’ll wait then."

"Mhm." Penny smiled a little, watching Zoren get in first before she turned away. Seeing that she was walking back toward Dean, the bodyguards didn’t dare stop her anymore as they headed to their respective cars. However, not all of them got in; some stayed outside on standby, ensuring Penny’s safety.

Standing in front of each other, Dean huffed sharply as he held her gaze.

"What’s the meaning of this?" he asked through gritted teeth, taking a step forward, only to glare at the bodyguard, who immediately moved a step from his vantage point. The bodyguards only stopped because Penny casually raised a hand.

"Dean, what do you mean by ’what’s the meaning of this?’" Penny tilted her head to the side. "Isn’t it obvious?"

He ground his teeth, fury evident in his eyes. "No," he breathed out. "It’s not that obvious."

"Dean Pierson—"

"Penny, I warned you," he hissed, balling his hands into tight fists. "Why are you so stubborn?"

This time, Penny’s eyes sharpened with a fierce glint. "And I also warned you, Dean, not to meddle with my affairs, or I might just become your aunt."

"Are you doing all of this because—"

"No," she answered before he could finish his sentence. She already knew and she could already guess all the words that would come out of his mouth. "No, Dean. I’m not doing this because of you. It’s quite bold of you to think that I’d do things for you when I don’t recall doing anything for you—whether to impress you or to anger you."

She raised her brows and blinked. "Do you recall me doing anything for you, Dean?"

"..."

He couldn’t answer because both of them knew the truth. There was nothing Penny had ever done with Dean in her mind. She would sacrifice herself or step in if the person she cared about was in trouble. If she was annoyed with someone, she’d rile them up just for fun.

But for Dean? She had never stepped in to help him, even if he found himself in a tight situation. She wouldn’t try to annoy him just to entertain herself. Penny had done nothing... with Dean in her mind, ever.

Thinking about it, Dean drew a deep breath as his strong front began to crack. He tried to maintain it, but it was harder than ever. He had never accepted this truth before, or rather, he had never paid attention to it. Why would he? He had enjoyed teasing her, even without getting anything in return. Besides, they were always together.

There had been so many chances. Too many... until she returned to Anteca.

That’s when it all changed.

When she stepped on foot in Anteca.

"That’s right, Dean." Penny shook her head. "None. Be it my marriage with Zoren or whatever else, I didn’t do it to annoy you. I did it because I wanted to. You had nothing to do with it. Do you understand?"

Penny kept her tone firm, realizing that she had to be stronger with him than she ever had been. "If you do, then good. I’ll say this once again. Stay out of my lane, Dean. I’m not your co-apprentice or a colleague. I’m your uncle’s wife, and thus, we’re family."

"I’m drawing the line now," she asserted. "I appreciate the warnings, but I don’t need them."

Dean scoffed. "You have no idea what you’re getting yourself into, Penelope."

"I do." Penny nodded, smacking her lips. "I do, Dean. You claim to know me well, so I assumed you knew that I never jumped into something without knowing enough about it."

She took a step back, creating a distance between them. "For what it’s worth, you don’t like me," she added. "Even if you do, the only thing you can do is forget about it. I hope you’ll eventually get over this, Dean. Have a good night."

With that, Penny turned her back on him and took a step away. But just as she did, she stopped when he spoke again.

"Of all people..." he breathed out, his fist trembling at his side. "Why him, Penny?"

Penny fluttered her eyelashes slowly, glancing over her shoulder. "I told you. I liked his face, and there’s no one in this world who has it."

After those words rolled off her tongue, Penny sauntered off without a second thought. She didn’t even look back, leaving Dean watching the bodyguard open the door for her.

Dean stood in the same spot as the cars started driving away until they were out of sight. His face stiffened, twisting as maintaining a strong front drained the last of his energy for the day.

As he stood there, he couldn’t help but remember all the times he had seen Penny with Zoren. His eyes glistened with a mix of anger and jealousy. His chest tightened, his heart racing, and he felt his breath pick up.

"Hah..." he huffed deeply, clenching his teeth, glaring in the direction the cars had gone. But in the end, there was only one question that lingered in his mind:

Why Zoren? And not... him?