Chapter 841: When a queen rises to the throne

Amir, Harper, and Noah stayed for a little while until Harper received a call about an emergency. She had to bid them farewell with a heavy heart. Amir and Noah planned to stay longer, as it would be rude to leave before the matriarch of the family. But when Ashley teased them that the arrangement looked like a double date, the atmosphere immediately turned awkward. Amir quickly bid Penny farewell, dragging Noah with him. They weren’t afraid of their wives getting angry, but they were terrified of what Zoren might think.

"I’m sorry about them," Ashley said, walking beside Penny along the pathway. "They can be quite troublesome at times, but they’re good people."

Penny smiled back at her, treading carefully beside her. "I know. Did they beg you to let them come in?"

"Well..." Ashley let out a shallow breath, shrugging. "I don’t have the heart to turn them away when they do that."

"I thought you were quite fearless that night," Penny remarked. "It turns out you’re kinder than you look."

Ashley laughed. "As you already know, we don’t always see eye to eye. They want to join the family gathering because they believe it’ll make them part of the Pierson family. But in reality, being with the family..." she trailed off, biting her tongue and hanging her head low.

"I’m sorry," she whispered, casting Penny an apologetic look. "I didn’t mean to speak badly of the family. I’m really sorry—please, that’s not what I meant."

"It’s okay," Penny waved and chuckled, stopping in her tracks to face Ashley. "You’re not speaking badly of the family. You’re speaking the truth. I’ve only been in the family gathering for less than twenty minutes, but I immediately understood why the kitchen is so much better, especially for those who’ve recently married into the family."

Ashley pursed her lips, searching Penny’s eyes for any sign of deceit. After a moment, she sighed in relief when she saw none.

"Moreover, if you think you’re speaking badly about the family, wait until you hear someone I know speak about them," Penny continued, resuming her walk with Ashley following closely. "My husband, for one, has a lot to say about the Pierson family."

She paused, casting Ashley a playful look. "For example, he says the family makes him age faster."

"Haha..." Ashley laughed quietly, though, in her mind, she couldn’t imagine Zoren saying such a thing. "I didn’t know the head of the family could joke like that."

"Oh? He’s not joking." Penny shook her head. "He’s dead serious whenever he says that."

Ashley’s smile stiffened, her eyes falling on Penny’s side. However, seeing the shine in the corner of Penny’s eyes, her shoulders relaxed.

’She’s really different from what I imagined,’thought Ashley. ’When I heard that Zoren Pierson had secretly married, I initially assumed it was a fake marriage. From what I heard, he was being pressured to take a wife or attend blind dates arranged by the elders.’

But when Zoren stood his ground about being a married man, some people, including Ashley, began to waver. Although she was just a bystander in the family, she still heard things here and there. So, she thought that if Zoren truly had a wife, the image of his wife already formed in everyone’s mind.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Penny asked curiously, noticing that Ashley was staring at her side profile.

"Nothing, Young Madam," Ashley smiled subtly. "I just suddenly thought that... you’re more normal than I thought."

"Huh?"

Realizing what she had just said, Ashley panicked a bit and waved her hand. "Not ’normal,’ as in average. But more like, you feel more... human than I thought."

"What in the world are you talking about?" Penny blurted out, getting more confused by Ashley’s explanation.

"I mean, when you were talking about Zoren Pierson, you looked like a wife talking about her husband," Ashley clarified again, smiling helplessly at her. "It’s strange, but you don’t feel that out of reach... even though you’re definitely out of our league."

"Are you flattering me?"

"I was hopeful I could flatter someone, but it’s not my forte."

Penny narrowed her eyes, a little doubtful of Ashley’s real character. After all, she didn’t think Ashley would curry favor with her just because she was Zoren’s wife. But after hearing Ashley’s last remark, she realized she might have been wrong. Seeing the look on Ashley’s face reassured her that Ashley’s intentions were far from what others might have.

"I thought for a second that I judged your character too early," Penny said, smacking her lips. "Let’s continue walking."

"Yes," Ashley nodded, walking carefully beside Penny. She couldn’t help but glance at Penny from time to time, pursing her lips. "Young Madam?"

"Call me Penny," Penny beamed at her. "I prefer it that way."

Ashley tried to smile but failed. "I’m sorry, but after learning your position in the family, I’m afraid I can’t just call you by your name. It feels impolite."

"Even if I asked you to?" Penny replied, and Ashley nodded a bit. "Well, if you’re not comfortable with it, then suit yourself. It’s not like I mind. I just thought it’d feel less distant."

"Thank you for understanding my intentions," Ashley said, letting the silence follow her words.

A quiet atmosphere enveloped the two of them as Penny enjoyed the scenery in the mansion’s garden. Although it wasn’t as big as the Pierson Old Residence or Zoren’s house, the garden had just enough space to enjoy the view while taking a leisurely walk.

Ashley, however, couldn’t help but glance at Penny every so often. Penny wasn’t saying anything, so Ashley’s mind was filled with various thoughts and questions.

"Uh, Young Madam?" Ashley called with a slight nervousness in her voice. "Can I ask why, of all the letters and gifts you received, you chose to accept my invitation for tea?"

The corner of Penny’s mouth curled into a smile as she kept her steps steady and leisurely. Tilting her head slightly, she glanced at Ashley and said,

"Because when a queen rises to the throne, she also needs her own power."