Once Bitten, Twice Shy

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Penelope was born with a silver spoon, and over the past two years, had lived with increasing extravagance and unbounded glory as ‘Timothy’s girlfriend’ and ‘Timothy’s fiancee.’ One could imagine just how she would end up if she lost Timothy’s support.

The reality in that circle was that a person would be held in high regard during their time of prestige. However, a fall from grace would entail being trampled into the mud!

Furthermore, she had offended numerous people during the past two years. None of those people dared to show their anger due to Timothy’s reputation, and she dreaded imagining the kind of retaliation she would have to suffer if everyone wanted to get back at her in the future!

Simply thinking about all that was enough to make her increasingly fearful, so much so that the color on her face started to disappear bit by bit.

Timothy had already lost his patience. He took large strides over to the desk and pressed a button on the internal line. When the other side finally answered, Timothy said coldly, “Send her off, Ronald.”

“Understood, Mr. Barker.”

Ronald casually opened the office door, walked in, then stood in front of Penelope and said politely, “Ms. Schmidt, please.”

Penelope was unable to accept that Timothy was being so ruthless to her. Even if he had never felt anything for Penelope during the past two years, he could not have forgotten ‘her’ affection, could he?

“Timmy!” She looked straight at Timothy and practically gritted her teeth when she protested, “Are you being so mercilessly to me because of Samantha? Even to the point of abandoning your promise to ‘her’? Has Samantha blinded your eyes? How can your actions be worthy of ‘her’!”

One of her words seemed to have irked Timothy because his expression sank all of a sudden.

“Leave.” Timothy spoke in the iciest of voices. “Before I change my mind.”

Penelope had never seen Timothy act that way before and was instantly shocked. The remainder of her sentences were stuck in her throat and she was unable to utter even a single syllable.

When Ronald saw that, he ditched his gentlemanly demeanor and grabbed Penelope’s wrist, pulling her forcibly out of the office.

Penelope had regained some of her senses and began struggling vigorously. “Let go of me, I’m not leaving. I still have some things I haven’t sa—”

“Ms. Schmidt!” Ronald interrupted her coldly. “I’d advise you to leave without making a fuss. If you continue to stir up trouble, the consequences would not be as simple as merely ending all cooperation with your family!”

Penelope had always thought nothing of Ronald and she was therefore very shocked when he ended up being the one warning her!

“Why do you think you are? Are you in any position to be speaking?” Penelope still maintained her high and mighty demeanor as a rich daughter. “I’ll have you know that Timmy simply can’t think straight because he’s in a fit of anger. Once he’s no longer angry, I’ll make sure to have him fire you!”

Ronald had undergone professional training and would never laugh under normal circumstances, not unless he really could not help it.

At that moment, he really was amused by Penelope.

Things had already come to a head, and it was bad enough that she lacked any desire to repent. The arrogance and naivete she displayed were simply appalling.

In the past, Ronald never understood what his big boss even saw in that idiot of a woman. It was not until then that he found out it had nothing to do with Penelope at all. His big boss only indulged Penelope because of his promise to ‘her’.

Penelope understood that well enough, yet she still continued to lose herself in her fantasies and believe her own lies. It was as if her brain existed for nothing else but to complete her appearance as a human.

Ronald had endured her outbursts countless times in the past two years and could no longer be bothered to show her any courtesy. He smirked sarcastically and said unceremoniously, “Wakey, wakey, Ms. Schmidt! Mr. Barker won’t show you any mercy after you offended the Mrs. By the way, do you remember Tiana Reece, the secretary?”

Tiana Reece worked in the secretarial department of the CEO’s office. She had a smoking hot figure and always dressed well.

Penelope remembered who Tiana was, of course. She had—in private—frequently made life difficult for Tiana, warning the latter not to overstep her bounds with Timothy. Penelope even pretended to complain to Timothy, saying that Tiana bullied her and requesting—albeit unsuccessfully—for Timothy to dismiss her.

“Why are you bringing her up?”

Ronald had a little smile. “No reason in particular. I just wanted to tell you that Tiana was fired a few months ago and has completely disappeared from her line of work.”

After a pause of about half a second, Ronald’s voice became increasingly cheery. “The reason for her dismissal was because she did not know her place and offended Mrs. Barker. Mr. Barker then disposed of her without so much as another word.”

“…How?” Penelope shook her head once, then did so again. “Impossible! It’s impossible!”

She complained so many times and failed to accomplish what she wanted. How, then, was Samantha able to persuade Timothy like that?

The two of them were supposed to not have a real relationship at all, right? Was it not Samantha who forced Timothy to marry her? Even after all that happened, she was still convinced that Timothy was angry because he was implicated in the whole ordeal, rather than because of Samantha!

His explanation could not be any clearer, yet she continued to hold firmly to her delusions. There was nothing else for Ronald to say.

After all, no one could wake a person who pretended to be asleep!

The security personnel just so happened to have reached the floor and Ronald shoved Penelope directly over to them. “Send her out.”

“Understood!”

The security guards held Penelope on either side, suppressed her screams and struggles, then dragged her away by force.

The screams faded into the distance and Ronald could not help but massage his ears. He turned around and returned to his desk to sit down.

His attention shifted inadvertently to the CEO’s office and he could not help but feel a little curious as to who the ‘she’ that his boss and Penelope were talking about.

Could there actually be someone who could influence his big boss?

The faces of all the women who had shown up around Timothy in recent years flashed through Ronald’s mind, and one particular face finally came to the fore.

Ronald froze for a moment. Could that person be the ‘her’?

A sense of dread came over him. He had just cheered for Timothy and Samantha after the two of them showed signs of improvement in their relationship. Could he have been cheering on the wrong couple?

…

For three days after that, Timothy did not return to the villa. Meanwhile, Old Madam Barker had set off to the old mansion with Aunt Julia for a banquet that very day, just as Timothy said they would.

The so-called old mansion referred to the Barkers’ ancestral home, which was located in Zed City.

The Barkers were a huge family and Old Master Barker had four siblings. The Barkers’ internal policy was that anyone who showed promise and capability would be able to become the heir. It was through sheer ability that Old Master Barker became the heir despite being the third eldest.

Old Master Barker’s business grew exponentially thereafter. He eventually married his wife Nancy—the daughter of one of Capital City’s wealthy families—and chose to settle down there for her sake.

Each year, however, they went back regularly to maintain familial ties.

Samantha sent off Old Madam Barker and Aunt Julia, telling them to be careful on the road. She watched them get in the car but did not go back into the house even after the car drove away.

She had an appointment with Alan and would later go to the hospital to see the final treatment plan.

Samantha then walked to the luxury car.

In order to live up to her status as ‘Mrs. Barker’, she had to be mindful whenever she left the house, and so was obliged to use the luxury car that Old Madam Barker gave to her.

She opened the car door, got in, then started the engine and drove out.

…

After discussing the treatment plan, Samantha walked out of the office with Alan and seemed to have remembered something all of a sudden. She looked at Alan before opening her mouth to speak..