Chapter 987 - The cost of freedom (2) (2/2)
”Why didn't you tell me that?”
”I didn't think much of it.”, Benjamin admitted. ”This apartment is not on my name, and I was careful not to be followed back. What can she do to me? I thought that her threat is empty.”
She noticed that he is talking in past tense. ”What changed your mind?”
Benjamin paused. He is not sure if she should tell her, because it might make her feel guilty, but he does not want to keep things from her. ”I lost my job this morning… without an explanation.”
Penny sighed and covered her face in her palms. ”It's them.”
He took her hands one by one and held them in his. ”Don't worry. I will find another job…”
”No, you won't.”, She interrupted him. ”They will follow you and make sure that your life is miserable. You will not get another job, and they will use your loved ones…” Penny paused and looked at Benjamin in panic. ”Becca!”
He shook his head indicating that his daughter is not in danger. ”My ex is on a three months long trip through the Europe with her latest boyfriend, and she took Becca with her.”
Benjamin saw that she relaxed. He promised that he will not ask, but the situation is dire…”Penny, you are saying 'they' … I know that one is your mother, but who else is after you?”
Penny frowned. She knows that she can't keep things from him. Not anymore.
”My parents.” Penny sighed and looked at him. ”I'm sorry I didn't tell you. My parents are influential, and they want to use me to expand their influence by forming an alliance through marriage. It's the whole circle who silently approves of what is happening by looking away. They are controlling. And they will not stop. My name is Harriet Morgan… and I will understand if you are angry, and if you don't want anything to do with me. I am so sorry for dragging you into my mess.”
Benjamin lifted her hands and kissed each of her fingers while talking: ”You are my Penny. I don't care who they think you are… and we will figure this out. I will not allow them to use you. You are not a tool. You are a wonderful young woman and you deserve the right to be in charge of your future.”
Penny felt her chin tremble. She was on the verge of crying, but she was not sad.
She threw herself in his embrace and kissed him with everything she got.
They held each other for a long time before Penny looked at him.
”I have something that we can use against them.”
Benjamin lifted his eyebrows questionably.
She reached into the inside pocket of her small backpack which she got in the secondhand store when she fled Austin and pulled a Micro SD card.
”They took away my phone and my computer, but they forgot to take my camera. I sneaked into my father's study and took photos of some documents… I hope that they are important enough to get us help from...”
”From whom?”, Benjamin asked when he saw that she is not finishing her sentence.
”Jeffrey White.”
Benjamin's eyes opened wide in surprise. ”White? Like CEO White of White corp.?”
Penny confirmed.
”You know him?”
She hesitated before answering. ”He was the one my parents wanted me to marry when the two of us met the first time.”
”The first time?”, he noticed her choice of words.
”When I came on Saturday… I escaped from a date my parents set up with Jeffrey's cousin.”
Benjamin frowned while thinking, what kind of horrible parents are those? But he does not want to talk about her parents. ”Do you think that Jeffrey will help?”
Penny shrugged indicating that she is not sure. ”He is the only one who can. My father is not afraid of many people. But I know that he is afraid of him…”
”Everyone is afraid of him.”, Benjamin said knowingly.
”Not everyone…”, Penny smiled while thinking of JoAnna. Even a man like Jeffrey found someone to thaw his ice. That proves that everyone has a match. She looked at Benjamin and wondered if he is her match.
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