"What do you think about Penelope, Martha? Do you think she would like to stay and live with me?" Raven asked as he stood before the massive window of his study, looking at the night sky, which offered no chance to see the stars and could barely allow the moon to cast its silver glow across the room.
"It seems like she's a changed person now, Raven. She looked docile and tamed. But I'm still uncomfortable with this arrangement. She might hate you for it if she knew what you've done." Martha replied. She understood her master more than anyone else in this manor because she was the one who raised him from a young age.
When Raven wanted something, it would be impossible for anyone to dissuade him from changing his mind. Martha remembered that when Raven started taking an interest in painting, he spent hours in his room creating the most beautiful works of art she had ever seen. He would spend his time alone and secluded inside his studio, so focused on his craft that it was impossible for anyone to ask him to step out.
Martha thought that his obsession was only temporary and contained only his interests and material things. However, seeing him now, she realized that his obsession could also be set into a person.
Penelope Dimitriou.
Who hadn't heard this name in Mistwood City? She was involved in a scandalous incident involving the Oliver family and ended up being ostracized from the upper circle. Nobody knew the full story, but the name Penelope Dimitriou was like a curse in Mistwood City. Those who dared to speak her name were met with hushed whispers and disapproving looks.
No one had seen her attend social functions for the past years, and she only started appearing a couple of weeks ago when her mother dragged her and the rest of her sisters to hunt for a suitable husband for marriage.
"If I knew Lance Oliver would treat her like that, I should have made her mine a long time ago," Raven answered, his eyes darkening at the memories that flashed through his mind.
Penelope might have forgotten about him, but he hadn't forgotten her for the past few years. Raven could only watch her love for another man from afar, wishing she could be happy with that man. He'd chosen to distract himself with work and business trips. Imagine his surprise when he arrived in Mistwood City and learned that Penelope's lover had disrespected her by marrying another woman behind her back.
Raven understood what made Penelope do what she did back then. He understood the pain and betrayal that must have driven her to such drastic measures. He couldn't blame her for disappearing after such a scandal and retreating into the shadows to protect herself. But now that she was back, he couldn't let her slip through his fingers again.
Martha sighed, knowing Raven's stubbornness all too well. She had seen him fixate on things before but never on a person with such a tainted reputation as Penelope Dimitriou. The thought of such a scandalous woman living under the same roof as them made Martha uneasy, but she changed her mind once she met Penelope in person.
Penelope was nothing like the rumors portrayed her to be. She carried herself with an air of mystery and grace, her dark eyes holding depths of wisdom and pain. Despite the whispers that followed her, Penelope moved with a quiet confidence that surprised Martha.
Penelope was like a beautiful rose, but she was covered with sharp thorns, and that only added to her allure. Martha couldn't deny the way Penelope's presence seemed to awaken something in Raven—a softness in his eyes that Martha hadn't seen in years.
She'd also seen the way Raven looked at Penelope. The sight of Raven touching Penelope's cheek so gently caught Martha off guard. Raven had never displayed such affection or concern for anyone like this before. Then, Martha pondered the possibility that Penelope wasn't the villain everyone had painted her to be but rather a victim of those who ought to have been protecting her.
"Don't do reckless things, Raven. It's enough that she's with you now. I know having her by your side puts you at ease, but don't frighten the poor woman. Penelope had been through enough already." Martha warned him.
Raven turned to look at Martha, his usually steely gaze softened by a hint of vulnerability that Martha rarely saw.
"Martha, I understand your reservations, but I can't let her slip away. Not when she needs someone to stand by her side," he answered. "I'm done pining for her from afar. Since Lance Oliver couldn't make her happy, I will be the one to do so. And if that means facing the criticisms that will surely follow, then so be it."
Martha knew there was no changing Raven's mind once it was set. She could only hope that things would work out for him and Penelope. They both deserved to be happy, regardless of the judgment of others.
Meanwhile, Penelope sat by the window in her own quarters, her eyes fixed on the moonlit garden below. She missed her home and wondered how the rest of her sisters were faring. With their family debts already settled, she and her sisters needed to find a way to keep their company afloat.
Clara was majoring in business and finance, and it would take a few years before she could take over the management of the company. Until then, they needed to find someone who could help them keep things together.
Penelope felt a pang of guilt for leaving her sisters behind, but what Raven had told her earlier was right. She'd done her best to redeem herself and protect their family. If it weren't for her, her father wouldn't have faced criticism and a massive backlash in their business. Because of stress and an overwhelming sense of responsibility, his health had suffered, leading to a heart attack.
His death was a heavy blow to their family, especially to Penelope. She blamed herself for everything, and for the next five years, Penelope never picked up her paintbrush again. She never stepped inside her studio to look at the unfinished works she once poured her heart and soul into. The vibrant colors and intricate strokes now lay dormant, a painful reminder of a past she desperately wanted to forget.
Never again. Never again would she allow her family to suffer further because of her. Never again would she be allowed to lose herself because of love. She would find a way to make things right, no matter what it took.