Chapter 241
Zebulon tried to pin her against the door, but Penelope fought back violently. With a growl of frustration, he grabbed the back of her head and slammed it forward.
CRACK.
Her head exploded with pain, and her vision went black for a second.
“Penelope, you have no idea how much I love you,” he panted, his voice desperate. “These days without you, I’ve been going insane p>
He pressed his weight against her, his hands tearing at her clothes.
“Give in, just give in! Penelope, you’re my everything p>
He was flushed with excitement, his breath hot and ragged.
Penelope shook her head to clear it. Her body reacted before her mind could catch
up. She drove her elbow back, hard. As he staggered away, she spun around, brought her knee up sharply into his gut, and as he doubled over in pain, she delivered a powerful kick that sent him sprawling to the floor.
The sequence was fluid and brutal. By the time her mind fully registered what had happened, Zebulon was on his hands and knees, gasping for air.
Her eyes cold, Penelope stalked over to him and slapped him twice across the face.
The sharp cracks echoed in the room. Zebulon spat out a mouthful of blood.
“Don’t… don’t hit me p>
He curled up, covering his head. It was as if he was only now realizing his mistake.
“I… I drank too much last night. I wasn’t thinking straight p>
Not thinking?
Penelope’s lip curled in a sneer. She grabbed a fistful of his hair and yanked his head back, forcing him to look at her.
“You said you love me?” she asked, her voice dangerously low.
“I… I love you p>
She slapped him again, harder this time.
“Still love me p>
“I He was trembling, but a flicker of something-delusion, perhaps made him think this was a test. “Yes, I love “
Penelope nodded, then delivered two more slaps in quick succession.
“Do
you still love me p>
He coughed up more blood. His head was spinning, and his body felt like it had been run over by a truck.
“I p>
A sliver of defiance remained, but then he saw the icy coldness in her eyes and the fist she was raising.
“No! I don’t love you! I don’t!” he cried out in panic.
Penelope scoffed and shoved him away.
“You’re pathetic, Zebulon p>
She dusted off her hands. “Get out p>
But Zebulon just curled into a ball on the floor and began to sob.
“Why? Why can’t we go back to how things were? I made a mistake, but everyone makes mistakes! Why can’t you just forgive me this one time p>
He wailed, “You used to love me. You did everything for me, always put me first. I thought you would never, ever leave me p>
“All I wanted was a child! It’s not like
I didn’t love you! It wasn’t that big of a deal! Penelope, let’s just go back. I’m in so hugh pain, right now, I’m so much
tired. I need you p>
Penelope’s eye twitched. She remembered how Anna had treated him the night before, how he had groveled and pleaded. She understood now what he was really after.
“You want to go back to the way
things were because back then, you
were the respectable Mr. Sullivan.. You didn’t have to beg anyone for anything. You didn’t have to deal with the company’s problems of the pressure from your father. Because was there. I, Penelope, handled everything for you p>
She laughed, a bitter, hollow sound. Back then, she had thought it was her duty.
Now, she realized how stupid and naive she had been.
Why?
What had he ever done for her to deserve that kind of sacrifice?
She had loved him, yes. But since when was love all about giving and expecting nothing in return?
“You’re useless, Zebulon! And don’t
think I didn’t know it back then. I
always knew you were a spineless coward. But I loved you, so I was willing to do all that for you. But even a lost cause can stand up once in while. You… you’ve always been nothing but a pile of mud p>