Chapter 743

Back at the hotel, Penelope booked a separate room. Theodore helped her carry Marin to the bed before the two of them returned to their own suite.

Penelope sniffed her own shirt, catching the strong scent of alcohol. She was just about to take a shower when a thought crossed her mind, and she looked at Theodore.

"Did you call Ellison?"

Theodore was sitting on the sofa, typing on his phone as if chatting with someone.

He did not look up, simply offering a low hum of confirmation.

Penelope figured as much. Those four thugs had undoubtedly retreated because of a panicked call from Ellison.

"I plan on heading back to Orenth tomorrow. What about you?"

"I'm leaving soon."

"Let's grab lunch together."

"I have things to handle."

Seeing Theodore's dismissive replies and his complete absorption in his phone, Penelope let out a soft huff. Theodore didn't seem to notice at all. Her eyes darted around mischievously before she stripped down to her lingerie. She walked over to him, leaned down, and tugged at his collar.

"Care to join me in the shower?"

Theodore finally looked up. Meeting Penelope's gaze, his eyes darkened, and a smirk played on his lips.

"What are you trying to do?"

Penelope's gaze slowly trailed downward. She lingered on his lips for a moment before dropping lower, fixing her eyes on his Adam's apple, her favorite spot.

Maybe it was the alcohol, or maybe it was because she had been deprived of his touch for far too long. She swallowed hard, leaning in agonizingly slow. Just before their lips touched, she exhaled softly.

"I'm fishing."

"And I'm the fish?"

"Are you going to take the bait?"

"I don't think I will."

His words felt like a bucket of ice water to Penelope. Feigning annoyance, she asked, "Why not?"

Theodore pressed two fingers against her forehead, pushing her back with a look of mock disgust. "The fish is suffocating from the sheer amount of liquor on your breath. Why would it bite?"

Penelope let out an indignant breath and sniffed herself. Okay, the alcohol smell was admittedly strong. She gave an awkward laugh.

"I guess I'll go take that shower first."

Before she even finished her sentence, Theodore's phone chimed again. He went right back to typing.

Who was he even talking to?

He was currently unemployed. What could he possibly be so busy with?

Penelope tried to sneak a peek, but the angle was off. Feigning a loss of balance, she flopped onto the sofa next to him and craned her neck to look. Her movement was so painfully

y obvious that Theodore caught on immediately and just shoved the screen in her face.

"Mr. Stapleton, we've checked the locations you provided, but there's no sign of Mr. Stapleton."

Penelope glanced at the text. It was Linda.

Previously, Marico Stapleton had fired both Harold and Linda, and Penelope had swiftly scooped them up for Zenith Group. But soon after things at Maricos end devolved into utter chaos, forcing him to beg Linda to return.

"Marico is missing?" Penelope asked, piecing the messages together.

"Yeah. He's been MIA for two days. Hasn't shown up at the office or his house."

"You don't think something happened to him, do you?"

"What could happen to him? He's only ever a danger to others."

Theodore said this dismissively as he typed out another address for Linda to search.

After ending the conversation, he made a call to his uncle.

Upon hearing that his son was missing, the man on the other end immediately cursed, saying Marico had better drop dead wherever he was.

Seeing that Theodore actually had urgent matters to handle, Penelope abandoned her seduction plans and headed to the bathroom th the hop shower felt amazing the steam

clearing her dizzy head and O

sweating out the last of the booze.

She stepped out wrapped in a towel. The moment she opened the door, a chilling

wave of tension hit her.

It wasn't even fall yet; why was it so cold? She looked up to find Theodore staring at

her with a completely frosty expression.

"What's wrong?" Penelope asked, completely bewildered.