Penelope then plastered a sweet smile on her face and went to find Don to tell him goodbye. "Grandpa, I have some things to do around the engagement, so I must go, but I'll be back for dinner."
"Remember to eat breakfast first," Don said.
"Thank you, Grandpa. I'll meet my parents for a meal later."
"Send them my best regards," Don replied.
"Will do," she said, and sent an air kiss to her grandpa, who smiled and said, "This lovely child... if only Damien could see it more clearly."
Don was tired from the sleepless night, then he called for his trusted housekeeper, Lee.
"Lee," Don said, his voice heavy with a weary sadness. "Come here, sit."
Lee sat opposite him, his expression knowing. "What's on your mind, Sir?"
"It's Damien," Don confessed, the words a difficult admission. "Am I pushing him to do something he doesn't want to do, just because I want to secure this alliance with the Wellingtons and pay off the old debt?"
"Sir," Lee replied, "Mr. Damien, as far as I can tell, doesn't care about Miss Penelope."
"Do you think I'm making a mistake by pushing him to get engaged? Does he really have someone he loves?" Don asked.
"May I speak frankly?" Lee said.
Don nodded.
"I've known you for over 40 years, Mr. Sterling. In matters of the heart, you are indeed clueless."
"Then tell me, Lee, what should I do?"
Lee looked at him for a long moment, his eyes filled with a quiet wisdom. He didn't offer a direct answer. Instead, he simply said, "The wise don't ask. The wise act."
Don looked at him, the weight of the words settling in his mind. He knew what Lee meant. The time for questioning was over. He had to make a choice. And he knew, deep down, that he needed to choose between the future of his company—his life's legacy—and his grandson's happiness. What's more important?
Later that day, Penelope arrived at the Wellington family company. As she stepped out of her car, a voice cried out from the street. "Miss Wellington!"
It was Chloe. Penelope ignored her, walking briskly toward the entrance with her bodyguard close behind.
"Don't you want to know about your fiancé and Sarah?" Chloe yelled again, her voice desperate.
That single name stopped Penelope in her tracks. She remembered Damien's whispered confession. She waved her bodyguard away and turned to face Chloe. "Who are you?" she asked, her voice dangerously calm.
"I'm here to help you," Chloe said, her eyes alight with a frantic mix of fear and cunning.
"Help me? Why do you think I need your help?"
"I'm Sarah's sister," Chloe said, a sly smirk on her face. "And I know everything about her relationship with Damien."
Penelope's gaze hardened. "Follow me." As they walked into the opulent building together, a triumphant expression spread across Chloe's face. The corners of her lips curled into a self-satisfied grin. The golden ticket was finally in her hands.