Chapter 27

PENELOPE watched Vince ran around the backyard of Justin’s house. The man has left, but his touch and kisses were still lingering on her skin. She felt chills ran through her spine. Penelope never thought that she’ll feel like this for a different man. She thought only Nicholas could make her feel the heat and hunger inside her core.

‘Do you want me to touch you?’ Justin asked while rubbing his hands on her legs. ‘Or kiss you?’

Penelope shut her eyes. How could he manage to be so hot in plain clothes? She sighed. She can still taste his lips on her mouth. His freshly shaved scent lingered on her nostrils like an addicting scent of perfume.

“Mama!” Vince called and waved at her.

When Penelope looked up, the kid held a large, dried leaf in his hand and waved it at her. She smiled. Vince was a curious kid that wanted to learn about the things that he found on the ground. She suddenly paused and remembered the revelation that she found out earlier. Vince was an adopted child, and Justin adopted him from the Apostle Orphanage.

She clenched her fist. Maybe it was just a coincidence; Apostle Orphanage is famous in Bulacan. “Maybe…” she murmured. “It was just a coincidence…”

Penelope’s chest started to hammer as she recalled Vince’s health condition. The kid has mild autism and a speaking disorder that he might inherit from his biological parents. Still, his speaking disorder could be the result of an attempted abortion. 

She was about to go to Vince when her phone rang. She picked up and saw Nicholas’s name on the screen. Penelope’s brows furrowed. “What does he want?”

______________

“I WANT to go home early,” Justin told his manager and waved at him. “I want to get some rest.”

Archie narrowed his eyes at him. “Aren’t you coming with us? We’ll grab some beers at the Rotten Roses Grill. There are a lot of pretty women there.”

His personal assistant, Cherry, snorted. “Justin is busy,” she said and gave him a warning look. “Right, Justin?”

“What’s keeping you busy?” Archie asked on a knotted forehead. “All your endorsements and concert rehearsals were scheduled properly by Cherry, and she made sure that you still have time for yourself.”

Justin doesn’t know what to answer. “Well… I, uhm…”

“He needs some time for his mental health,” Cherry said. “His comeback concert is just around the corner, and we all know how stressful it was to prepare. Justin, as the main performer, needs to be emotionally and mentally ready for the concert. And staying at home is one of the best things to do. It will give him the peace and comfort that he needs,” she said and winked at him. “Right, Justin?”

Justin nodded. “Cherry’s right,” he said and laughed awkwardly. “And, besides, I’m busy at gardening.”

“Okay, we’ll see you tomorrow,” Archie said and patted his back. “Have a rest and make sure that you won’t be late tomorrow.”

Before Justin went to the parking lot, he talked to Cherry and thanked her for keeping his secret. Still, she warned him regarding the paparazzi surrounding his house and told him to keep Vince and Penelope hidden.

It was already seven p.m. when Justin parked his car in his garage. There was light in the living room but no signs of movement inside. Justin thought maybe Vince and Penelope just went upstairs to sleep. So, he was startled when the door opened as he was about to touch it.

“I thought you’re asleep,” he told Penelope and gave her a peck in the cheek.

The woman looked surprised at what he did. She touched her cheek then glared at him. “What was that for?”

Justin’s brows furrowed. “It’s a welcome home kiss.” He laughed. “Why? Do you want anything else?”

Penelope’s face flushed in embarrassment. “No, thanks,” she said and propped her hand on her waist. “I want to ask you something.”

“Now?” he asked. “Where’s Vince?” He went to the couch and plopped down. “It was a tiring day.”

“I cooked our dinner,” she said and took his coat from him. “Come on, let’s eat first.”

Justin watched in surprise as Penelope hanged his coat on the rack and went straight to the kitchen. He didn’t expect him to do such a wifely duty.

“Come on,” she called from the dining. “Vince is already asleep.”

“What do you want to ask?” Justin pulled a chair and sat in front of him. “Is it about Vince?”

Penelope shook her head. “I want to know why you adopted Vince.”

Justin looked at him. “Are you curious why of all the normal children, I chose a special kid, like Vince?”

Penelope pressed her lips together. Her silence said yes. “And, why in an Orphanage in Bulacan?”

He narrowed his eyes at her. “If I tell you, would you sleep with me tonight?”

“What the fuck?” she asked, then glared at him. “Why do you want me to sleep with you?”

Justin laughed. “I just want someone to hug me in my sleep,” he said and winked at her. “Sadly, the woman that I want to sleep with is madly in love with somebody else.”

“Can you just answer my question?” she said irritably, but she still managed to put rice on his plate.

“I chose Vince because he stands out from the children,” he said without a second thought. “Unlike the other children, Vince was the hard-to-tame type. And, because of his medical condition, nobody wanted to adopt him.” He smiled. “I know how it felt to be unwanted. I’m also an orphan.”

Penelope fell speechless with his self-revelation. “You’re an orphan? You came from Apostle too?”

He shook his head. “My parents told me that they got me from an orphanage in Manila. Apostle got familiar to me because my housekeeper, Laura, was a former worker there. She recommended it to me when I was finding an orphanage for child fostering.”

Penelope nodded and lowered her head. But she didn’t speak again when she started on her food.

“Why do you ask?” he looked at her and suppressed a smile. “Are you curious about me now?”

Penelope glared at him. “Stop flirting with me, Justin.”

“Flirting?” he laughed. “We aren’t kids anymore to flirt, Penelope.”

“Whatever,” she said with a roll of her eyes. “I’m still not sleeping with you.” 

***