Chapter 39 A Kiss

She didn't want to be looked down upon and didn't want to be someone everyone hated. She wanted to live under the sunlight.

But Zackary had forbidden it. He was ruthless and wanted to deprive her of the silver lining in her life.

The booth could hear a pin drop. Nobody spoke. But Penelope could picture how they were going to look at her with disdain and scorn.

She wasn't brave enough to stay and face their mockery. She only wanted to flee the room.

As she tried to take Ethan back from Lyman and get far away from this humiliating scene, Lyman grabbed the wine bottle and smashed it on the table.

His usually bright eyes were icy. Glaring at Zackary, he said firmly, "Apologize to Penelope."

Penelope turned sharply to look at Lyman, her gaze full of disbelief. She imagined that he would hate her and look down upon her. She didn't expect that he would defend her and demand Zackary to apologize to her.

"Lyman..."

Stunned, Penelope had so many feelings in a mix that she couldn't describe it. She merely stared at Lyman idly, her eyes bright.

Lyman put Ethan down on a chair and pulled Penelope into his arms. He was hugging her so hard, as if he wanted to press her into his body.

Penelope heard the best promise in the world as he said in determination.

"Penelope, I said that I wouldn't let anyone bully you.

"Zackary, apologize to Penelope now."

Penelope couldn't control the tears rolling down her cheeks. She stared at the man in front of her. With his baby face, he looked younger than his age. Although they were both 22, Penelope couldn't treat him like an adult as he was like a child to her.

Looking at him in proximity, Penelope suddenly realized that he was a grown man.

Lyman panicked when he saw Penelope's tears. He clumsily wiped her tears off and kept on cooing gently, "Penelope, don't cry. Don't cry...

"I'm willing to do anything as long as you stop crying. Penelope, I'll give you my heart and my life. Please stop crying. OK?"

Penelope felt weak as she cried too much. She wiped her face with force and left Lyman's embrace. "I'm fine. You're so nice to me. I'm touched."

"Silly. I like you. Of course, I'll be nice to you."

Zackary narrowed his eyes dangerously, his gaze fixing on Lyman's hand on Penelope's waist. For some reason, he felt the urge to remove it.

Without thinking, he got up and wanted to break that arm.

Lola was worried that Zackary would lose control over Penelope again. She grabbed his hand and begged, "Zackary..."

As if he didn't hear her, Zackary strode over and gripped Lyman's wrist.

"Zackary, let go of my hand. What's wrong with you?"

Lyman was mad at Zackary. And he couldn't hold back his anger anymore when Zackary suddenly seized his wrist.

Immediately, he used his free hand to punch Zackary in the face.

However, Zackary was faster and more ruthless. Before Lyman's punch landed, he had punched him in the face too.

Penelope's guilt reached its peak when she saw Lyman get hit for her. She hurried over and stood before him, her voice full of anxiety. "Lyman, are you OK? Does it hurt? Let's go to a hospital."

As he saw the worry on Penelope's face, Zackary's expression turned gloomier, his knuckles making cracking noises as if a storm was brewing.

Both Wilton and Devon were calm and aloof people. But they couldn't sit back and do nothing when their best friends were fighting in front of them.

Wilton exchanged a look with Devon and spoke up to play mediator.

"Zackary, Lyman, stop it! I know a fun game. Let's play it before the food arrives."

Wilton brought out a deck of cards and a delicate box behind him.

"Let's play a daring game. The loser must pick a piece of paper from the box and complete the request on it."

He sat Zackary and Lyman down before they could protest.

Lyman was still fuming. But remembering that Ethan was in the room, he didn't want to scare the child and started playing the game as Wilton suggested.

Lyman felt this wasn't his lucky night. He lost big in the first game.

But after reading the request on the note, he felt like the luckiest man in the world.

The note requested him to kiss a person in the room.

There were only two women in the booth. Lola was his sister and they wouldn't let him pick her. Penelope was the only possible option.

Lyman rubbed his hands in anticipation. Penelope hadn't accepted his courting. But it was said that a kiss was a good way to win one's heart. He bet they were going to be together after a kiss.

"A kiss?" Wilton glanced at Lyman's note and looked at Penelope meaningfully. "Then you'll need a partner. Who wants to help Lyman?"

"Not me. I have to make it clear that I'm not that kinky.

Devon lifted his eyes lazily and said coldly, "Past. I'm not a pervert."

The smile on Lyman's face grew larger. He turned his face and looked at Penelope, sounding baffled. "Penelope, they won't help. What should I do?"

Before Penelope could reply, he said excitedly, "Penelope, why don't you help me?"

"Ms. Sullivan, please help Lyman. If he can't complete the request, he'll have to streak around Sea City. Do you want him to make a fool of himself in front of the whole city?" Wilton arched his brow, looking not a bit worried about Lyman.

Penelope was about to say no, but she didn't have the heart to reject Lyman after hearing Wilton's words.

She didn't want to kiss Lyman, but she also didn't want him to embarrass himself in front of the whole city.

After contemplating for a long time, she decided to work with him for once. It was just a game. And a kiss wouldn't hurt. She could talk to him after leaving the restaurant.

"Lyman, I'll..."

Zackary cut her off with a blank face. "I'll kiss you."