The Man Who Waited vs. The Man Who Wasted novel Chapter 312

The entire dinner was incredibly pleasant.

Sitting in their home, Jocelyn truly experienced what a harmonious, deeply loving marriage looked like.

After dinner, Jocelyn rushed to wash the dishes.

Penelope stopped her.

"Don't worry about that, I've got it. You two go sit in the living room and have some tea."

Jocelyn felt too guilty to just sit around.

"Please, let me help."

"I insist, be a good guest."

"But..."

Julian chimed in. "Penelope, just let her help you. Otherwise, she's going to feel terrible about it."

Penelope chuckled.

"You kids. Just treat this like your own home. There's nothing to feel bad about."

Jocelyn didn't know why, but she felt an extraordinary warmth toward this woman she had only just met.

And Penelope seemed to harbor a deep, inexplicable fondness for Jocelyn as well.

"She's just like that," Julian said softly. "She instinctively feels like she owes people."

Jocelyn tilted her head, looking at him.

Why did it feel like there was a hidden meaning behind those words?

Penelope finally compromised.

"Alright, you can keep me company and hand me the towels."

Just as they were about to walk away, Julian spoke up again.

"Penelope, she's pregnant. Don't let her do any heavy lifting."

Both Jocelyn and Penelope froze in surprise.

Recovering quickly, Penelope playfully rolled her eyes. "I'll handle the heavy lifting, okay?"

Julian handed the gift they brought to Quentin.

"She bought this."

Quentin opened it, his eyes lighting up instantly.

Mother-of-pearl chess pieces paired with a premium red sandalwood board.

It was absolutely exquisite.

Quentin couldn't take his eyes off it.

But as a man with a sharp eye, he easily saw through the ruse.

"Did she buy it, or did you buy it for her?"

Julian smiled. "She asked me to pick it out for her."

Quentin grinned, choosing not to press the issue.

"Are you living with the Evans family now?"

"No, I live alone in the South Hills."

"The South Hills is a developing area, but the environment is lovely. I actually considered buying a house out there, but the commute would have been too difficult for Quentin, so we dropped the idea."

Jocelyn smiled. "You two have such a wonderful relationship."

A look of profound happiness washed over Penelope's face.

"We're true partners in life. We always discuss everything and make decisions together, so there's really nothing to fight about."

It was beautiful.

Jocelyn felt a wave of emotion.

Wasn't this the kind of marriage she had always dreamed of?

"Can I call you Jo?"

Jocelyn was more than happy to oblige.

"Of course. I'd love that."

"Jo..." Penelope turned, her gaze lingering on that hauntingly familiar face. "Do you happen to know the names of your birth parents?"

Jocelyn's hand suddenly stopped moving.

A sharp pang of sorrow gripped her heart.

Noticing the shift in her expression, Penelope realized she had overstepped and quickly apologized. "Look at me, prying where I shouldn't. I'm just getting old and nosy."