"I… don't agree."
It took all his strength to force those words out, but Penelope just scoffed and turned toward the operating room again.
He quickly grabbed her arm. "What do you want from me?"
"A divorce!"
Theodore closed his eyes. "I won't let you hurt our children!"
"Then give me a divorce, and we'll revert to the terms of our contract. I'll give birth to the babies and hand them over to you. After that, they will have nothing more to do with me. Of course, you'll have to provide me with a certain amount of financial compensation, if you agree to those terms."
Theodore let go of her. He staggered back a couple of steps, then looked at her with a bitter smile.
"So you've already thought it all through."
"I've been thinking about it for a long time."
"Then these past few weeks must have been so difficult for you."
Penelope paused, then continued her cruel barrage. "They were. Especially at night, when you held me, when you kissed me."
"Fine. I agree."
As Theodore walked away, his feet felt as if they were made of lead, each step a heavy burden. But he never looked back. That was the Stapleton pride.
Penelope was grateful he didn't turn around, because the moment he was gone, tears streamed down her face.
"I don't get it. You obviously love him, so why are you doing this?" Natalie walked to Penelope's side and gently supported her.
Penelope sighed. "If being together only brings pain, it's better for both people to separate."
Natalie considered this and found she had to agree.
Penelope had called her the day before, asking for a favor. So, Natalie had deliberately chosen today to have Hamilton accompany her to the hospital, making sure he would see Penelope. As a good friend, Hamilton had, of course, called Theodore.
And he had shown up just in time to stop her.
"Ms. Laurier, I can cancel your procedure now, correct?" Ms. Lancaster came over to ask.
Penelope nodded. "Ms. Lancaster, I'm sorry for all the trouble."
Ms. Lancaster shook her head. "I'm just glad you've thought it through."
"At first, I didn't have strong feelings about keeping the baby, but the more he insists I get rid of it, the more I want to keep it."
"So what are you going to do?"
This was Hamilton Amos, a man who commanded respect in both legitimate and illicit circles. She hadn't just cheated on him, she was planning to give birth to another man's child. Would he really let her get away with that?
Natalie's eyes twinkled. "Well, he's already blacklisted me anyway, so… why don't we run away together?"
"Me?"
"Yes. Leave all our troubles behind, escape to some quiet place to carry our babies. Doesn't that sound nice?"
It sounded perfect. Penelope had no idea how she was going to face Theodore anyway.
But she had overestimated the problem, because from that day on, Theodore never appeared before her again.
The divorce papers were delivered by his lawyer. The terms stated that if it was twins, they would each take one child. The financial compensation for her was also very generous. Penelope signed without any objections.
The very day she signed the papers, she and Natalie ran away.

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