Chapter 1013 You Don't Love Penelope the Most, You Love Yourself
"Finally... never meet Penelope alone again, and always keep a five-foot distance from her!"
That was Kelvin's only demand.
He was giving Brandon a way out, a chance to save face.
If it were anyone else, Kelvin would have destroyed them long ago.
But Brandon didn't buy it. "I know exactly who you are, Kelvin. I almost hurt Penelope, and you're just gonna let me off easy?"
"Because you're Penelope's friend."
That was Kelvin's reason for forgiveness.
If it were just a grudge between him and Brandon, he would have gone all out, ensuring Brandon would never recover in this life or the next, using the harshest punishment and the most ruthless methods!
But... it involved Penelope.
Penelope's name flashed in Kelvin's mind, like a spring breeze, soothing all his resentment, anger, and hatred.
He had to consider Penelope.
"I have no way back," Brandon replied. "From the moment I decided to compete with you for Penelope, I never thought of a peaceful resolution. Either I shall claim her devotion, or I shall forfeit her entirely!"
There were only these two outcomes!
Success or failure!
Brandon didn't want to continue being friends... he didn't want that!
Being friends was pointless. After all the effort, ending up back at square one?
What was the point of all his struggles?
Kelvin squinted his eyes. "Brandon, are you choosing the same doomed path as Isabella?"
No wonder they were engaged, no wonder they lived together for so many years.
These two were really alike.
Equally bad, equally stubborn!
Back then, Isabella had a way out but refused, insisting instead upon a mortal struggle to the bitter end.
Now... Brandon was doing the same!
"Don't bring up Isabella; she's dead, and few remember her," Brandon said. "Kelvin, if you dare hand the evidence to Penelope, then I can make Thessaly..."
Brandon didn't finish his threat.
But Kelvin understood.
Thessaly in Brandon's hands was like a fish on a chopping board, ready to be slaughtered!
"The more you do, the more mistakes you make," Kelvin said. "Brandon, I can give you some time to think it over..."
"No need!" Brandon rejected outright. "Don't give me that!"
Kelvin raised his chin slightly, looking at him. "Do you think you have a chance?"
"The final result isn't out yet, the winner hasn't been decided! I'm just at a disadvantage now... no, I'm not at a disadvantage!"
Brandon's confidence amused Kelvin.
A clown!
"Brandon, the person who arranged to secretly take intimate photos of me and Thessaly was paid by you, right?" Kelvin asked. "You wanted to use a few photos to drive a wedge between me and Penelope, but you failed."
"That's right! It was me!" Brandon took the opportunity to voice his doubt. "Why does Penelope trust you so much?"
"Because we are husband and wife, sharing honor and disgrace, life and death, never abandoning each other. Brandon, you've never been married, you don't understand how important trust and responsibility are. That's why you naively thought a few photos could separate me and Penelope."
"But when you saw me and Penelope lying on the same bed in the hotel, how was it that you could endure such a sight?"
Kelvin answered calmly, "I know she wouldn't betray me. Even if, by chance, something did happen, she'd be innocent, a victim being used. The more that happens, the more I need to stand by her, give her support, and be her rock."
He paused, looking at Brandon with extreme pity. "You don't get it, and you never will."
Brandon was furious but couldn't argue.
From beginning to end, he never had Penelope; he truly didn't understand!
At that moment, Thessaly's voice softly broke the silence. "Brandon, why are you so resentful? You don't understand because you've never truly loved. You've never really, truly loved someone."
"That's nonsense!" Brandon denied repeatedly. "I have loved, I love Penelope, I've always loved her! From when I was a kid and didn't understand, I promised to marry her. Now, so many years have passed, she's a wife and mother, and I still love her! I've only ever loved her, from beginning to end, unwavering!"
Thessaly shook her head. "You don't love Penelope, you love your own obsession."
Brandon was stunned.
"You love a memory, and you love yourself. Your greatest love isn't Penelope, it's yourself." Thessaly looked into his eyes. "Brandon, you get everything you want; the only thing you've ever lost is Penelope. So you want to reclaim that one loss, to possess it again."
"To be precise, this isn't love, it's possession. The childhood loss of Penelope was the first time you tasted loss in your life. Since then, it planted an anchor in your heart!"
"You just can't allow yourself to lose someone who should belong to you. You don't deeply love Penelope!"
Thessaly's words pierced Brandon's heart, exposing the truth he feared most.
"Shut up!" Brandon roared. "It's not your place to speak here!"
He glared at Thessaly, eyes wide with rage. "Do you know your situation now? You're in my hands; I can do whatever I want with you. Your life, your purity, I can destroy them anytime! Destroy, do you understand!"
Thessaly looked at him calmly. "I don't care."
"Then what do you care about?"
"The truth," Thessaly replied. "Even if I die, I have no regrets now. I have the evidence; I've exposed your true face. I, Thessaly, can die without regret!"
Brandon raised his hand high again.
Thessaly stared at him, unblinking. "Hit me, go ahead, it's not the first time you've hit me! Do whatever you want!"
Looking at her pale yet still exquisite and beautiful face, for a moment, Brandon couldn't bring himself to strike.
"Let her go," Kelvin said. "Brandon, tearing things apart with me won't do you any good!"
"Impossible!"
"Fine, three strikes and you're out. I've asked you three times, and you still want to continue down this path, don't blame me for being ruthless!"
Kelvin glanced out the window.
"In LA, I can mobilize hundreds of trained bodyguards at any time," Kelvin said. "With one command, they can storm the Walker Mansion. Your men... how long can they hold out?"
Brandon replied, "Thessaly is in my hands, she's my hostage now. You can certainly command your men to surround the Walker Mansion. And I, of course, can do whatever I want with Thessaly. For example..."
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