CHAPTER 21: HEART MADE OF PURE GOLD

Pauline left after a short while, leaving me on my own inside this larger than life space. I still couldn’t grasp what’s happening to my life now. I am still in awestruck with the abundance of blessings I now have. My mind was still at a floating stage with all the goodness that incredibly came my way, which I only possessed in my dreams.


I only fantasized about this before when I was in my younger years. There was never a time that passed by during my toddler years that I dream of living in a big house with lots of spacious rooms, wearing fancy and beautiful dresses like little princesses does, eating sumptuous meals of various kinds and having the most exciting time of my life. Now, all those dreams were right in front of me and just within an arm reach.


No words could measure how thankful I am for this once in a lifetime opportunity. Who would have thought that I’m an heiress? Who would have thought that a simple and lowlife Penelope Watsons was the only offspring of one of the world’s big names in the business world? I myself got the shock of my life, because I really didn’t expect all of these to come my way with just a blink of an eye.


I am a believer of the saying that things that have pan out in the past eventually ensue for a reason. That whatever had taken place before was intentionally predestined to befall with a purpose of what lies ahead. I may have suffered a whole lot for the past twenty four years of my life and have dealt with almost all adverse emotions and pain throughout those years, but now, it only shows that those were really intended to occur.


This occurrence now in my life made me realize that I was fated to experience those things and God allowed those unfathomable pain and sorrow to come into being in preparation of myself for these beyond words bright future. God had taught me the values of life, on how to be brave and determinedly strong-willed, so I would know how to face the cunning and rough world on my own in the coming years.


I desired to take a nap for a while, but my entire system couldn’t suppress all the excitement and elation it was feeling. It made my head spinning in a portal of enchantment and jubilee as my heart enjoyed the comfort and attention its surroundings were giving. So instead, I decided to spend ample time in the comfort of my new bathroom and experience its luxurious amenities to refresh myself after long hours of travel.


The hours of bathing didn’t only freshen me, but it gave me a feeling of how it was to experience a special treatment. With all the aromatic scents and the expensive toiletries present inside my bathroom, I felt like bathing in heavenly realms. After pampering myself and sanitizing, I headed towards my walk-in closet and chose comfortable clothes to wear. My eyes glittered in astonishment as I ran through the clothes with price tags still on them, indicating that all were brand new and unused. After selecting a plain signatured blouse and shorts, my feet led me to my bed as I suddenly felt my eyes get overly exhausted with the luxuries it beheld.


Sleep quickly visited me the minute my back slumped on the softest mattress I ever laid upon. I didn’t notice the time I was unconscious, I was only startled when somebody knocked on the door. By the sound of it, Pauline was at the other side. She greeted me with a charming and friendly smile the moment I opened the door for her.


“Mr. Hunt summoned you to accompany him for dinner, Miss Hunt. There are some who would dine with you as well tonight, only just for tonight.”


“I see. I would be down in a while, Pauline. Thank you.”


“You’re very much welcome, Miss Hunt,” She uttered concludingly, but even before she could walk away, her steps interrupted the minute I spoke up.


“Uhm, Pauline.”


“Yes, Miss Hunt.”


“If it’s not much to ask, could you please just call me by my name. I’m not much of a title person.”


“But Mr. Hunt values his position much, Miss Hunt. He liked to be addressed with it most of the time.”


“I understand, but could you simply call me Penelope if it’s just the two of us. We seem to be of the same age, so I find it quite awkward that someone of my age would address me with titles.”


“If you wish so, then I would simply call you Penelope every time no one is around but us.”


“Thank you so much, Pauline, I really appreciate it.”


“It’s not a big deal, Penelope, you’re welcome.”


I swiftly fixed myself and changed my clothes. I am aware that rich families, especially those who belong in high society and elites, dine differently from normal ones, so I need to dress like one of them to blend in and not to be left behind. I don’t know how my father dressed for dinners, so I simply chose an oceanic blue dress that was cut up to the knee at the rack and paired it with flat closed shoes. After checking myself for the very last time, I marched my way out of my room and strode towards the staircase.


As I entered the dining room, there was someone from the crowd of four that were seated already at the dining table whom I hadn't seen when I arrived earlier. She was seated beside Doctor White, who was next to my father. In front of her was Attorney Sparks, who was seated next to my designated place. Everyone turned their heads at me when Mr. McConner announced my presence.


“Finally, the mistress of the mansion has arrived” He announced with still utmost respect and did the honor of pulling my seat for me.


“Thank you, Mc.Conner,” I gingerly said afterwards.


“Tonight is indeed a very special night for all of us, especially for me. All of you present tonight knew well enough that for the past twenty four years, my beloved wife Margarette and I, were searching for our long lost daughter. And now after a tremendously long wait, Penelope, my most beloved daughter, has finally come home and reunited with me. Everyone, let’s all welcome once again, except for Miss Nicole here who wasn’t around this morning, my dear daughter… Penelope Hunt.”


Almost everyone except for my father stood up and shook my hand to welcome me. I smiled at everyone before returning to my seat. This grandiose welcome everyone was extending to me was really overwhelming. The dining table was filled with cheers as all seemed delighted to dine with me.


After the short introductions from my father’s employees, dinner was finally served. Just like earlier, the table was filled with wide arrays of dishes that anyone could ever imagine. Servers did their duties respectively and stayed at the back with Mr. McConner afterwards. Seeing him with the servants was somewhat odd and inappropriate for me, because Mr. McConner wasn’t simply an employee to my father, but a dear friend to him as well according to Attorney Sparks.


“Dad?” The throngs of noise immediately died down at the single word I mentioned. My father looked at me with teary eyes as his lips curved with an incredibly handsome smile.


“I loved the sound of that. You should call me that more often, Penelope, I demand it from you” He said emotionally with a lace of humor.


“Could I say something before we start having our dinner?”


“Anything, my precious. You don’t need to ask for anyone’s consent, Penelope. You are my daughter and you rule with me. You have the authority to say and do what you wish, not just in this household, but also in the corporate world. No one would dare to defy your words until I say so.”


“Alright then, Mr. McConner, from this night onwards you would dine with us. I don’t like to see you standing with the servants, because you have been with my father for God knows how long and you are part of the family as well. So, if you don’t mind, please join us for dinner.”


The looks on Mr. McConner’s face was unpaintable and so were the rest, except for my father, whose smiles were beaming brightly as he nodded his head with approval.


“But, Miss Hunt…”


“No buts, Mr. McConner. You clearly heard what my father said, didn’t you? I rule with him and no one would defy my words. So please, join us for dinner, before I get mad at you” I uttered jokingly that made everyone laugh. He did what he was told and sat beside Attorney Sparks. Everyone dined peacefully, but my attention with my food got diverted when my father whispered something to me.


“You have a heart made of pure gold, Penelope. You are just like your mother, exactly just like her. And I am more than proud of you, my child.”


His words put a huge smile on my face as I looked at him with glee. “Mom has two points already, Dad. You have zero so far” His forehead creased that made me laugh out loud. He doesn’t have a clue of what I was talking about. “I bore Mom’s eyes and have a heart like hers, which gained her two points. Get it now?”


“Oh! So that’s it. I was just giving her a head start, princess. Let’s see who will gain more points in the end” He commented joyfully.


My father may seem to be strict, soft-spoken and an all-business type of a man. But the way I see it, he would be the best buddy I would ever have, now that I am getting to know him much better.