As soon as the carriage departed, Miss Jensen spoke.

“First, please understand that I have no intention of interfering or persuading between our godfather and Miss Pendleton. I have no desire to burden Miss Pendleton at all. I’m not so ungrateful as to repay Miss Pendleton’s kindness in such a manner.”

Miss Pendleton was slightly surprised. She had boarded the carriage prepared, thinking Miss Jensen would surely try to change her mind.

“Thank you for respecting my wishes.”

“You must know how much I care for our godfather. He’s like a father to me. In fact, he’s even closer and more precious than my real father. That’s why I now have a responsibility to save our uncle from the crisis of becoming a silly old man.”

Miss Pendleton felt puzzled by Miss Jensen’s words, which were serious to the point of being solemn.

“Miss Pendleton, I’ll ask you one last time, absolutely the last time. Really, Miss Pendleton, do you truly have no feelings for our godfather?”

“No, Miss Jensen.”

At those words, Miss Jensen let out a deep sigh and pressed her hand to her forehead. She muttered quietly.

“What on earth have those two been up to…”

Miss Jensen was silent for a moment. She seemed to be thinking about something. Miss Pendleton quietly waited for her to speak. Miss Jensen soon opened her mouth.

“Miss Pendleton. Our uncle, no, godfather was planning to make a public proposal to you at tomorrow’s ball.”

Miss Pendleton covered her open mouth with her hand.

“Our godfather has been very busy lately. Preparing a grand and impressive way to court Miss Pendleton. He thought that a simple bouquet or modest proposal wouldn’t be enough to preserve Miss Pendleton’s pride.”

“Goodness, Miss Jensen. I…”

“Yes, I know. I heard what you said in the drawing room earlier and understood perfectly. That not only do you have no feelings for our godfather, but you’re also terribly troubled by it. I know our godfather. Once he sets his mind on something, he doesn’t look back. Like a bull in a bullfight. You must have been very uncomfortable because of our godfather.”

“I was uncomfortable, but… I don’t harbor any ill feelings towards Mr. Price. If it weren’t for everything that’s happened, I might have come to respect him. He’s a good person, Mr. Price.”

“Yes, he is a good person. It’s just that he brought the issue of romance into a relationship that should have ended with him being a respected elder… Oh, what should we do about this? How should I tell godfather about this?”

Miss Jensen pressed her forehead again. She looked extremely perplexed and distressed.

Meanwhile, Miss Pendleton felt grateful to Miss Jensen. In such an awkward situation, if she had been even slightly reckless, she could have taken her godfather’s side and pressured her. But she had objectively assessed the situation and was trying to resolve it on her behalf.

“For now, I’ll try my best to prevent godfather’s plan for tomorrow. Um, how much of the way to the Pendleton house have we covered?”

“About 1/4 of the way.”

“Then we have about 20 minutes left. Please listen to me for a while during the remaining time. As a goddaughter who cares for godfather, I’d like to speak on his behalf. This isn’t entirely our godfather’s fault, after all.”

Miss Pendleton nodded, feeling curious.

“Please speak, Miss Jensen.”

Miss Jensen sighed.

“Miss Pendleton, actually, I knew about you long before I came to America.”

“Me?”

“Yes. I started hearing your name about half a year ago. That’s when our godfather met Mr. Gerald Pendleton.”

Gerald Pendleton had come to America to find investors for his eldest son’s Korean business venture, and he brought his second son Charles, not his eldest. Miss Jensen later found out that it was to match the second son, who had no inheritance to return to, with a potential bride who might have a large fortune.

“Right after meeting Mr. Pendleton, our godfather often talked about his niece. The beautiful and cultured Miss Pendleton. Miss Pendleton without a husband to protect her. Miss Pendleton who couldn’t find a suitable match due to her shyness. It was like this.”

From that point on, Mr. Price gradually began to confide in Miss Jensen about his thoughts on remarriage. Miss Jensen, knowing how lonely her godfather had been living since his loss, agreed with the idea.

Shortly after that, Mr. Price began redecorating the house and even bought a beautiful carriage suitable for a lady to ride in. Miss Jensen wondered why he was making such preparations when he hadn’t even found a lady to marry. But soon her doubts were cleared.

Mr. Price introduced the Pendleton father and son to his goddaughter, and Miss Jensen often dined with them. During these occasions, she frequently heard stories about Miss Pendleton. It was Mr. Pendleton who constantly mentioned Miss Pendleton, stirring Mr. Price’s heart.

“At first, I was skeptical. I thought there was no way a marriage could be arranged between two strangers across the ocean based on someone else’s words. But gradually, I became convinced. Mr. Pendleton clearly stated that he had received a favorable reply from his niece regarding his uncle’s matchmaking. Miss Pendleton, have you ever sent such a letter?”

Miss Pendleton shook her head. The mystery of the events was gradually unraveling. Mr. Price’s story of how the uncle had praised his niece endlessly. Mr. Price’s brazen courtship, as if acceptance was already guaranteed. It became clear that behind all these absurd events was the uncle.

“But why did uncle do this? What does uncle gain from this?”

“Well, as a third party, I can’t say I understand the situation perfectly. But based on the circumstances, I have my suspicions. Mr. Pendleton came to America for the Korean business issue, right? At first, he asked our godfather to find wealthy investors, but gradually he started asking uncle to invest directly. Uncle indirectly refused. He judged that the business itself was fundamentally flawed and unlikely to generate proper profits. But now he has decided to invest. Why do you think that is?”

The carriage stopped. They had already arrived in front of the Pendleton house, absorbed in their conversation.

Miss Pendleton organized the information she had heard from Miss Jensen and came to a conclusion.

Mr. Price’s absurd courtship towards her was due to the encouragement of Uncle Pendleton. To secure Mr. Price’s investment in his eldest son’s Korean business by having her become Mr. Price’s new wife.

“Miss Pendleton, please confirm this directly with Mr. Pendleton. But it won’t be much different from what I’ve said. I can only interpret it as him trying to sell Miss Pendleton to our godfather.”

Miss Pendleton quietly nodded. Then she took Miss Jensen’s hand.

“Thank you for being so honest with me. If it weren’t for you, Miss Jensen, both I and Mr. Price would have faced great embarrassment at tomorrow’s ball. And I would never have been able to view Mr. Price favorably again. You have done your duty for Mr. Price’s honor.”

Miss Jensen shook her head.

“There’s still work to be done. I’m going back right now to inform him of Miss Pendleton’s feelings and persuade him to stop any further disgraceful behavior. I might have to stay up all night. Our godfather is seriously stubborn and single-minded.”

Miss Jensen sighed.

“You really care for Mr. Price, don’t you, Miss Jensen?”

“Of course, he’s like a father to me. I grew up with his children like siblings. And together with them, I witnessed the last moments of his wife, Aunt Eleanor. Aunt Eleanor made a special request to me. To watch over her reckless and impulsive husband until he found a new wife. It seems I might have to watch over him until I die. Goodness. To think he got involved in such a stupid scam.”

Soon, the coachman opened the carriage door and lowered the step. Miss Pendleton got out of the carriage.

“Please come to the ball tomorrow, Miss Pendleton. I’d like to give our uncle a chance to apologize to you. Perhaps uncle will only accept reality after talking with you.”

Miss Pendleton nodded, and the two shook hands through the window.

Soon, the carriage disappeared down Grosvenor Street.

Miss Pendleton stood there for a moment. Her eyes were filled with the sight of a house more splendid and beautiful than any townhouse on Grosvenor Street. To some, it was a house worth crossing the ocean and entering into an unwanted marriage for. But to her eyes, it was nothing more than a terrible shackle.

Miss Pendleton learned everything through her conversation with Miss Jensen. She finally felt that things were making sense. The letter from her uncle asking her to invite Mr. Price from America. Mr. Price’s gaze examining her like an object. The persistent courtship. His attitude as if he had come to claim a promised affection.

It was all because her uncle had promised her to Mr. Price.

Miss Pendleton shuddered. An attempt to hand her over like a commodity and gain profit had been happening without her knowledge. With his authority as the head of the family, he had tried to pass his niece to his friend.

She recalled one by one the things her uncle had said to her after returning to the townhouse. That she had no dowry to return to. That she shouldn’t act so high and mighty. They were all words with intention.

Miss Pendleton felt a terrible sense of humiliation. Combined with all the awkwardness she had experienced because of Mr. Price, it all converged into a single thought.

‘What more do they want me to do?’

The name Pendleton had demanded too much from her. During her 12 years of living as a lady, numerous situations had hurt and angered her. But trapped by the name Pendleton, she couldn’t even say she was hurt when she was hurting, or angry when she was angry.

And now, for the sake of the Pendleton family, she was essentially being asked to give herself to a man old enough to be her father.

In her heart, which had endured everything for so long, a sense of injustice began to stir. Her uncle Gerald Pendleton, after abusing her so much in her childhood, was now trying to use her future as fertilizer for the Pendleton family.

Her future. The future she had dreamed of as ‘Laura’.

She absolutely couldn’t let that happen.

Miss Pendleton went straight through the front door and up to the upper floor. She abruptly entered the study, which she hadn’t been allowed to enter since her uncle’s arrival.

As she entered the study, the strong smell of cigars stung her nose. Miss Pendleton suppressed a cough. The inside of the study was enveloped in a hazy cigar smoke, as if shrouded in a misty fog.

Beyond that cigar smoke, Gerald Pendleton could be seen.