Penelope was only trying to tease Theodore, but as they wrestled playfully, she realized he was getting aroused again…
“You…”
Theodore pushed her onto her back and lay on top of her, taking several deep breaths. Then he got up, dressed quickly, and stormed downstairs to settle the score with Mr. Johnson.
After the door closed, Penelope pulled the covers over her head and let out a muffled scream. How had last night even happened? He had kissed her, she had refused, he had kissed her again, and then her own body had betrayed her, heating up until she had lost all reason, even started to want it…
Wait. Something felt wrong.
Penelope quickly threw on her clothes, splashed some water on her face, and hurried downstairs.
“Boy, don’t pour it out! Oh, my precious treasure!”
Following the sound, she found them in a first-floor bathroom. Theodore was emptying a large ceramic jar of liquor into the toilet, along with a host of herbs she couldn’t even identify.
“I’ve been brewing that for three years! It’s full of priceless ingredients!” Mr. Johnson cried, hopping from one foot to the other in distress, though he didn’t dare physically stop his son.
Penelope didn’t need to ask what was going on. The wine Theodore had drunk last night had come from this jar. It was clearly some kind of potent aphrodisiac.
She made a cold laugh and walked over to Mr. Johnson, who immediately looked down guiltily.
“It wasn’t just the wine, was it?”
“What? What are you talking about?” the old man feigned ignorance.
“You’d better confess now if you want a lighter sentence.”
“…”
“Are you trying to piss both of us off today?”
“I… I just added a few nourishing herbs to the chicken stew.”
“And?”
“The vegetable soup was made with a soft-shelled turtle broth.”
“Ha.”
“And those meatballs you liked so much? Those were the real secret. I added some… special ingredients. You couldn’t taste them, right? Let me tell you, there was…”
“I think he should have smashed that jar over your head.”
With that, she turned and stormed out after Theodore.
...
In the car, Penelope expected things to be awkward, but Theodore was on the phone the entire time, arranging work calls one after another. By the time he hung up, they were already outside her villa.
“It’s the weekend. Go pick up your medicine from Dr. Olson’s. I’ll have him brew it for you,” he instructed.
“Okay. Aren’t you taking a break?”
“I have a business trip for the next couple of days.”
“Oh.”
Theodore noticed that she had gotten out of the car but was still holding onto the door. He raised an eyebrow. “Is there something else?”
...

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