Penelope's POV

I turned away from him, not wanting him to witness the impact the news of the marriage had on me; I wished for him to figure it out on his own.

After all, no one was aware of my marriage to him, and it was best that it remained a secret. Our survival was the only thing that truly mattered.

As soon as I entered my room, I broke down in tears, leaning against the door. It was incredibly difficult; I could see how tightly he was holding on, and I couldn’t fault him for that.

Yet, my tears were not solely from sadness; they were also tears...