Lucille knew exactly how to y Pennie’s soft heart.

If Pennie had been a man, she would have been helpless against maniptive women, getting spun in circles by every damsel in distress.

All Lucille needed to do was put on a pitiful face, and Pennie’s judgment would go right out the window.

Dragging her ck suitcase behind her, Lucille broke into tears, her voice thick with emotion. “I get it. No one here wants me. I’ll just go back overseas. I’m leaving, and I won’t evere back!”

Pennie’s heart twisted at the sight. She hurried to grab Lucille’s suitcase, trying to stop her. “Who said you’re not wee here? The Hawksley house will always be open to you. And now, so is the Flynn family’s!”

Seeing Pennie trying so hard to keep her, Lucille didn’t push her luck. She set her suitcase down and stepped right back into the penthouse suite.

Her voice trembled as she spoke. “Honestly, it doesn’t matter if anyone wants me here or not. I’d have to go back overseas alone anyway; I don’t have a home in Southborough. The only thing that worries me is, once I’m gone, if that vixen stirs up trouble again and you get hurt, there’ll be nobody tofort you.”

Just thinking about Winston’s mistress made Pennie’s blood boil.

“Lucille, why don’t you sell that ce you have overseas and move here for good? That way, we can look after each other.”

Lucille shook her head, words full of reluctance. “I can’t stay here, Pennie. I don’t want to upset your sister–inw. If Justin tries to embarrass me, it won’t just be hard on me, it’ll put you in a tough spot too.”

At the mention of this, Pennie’s temper red, her usually gentle features sharp with

anger.

“I mean, Edith just lucked into it, didn’t she? She should count her blessings instead of making trouble for you! Honestly, if she didn’t look so much like you, she’d never have be Mrs. Hawksley in the first ce.”

Lucille still looked heartbreakingly fragile. “I suppose it’s just not my fate. Things with Justin weren’t meant to be, and that’s why it all turned out like this.”

08:09

Pennie patted Lucille’s shoulder, trying tofort her. “Lucille, you didn’t have a choice back then. You can’t me Justin; he just couldn’t ept that you were married.”

A few more tears slipped down Lucille’s cheeks, her voice soft and sad. “Justin’s always been stubborn. He wouldn’t listen to anything I said. I only got married for a visa–there was never any real rtionship there.”

She snuck a nce at Pennie as she finished.

Just as she’d expected, Pennie immediately made up her mind. “I’ll talk to Justin about this. If you can get a divorce, why can’t he? Besides, you were all alone overseas, just trying to survive in a tough ce. It’s understandable you made some mistakes. If Justin loves you so much, and even married someone who looks just like you, why can’t he leave her? Wouldn’t that actually be better for Edith too? She’s spent years with a man who doesn’t love her–she’ll never be truly happy like that.”

Lucille clutched Pennie’s hand, her eyes shining with gratitude. “Pennie, you’re the

do.” best friend I’ve ever had. Not even Justin cared about me the way you

Pennie blushed, a little embarrassed. “Oh,e on. I could neverpare to Justin back in the day. He really loved you–everyone could see it.”

There was a sh of confidence and pride in Lucille’s eyes, but Pennie, oblivious as ever, didn’t notice a thing.

Lucille lowered her gaze, her voice barely above a whisper. “Honestly, I’ve missed Justin these past weeks… but now that he’s got Mrs. Hawksley, I can’t even talk to him in private without making her upset.”