Pampered by My Ex-husband (Penny and Orlando)
Chapter 76 Orlando Was Smoking

Chapter 76 Orlando Was Smoking

The room fell silent.

Orlando's hand, which was pressing against his temple, paused for a moment, and he looked up at her.

After Penny finished speaking, she seemed to realize that being alone in a room with a man could lead to improper thoughts. She smiled and said, "I was just talking nonsense."

Orlando looked at her, really wanting to know that she was so proactive with other men outside, whether her husband was aware of all this.

Lowering his gaze, his tone became even less polite.

"Leave here."

Penny assumed that he didn't like interacting with females and wanted to maintain his purity for his lover from the Bender family.

"I didn't mean anything else, Mr. Fletcher. Please rest well."

She really didn't mean anything else. She just couldn't help but offer help when she saw her client drunk, hoping to gain some goodwill.

Orlando still hadn't responded or made any suggestions regarding the sketch proposal.

Although she had always been confident in her work, his silence made her start to doubt herself.

After returning to her room and changing clothes, Penny placed the paint-stained shirt in a basin, rubbed it a few times, and then washed it twice with clean water to make sure there were no stains left. She hung it by the window to dry.

After completing all of this, she went back to the previous spot, washed the brushes and paint palette, and mixed new colors.

Then she returned to the white wall and continued to finish the remaining painting.

When inspiration strikes, one must seize it quickly, otherwise, she couldn't guarantee that she would still have the same feeling when she woke up after a night's sleep.

Penny painted diligently. The night's light was on her right side, attracting a few moths. Apart from that, everything was quiet.

At three o'clock in the morning, she rubbed her eyes, feeling tired, and she decided to wash her face to wake herself up.

As she walked past the round archway near the washstand, she saw a tall and slender figure leaning against a pillar on the traditional corridor in the courtyard. He couldn't sleep, holding a cigarette between his fingers.

The man had a lazy and carefree expression, but he exuded a sense of distance that made people feel awe.

She couldn't remember if she had seen him smoke before, but in this setting, with the surrounding pavilions and towers, the moon high in the sky, and the corridor shining brightly like water, it was all too beautiful. She couldn't bear to disturb it.

Orlando flicked the ash from his fingertips and casually watched the artificial mountain and flowing water in the courtyard.

He had lived a disciplined life all these years, but tonight, he couldn't sleep.

When he heard footsteps near the archway, he couldn't help but look over, only to see a figure disappearing around the corner.

Orlando raised his eyebrows and extinguished the cigarette between his fingers before walking over.

Penny had already returned to the white wall. Opening the tap would inevitably make some noise, and even the slightest sound could disturb the person there. Besides, she had only hoped that the cold water would quickly wake her up, but now the overwhelming drowsiness seemed to have vanished in an instant.

She smiled and painted faster.

Half an hour later, just as she was about to place the brush back in the paint palette, she suddenly heard a voice beside her.

"Did they invite you?"

Caught off guard, Penny's heart raced. She turned her head and saw Orlando standing less than a meter away.

"Mr. Fletcher, do you know you scared me like that?"

Perhaps because he had been smoking, there was a faint smell of smoke on him, mixed with the scent of pine and cypress, making the night air feel a bit chilly.

With the blowing wind, it seemed to cling to her skin, unable to be wiped away.

Orlando didn't approach but instead looked at the painting on the white wall, a trace of admiration in his eyes.

He had never seen her paint before, only her designs. He didn't expect her to have such talent.

The man raised his eyebrows and asked, "Your painting is so good, why didn't you continue painting after graduation?"

Penny lowered her head slightly, and her movements of mixing colors paused. "Mr. Fletcher, didn't you hear it firsthand last time?"

"Just because of that?"

Just because of that?

These words were light and ethereal, like a soft needle, piercing her heart. It didn't hurt, but it couldn't be ignored either.

This person had been a proud and arrogant individual since birth, out of reach for ordinary people. Of course, he wouldn't understand how terrifying it could be for an average person to be slandered, insulted, and subjected to the disdain of those around them.

"Yes, just because of that."

She turned her back and continued with what she was doing, her tone carrying a hint of defiance.

Orlando stood behind her, his gaze involuntarily falling on her waist.