Chapter 33 Penelope
Chapter thirty-three
Penelope
Six months later
We’re all sitting in a gorgeous ballroom in a mansion on the outskirts of DC at the Children in Entertainment Defense Fund Fundraiser.
What my sisters didn’t know is that Harrison is the one who started the nonprofit.
It’s not widely advertised, but it’s a cause that means a lot to him personally.
His brother’s stepdaughter is a child actress, and when Harrison learned about the terrible things that some parents of child actors do, he created the fund.
It pays for health insurance, lawyers, estate planning and contract negotiations that prioritize the health and wellbeing of the child.
Harrison has become like a big brother to me this year, and I’m really proud of everything he’s accomplished.
Tonight is a silent auction and dinner for high-end donors. We, of course, come to support him and his cause as friends, but also to donate and encourage others to donate to such a worthy cause.
Cassidy hired a babysitter, and Elijah, Danny, and Cammy are all at Cass’s house having a sleepover tonight. Amelia sent a picture of them all tucked into sleeping bags on the living room floor, asleep, an hour ago.
Cass, Declan and Serenity are up milling around and chatting, but Daniel, Harrison and I are at our tables, sipping wine and watching the crowd.
“Nell?” a feminine voice calls from behind me.
I turn to see Chastity and Grace standing behind our table.
Unfortunately, I had to go no contact with them because when I moved out they wouldn’t stop calling and texting, asking and then demanding help - either physically or financially.
I love them, but it wasn’t good for my mental health and peace, and they put me in a position where I couldn’t start my new life without leaving the old one behind completely.
I stand, unsure how to handle this interaction. Daniel stands with me, a hand on my lower back, ready to support me any way I need.
“Chastity, Grace. It’s good to see you,” I say politely, my hands clasped behind my back.
I take a moment to look them over. They’ve changed a lot.
They’re thicker than they were before, and their dresses look like they’re two sizes too small.
They also have bags under their eyes that even makeup can’t hide.
It seems like life has finally caught up with them now that they don’t have a full-time maid.
By the looks of them, though, they’re still prowling for a rich husband.
They look at each other, clearly not sure how to play this.
“I see you’re still with Daniel,” Grace says, and I’m not sure if it’s just an easy observation or a backhanded compliment.
“Ladies,” Daniel says simply.
Chastity’s eyes dart to Harrison and widen. “Well, don’t be rude. Why don’t you introduce us to your friend?”
“Harrison, this is Chastity and Grace, my stepsisters. Chastity, Grace, this is Harrison. This fundraiser is his baby.”
Chastity and Grace hold their hands out to him, and he shakes them quickly. They obviously don’t see the tension in his jaw as they help themselves to the empty chairs around him.
“Harrison, is it? This is an amazing event. It’s gorgeous. I can’t believe you did all this,” Chastity coos, resting a hand on his forearm.
“Please remove your hand from my arm,” he says coldly.
"Oh, don’t be that way, Harry. We could have so much fun together," she says, slapping his chest playfully. I wince. Harrison hates being touched. It’s part of why CNC is so appealing to him.
He shoots to his feet and before I know what he’s doing; he shoots me a sideways grin.
He raises his whiskey and taps it with his knife. The crowd quiets down as every person in the room turns to listen to him speak.
“Firstly, I would like to thank everyone who came tonight and donated so generously to a cause that is near and dear to my heart.”
Chastity and Grace share an uncomfortable look. Tickets to this fundraiser, alone, are expensive, so I’m not sure how they could afford them, let alone a donation.
“Secondly, I would like to thank my friends...” his eyes find Daniel and me, and Declan, Cass and Serenity. “For showing me what integrity and loyalty look like, even when it’s hard. It’s easy to be kind when life is easy.”
“Integrity,” he continues, pacing slowly around the table, “isn’t about who you pretend to be in public. It’s about how you behave when you think no one’s watching.”
His gaze drops to Chastity and Grace, his mood shifting from poised elegance to venom.
“Some people,” he’s keeping it vague, but every person in this room knows exactly who he’s talking about.
“... only see value in people if they can profit from it. They take advantage of people’s kindness.
They lie, they cheat, and only have themselves in mind.
” Murmured gossip breaks out in the room, and Chastity clutches her purse tighter, as her face turns a blotchy red.
Grace shifts in her seat, clearly uncomfortable with the public dressing down.
I should step in. I should stop him. I should protect them. But he’s not lying. He’s protecting me, like a good big brother would, in a way that doesn’t call attention to me, or drama.
“People like that aren’t worth a second of your time. So surround yourself with people who keep integrity and loyalty and authenticity close. The rest?”
Harrison pauses for effect, and the tension increases in the room. Even the waiters have stopped to listen to his speech. He shoots me a quick grin and a wink before raising his glass in a toast directly to my sisters.
“Let them eat each other alive.”
The guests raise their own glasses in a toast, a low hum of conversation following after.
Chastity, furious, shoots to her feet, tugging Grace behind her. Together, they storm out of the room as quickly as their high heels will allow.
Daniel and I sit again, and Harrison takes a chair next to me.
“I’m sorry if I overstepped,” he says, concern written all over his face.
I shake my head, still in awe of what just happened.
Chastity and Grace have effectively been exiled from the same wealthy society they were dying to join.
But Harrison was right - it’s not about the number in your bank account, but how you conduct yourself and navigate through life that makes a person.
I should feel bad for them, and a part of me does, not because they’ll have a hard time getting invited to any high end events again, but because they’re going to have a hard awakening when they finally have to take a hard look at their personalities and their lives.
“Don’t be. You didn’t. You didn’t call them out by name. And everything you said was completely true. I... I appreciate you, Harry,” I tease, tossing him a wink just to lighten the mood.
He groans and rolls his eyes.
We spend the rest of the evening dancing, eating, drinking, and having a good time with our friends.
And as I rest my head on Daniel’s shoulder on the car ride home, I feel a bone-deep peace I never knew was possible.
I spent the first half of my life surviving my family - my dad’s long sighs, my stepsisters’ sarcasm, Gen’s bell.
And now I’m not surviving, I’m thriving. I have a family I adore in Danny and Daniel. I have friends who may as well be family, who love me unconditionally and who pour just as much into our relationships as I do.
And it’s beautiful.
The End.