A/N:PHEW

*Joey Tribbiani's voice* LONDON BABY

Are we ready to return to the UK?

lets goooo!


Penelope Featherington cast alongside Armitage Cho in 'Love and Stationery'

Following her breakout role in the critically acclaimed series "The Sword and the Heart: East Dynasty," the actress is now preparing to step into her first leading role in an exciting new romantic comedy.

According to Deadline, Featherington will be joining Armitage Cho in the upcoming film "Love and Stationery." This movie follows the journey of an aspiring journalist whose career takes a turn after a significant mistake leads to her sudden termination. As a result, she takes on the role of a secretary for the most infamous editor in London.

Produced by Netflix, the film is set to begin filming next month, with a release anticipated next fall.


⋆.˚ ༘⋆ Fa loratheexplorer

WHAT

Cinthy❤️ 🔥🐉 ️ Cy3452n

MY BABY OFF TO DESTROY PEOPLE

kay 𓆰𓆪 loraskiss

Well, who's going to make the edits of modern AU Nora and Leonidas falling in love

| ⋆˚✿˖° it's always rainy in delulutown⋆˚✿˖° loranator

loraskiss Beard unkept EII Colin with cute tiny secretary Penelope I see the vision

| Z. ZX867

loranator loraskiss EII?

| ⋆˚✿˖° it's always rainy in delulutown⋆˚✿˖° loranator

loraskiss ZX867 englishman in italy

| Z. ZX867

loranator loraskiss OH

Sa. sarahsnorthqueen

haven't heard of my baby in so long i was having withdrawal symptoms

Felicity felalbby

DID SOMEONE SAY PEN ON A LEAD ROLE

| core ladylikeafeather

felalbby finally the recognition she deserves

𝔠𝔞𝔯𝔩𝔬𝔰 carlosbton

Pen in tiny pencil skirts and black rimmed glasses and a cute bun i—

Jamila bl4ck_r0se

PEN AND ARMITAGE ON AN ENEMIES TO LOVERS I USED TO DREAM OF DAYS LIKE THIS

🌸Hilly🌸 hilllaryss

wait….. but aren't they still filming potw

| Cinthy❤️ 🔥🐉 ️ Cy3452n

hilllaryss and NOW im sufficiently worried

| ⋆˚✿˖° it's always rainy in delulutown⋆˚✿˖° loranator

Cy3452n hilllaryss no guys, nora is going to show up less on potw anyway

| 🌸Hilly🌸 hilllaryss

loranator Cy3452n yes but I thought she was going to film at least until December

| ⋆˚✿˖° it's always rainy in delulutown⋆˚✿˖° loranator

loranator we don't know the order they're filming things so maybe they already shot all of her scenes

lariiiii ⋆ southnationsqueen

can we have ONE DAY of peace on this cursed fandom we get good news and y'all are just finding things to freak out abt


The set felt quiet as the last day of filming finally approached. After everything Kate had experienced during this time, it felt surreal—and if she were honest, scary too.

As the day faded, the empty cafeteria was bathed in soft light, and the only sounds came from the birds, their chirps filling the stillness. With so many people having returned to London, the surroundings were quieter than they had been in months. Despite the calm atmosphere, Kate felt as though she was clinging to the last remnants of a fantasy that was slowly evaporating. In just two days, she would have to confront the real world, whether she was ready for it or not.

With a sigh, she poured hot water into a cup and then gazed at the wooden tea box and its vibrant packets, contemplating which one would be the least unappealing choice to brew.

"Figures I'd find you here," a voice said from behind her.

She turned around and smiled as she saw Anthony. Returning her focus to her task, she finally settled on a blend of orange, mango, and cinnamon tea. "You're one to talk," she replied, knowing that the man was determined to drink all of New Zealand's coffee supply if he could.

This time, however, before he reached for his precious drink, he wrapped his arms around her waist, resting his chin on her shoulder.

"Are you crazy?" she whispered, her head turning slightly towards him.

He gave her a feigned, exasperated look, kissed her shoulder, and then let go.

"There's barely anyone left on set now," he said as he finally reached for the pump thermos.

Kate hummed, twisting her lips slightly as she repeatedly dipped her tea bag into the hot water.

The director glanced over at her, smirking as he filled his own cup. "Relieved that you'll finally be able to have decent chai again?" he asked.

The actress smiled, even though he had misunderstood her grimace. "I'll only be relieved if you find a decent stash next time, and I don't mean Twinings," she retorted.

He shook his head, also smiling, before taking a sip of his beverage. "You do know I have little control over the menu, right?"

She simply raised an eyebrow at his perfectly brewed coffee before responding with a drawn-out, "uh-huh."

Anthony narrowed his eyes at her as he continued drinking, while Kate grimaced again, staring at her tea.

"What is it?" he asked, finally realising that her discomfort had nothing to do with the drink.

Swallowing hard, she pressed her lips together before asking, "Can we talk?" Then she walked toward one of the benches in the cafeteria and sat down, waiting for him to follow.

The director furrowed his brow, disliking her tone and the phrase that accompanied it even more, before he sat beside her. And, for a moment, Kate remained silent, fiddling with her cup as it rested on the table.

"We are returning to London today," she finally said.

"We are," he replied, watching her as he tried to understand where that conversation was going.

She drummed her fingers on her cup. "I was thinking we need to decide what we want to do."

Anthony's forehead wrinkled for a moment. It would be dishonest to say that he didn't grasp what she meant. He knew her worries about being caught by the British press all too well, having witnessed her anxiety during previous instances when she feared they might be discovered on set, even during moments when they were completely alone.

However, the problem was that he didn't know when those worries would ever go away. After spending months together, sharing many personal experiences, and even discussing their future, he thought that going public might no longer be such a big issue. After all, there was no scenario in which they wouldn't have a relationship, was there? At least not for him.

But he was starting to realise that, upon their return, that might not be the case for her

"Kate, what do you mean?" he asked anyway, hoping his assumptions were wrong.

"London isn't the same as here," she replied, biting her bottom lip and avoiding his gaze. "There will be a lot of eyes on us, and we won't have as much privacy."

"Does that still worry you?" he asked, staring into his coffee, a knot forming in his stomach.

A defensive grimace crossed her face. "Of course. The problem is still there, isn't it?"

"I don't know; you tell me," he replied, his tone tinged with frustration.

Kate turned to him, tilting her head back in indignation in a way she hadn't done in months. "I told you, I'm concerned about—"

"I'm aware," he sighed, closing his eyes for a moment before continuing, "But since you're this worried, it seems like you already know what you want to do."

Now it was her turn to furrow her eyebrows at him, feeling her blood threatening to boil. She had expected him to actually express his thoughts instead of merely acting as if the outcome made no difference to him.

"It's not like we have anything serious, so of course I'm still worried," she spat out in frustration. But the moment she saw his expression harden, she realised her temper had made her say the worst possible thing.

Instead of yelling, however, the director simply scoffed, muttering, "Okay, Kate," before standing up and deciding it was best to cut the conversation short.

Kate watched indignantly as he walked toward the cafeteria exit. "So you were just going to leave?" she said.

Taking a deep breath, he turned around and said, "Yeah, it's best if I do." His jaw clenched as he gripped his coffee with a vice-like grip, the sun making his eyes look fiery. "It's not that serious anyway," he added, throwing his hands up in frustration before continuing on his way.

Kate huffed loudly, unsure whether she was frustrated with herself for completely fumbling the conversation or furious at him for being the most insufferable man on earth.


Filming for "The Sword and the Heart: Princess of the West" has wrapped

By Emily Brooks

Production on Anthony Bridgerton's "The Sword and the Heart: Princess of the West" has officially concluded.

Filming for the highly anticipated sequel kicked off in the first semester, with Bridgerton shooting on location in New Zealand. The synopsis for "The Sword and the Heart: Princess of the West" from Danbury Production states: "Following the mysterious disappearance of his brother, Dorieus assumes the responsibility of ruling the South while simultaneously embarking on a quest to uncover the prince's location. Meanwhile, Marjorie, Leonidas, Catherine, and Nora are forced to flee after a mysterious ambush, making their way to the peaceful yet enigmatic Nation of the West."

Fans can look forward to the return of Thomas Dorset, Kate Sharma, Colin Bridgerton, Penelope Featherington, Cressida Cowper, Dolores Stowell, and Edward Hall, who will reprise their roles in the second instalment of the beloved trilogy.

Danbury Productions is set to debut "The Sword and the Heart: Princess of the West" in theatres next December.


. inyoupswife

they wrapped up only NOW?

⋆˚✿˖° it's always rainy in delulutown⋆˚✿˖° loranator

oh so they were right pen came back really early

| billie noraswsift

loranator i don't think so colin has been back in london for over a month i think

| ⋆˚✿˖° it's always rainy in delulutown⋆˚✿˖° loranator

noraswsift idk yeah but she has been away way longer

Daniella pensfeathers

I SWEAR PEOPLE ON THIS FANDOM ARE DUMB NORA ISN'T IN AT LEAST ONE THIRD OF THIS MOVIE OFC PEN HAS LESS SCENES

| lariiiii ⋆ southnationsqueen

pensfeathers im so tired dan

| Daniella pensfeathers

southnationsqueen i swear they have no braincells left

❤️ 🔥 Mariah ️ polinssdaughter

um …

| billie noraswsift

polinssdaughter what is it?

| ❤️ 🔥 Mariah ️ polinssdaughter

noraswsift i just remembered something

| mimi leonidasn0raxx

polinssdaughter noraswsift WHAT IS IT

| ❤️ 🔥 Mariah ️ polinssdaughter

noraswsift leonidasn0raxx DM

| Cinthy❤️ 🔥🐉 ️ Cy3452n

polinssdaughter polinssdaughter noraswsift WHAT

| ❤️ 🔥 Mariah ️ polinssdaughter

noraswsift leonidasn0raxx Cy3452n DM


She looked at her phone, unsure whether she was happy or worried about the comments online, as always. After spending so much time away filming not just one, but two movies, she had almost forgotten what the social media frenzy felt like.

"Penelope, I would really appreciate it if you didn't use your phone while we're at the table."

The woman in question quickly locked her phone and set it aside as she stared at Portia. It was amazing how, at over 30 years old, she could treat her own mother to an expensive lunch and still be looked down upon as if she were a child. However, Penelope had spent nearly a whole year working non-stop, and for the first time in ages, she genuinely felt relieved to have some free time. So, there was absolutely nothing Portia could say or do to ruin her good mood.

And if today happened to be the first day in four months that she would see Colin, it was merely a coincidence and had nothing to do with her exceptionally good mood.

"I'm sorry, Mama," she said, placing her phone on the top of the table while she reached for her water jar and poured some for herself.

Portia simply pursed her lips as she observed her daughter. The older woman had her dark red hair styled in an elegant bun, and she wore long gold earrings with pearls at the tips. Dressed in a luxurious burgundy blouse adorned with large, dark red flowers, she still exuded the overpowering presence that Penelope had felt since her childhood.

With a dismissive sniff, her mother glanced at Penelope's phone from the corner of her eye as she reached for her dark red wine, which rested in a tall, thin goblet. "Checking up on those fans of your movie?"

A deep sigh escaped Penelope's lips. Her fork hovered over the crisp lettuce, cherry tomatoes, and croutons of her salad before she finally began to eat. "I spent months away, there's a lot of catching up to do."

"Or perhaps it's time to move on?" Portia asked, raising an eyebrow. "One actress shouldn't be defined by just one role, should she?"

The youngest Featherington exhaled again, reminding herself to focus on the positive aspects of her day. "I've just finished filming another movie, mama," she said, scratching her left eyebrow inadvertently before mumbling, "And I thought you said my profession is a waste of time, anyway."

"It is," her mother replied, the glint of her knife reflecting as she casually sliced her steak. "But if one must do it, then do it well. You don't want to rely on anyone else to pay your bills, do you?"

Pressing her lips together, the actress nodded. It was pointless to argue with her mother about such matters, as her mother valued stability above all else. Penelope couldn't really blame her, though. Growing up, she had witnessed the heartache and fear her father's gambling had caused her mother. Portia had never held a true profession of her own, having married young and unaware that her husband would easily break all his promises to take care of her, ultimately leaving the matriarch to fend for herself.

Yet, understanding her mother's point of view didn't make it any easier for Penelope to endure years of being told that everything she did was ludicrous and wrong.

"At least this time it won't have anything to do with the Bridgertons, I assume?" Portia continued.

Penelope paused as she picked up her glass. She looked at her mother for a moment before taking a sip. From the moment Portia met the Bridgertons, she couldn't stand them. So, naturally, she disapproved of Penelope's most significant project.

"What's the problem if it did?" Penelope asked, pressing her lips together after a hasty gulp of water. Her energy and patience were already draining. "They have helped me so much with everything. If my work is more recognised now, it's because of Anthony—"

"Because they're a ludicrous family that wants people to believe life is a bed of roses, all while profiting from it," Portia interrupted, her jaw clenched and her green eyes unwavering. "They have always been two-faced charlatans, and I knew they would influence you with their ridiculous tales sooner or later. So the least they could do was offer help once the damage was done," she said, taking a sip of her wine as Penelope balled her hands into fists around her cutlery. "The further you stay away from them, the better, at least until you stop believing in the absurd narrative that you're truly romantically entangled with Colin Bridgerton." She spat his name as if it were a curse. "You've wasted enough years foolishly pursuing this boy. You don't need to put your life on hold again for this fantasy."

Penelope's knuckles turned white as she gripped her fork and knife tighter. "Colin is my friend, Mama. One of my best friends," she defended him, feeling her face flush with anger. "And I'm not pursuing him."

"Really?" Portia asked, raising an eyebrow. "Any plans to give me grandchildren anytime soon?"

"Maybe, since I'm seeing someone," Penelope replied out of anger. She was half lying, as she and Alfred were very far from dating and hadn't seen each other in person for months. Still, she added this just to provoke Portia further. "He's a YouTuber."

Her mother paused, staring at her daughter for a moment before continuing to eat, as if no argument was taking place at all. "Good," she said.

Penelope stared at her incredulously. "Good? Since when do you think someone being a YouTuber is good?"

Wiping her lips with a starched linen napkin, Portia replied, "You make your own money, Penelope. I couldn't care less about your boyfriend's profession. What matters to me is that you don't deceive yourself in this world that you and the Bridgertons have created. I don't want to watch you waste another moment of your youth waiting for a relationship that only exists in the movies."

With that, her mother stood up, excusing herself to go to the bathroom. And as Portia left, Penelope tried to ignore her words, no matter how accurate they were. She picked up her phone again, convincing herself that worrying about online fights was far better than confronting the hardships of reality.

❤️ 🔥 Mariah ️ polinssdaughter

alright, since a lot of people are asking, no, nothing happened, i just remembered a blind item from months ago

| wes. kingofsnh

polinssdaughter wait, which one? the one with thomas?

| ❤️ 🔥 Mariah ️ polinssdaughter

kingofsnh no… the one about colin not wanting to kiss his costar

| wes. kingofsnh

polinssdaughter OH

| Jade ✨ englishmansbiceps

kingofsnh polinssdaughter we don't even know if it's colin

| Olly bridgertonscol3

englishmansbiceps kingofsnh polinssdaughter 90% sure it's him

| Jade ✨ englishmansbiceps

kingofsnh polinssdaughter bridgertonscol3 So? everyone knows he can't stand cressida

|❤️ 🔥 Mariah ️ polinssdaughter

kingofsnh bridgertonscol3 englishmansbiceps but what if it's not cressida?

| Jade ✨ englishmansbiceps

kingofsnh polinssdaughter bridgertonscol3 lmao ofc it is

| Olly bridgertonscol3

englishmansbiceps kingofsnh polinssdaughter there is no way it's not her

| Jade ✨ englishmansbiceps

kingofsnh polinssdaughter bridgertonscol3 like we know there's a leorine scene on potw it's her

| wes. kingofsnh

polinssdaughter bridgertonscol3 englishmansbiceps sure but I want to know what she means

| ❤️ 🔥 Mariah ️ polinssdaughter

kingofsnh bridgertonscol3 englishmansbiceps i mean pen came back earlier from filming and we haven't seen pictures of her with colin in months

| Olly bridgertonscol3

englishmansbiceps kingofsnh polinssdaughter so?

| ❤️ 🔥 Mariah ️ polinssdaughter

kingofsnh bridgertonscol3 englishmansbiceps so what if it's not a leorine scene? i mean didn't he always know he would kiss her anyway? why would be a problem now?

| wes. kingofsnh

polinssdaughter bridgertonscol3 englishmansbiceps girl i SEE you, but there's no way they're giving us a lora kiss

| Jade ✨ englishmansbiceps

kingofsnh polinssdaughter bridgertonscol3 thankfully

ɪʀɪꜱ swor4onh3rt

it wasn't on my bingo to hear that even lora shippers know colin would be disgusted at kissing penelope

| sab bbtooncol

swor4onh3rt LMAO WHAT

| ɪʀɪꜱ swor4onh3rt

bbtooncol nothing just some delulus thinking that blind item abt colin not wanting to kiss a co-star was abt penelope

| Kath bridgertonsthird

swor4onh3rt bbtooncol i wouldn't blame him I would throw up in my mouth too

Penelope then locked her phone, considering that maybe Portia didn't have the power to ruin her otherwise good day, but as always, reality did.


Anthony: The wrap-up party is at 7.

Anthony: Don't be late

Eloise: ?

Gregory: no way LMAO

Benedict: Anthony blink twice if you need help

Hyacinth: im getting drunk tonight 😎

Anthony: everyone's invited but you

Hyacinth: bold of u to assume I haven't got the details from pen weeks ago

Eloise: Leave Pen alone

Hyacinth: How many times do I have to say it

Hyacinth: she's MY friend too

Eloise: no shes mine you just call her when u need a favour

Gregory: where on earth is colin?

Hyacinth: i know

Hyacinth: the opportunity was right there

Eloise: opportunity for nothing

Eloise: i only spoke the truth

Benedict: Eloise being a terrible friend aside

Eloise: EXCUSE ME

Benedict: what's happening with Colin?

Benedict: he hasn't replied to my msgs in weeks

Gregory: did anthony kill him in nz

Anthony: He's perfectly fine

Gregory: now im sure something's wrong

Benedict: idk what's more concerning Colin disappearing or Anthony inviting us today

Anthony: I'm fine

Daphne: can i bring Simon?

Anthony: everyone's invited but Hyacinth and Hastings

Daphne: you do know i'm a Hastings now right

Anthony: unfortunately

Gregory: I thought his surname was basset

Francesca: wait what's happening with Colin?

Francesca: why is he never here anymore?

Benedict: why don't we ask the one person who is actually living with him

Hyacinth: what? still?

Daphne: Colin has a new girlfriend?

Gregory: daph im begging

Gregory: pay attention to things

Gregory: and dont ever

Gregory: put that image in my head again

Daphne: ?

Eloise: they're talking about me

Daphne: what? still?

Eloise: ofc still do any of you know how expensive rent is in london

Gregory: yeah

Hyacinth: yes

Daphne: of course

Anthony: yes

Eloise: well if Colin can pay for me why would i move out

Benedict: Eloise

Eloise: fine

Eloise: I don't know how he is

Gregory: How can you NOT know

Eloise: Surprisingly he works a lot

Eloise: and it's Colin

Eloise: not one to write sonnets about his feelings

Gregory: look who's talking

Hyacinth: So he isn't fine

Eloise: I don't know

Eloise: No

Eloise: i think

Francesca: Isn't he on this group chat?

Daphne: he is

Benedict: Yes

Hyacinth: Yes

Gregory: Yup


It's a well-known saying that when someone is feeling bad about themselves, the best course of action is to look beautiful. Penelope, however, had always struggled with this, rarely feeling pretty. But on that particular day, when she looked in the mirror, she didn't hate what she saw.

Normally, she wouldn't choose a red dress, as she often found the color too bold; her desire was to blend in and disappear. However, during the winter—her second one that year—she spotted a long-sleeved raspberry knit dress, the color instantly evoking a dangerous yet favourite memory.

She ended up buying it anyway, even though she knew she would never wear it, almost as if the tiny, dying part of herself that still believed in fairytales wanted to keep it just for herself.

Yet, surprisingly, one day arrived that managed to bother her enough to make her wear the forbidden dress, simply out of spite. So she smoothed down the form-fitting skirt and adjusted its sweetheart neckline, framing her collarbone beautifully as she gazed at her reflection in the mirror. Then, she swayed her ponytail to check her hairdo and focused on her makeup, which was minimal, consisting of just mascara, a hint of rosy blush, and shiny lip gloss.

She looked… good. With that thought, she walked out the door and headed toward the party.

They chose the same venue for the wrap-up as the one used for the first movie, which immediately brought back painful memories. The room was once again decorated in warm, low light. This time, however, a tall, beautiful, yet slightly intimidating tower of glasses stood at the centre of the main bar counter. It was as cosy and lovely as it had been during the first party, but all Penelope could think about was the image of Colin and Marina in that cursed restroom.

Well, at least Marina was someone he had definitely enjoyed kissing, Penelope thought bitterly as she looked around and decided she needed a drink immediately.

But before she could make her way to the bartender, she caught sight of a familiar face.

"Kate?" she called, and the woman turned to her in surprise.

The actress looked absolutely stunning, with her hair in voluminous, long waves, a metallic silver eyeliner that matched her hoop earrings, and a gray, wool dress featuring a square neckline and a matching belt at the waist.

"You look amazing!" Penelope exclaimed, as Kate continued to stare at her with wide eyes.

"I haven't seen you in ages," the actress replied, before wrapping her arms tightly around her friend. Once they broke apart, Kate kept her hands on Penelope's shoulders, looking her up and down. "You look beautiful."

The redhead shook her head, still not used to being complimented.

"So, how was it?" Kate asked with a kind smile. "With your new film?"

Penelope raised her eyebrows slightly, momentarily forgetting that she had filmed an entire movie while she was away. "It was…" she tilted her head, reflecting for a moment. "Different. The responsibility of it all, the constant attention…" She trailed off, noticing that Kate was nodding in understanding. "But you already know what that's like," the redhead added, gesturing toward the lead actress of their film.

Kate let out a light, humorous breath. "It's a blessing and a curse, I guess."

Tilting her head as she considered her words, Penelope nodded. "That's true," she said, and after a deep breath, she added, "So, how did you guys fare in the last months?"

That made Kate pause; her expression faltered for a moment before she turned her gaze to the right. "It went alright," she said. Then, with a sigh, she added, "Like these things usually go."

Sensing Kate's odd mood, Penelope furrowed her eyebrows and asked, "Why? Did something go wrong?"

Kate turned to her, raising her eyebrows slightly for a moment. As she met Penelope's concerned gaze, she considered sharing her own troubles. Given how much her friend had confided in her about her own worries in the past, it felt only fair to open up. And she couldn't shake Edwina's words from her mind, reminding her how often she had helped others while still refusing to accept help herself. Kate knew this tendency applied to everyone in her life; being vulnerable simply didn't come naturally to her.

You don't have to be strong all the time. Not with me.

The actress grimaced. At the end of the day, she was the one who had asked Anthony to keep everything a secret. She wasn't going to be the one to break it. Not yet, at least.

Shaking her head, she replied, "No, it was just an exhausting trip back." She exhaled loudly. "I feel like I'm still on New Zealand time."

Penelope pressed her lips together and nodded, sensing that there was more to the story. She couldn't blame her friend, though; the woman had returned to London only two days prior. Penelope had been back for four months and still felt like she was on New Zealand time.

"Why? Did something go wrong with you?" Kate asked, noticing the expression on her friend's face.

The redhead hesitated. She could share all her frustrations about Colin with Kate, something they had discussed at length in the past. However, she felt as if there was nothing new to say. It was always the same story, and she worried that she might bore Kate with it. To make matters worse, she didn't know exactly how to tell Kate that, at that moment, her problems arose from the fact that Colin had apparently dreaded the idea of kissing her on screen—for a scene whose existence was seemingly on a need-to-know basis.

"No," Penelope replied, taking a deep breath. "I'm fine," she said, her eyes roaming the room, taking in familiar faces but not spotting the one she had eagerly anticipated seeing just hours before. "It's just odd being back."

"Why is it still so quiet?" Edwina suddenly appeared, sporting a messy bun, a black leather jacket, and a white tank top. "Kate, did you make us arrive too early again?"

Surprised, Kate and Penelope simultaneously looked at Edwina, whose gaze quickly assessed their expressions.

"Do you need a drink?" she asked.

"Yes," the actresses replied simultaneously before the three of them headed to the bar counter.


If Colin was honest, the last few months of his life had not been… good.

Filming had been dreadful since Penelope left. In fact, it had already been terrible before that—since his mind seemed to be anywhere but on the story—the days dragged on, and the hours seemed to stretch endlessly.

Then, as soon as he set foot back in London, to his absolute delight, he found himself drowning in work. A miniseries here, a handful of designer promotional shoots there, and suddenly he was insufferably busy for the couple of months leading up to Kate, Thomas, and Anthony's return.

However, none of that felt worse than the silence on his phone. Penelope was busy, and he knew that, but he couldn't shake the feeling that her messages were becoming fewer and farther between, and their tone was increasingly distant. Despite her many reassurances that everything was fine, he couldn't ignore the certainty in his heart that they were anything but. It felt as if he were stranded in a desert, desperately longing for the comfort she refused to provide.

"Are you really going to drink again?"

Colin turned around in surprise, only to find one of the most predictable suspects right there.

"Greg?"

His brother crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow at him, taking in the dark circles under his eyes and his messy, unkempt hair. Colin was wearing that blue sweater he always chose for family reunions when he felt lazy. He looked like a mess.

"Last time we went to an event like this, you got so smashed that we hardly had a proper chat with you," Gregory said.

The actor raised an eyebrow. "Who on earth goes to these events to chat?" he asked, but he left his drink on a nearby table anyway, recalling how disastrous the last wrap-up party had been. Gregory had a valid point.

Not that Colin would ever admit it.

"Anyway," Gregory continued, slurping his drink like a hypocrite. "Have you seen Penelope?"

Usually, this situation would prompt a sarcastic remark about how Gregory pretended to be interested in talking to Colin just so he could actually see Penelope instead. After all, his crush on her was well known among the family. However, the man could only respond with a silent shake of his head, looking down at his feet with a sigh.

The younger brother furrowed his eyebrows at the older one, finding his behaviour strange.

"What do we have here?" Benedict popped up, affectionately slapping Colin on the back and effectively interrupting Gregory before he could ask any questions.

"Hi, Ben," Colin replied, somewhat subdued, biting his bottom lip, which caused his older brother to furrow his brow at him.

"Meh. I'm used to seeing him every day," Eloise interjected, dismissively waving at them. "Nothing special."

That finally elicited a typical Colin Bridgerton response. He narrowed his eyes at his forced roommate and said, "I'll make sure to remember that next time I pay the rent."

Eloise opened and closed her mouth before crossing her arms, lifting her chin, and saying, "But I suppose you're not too bad."

"El, why aren't you helping Colin with the rent?" Daphne asked, before pulling her brother into a hug.

"Have you seen where he lives?" The younger sister exclaimed indignantly, gesturing toward the actor.

However, her protest went ignored as Daphne broke away from the hug, studying Colin for a moment before saying, "You look well." Colin tilted his head, somewhat doubtful of her statement, but then she continued, "So I don't see what your excuse is for ignoring us for months."

He opened his mouth in indignation. "It hasn't been months."

"So, you have been ignoring us," Benedict retorted, crossing his arms and raising an eyebrow at him.

Colin shot him a glare, but Simon shook his head and chuckled before stepping forward to give Colin a hug in greeting as well.

"You'd best just agree with your sister right now," he advised jokingly, his deep, throaty voice making the command sound more serious than it actually was.

Once Simon returned to stand by Daphne's side, Colin opened his mouth to defend himself.

"And don't you dare say you don't check social media when you're working, because I know you check your messages," Daphne interrupted, cutting off her brother before he could even attempt to lie.

The actor's shoulders slumped as he settled for saying, "I've been busy, and I didn't ignore all of you. I've seen El," he pointed at her before shrugging, "and Anthony."

That earned a joint groan from everyone else.

"Who is going to have your head, by the way, for crashing his party," he remarked with a sigh, earning several raised eyebrows in response

"You truly haven't been checking your messages, have you?" Eloise asked.

Colin looked at her in confusion. He supposed he was, but the problem was that the one person he wanted to message him rarely did.

"He invited us," Daphne explained.

"What?" Colin asked, feeling like he had somehow misheard her. "Anthony?" he inquired, and they nodded in unison. "Anthony Bridgerton invited you here."

They nodded again, and then Simon crossed his arms, saying, "Technically, he invited all of them except Hyacinth and me."

Before Colin could even attempt to ask more, Hyacinth herself showed up, accompanied by Kate and Edwina Sharma—no less.

"Look who I found!" she exclaimed, flashing a big smile as she dragged the duo into the group.

Edwina beamed at everyone as they exchanged greetings, while Kate offered a more reserved, shy smile.

"Hya told us you accompanied Kate to New Zealand this time. Tell us, how did you manage to survive months with my brothers?" Benedict joked, giving Colin a sarcastic pat on the shoulder, which earned him an eye roll from the actor.

Across the circle they formed, Daphne shot him a pointed look, silently warning him not to flirt with Kate's sister. He responded by widening his eyes slightly, saying that she should stop being paranoid.

Edwina, however, noticed none of it. She glanced at Kate for a moment before answering, "It was... interesting."

Kate shot her a glare, which her sister ignored as she turned back to the Bridgertons with a smile.

Gregory snorted. "That's one way to describe it."

"Where even is Anthony, by the way?" Hyacinth asked, looking around at all her siblings, except one.

"I don't know. I haven't seen him all night," Daphne replied, scanning the crowded room again but finding no sign of him.

"Do you think he invited us today because he wasn't going to show up?" Eloise speculated, crossing her arms over her chest.

Benedict chuckled. "I wouldn't put it past him."

"Why? Didn't he invite you last time?" Edwina asked, curious.

"Anthony?" It was Simon's turn to reply, and then he only scoffed, an answer that everyone else seemed to understand despite the absence of words.

"So, this is the first time he's actually invited you to something like this?" Edwina said, a knowing grin spreading across her face.

"Yeah, normally I just end up crashing his events," Hyacinth replied with a casual shrug.

Edwina then sneaked a glance at Kate, but her sister's attention seemed to be focused elsewhere.

"He's over there," Kate suddenly said, addressing their earlier questions and pointing to a distant spot on the right.

And sure enough, as the Bridgertons followed her gaze, they spotted their eldest sibling sitting behind a massive group of people, moodily sipping a drink while Thomas chatted animatedly beside him.

"Huh," Gregory remarked, while Kate sighed, crossing her arms in frustration. She hated that she could never avoid noticing Anthony in a room, no matter how hard she tried.

"Since when does he get drunk at work events?" Daphne asked as they continued to watch him as if he were an animal in the wild.

Simon snorted. "We've certainly drunk together at many other events in the past," only to receive an exasperated glare from his wife. He raised his shoulders in surrender and said, "What? We did!"

Edwina tilted her head. "I think he's sulking."

With a huff, Kate added, "As he should," before refocusing her attention on the Bridgertons, as if reminding herself to be polite. "No offence."

In response, she received a few dismissive waves and an amused, "None taken," from Benedict.

Eloise then let out an impatient breath. "Who cares about Anthony, anyway? Where is Pen?" she asked, looking around the room in search of that familiar mane of red hair.

Oddly enough, Colin had been wondering the same thing for since he arrived. Yet, the moment she became visible, he could sense her presence instantly, as if the crowd had parted and his senses recognised her before his eyes did. Sure enough, when he turned his head, there she was, sitting on a stool by the bar counter, talking to Tilley, of all people. And Colin couldn't help but wonder if her goal that night was to torment him, because she looked... what even was that dress?

"Colin?" Hyacinth called, noticing that his attention had wandered.

The actor cleared his throat, trying to regain his composure. He looked down at his feet, shifting slightly as he pointed in Penelope's direction and said, "She's over there."

His siblings turned to look in that direction as Edwina remarked, "Yeah, I was about to say..." Then, glancing at the actress from afar, she added, "I tried to get her to come over and greet people like this one." She gestured towards Kate. "But she said she isn't leaving that bar tonight."

Colin furrowed his eyebrows, finding Penelope's behaviour quite strange. As if echoing his thoughts, Eloise scoffed. On any other day, she would have gone to retrieve her friend from whatever slump she was in. However, Eloise worried she might be the very reason Penelope was avoiding her family, leaving her no choice but to watch the redhead from a distance.


If Penelope started drinking heavily at the first sight of the Bridgertons at the party, it was exactly because she wanted to dull the inevitable shame of facing them when they inevitably came to greet her. And if she got so drunk that they couldn't find her, all the better.

Admittedly, the first Bridgerton she noticed was Benedict, which was much better than seeing Eloise, Hyacinth, or, curse the thought, Colin, all of whom would notice her immediately. But since she liked to be cautious, she slid closer to a loud group of people talking nearby, hiding behind them and debating whether she should just leave.

However, if she were honest with herself, she still wanted to see Colin. She wanted to look into his eyes to confirm whether he truly despised kissing her that much. But she figured her blood needed to be about 30% of alcohol before doing something as stupid as that.

"I see we're kicking the night off early," a voice came from her left, making her jump for a second. But when she looked up and saw Tilley, she let out a sigh of relief.

Penelope glanced at her beer glass, already two-thirds gone, then back at the intimacy coordinator with a sheepish grin. "Well, you know what they say," she replied, having no idea what anyone would actually say in such a situation.

That, however, seemed to satisfy the blonde, who sent Penelope an astute smile before sitting beside her. A cloud of lavender and jasmine surrounded them, as was typical when Tilley was around.

The blonde elegantly raised her index finger for the bartender to notice her, a gesture that Penelope knew wouldn't go unnoticed. Tilley, with her usual elegant bun, was dressed in a long, shiny, dark blue slip dress that was sure to turn countless heads wherever she went.

Sure enough, the bartender saw her immediately. He approached with a smile, leaning over the counter as if to get closer.

"I'll have what she's having," Tilley said, gesturing towards Penelope's glass with a casual flick of her thumb.

The man nodded and then turned to Penelope, his posture instantly straightening and his demeanour becoming businesslike—something that normally would have made Penelope roll her eyes. However, on that particular evening, she felt pretty, regardless of whether a complete stranger agreed or not.

"Another for you, miss?" he inquired, gesturing to her glass. "Or would you fancy another tequila shot?"

Penelope flinched, looking at Tilley from the corner of her eye and catching her eyebrow raise. At least he had the decency to keep quiet about the fact that this was already her third drink.

"Just a pint, thank you," Penelope murmured, her gaze fixed on the glass as a flush crept up her cheeks.

As the bartender finally left, Tilley stared at Penelope up and down as if studying her. "So, how've you been since you got back?"

"It's been alright," Penelope replied with a sigh. "Busy with a lot of work."

The bartender soon returned with their drinks, earning a "thank you" from both of them. As Penelope stared at her cold beer, watching the condensation drip onto the table, she sensed, almost instinctively, that Colin was in the room. Almost reflexively, she looked in his direction and saw him accepting a drink from the waiter, only to be approached by Gregory seconds later. He was wearing that blue sweater of his—the one that made his shoulders look extra broad and made his eyes sparkle.

"I suppose sometimes, even when we're many miles and months away, our minds can still be thoroughly consumed by work, can't they?" Tilley asked.

Penelope turned to face her, instantly noticing how the blonde's striking blue eyes were scrutinising her like a hawk.

The redhead giggled nervously, taking a sip of her beer as she despised the intimacy coordinator's knowing tone. Pressing her lips together, the actress tapped her fingers on the glass and said, "I was actually surprised at how quickly I returned to my life in London this time. It's almost as if I wasn't in New Zealand at all," she lied.

The truth was that she couldn't escape the memories, no matter how hard she tried. Colin's lips against her neck, the tiny bright blue lights as he sighed against her ear, his smile when she joked about her lipstick, and the sadness in his eyes on the day she left. She remembered it all, reliving those moments over and over, no matter how many characters she became or how many calls she received from Alfred, explaining in detail all about the exotic frogs of the Amazon rainforest.

Worst of all, she missed Colin. She missed talking to her best friend about anything and everything. But she knew that this was necessary—the distance that would help them both forget about all the things they had to do for the movie.

Yet here was Tilley, seeing all of Penelope's lingering feelings as if no time had passed at all.

"It would be normal if you hadn't," the blonde said, "returned, that is," she added, taking a sip of her drink. "Sometimes it's tough for actors to de-role from a character after finishing a role that hits close to home, especially if they've formed a deep connection with it," she said, furrowing her eyebrows as she stared at the frothy golden liquid in her cup. "I've seen it happen more times than I can count."

There was that word again: de-role. Penelope honestly felt like slapping the next person who suggested it. Because how she wished that was truly her issue, that if she just did some exercises and got into the right mindset, all her feelings would disappear as if they were mere make-believe. But alas, there was no de-roling from one's true self.

Penelope Featherington loved Colin Bridgerton, and that was a fact about who she was, as much as her hair color, blood type, or fingerprints. Even if she gave up and decided to move on, loving him as only a friend, that love would always be there, like a poorly concealed blemish.

The actress scoffed bitterly as she took a long sip of her beer. "I don't think you need to worry about me, or Colin. We've actually discussed this before, and he swears that once filming ends, he just turns it all off." With a grimace, she lifted her glass and swirled the remaining liquid inside. "Honestly, I believe him."

"Really?" the intimacy coordinator asked as Penelope took the last sip of her beer. Tilley's gaze had once again fallen on Colin, who was looking at an oblivious Penelope from across the room with an expression that felt all too familiar. "I wouldn't be so sure," she added.

The redhead turned to her, eyebrows furrowed. "What do you mean?"

Tilley's blue eyes scanned the actress's flushed face, recalling what she had observed during their training and rehearsals for the kissing scene between Leonidas and Nora. There was definitely more beneath the surface with the duo, and in her experience, that could either lead to a blinding success or a spectacular disaster.

"The emotions involved in your line of work can affect even the most professional and seasoned actors," the blonde explained.

Penelope furrowed her eyebrows. "You think Colin…" she trailed off, almost laughing at the absurdity of her suggestion.

The other woman simply tilted her head, silently implying that it was indeed possible. She then picked up her cup and took a sip before saying, "You two are close friends, but that doesn't make you immune. Just remember what I always told you in our meetings." She paused briefly before adding, "Be careful," taking another sip as if she were being casual when the actress knew she was being anything but.

At that moment, Penelope felt torn between shame—as if she were a child caught cheating by a teacher—and, more strongly, curiosity about what had led Tilley to believe Colin was struggling with character detachment. And, honestly, she was getting drunk enough to consider asking, but before she could do so, a loud commotion erupted on the other side of the room.


The Bridgertons really had no clue what they were thinking. Up to that point in the evening, they had engaged in cheerful and easy conversation, both among themselves and with the Sharmas. But it was clear that this calm atmosphere would never last. After all, gathering so many of them at an event without some disruption felt unnatural.

They should have realized that when chaos erupted at the corner of the bar, one of them must have been responsible for it. However, what they didn't expect was that it would be Anthony — their very demanding and stoic older sibling—who, at that moment, was throwing a punch at the main actor of his movie for everyone to see.

"Anthony!" Daphne cried out, as if her insane brother could actually hear her from such a distance, while everyone else widened their eyes in shock.

And once they had recovered from their shock, the least expected person in the group took the lead. Without hesitation, Kate started making her way towards the mess, with a puzzled Benedict, Simon, and Daphne trailing closely behind her.

"Mark my words, I'm going to fire you!" Anthony shouted, pointing at an astonished Thomas, who was still holding his aching cheek. "If you think I'd tolerate your comments about her," he continued, advancing toward Thomas, but Simon and Benedict quickly grabbed him by the shoulders, holding him back to prevent an even bigger scene from unfolding.

"Anthony!" Kate was the one who yelled this time.

Unlike Daphne's, her exclamation made him stop in his tracks and turn to face her. She stared at him wide-eyed while everyone around them paused to gawk at the scene.

"I was talking about my other movie, man," Thomas finally managed to say, raising his hands in surrender.

Ah, Anthony thought to himself as he let his shoulders drop, his drunken brain slowly processing the situation. For a moment, the two men simply stared at each other in silence, while the newcomers struggled to comprehend what had just happened.

Then, Daphne cleared her throat, her problem-solving instincts kicking into high gear. "I think he needs some ice," she suggested, pointing at Thomas. "Let me... let me get some," she said, turning on her heel and heading toward the kitchen to occupy herself, if nothing else.

"Great idea," Benedict said a bit too loudly, wearing a strained diplomatic Bridgerton smile. "Let's get some ice," he said, using Simon's help to pull Anthony along with him.

Anthony was focused on Kate, who shot him one last glare before they all made their way to the kitchen across the bar.

Upon entering the spotless, white room, with its polished stainless steel sinks and ovens gleaming, Daphne was immediately greeted by the inquisitive stares of the chef and his five assistants. Then, she waved them off as if she hadn't completely invaded their workspace.

"Never mind us," she said as soon as the others arrived, the door swinging open noisily once again. Putting on her best innocent expression, she asked, "Do you have ice, by any chance?"

Simon and Benedict finally released Anthony, each ready to bombard him with questions, but neither was as prepared as his sister to confront him.

"Have you completely lost your mind?" Kate beat them all to it, walking toward him with her nostrils flaring.

And for the first time in their lives, Simon, Benedict, and Daphne witnessed the impossible: Anthony looking sheepish.

The director scratched the back of his head. "I thought he had—"

"How could you be so irresponsible?" Kate continued, advancing toward him and unleashing her frustration. "What are you going to do if Thomas quits?"

Anthony raised his eyebrows and opened his mouth to respond, but she pointed at him and said, "Don't you dare say he has a contract because you know very well this breaches it."

The man then closed his mouth, glaring at her before he decided to speak again.

"And what if he sues you? Did you even think about that?" she asked, feeling her voice growing along with her worry as the trio watched them, as if it were a tennis match with a clear loser.

The director scoffed and finally managed to say, "Thomas is not going to sue me." They had certainly been in worse brawls during their college days.

"Wonderful. So the only problem is you drinking the entire distillery all night," she said, crossing her arms.

Benedict exchanged a wide-eyed look with Daphne and Simon, unsure of what was happening in that kitchen, but definitely enjoying it.

"I'm not that drunk," Anthony said, placing his hands on his hips. "I just got..." He huffed before saying, "Annoyed."

There he went again with that word; she could swear that man only had one driving emotion in his brain.

"And so you choose to cause a scene and ruin your reputation?" Kate asked sharply, arching an eyebrow.

"No," he said pointedly. "I was more concerned about yours."

That finally caught Kate's attention; she uncrossed her arms and watched him with furrowed brows.

"Here's your ice," one of the assistants said hesitantly, handing Daphne a plastic bag filled with ice while eyeing the arguing duo with caution.

"We better get going," Daphne said, wasting no time in pushing Simon and Benedict out of the kitchen, glancing back one last time at Anthony and Kate, who were still locked in a stare.

As the trio made their way back to the others, Benedict joked, "Are we going to share what we just witnessed with the group, or should we use that information as blackmail for later?"

Daphne realised she was still holding the ice and had forgotten to bring it to Thomas. "I'm not sure," she replied slowly, trying to process what she had just seen, while Simon just shook his head and laughed.

"There you are," Hyacinth exclaimed as they arrived. "Is everything alright? What happened?"

Benedict pressed his lips together, grimacing comically, before responding, "We're not really sure."

Edwina looked around before asking, "Where's Kate? Is she—"

"With Anthony?" Simon raised his eyebrows and replied, "Yes."

"Oh," Edwina said, a small smile appearing on her lips. "I see."

Hyacinth and Gregory regarded them with suspicion, as if they could smell the gossip in the air and needed it immediately. Meanwhile, Colin seemed completely distracted, his gaze fixed on the bar counter, where a redhead was progressively drinking more with each passing minute.

In the kitchen, the older Bridgerton took a deep breath once he was relatively alone with Kate and said, "Thomas was going on about some co-star of his who reckons they could boost their on-screen chemistry by…" He took a deep breath, "getting physical."

Kate's eyes went wide, and she felt her temper rising. "And you honestly think I'd consider that?"

"No," Anthony replied straightaway, tilting his head as he added, "which is why I punched him."

Kate blinked, trying to wrap her head around that insufferable man's thought process.

"I said I wasn't that drunk," he continued, grimacing as he sat down on a stool by an unused stainless steel counter. "I didn't say I wasn't drunk at all."

Rolling her eyes, the actress sat beside him. Then, glancing at the others in the room, she asked, "I know we're already intruding, but do you happen to have any coffee?"

Anthony closed his eyes and let out a small laugh. Oh, he loved that woman. Perhaps that summed up all of his problems.

Opening his eyes again, he took in her tired but beautiful face and said, "You know that what you just did will definitely make my family suspicious."

With a sigh, she glanced to the side, watching as the same assistant kindly prepared a Nespresso coffee. "I don't mind that," she said, her tone softening, and Anthony perked up slightly. She turned to him and added, "What I do mind is that people will talk about you getting drunk and getting into bar fights, however."

He bit his bottom lip, feeling strangely moved that someone was concerned about him like that, when it was usually him worrying about everyone else.

"There are worse things that can happen to someone's reputation," he murmured.

Kate watched him, still unable to hate him for the mess he created, despite feeling furious. Her mood hadn't been the best since their fight, so she could relate. Not that she would ever dream of doing something as utterly brilliant as getting drunk at a work party, of course.

"What is it?" he asked, noticing a shift in her expression.

Kate shook her head, but before she could answer, the assistant handed her the coffee. She thanked him and held the cup out for Anthony to take.

"I was just thinking that..." She took a deep breath, looking into his eyes. "You really need to start listening to what people are actually saying instead of assuming they said something they haven't." That seemed to be a pattern Anthony had followed that week, both with her and with Thomas.

Then, suddenly, the actress stood up, and he furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. "I'll leave you to your coffee," she said. As he looked up at her, she continued, "And I think I'll be heading home."

He watched her go, deciding it was best to heed her words for the moment. Out of all the things he needed to tell her, he should do it while he was sober.


She still hasn't come to greet them.

Honestly, if Colin needed any confirmation that something was wrong with Penelope, or between them, this was as close as he would get. One could argue that perhaps she hadn't seen them, but if that were the case, it was only because she was so focused on downing pint after pint that she didn't even turn around when Anthony caused a ruckus.

Suddenly, she stood up, wobbling slightly as she did. However, she turned around, swaying as she slowly walked towards the door and exited the bar.

And, at that moment, Colin had reached his limit.

"Where do you think you're going?" Eloise said, reaching for his arm when she noticed he was about to leave the group.

"After Penelope," he said through gritted teeth, not wanting to waste any time before the actress left for good.

His sister pursed her lips, having witnessed her friend storm out of the room as well. Penelope appeared to be in a tough spot that evening, and honestly, her brother didn't look any better. A combination of the two could only lead to disaster. But one look at his expression, and she knew he wouldn't change his mind.

"Anyone can see you two out on the streets. Can you at least try to keep that in mind?" she said.

"I know," he replied impatiently before rushing after Penelope, leaving the rest of the group watching him in confusion as Eloise simply shrugged at them.

As soon as Colin stepped outside and the cold night air struck his face, he looked around in desperation, wondering which direction Penelope might have taken.

He noticed a small group of teenagers smoking and drinking on the opposite sidewalk, and an elderly couple struggling to get into their car to his right. Then, finally, he spotted her to his left.

Despite the chill, Penelope stood by the bar against the wall, bare of a jacket or sweater to shield her from the cold in that cursed dress. She wrapped her arms around herself, attempting to create some warmth. Her gaze was fixed on her feet, likely the reason she didn't see him coming.

"Pen," he called hesitantly, feeling absurdly afraid of what he would find in her eyes when they met his gaze.

When she lifted her head, it was as bad as he had feared. To make matters worse, Penelope did something she had rarely done in their relationship—she scoffed.

"Of course," she said, exhaling a breath that reeked of alcohol

Her voice carried a subtle drawl, and her skin had a clammy sheen. And although Colin had rarely seen this side of Penelope before, he knew for a fact that she was heavily intoxicated.

The redhead ran her fingers through her ponytail, tousling it as she glanced sideways. "Look, Colin, I don't have time for this right now."

Then it was his turn to scoff because, truly, after everything, that could only be a joke.

"Yeah, that seems to be your problem these last few months," he replied bitterly, placing his hands on his hips and clenching his jaw. "Apparently, you don't even have time to pick up your phone."

That made Penelope turn to him with her jaw dropped. If she noticed the indignation on his face, she chose to ignore it because the next thing he knew, her glazed eyes were suddenly alight with anger. "Funny, I thought I was doing you a favor."

The actor paused, as he couldn't possibly understand where that was coming from.

"Since I'm such a burden," she continued, her voice sharp as she took a step closer to him. "You should just stop being associated with me, unless you want them to force you into something you hate. Again."

"Pen, what in the world—"

"Instead of once more," she jabbed an accusing finger into his chest, and he could swear her voice was starting to tremble with unshed tears, "lying to me." Pressing her index finger harder against him, she continued, "acting like it's all good, like it's just you being my friend."

"I am your friend," he replied, trying to understand what was going on.

That, however, seemed to be the wrong thing to say, as she looked at him with wide eyes just before she began slapping his chest.

He widened his eyes. "Pen, what—"

"And then you go behind my back," she began to cry, and Colin was certain he would never get coherent information from her drunken mind at that moment. "And then you say how you really feel," she continued, hitting him on the chest again.

Colin tried to grab her wrist to make her stop for a second. He looked around the street and noticed not only a group of teenagers staring at them, but also about five people chatting and laughing as they were about to walk past them.

"And I'm tired of this," she continued, slapping him again.

"Stop it—"

"I'm so tired," she confessed, crying more as he held her wrist, and she kept trying to wiggle free.

"Pen, stop," he said, now pretty sure one of the teenagers was holding out their phone to record the scene.

"You're the one who came after me," she explained, still struggling in his hold like a ball of energy, trying to shove him away so he would release her. "You're everywhere; it's unbearable—"

With a sigh, Colin closed his eyes for a moment, making a quick, impulsive decision that seemed to be the only rational choice at that moment.

"Okay, I'm sorry, Pen, but…" he said before swiftly lowering himself, grabbing Penelope by the legs, and throwing her over his shoulder..

Her yelp filled the air before she resumed shouting at him. "Colin, let me go!" she exclaimed, now hitting his back.

However, he simply headed toward the parking lot while she continued to yell at him. "I'm not letting you go until we're out of here," he declared.

And after a few minutes, when she realized he wasn't going to back down, Penelope finally seemed to calm down, not shouting or squirming in his hold anymore by the time he finally sighted his car.

"Alright. Let me get you home," he announced as he approached the passenger door.

When he was met with complete silence, however, he furrowed his eyebrows. "Pen?" he asked, receiving no answer. He then attempted to glance at her face over his shoulder and finally understood why she was suddenly so quiet.

With a small laugh, he opened the passenger door with one hand and carefully adjusted her in his arms to place an asleep Penelope on the seat. She grunted slightly as he lowered her, nuzzling the seat as if trying to get comfortable for her drunken nap. Colin shook his head, unable to stop the small smile that crossed his face despite the dire circumstances.

He then reached for the seatbelt, securing it around her as he murmured, "Where was this energy when a bunch of sixteen-year-olds were about to send our pictures straight to Twitter?"

She simply mumbled something incoherent in reply.


After hiding for about 20 minutes, Anthony sat watching his empty second cup of coffee when the kitchen door swung open.

Thomas looked around the pristine white room for a moment before noticing the director just a few feet away, a relieved expression crossing his face. "I thought you had left," he said

"Shouldn't I be the one looking for you?" Anthony asked, his eyebrows furrowed and a slight hint of shame in his expression.

Thomas tilted his head, a hint of amusement in his expression as he said, "Probably." He pulled a stool over and sat beside his friend. "You're lucky Agatha and Charlotte couldn't make it today," he added playfully, "because they would have questions."

Unfazed by the actor's good mood, Anthony ran a hand over his eyes and began, "I'm sorry about..." He trailed off, huffing as he struggled to find the right words. "I was drunk, and I thought—"

"Look," Thomas interrupted, catching Anthony's attention immediately. He gestured with one hand to emphasise his point. "I may be reckless, but I'll never be stupid enough to comment about having sex with the director's girlfriend." He raised his eyebrows, making sure his message was clear.

Anthony paused, studying Thomas's expression before letting out a breath and redirecting his gaze to the opposite side of the kitchen. "You know," he said.

With a shrug, the actor tapped his fingers on the stainless steel counter. "I wasn't sure, but it's always nice to have confirmation." Narrowing his eyes at his friend, he added, "I've worked with both of you every single day. I'd have to be the slowest person in the world not to notice the difference."

The director took a deep breath and nodded. "Does anyone else know?"

Shaking his head, the man replied, "I don't think so." He then tilted his head and suggested, "Maybe Agatha." Anthony quickly turned his face towards him, causing Thomas to laugh. "What? She knows everything. I wouldn't be surprised."

Anthony exhaled deeply and ran a hand over his face. "Either way, I'm sorry," he said tiredly.

Thomas waved dismissively. It wasn't as if they hadn't had worse fights when they were younger. "Anyway, do you need a ride?"

The oldest Bridgerton sibling furrowed his brows. "How much did you drink?" he asked.

Cheekily, Thomas made a zero with his hand, which earned an even more puzzled expression from Anthony.

Shrugging, the actor teased, "You looked really terrible today, and I figured you could use a sober shoulder to cry on."

That earned him an eye roll from the director, even though it was tough because, honestly, Anthony didn't understand what was going on that day with everyone looking after him. It almost made him feel ashamed.

"Come on," Thomas said, gesturing with his head that they should get going.

Anthony stood up obediently and asked, "Can you drop me off at Kate's?"

His request earned an eyebrow raise and an amused smile from Thomas.


When a wide-eyed doorman informed Kate that he had arrived at her building, Anthony half expected her to tell him he wasn't welcome.

But somehow, he gained entry. And when he arrived at her floor, she was already standing at the door, leaning against the threshold with her hip and crossing her arms as she stared at him.

He twisted his lips at the sight and walked slowly towards her, as if unsure of how to approach.

"Wouldn't it be best if we talked while you were sober?" she asked.

"I am," he replied, placing his hand on his hip. At the incredulous raise of her eyebrow, he smiled slightly and added, "-ish."

Kate shook her head in exasperation, but the corner of her lips turned up, and he considered that a small victory.

"I'm actually surprised you didn't throw me to the curb," he commented.

"Well," she adjusted her posture and continued, her voice dripping with sarcasm, "even I have lapses of judgment sometimes."

Despite the joke, Anthony pursed his lips, needing to pose a question that had been plaguing his mind. "Is that what this is—a lapse of judgment?"

"Anthony—" she warned, already wary of revisiting their last argument back in New Zealand.

He raised a hand to calm her and explained, "I need to know, Kate," he said, trying to convey as much honesty as he could muster in his eyes. "Because this isn't just a momentary lapse of judgment for me. And when you said that—" he hesitated, replaying their fight in his mind.

Taking a deep breath, he looked down at his feet. "I'm sorry," he continued, almost as if changing the topic. "About tonight, I mean. But I can't be sorry about how our conversation went, because if this really is just a fleeting moment for you, I cannot—"

"Of course not," she interrupted, her tone almost offended. When he turned to her, her eyes were wide. "After everything we've been through, do you truly believe that's how I…" she trailed off, the words choking in her throat, "feel?"

The director raised his eyebrows at her, as this was more insight than she had offered before.

"Fine." She blew out a breath, as if reading his mind. "I'm sorry… too," she said hesitantly.

Huffing, she continued, "Back then, I just wanted to know what we were going to say if we got caught." And then, because honesty was apparently the best path to follow not to be misunderstood, she continued, as her cheeks reddened, "I guess what I just truly wanted to know was if you wanted to continue this when we got back."

"Me?" Anthony asked, raising his eyebrows and pointing at his chest, looking at Kate as if she had lost her mind. When she nodded, not understanding his reaction, he scoffed. "Kate, let me be clear about something. If the press ever catches us, we can tell them we are dating, engaged, or even married for all I care."

"Anthony!" Kate exclaimed, widening her eyes at his sudden and absurdly casual mention of marriage.

He smirked at her. "I just want to be with you. The 'how' is pretty irrelevant to me," he said. "However, I realise it may not be the same for you because of the media."

"Me?!" It was her turn to exclaim, her voice coming out shriller than intended as her heart raced. But when he nodded, she placed her hands on her temples in frustration. "Okay, we need to work on our communication skills."

That made Anthony chuckle, which, without fail, made warmth spread through her chest.

"For the record, I don't care either," she said, her pulse still beating wildly after his words. "As long as we're together."

He beamed as he stepped closer to her, playfully narrowing his eyes as he said, "Even if Thomas sues me for all my money and my career as a director is in shambles?"

She rolled her eyes at him, though it was half-hearted as she smiled, easily allowing him to pull her in by the waist. "If you lose everything, I'll let you crash on my couch."

Laughing, he pulled her in for a kiss. She sighed against his lips, her hands reaching for his soft hair and running her fingers through it without a care in the world.

But then she broke away for a moment, having, in fact, one care left. "You need to talk to him, though."

Anthony's eyes were still focused on her lips when he replied, "Who do you think gave me a ride?"

She furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. "He—"

The director nodded, as if already understanding that she was about to ask if Thomas knew. "Apparently, we are not that discreet," he remarked, raising an eyebrow, and she chuckled, much to his relief. "Is that alright with you?" he asked.

"As long as it's not the press on our backs, it's fine with me," she replied.

With a sigh, he said, "We can worry about the press when, and if, it becomes an issue."

The woman absentmindedly plucked at a stray thread on his shoulder as she said, "We do, however, need to think about what we're going to say to everyone else. We can't say we just are." Her eyes were focused on his shirt, as if she were trying to appear casual about it.

Anthony couldn't help but smile as he finally understood what she was asking. Surely, their communication skills were still a work in progress, but so were his interpretation abilities, he supposed.

"Would you prefer it if we told them we are boyfriend and girlfriend?" he asked, his eyes sparkling mischievously.

Kate looked at him, her mouth opening and closing as her cheeks flushed. She then pressed her lips together and focused back on the now non-existent strand on his shoulder. "I keep telling Edwina I'm not a teenager, but this makes me feel exactly like one," she mumbled.

With a sarcastic arch of his eyebrows, Anthony took a deep breath and said, "If that's truly immature for our age, we can always just jump straight to engagement."

Her eyes widened again. There he went again, joking about that. "Anthony," she admonished him, and he had the gall to laugh, pulling her closer and staring at her lips. She placed both hands on his shoulders, as if to stop him, and said, "I was thinking more along the lines of just saying we are dating."

"Ah," he replied, as if he hadn't known that from the start. "So that's what the conversation was about all along."

She gave him a playful slap on the arm, and he chuckled. Then she buried her face in her hands while he looked at her with affection.

"I swear, sooner or later, you'll drive me to seek therapy," she mumbled against her palms.

"I'll keep you company and sit in the waiting room if it comes to that," he replied, matching her playful tone when she joked about him crashing on her couch.

She then removed her hands from her face, staring at him with a half-hearted glare that nearly made him chuckle, unable to contain his good mood.

There was a reason he could easily joke about marrying Kate—beyond just gauging her reaction to the idea, that is. It was because he knew he could do this.

He could do this for the rest of his life.


Fortunately for Colin, he actually remembered Penelope's new address by heart.

However, that was where his luck began and ended. When he had to find a parking spot for his car, he realized he had a whole list of problems waiting for him.

For one, Penelope still appeared to be asleep, which meant the possibility of him having to carry her again was very real. This brought him to problem number two: none of her doormen knew him, which was the reason he couldn't even park his car in the building's garage. This meant the chances of any of them allowing him to go upstairs with an unconscious girl in his arms were nearly zero—and rightfully so.

And that was just assuming that being denied entry was the only issue. Because, to be honest, he could handle tabloid rumours, but he absolutely drew the line at being arrested.

"Pen," he called softly, placing a hand on her shoulder and hoping desperately that she would wake up. He cursed the day he advised her to move to a safer place.

She only mumbled in response, pressing her face against the window as she continued to sleep soundly.

"Pen." He shook her shoulder harder, but she only mumbled louder in protest.

He threw his head back, wondering what he had done to deserve such a day, before shaking her lightly again. "If you don't wake up, you'll have to sleep in my car all night," he said.

It was either that or he'd have to bring her to his flat. But, honestly, not knowing how angry she was with him while sober made him hesitant about that option.

"Too tired to walk," she finally said, her words a little clearer.

He narrowed his eyes at her. "Can you make it to the elevator at least?"

"...Maybe," she breathed out, fogging up the window as she did so. Then she reached out to draw a flower on the glass.

Considering that meant Penelope was at least half awake, Colin almost jumped out of the car, quickly walking around it to open the door for her. When he did, he found her pouting, of all things.

"Why can't you carry me again?" she asked, and Colin found himself torn between exasperation and being completely endeared by the sight.

Placing a hand on his hips and raising his eyebrows, he replied, "Now you want me to carry you?"

Still pouting, the woman nodded. "You owe me," she complained.

Colin ran a hand through his hair, scratching his head as he was still trying to figure out what that was all about. He then blew out a breath, saying, "Fine, I'll carry you after we reach the elevator, alright?"

Penelope raised her chin as if considering his words, then agreed.

He felt a wave of relief wash over him as she attempted to stand up. She faltered on her first step, and he quickly came to her side to help her. With some effort, she walked in a zigzag pattern toward the elevator, successfully reaching it with only one double take from the doorman, who allowed him to accompany her inside.

Inside the elevator, she leaned against one of the metal walls, watching the electronic display count up the floors. When they reached her floor, Colin stepped out first, but Penelope paused by the elevator doors, leaning against them and looking at him with puppy-dog eyes.

"Fine," he exhaled, returning to her and lifting her in a bridal style that time, sacrificing his back for the sake of... the things he did for that woman.

However, when they reached her door, he glanced at the electronic lock and realized he faced another problem.

"Okay, I don't know your password," he said.

Her glazed eyes seemed a bit confused, but then she looked at her door and understood. "Um," she hesitated, "0203."

He furrowed his brows, quickly typing in the numbers before the door swung open. "0203?" He stared at her, indignation etched on his face, and for a moment, even in her drunken state, she froze. "Do you want people to break into your home?" he continued, feeling as if he had transformed into Will, complaining about his client's online passwords.

She relaxed again, saying, "At least it doesn't have the number 1."

He shook his head in exasperation as he looked around her apartment, trying to figure out where her room was. It was truly a testament to how abnormal things had become that he hadn't even visited her new place once. From what he could remember, she had started living there even before they went to New Zealand, so perhaps things had been off for longer than he wanted to admit.

Even so, Penelope was still Penelope. As he noticed a light pink hue on one of the room's walls, he figured he had found the right one. So he carefully placed her on top of her bed, and she whispered her thanks before closing her eyes for a moment.

Colin then stretched his back and looked at her as if trying to figure out what else he could do to help. Eventually, he concluded it would be best to take off her shoes. Wrestling with the clasp of one of her red high-heels, he couldn't help but wonder how women endured such torture when her voice suddenly startled him.

"Why are you so good to me?"

He turned to her, surprised to see her eyes open and keenly observing him when he thought she would be fast asleep again. Her question echoed in his mind, and he frowned. "I thought you said I was a terrible friend," he replied, finally unclasping her shoe. It landed on the floor with a muted thud.

"I didn't say that," she whispered, turning her gaze toward the ceiling, her tone once again tearful.

Standing up, he walked toward her, determined to ask her one last time what had happened.

But then she interrupted him, asking, "I know it's odd to snog a friend, but couldn't you have told me?"

What? Now, more than ever, he felt completely lost.

"I truly have no idea what you're talking about," he said, hoping his tone conveyed the sincerity he felt rather than sarcasm.

Still, Penelope frowned at him. "Yes, you do. We've been here before," she said. It was just another one of the countless times Colin would rather die than be associated with her in a non-platonic way.

Colin placed a hand over his chest, as if he were about to take a solemn oath. "Pen, from the bottom of my heart, I haven't got the foggiest idea what you're on about."

"It's all over the internet," she replied, as if that explained everything. As he continued to stare at her in confusion, she added, "How you hated having a kissing scene with your co-star."

And then Colin laughed. But as she widened her eyes at him in fury, he said, "Yeah, that's about Cressida."

She adorably crossed her arms over her chest. "Of course you'd say that."

"No, you don't understand." He raised his hands to stop her, almost feeling like laughing again at the sheer absurdity of the situation. "There is not a single chance this rumour is about you."

He was reaching a point in his life where he almost wished it were true. Maybe then his dreams would stop plaguing him at night, and his memories would leave him alone during the day. Maybe then he would stop wishing he could touch her every miserable second of every wretched day.

She narrowed her eyes at him. "You're going to tell me that there isn't a 1% chance—"

"There isn't even a 0.1% chance," he replied immediately, feeling a once-heavy weight lifted from his shoulders. If that was what was making Penelope act so strangely, then the problem was solved.

Penelope chuckled incredulously, still thinking he was trying to spare her feelings. "Really? I had just learned how to kiss. Like, five seconds prior, I was probably a terrible kisser."

He shrugged sharply, as if she were being absurd. "You're a fantastic kisser," he said, thankful she was drunk, because what even was this conversation?

She widened her eyes at him, tilting her head on the pillow as she regarded him, as if he were the one being nonsensical. "Now I know for a fact you are lying."

Colin stuffed his hands into his pockets and took a deep breath, grimacing slightly. "Sometimes, it's not about how someone kisses, but rather who they are."

That made Penelope finally stop doubting him. With furrowed eyebrows, she asked, "What's that supposed to mean?"

He looked at her, her blue eyes sparkling with curious intoxication, her cheeks flushed, and her hair dishevelled. His heart ached at the sight of her, as it always did. For a moment, he considered telling her everything—how torturous it had been to spend so many months away from her, with nothing but the memories of their kisses lingering in his mind. Even in that very moment, it felt like unbearable torture to maintain the facade that he wasn't irreparably in love with her.

"I'll tell you when you're sober," he ended up muttering instead. He decided maybe it was time to tell her, whether she was Debling or not. He just needed her to remember it when he did.

Then he looked around her room, realising that there was one last thing he needed to do before he left. And Penelope went quiet, contemplating the man's words as he walked toward her dressing table, noisily rummaging through the products there. The redhead blinked at the sight, wondering if she was hallucinating.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"Searching for anything that will help me remove your makeup," he replied, picking up a large transparent bottle and reading its label as his other hand reached for the cotton pads.

She wrinkled her forehead. "Since when do you care about skincare?"

He glanced at her. "Since I became an actor," he said, returning his attention to the dressing table and picking up a moisturiser. He then walked back towards her with his hands full. "I mean, this is our instrument of work," he explained, gesturing towards his face with the hand that held the hydrating cream. "You don't want to clog up your pores, do you?"

"Okay, I really am drunk," Penelope said with a giggle, because there was no way Colin Bridgerton actually said that.

A smile spread across his lips when he heard her laughter, a sound he had missed dearly. He found it amusing that this was what prompted her to admit she was tipsy, because to him, in that moment, they felt more like themselves than they had in ages.

He knelt by the headboard, dabbing micellar water onto a cotton pad before applying it to her face, carefully wiping away her foundation. And although he was so close that she could feel his breath against her skin, she couldn't help but feel amused. A wide smile spread across her lips as he concentrated on her right cheek.

"Are you going to tell me to double cleanse in the morning?" she asked.

He narrowed his eyes at her, the corner of his lips curling up. "Maybe," he said.

He grabbed another cotton pad and continued his mission to remove her makeup, pausing when he noticed that she still wore some lip gloss. Taking a deep breath, he removed the product from her lips, careful not to lose his composure and linger.

Penelope's blue eyes watched him with great interest. Suddenly, she said, "Well, if you insist that I'm truly not that terrible, where do I rank on your list of screen kissing partners?"

He blinked, sure he had misheard her. "What?" he asked, bringing himself back into action as he discarded the cotton pads by his knees and reached for the moisturiser.

She crossed her arms over her chest again, the bed jiggling slightly with the movement. "If you're swearing that I'm not an awful kisser, I want to know," she insisted.

Colin's mouth twitched into a smile, finding her petulance adorable. He cleared his throat, trying to maintain a serious expression as he dabbed the moisturiser on her forehead, cheeks, nose, and chin.

"Um…" He furrowed his eyebrows, pretending to think hard about the answer, even though he already knew it from the start. "Number one."

"What?!" she exclaimed, and he couldn't help but chuckle as he gently spread the cream across her skin. "How can I be number one? Not even—" she paused, trying to remember the names of his former romantic co-stars but coming up blank, as she hated them all.

"No." He shrugged, not caring to know whom she might mention.

She shook her head at him in disbelief, making it harder for him to moisturise her face. "See, this is why I say you lie to make me feel better," she said.

"I'm not lying!" He defended himself, struggling to keep laughter out of his tone, given the absurdity of the situation. He then stood up again, walking towards her cabinet to search for a blanket.

"Maybe that's just who you are, then. You lie to everyone to make them feel better," she continued. He shook his head, a humorous grin spreading across his lips as he reached for a fluffy blue blanket. "Maybe that's how you have a whole parade of women standing in line for you." She made a dramatic sweeping gesture with her hand, and Colin couldn't contain the chuckle that escaped him.

"I taught you everything I know about charming people," he retorted, his voice tinged with sarcasm, "and none of that included lying to anyone."

He walked back towards her, draping the cover over her and then leaning in to tuck the edges to her sides.

She scoffed. "Please," she said, disbelief clear in her voice. "You really want me to believe you have shown me everything you do to seduce a woman?"

Halting his ministrations, he pondered whether the woman was on a mission to make him lose control.

"Why?" he asked, looking at her with a raised eyebrow as he hovered over her. "Do you want me to show you?"

She gazed at him, her blue eyes shimmering with an intensity that sent shivers down his spine, and he was convinced her cheeks looked even redder.

"Maybe," she whispered in a husky tone, causing Colin to freeze as he tried to grasp the true meaning of restraint that night.

Her hand reached out, thumb gliding across his bottom lip and slightly opening his mouth, revealing his uneven breathing. A shiver ran down his spine as he wondered what she was planning to do to him and whether he could survive it. Then, she leaned in closer.

And it took all the strength he had to lean back, holding her hand that had just been resting on his face.

"Pen…" he said breathlessly, his eyes roaming her face. "You're drunk," he explained, hating everything about that day. For he wanted nothing more than to forget everything and surrender to her, but not like that.

Her expression fell, and she dropped back onto the bed, turning away from him to face the window. "See, I knew you were lying," she murmured.

He stared at her, completely confused by what was happening. Frustration washed over him as he ran a hand through his hair. "I promise we'll talk about this when you're sober," he said, hoping they could also continue whatever had almost happened between them.

She nodded, still refusing to look at him.

And with a final sigh, he headed to her kitchen to grab a glass of water and a mountain of aspirin for her.


Sent via form submission from dixtoi

Pseudonyms, please: anon please

Email: anon

Subject: manhandling

Message:

I just heard about this well-known UK A-lister who was seen getting a bit rough with his co-star/friend outside a London pub. I thought he was one of the good guys?


Sent via form submission from dixtoi

Pseudonyms, please: 100% anon PLZ

Subject: S ️ A ❤️ H

Message:

My friend went to an engagement party last night, and it happened to be right next to a wrap-up party for this famous franchise. She said it was wild because two of the actors ended up fighting loudly on the street!


Sent via form submission from dixtoi

Pseudonyms, please: Mayfair Babe

Email: undercoverlover

Subject: Colin and Penelope

Message:

Colin Bridgerton was seen forcibly dragging Penelope Featherington after an argument. WHAT A FRIENDSHIP.


A/N: PHEW (×2)

My darlings as much as I'm on a rush right now as always know that my comments are open and you know how much i love hearing your thoughts and discussing things with you. So don't forget your kudos and likes 3 3

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