Pampered By My Three Brothers: The Return Of The Neglected Heiress - Chapter 318

Chapter 318: Crush
The sound of a chime rang through the restaurant as the door opened. Charles, who was busy serving, turned toward the entrance to greet the newcomer.

“Welco—” Charles stopped mid-sentence, the exhaustion on his face vanishing as soon as he saw his beautiful daughter light up the restaurant.

Penny’s eyes scanned the room before her gaze settled on her father. A smile quickly appeared on her face as she rushed inside, heading straight for Charles, who was cleaning a table.

“Papa, do you need help?” she quickly offered. “Let me do it.”

“It’s okay, my princess.”

Penny then grabbed the tray and grinned. “I’ll do it. Papa, you look very tired.”

“Haha.” Charles’s face softened, and he shook his head in surrender, letting his daughter take the tray while he placed the rest of the used glasses on it.

With that, Penny didn’t waste a second and carried the tray into the kitchen. As soon as she was done in the washing area, she grabbed a spare apron from the counter and began helping out. She didn’t say a word and worked as if she had been doing this regularly.

Even Allison, who was at the counter, barely exchanged smiles with her daughter when a customer called for a server. Penny quickly attended to them to take their orders.

“Ali, honey, how does Penny know how to work here as if she’s done this before?” Charles, idling by the counter, gazed at his wife curiously. “Does she always help out here?”

“She helps whenever she’s here, but even back then, Penny already knew her way around the kitchen and the restaurant,” Allison murmured, her eyes shifting from her husband back to her daughter.

The couple watched Penny approach them, grinning from ear to ear as she handed them the order list.

Allison sighed, smiling affectionately at Penny before taking the piece of paper, which she then registered before handing it over to the kitchen.

“Penny, is there something wrong, dear?” Allison asked when she faced Penny again. “Are you alright?”

“Hmm?” Penny’s brows rose as she blinked.

“It seems like you have a problem, my princess,” Charles pointed out, watching his daughter look in his direction. “Is there anything you want to tell Mom and Dad? Something about the company?”

For a second, Penny was a little taken aback. ‘Was it obvious I’m trying to keep myself busy?’ she wondered.

“If you don’t want to talk about it, that’s alright.” Allison nodded at her reassuringly. “We won’t ask, but know that we’re here to listen if you need.”

“Your mom is right.” Charles nodded in agreement. “Whatever it is, you can always tell us. Now, if you want to work, then take my spot first. I’m dead tired.”

Penny pursed her lips and smiled. “Thanks, Mom, Dad. I’m just a little bored because I have nothing else to do. I came from Brother Atlas’s office with Second Brother, but now they have work to do.”

“Your second brother has no work right now,” Charles muttered, thinking his second son was becoming more rebellious for not considering his little sister.

“Haha. No, Second Brother asked me if I wanted to come with him, but I told him I wanted to go home and rest,” Penny explained. “But I found myself here.”

“Oh, Penny.” Allison extended her hand across the counter and cupped Penny’s cheek. “Well, since you’re here, your help is very much appreciated.”

“Mom, why are you always understaffed?” Penny pouted, smoothly changing the subject. “Don’t tell me you’re not paying your staff properly?”

Allison sighed. “Penny, you know that’s not true. It’s just that… not many people can keep up with your Aunt Jessa.”

“Ahh…” Penny laughed awkwardly. “No wonder. That explains a lot.”

Suddenly, the door to the kitchen flew open, revealing the head chef. Charles, Allison, and Penny immediately fell silent at the sight of Jessa.

“Hah!” Jessa glanced at the three of them, squinting her eyes suspiciously. “Are you talking about me?”

“Huh?” Charles shook his head instinctively. “Why would we do that behind your back?!”

“Jessa, what are you on about now?” Allison replied nervously. “No one’s talking about you, and even if we were, it’s only good things.”

Penny couldn’t help but glance at her parents and Jessa. Even now, Jessa and Allison’s friendship amazed Penny. To this day, she didn’t understand how these two remained friends despite their differences. But then again, Allison was always more open about her feelings and thoughts.

“Penny?”

Penny flinched when she heard Jessa’s voice. As Jessa’s skeptical gaze landed on her, Penny felt her heart leap a little.

“Piglet, were they telling the truth?” Jessa asked with a raised brow.

Penny opened and closed her mouth, only to notice the exasperated look on her father’s face. When she glanced at Charles, her face twitched. He was looking at her as if he had lost all hope, as if he knew his daughter would throw him under the bus again.

“Uh…” she cleared her throat and smiled brightly at Jessa. “Oh! I forgot to check on the other customer. I think they need me now!”

With that, Penny bolted away from the three of them and busied herself around the establishment. She even got some feedback from the customers — who had already finished their meals — just to avoid Jessa.

“What is wrong with that girl?” Jessa furrowed her brows when Penny hurried off, looking at the couple in front of her. “Tell me I’m not the only one who noticed?”

Allison and Charles responded with a deep sigh. “No, you’re not the only one. Something is definitely bothering her.”

*

*

*

The day went by in the blink of an eye. It passed faster than Penny had expected, which was a relief for her. Helping out in the restaurant had taken her mind off the issue that was bothering her. However, when it was time for dinner and she sat down to eat with her parents, her aunt, and Jessa’s husband, the thoughts she had been avoiding all day began to creep back into her mind.

Poking at her food with disinterest, Penny looked up at the people around the table. Everyone was eating in silence, with only short exchanges here and there.

‘Gosh…’ she thought. ‘They can’t even hide their concern. I guess it does show when I’m bothered by something, or maybe they’re just that observant.’

Another shallow breath escaped her as she spoke. “Fine, I’ll say it,” she said, watching as they all turned to her with curiosity. Penny couldn’t help but chuckle at the look in their eyes.

“Well.” Penny cleared her throat. “I think… I like someone — a man. I think I just have a crush on someone.”