Pampered By My Three Brothers: The Return Of The Neglected Heiress - Chapter 490

Chapter 490: Mom, why do you hate me?
[FLASHBACK]

The night of Zoren’s visit to the Bennet household…

A deep exhale escaped Allison as she wiped Penny’s forehead. Penny had been sweating profusely in her sleep, so aside from trying to keep her temperature down, Allison had to wipe the sweat forming on Penny’s forehead and back.

‘I don’t remember nursing her back to health like this,’ thought Allison, her eyes softening as her lips curled bitterly. ‘Did Haines have to look after her like this when they were abroad?’

To be honest, Allison felt jealous of Haines.

Although Allison and Charles never failed to fly out of the country to see their daughter, and Penny would fly back during her vacations, it wasn’t enough. Penny hadn’t spent the first thirteen years of her life with her real family. Adding to those twelve years, it felt like they hadn’t truly looked after her.

It might have been Penny’s insistence, and with a heavy heart, they respected her decision. Even so, these numbers lingered in Allison’s mind until now.

Reaching out to Penny, she stroked her daughter’s hair gently. “Penny, just how fast did you all grow up? I just blinked…” Now they were all adults.

Having all four of them in the house was a blessing.

‘If not for Mama’s, I would be very sad,’ she thought, thankful that she had gone into business with Jessa. Otherwise, she would just be here, waiting for the time her children would come to visit.

Her eyes softened with affection, missing all the years they had lost together. Her worries for Penny dominated her heart, but at the same time, realizing how many things she had missed doing for her daughter brought a conflict into her heart.

“Get well, my dearest,” she whispered, leaning in to kiss her daughter’s forehead. “Mom’s gonna be here, so don’t worry.”

Allison slowly drew away, sighing once again. She stayed in the chair beside the bed, fixing the already-used towels under the night lamp. As she squeezed the towel to dry it and get a new bowl, she sensed a stare from her side.

When she turned, Penny was staring at her with partially opened eyes. Allison offered a gentle smile, but her smile cracked when a tear rolled down the bridge of Penny’s nose.

“Penny?” Allison called worriedly, about to reach for her when Penny suddenly asked, “Mom, why do you hate me?”

Penny’s voice was still coarse and barely above a whisper, but it reached Allison’s ears.

Deep lines appeared between Allison’s brows as the question took her off guard. “Honey, why are you asking that? I never hated you.”

“Then why have you never taken my side?”

More confused now, Allison put down the towel and moved from the chair to the edge of the bed.

“Penny, I don’t understand what you’re talking about,” said Allison with a worried smile, touching Penny’s forehead with the back of her hand. Penny was burning up again. Assuming this was all due to her high fever, Allison tried to get the damp towel. But before she could do so, Penny spoke again.

“I hate myself.”

Allison slowly turned her attention back to her daughter, only to see tears welling up in Penny’s eyes. Seeing her daughter in tears was enough to make her heart stop for a moment.

“Mom… I hate myself too…” Penny confessed, her voice shaky and filled with grief. “… that makes two of us.”

For some reason, Allison choked, both confused and baffled by her daughter’s words. However, she couldn’t deny the heaviness and sincerity in Penny’s voice. It made her wonder: had Penny hated herself and thought Allison hated her as well?

“Baby, why are you saying this? I never hated you.” Allison panicked a little, now teary-eyed. “That’s not true. Please don’t hate yourself.”

She supported Penny, though she didn’t have to because Penny was already hugging her waist, crying. Allison rubbed her back gently, trying to calm her daughter down.

“Penny,” she called, a mix of worry and panic in her voice. “Why are you crying, dear?”

Penny hiccuped, clasping her mother’s waist tighter. Her grip was so strong that Allison felt her daughter’s hand starting to shake. She didn’t mind; if anything, it made her heart swell with worry as she searched for the right words to calm her down.

“It hurts…” Penny whispered through her tears. “… that I can’t be the best daughter.”

She buried her face in Allison’s embrace, afraid to let her go. “Mom… I’m sorry for not making you proud. I tried my best to be the daughter you’d be proud of, but I failed you. I’m sorry, Mom. Please don’t hate me. I’ll try again and make you happy.”

Hearing this felt like a dagger stabbing Allison’s heart. She gazed down at Penny, who was buried in her embrace, holding on as if begging. Before she knew it, a tear rolled down Allison’s cheek as she patted Penny’s back.

She wanted to tell her daughter she would never hate her. However, the tension in her throat stopped her from doing so.

“That’s not true,” Allison whispered as soon as she regained her shuddering voice. “I was the happiest when I had you, and the lowest when I found out I was raising another child and not you. I don’t hate you… I hate myself for not being the mom you deserved.”

As quietly as always, Allison shed tears, even when Penny fell asleep after crying. She might not understand why Penny had said such things or if it was simply because of her high fever. But Allison’s words would always remain true.

She had always felt she wasn’t a good mother, and if possible, she wanted Penny to be a better mom than her when the time came.

“My baby.” Allison hugged Penny as tightly as she could. “I’m sorry if I hurt you. I’m sorry for not being a good mom. Mom doesn’t hate you, so please, don’t hate yourself.”

—

[PRESENT TIME]

Allison smiled at Zoren appreciatively, patting his hand gently. Her eyes shone with mixed emotions, hoping this man would love her daughter with all the love in the world.

‘If you make her happy, then… I don’t mind not seeing her walk down the aisle,’ she thought. ‘Good thing. He seems like a very good young man as well. I hope he gets better and that the heavens protect him always.’