Pampered By My Three Brothers: The Return Of The Neglected Heiress - Chapter 61

Fled for his life
When they reached home, Butler Jen welcomed them back as part of his routine.

“We’re home,” Atlas announced lazily, watching their parents turn their heads at the entrance.

Allison and Charles looked at each other in surprise. It was rare for Atlas to announce they were home. It was usually Slater or Nina.

“Kids, how’s school?” Allison trudged to meet them halfway.

“Good,” Atlas answered with the same languid tone, but this surprised the couple even more.

“Seems like my eldest is in a good mood?” Charles couldn’t help but point it out.

Although Atlas’s tone didn’t carry any interest or excitement, he would usually not answer fast. Or when he was reciting a math solution in his head, he wouldn’t answer at all.

“Mom!” Slater happily approached his mother, but this time, he didn’t hug her. “School’s okay today.”

“Is it?”

He didn’t get picked on throughout the day and it was the first time Slater didn’t have to change into a new pair of uniform.

“Penny!” Charles exclaimed as soon as he caught the little bouncy thing approaching.

He quickly rushed to her but didn’t dare carry her in his arms. He learned from Haines’s mistake.

“Hi, dad!” Back to her adorable self, Penny smiled brightly at her father.

Seeing her smile was enough to take away Charles’s exhaustion. It was his first day back to his original working schedule, but all he could think of was spending time with her.

“Papa, how was your first day back at your office?” Penny asked curiously, and Charles’s smile was already a giveaway.

“It was good, but I felt like a little sad we couldn’t play with your pets.”

Before she went to school, Charles would regularly ambush her for some father-daughter bond. She just let him since she couldn’t shoo him away. It was the same for Allison. Sometimes, they would join forces or do it individually.

“It’s okay, Papa. We can always play with them together on the weekends.”

Charles nodded and patted her head. “Let’s do that then.”

Allison’s eyes softened watching her husband and daughter get along so well. Now, she couldn’t deny Penny took after her father the most. Both were charming with a big and pure heart.

Slater and Atlas, on the other hand, felt conflicted. They had seen the other side of Penny that she never showed to their parents. Thus, watching her act cute was more puzzling than heartwarming.

It was almost hard to believe they were seeing the same person.

‘Well, I guess as long as she doesn’t use those sides against the family, having those traits can be a skill,’ Atlas told himself and threw any unnecessary thought at the back of his head.

“Mom, I’ll head to my room first.” He said.

“Oh, okay. Come down for dinner.”

“Mhm.”

Having said that, Atlas strode off.

“Mom, I’ll go get change too,” Slater followed upon seeing Atlas leave. It was best to lock himself for now while Penny was distracted. “I’ll come down once dinner is served.”

Allison nodded in understanding. “Okay.”

Slater didn’t waste a breath as he briskly walked away. But just as he did so, Penny also spoke.

“I’ll change too! Mama, Papa, I’ll be back before dinner!”

Hearing this, Slater wasn’t discreet anymore. He fled… For his life — no looking back, no stopping.

‘Quick!’ he picked up his pace the closer he got to his room.

Unfortunately, just as Slater reached his room and tried to open the door, it was locked. His face showed a look of horror. He locked his room this morning so no one would enter and accidentally find his dirty uniform.

“Third brother.”

His shoulders tensed up as his breathing slowed down, hearing and sensing the little demon approaching. Holding the knob and rattling it nervously, Slater turned to look at Penny.

“Penny. Hehe.” He smiled nervously. “You didn’t need to watch me 24/7, right? I will study on my own — why did you even drag me on the bet?!”

By the end of his sentence, Slater couldn’t help but lament. She had seen him in the most pathetic state. There was no point in acting tough in front of her.

Penny crossed her arms. “If I didn’t drag you in it, are you planning to let Keith use you to demean our other brothers and the Bennet Family?”

Slater pressed his lips while she shook her head.

“Third Brother, let me tell you one thing. I might’ve stopped him from raising a hand on you, but that guy wouldn’t stop stirring trouble. He will keep using your bottom feeder status, and if you don’t move up a few ranks, this will be your biggest weakness.” She clicked her tongue. “Now, go get changed and meet me at the library. We’ll study before dinner and continue after dinner until bedtime.”

Having said that, Penny turned and strode off.

Slater stared at her little back while the corner of his lips curved down. It wasn’t like he didn’t know that being at the bottom of his class had its cons. However, Slater already accepted that he was a bottom feeder and that he should be fine with it. After all, some bottom feeders in their class and other sections lived a normal school life.

But then again, his class had the most notorious elites.

Another heavy sigh escaped Slater before he searched for his keys. Now that Penny was gone, he quickly found his keys and entered his room.

*

*

*

After half an hour, the family came down for dinner. The couple couldn’t help but look at their third son, sensing that he was unusually quiet. But before they could ask, Hugo inquired.

“Where’s Nina?”

Allison perked her head and smiled subtly. “Ah, about that… she’s in her room.”

“Is she okay?” Atlas asked and saw their parents nod. “I see.”

Allison and Charles looked at each other. Before their children came home, they were just talking about how to break the news to their boys. However, they didn’t get the chance to say it. Since they were now having dinner and everyone looked in their best mood, the couple looked at each other meaningfully.

“By the way —”

“Oh, Atlas, I put my bet on you.”