CHAPTER 1

It is only in the middle of May but the rain is continuously pouring for five days now.

A young nanny named Lisa was supervising the maids who are cleaning the whole basement that will be used as a playroom for the only daughter of her master. She just finished on time and her next duty is to feed her little miss. After washing her hands and changing her clothes, Lisa went upstairs to wake the little miss from her nap, only to discover that the child had disappeared from her queen-sized bed.

Lisa searched for the little miss inside the room thinking that she might just be hiding inside her closet or under the bed. When she still cannot find the little miss, Lisa stood up in a hurry, go downstairs, and was ready to ask the other maids if they see their little miss. But before Lisa can call the guards to search for their little miss, she saw a six-year-old little girl standing in front of the mansion's huge open window.

The little girl is wearing her favorite pink pajamas with flower embroidery on it. She has a small and delicate face, with thick eyelashes and rosy cheeks. Her eyes are round and her lips are naturally red. With her short height, she resembles a life-sized doll.

Her long, wavy hair is tied in a loose braid with a red ribbon at the end of it. When she heard several footsteps behind her, the little girl turned around and showed a bright smile realizing it was her nanny who approached her.

"Why are you here, Miss Penelope? It is still raining. What if you get sick?" Lisa asked.

She let out a relieved sigh seeing that her little miss is alright. Luckily, she did not go outside since it is still raining and it might get her to catch a cold. Maybe the little miss woke up early from her nap and got bored while staying in her room alone.

"Oh." 

Penelope did not speak after that. Instead, she watches the huge drops of rain outside their mansion. The little girl continued doing it until she turn around and look at her nanny again. This behavior is actually making her nanny worried.

Penelope is usually a lively little girl who likes to laugh about simple things. She is also a bit talkative and likes to explore new things that pique her curiosity. She is also a little girl who loves to be spoiled by the people around her.

But Penelope suddenly become quiet and more obedient since last night.

Lisa tries to recall all the things that happened last night. Her father came home early to spend more time with her. He also brought her a vanilla cake from a famous cake shop and Miss Penelope ate two slices of it after their dinner. Then she slept beside her father.

And that's it.

Because the young duke is too busy with his work, he rarely spends more time with Miss Penelope. But he will always go home early at least twice a week to see and check everything that his beloved daughter had done for the past few days. After that, he will always tell Lisa to pay more attention to his daughter and quickly report to him if something strange or bad happened to her.

Maybe she it is just her imagination. Their little miss is a bit moody although she is an obedient child. That child easily changes her mood if she encounters something that made her upset. Luckily, she is not the one who makes a huge fuss about it.

"Nanny, it's been raining a lot these days. It feels cold too. Do you know how long it will last?"

"Oh. I don't know either, little miss. Why? Do you want to play outside today?"

Lisa is a bit surprised that Penelope suddenly talked to her while she is in deep thought. This will not do. She is her nanny and Lisa knows she should not think of other things and focus more on taking good care of herself.

"I hope the rain will stop tomorrow. Then I can play outside again, nanny!" Penelope said with a smile.

When she smiles, two deep dimples showed up on her face and her eyes curve into a half-crescent moon. Together with her blushing cheeks and a smile that shows her baby teeth, making Penelope looks sweeter and an adorable child. Lisa's heart will turn into mush by just staring at the child in front of her.

But why does Lisa feel a little off with her smile today? She cannot exactly pinpoint what's wrong, but the young nanny can feel something hidden behind her pretty smile. Is it possible for a small child like Miss Penelope to have such thoughts at a very young age?

Lisa mentally slapped herself. What nonsense is she trying to do?! Miss Penelope is an obedient and clever child. She is always looking closely at her so it will be impossible for Miss Penelope to change out of nowhere.

"I hope so too." Lisa said. "But why do you want to play outside all of a sudden?"

"Hmm... Mr. Rabbit asked me to play outside with him." Penelope said in a sweet voice. "He also said the rain will finally stop pouring tomorrow!"

Mr. Rabbit is a huge plush doll that her father gave her on her fifth birthday last year. Since then, she has always carried it with her because that plush doll is now her favorite among the toys inside her room. It is because of the doll's cute appearance and its soft texture.

Lisa suddenly wants to laugh. See that? She is just overthinking too much. Miss Penelope never leaves the mansion unless the duke brings her outside to play. Her little miss is also a child who has no enemies. Miss Penelope is still a small child and Lisa is watching her closely.

"Then Mr. Rabbit must have the talent to see the future." Lisa replied with a smile. "We should get inside now, little miss. What snack do you want to eat this afternoon?"

"Oh! I want to eat a cake! Then, then—Oh! I also want jelly! Then a cup of hot milk!"

Lisa laughed as she tuck a stray hair that falls on Penelope's face. Just now, the little girl becomes excited after she mentioned the word snacks.

"We still have a few slices of cake that your father had brought for you. Do you want to eat it now?"

"Yes, please!" 

"Then you should wash your hands first before eating your food. We should also get you a jacket since the temperature is a bit cold."

"Okay, nanny!" The little girl replied in a cheerful voice.

Lisa smiles kindly at Penelope before she carefully carries the little girl in her arms. While they are going upstairs, Lisa fails to see the anxious look on Penelope's face that obviously does not belong to a six-year-old child like her.