Penny the petty

The negotiations were just as quick as how it went down in the first lifetime. Jessa and her husband were shocked while holding a cheque, and they forgot this was about another human being. If there was any difference between this life and the previous one, it was Yugi's reaction. 

Yugi created a huge fuss, but it was futile because, in the end, Penny still came with Haines. 

Today was the same day she went home to the Bennet Mansion. 

Seated in the van that looked like a suite, Haines glanced at the young lady next to him. Now that she was heading home, he was expecting to see any slight changes in her usually composed innocence. But Penny was rather calm. 

'I guess she's fine,' he thought with a short smile. "Young Miss, why don't you rest for a while? It's a five-hour drive."

Penny sighed faintly. "Mister Haines, can you just call me Penny? Young Miss makes me uncomfortable."

"Then you can call me Uncle Haines." His warm smile contrasted with his strong facial features. "Why don't you rest, Penny? Or are you hungry?"

Was he asking her because of her size?

Although it was obvious Penny gained all this weight without her noticing, it was because she was malnourished almost her entire first life. First was because of Jessa's maltreatment and then she got too busy pleasing her brothers she picked up a bad habit of skipping meals. 

"I'm not hungry," she said. 

"Then, do you want to talk?" he inquired. "Do you want to know about your family? You have three brothers."

Three insufferable brothers.

"No." Penny shook her head. "I want to get to know them myself, thank you."

Worry suddenly peeked in Haines's eyes while Penny looked away. In his mind, it was much better if he briefed Penny about what she would expect in the mansion. 

What he didn't know was Penny knew exactly what to expect. 

*

*

Penny eventually fell asleep and when she woke up, she immediately caught sight of the huge gates opening for them. She rubbed her eyes and sat upright.

"We're here, Penny." 

She looked to her side and saw Haines smiling. She didn't say anything back and simply waited for the van to stop. 

Haines came out from the other side while Penny was about to open the door for herself when it opened from the outside. There, an old man in a butler suit looked at her and smiled until his eyes looked like mere slits. 

"Young Miss Penelope?" called the old man, his voice exuded eloquence. "Allow me to help you, my young lady."

'Butler Jen.' Penny looked at the old man and smiled subtly. 

In her previous life, Butler Jen stood more as a family to her than the rest of the family. Butler Jen and Haines were the only ones who truly cared for her. 

Penny took his hand and said, "Thank you."

Butler Jen held the young lady's cold hand and escorted her down. Once she reached the ground, he put his hand over her head in a frail attempt to shield her from the snow. 

"Butler Jen, where's everyone?" Haines asked behind as they took the steps up the porch. 

Butler Jen looked back. "They're waiting in the living area, Sir Haines. The weather is terrible, so they couldn't wait out here in the cold."

"I see."

"Your family is inside, Miss Penny." Butler Jen offered Penny another warm smile, keeping her hand securely in his hand. "They're very excited to see you."

Penny doubted that, but she still sported a small smile. 

The mansion had a huge two-door entrance. As soon as they reached the porch, the servants inside opened it timely. 

Watching the gap between them widen, the natural innocence in Penny's eyes slowly turned as cold as the season. Seven figures came into view: four children with the oldest at 17, a middle-aged couple, and then an elderly man with a cane. 

Allison hurriedly rose to her feet as soon as the door opened. Her eyes were teary with a tinge of nervousness. Relief washed over her face as soon as her eyes landed on the young, chubby girl entering the premises. 

The flow of emotions a mother had for her child came surging into her heart. This was their first time meeting Penny, but her heart immediately recognized her flesh and blood. It was a maternal instinct she felt with her boys, but never with the daughter she raised for 13 years. 

"Dear." Charles, her husband, placed a hand on her shoulder and smiled. 

Allison nodded at him, and they both met Penny halfway. 

"Hello." Allison bent down a little, resting her hands on her knees. "My name's Allison. I'm your…" mother.

Allison hesitated because she didn't know if she was doing this correctly. Penny might be family, but for this girl, they were nothing but strangers. 

"Penny." Knowing his wife, Charles chimed in with a gentle smile. "I'm your dad. I know this is a shock to all of us, but you are our family now."

Just like Allison, Charles was unsure if he was doing this right. Who would know what to say and do in this situation? Even if they follow what they want to do to make up for the 13 years their real daughter was away, they also have to consider Penny's feelings. 

Penny's silence added to the couple's nervousness as they looked at each other before casting Haines a look. 

Haines just smiled helplessly. He already told them what Penny was like and reminded them Penny didn't like being treated like a child. She didn't tell Haines that, but he assumed based on his interactions with her. 

As for Penny, she quietly gazed at her parents. 

'They weren't bad to me in the past. If anything, I know they have pure intentions, but…' they still unknowingly neglected her because they felt guilty for Nina, and didn't want to make the latter feel left out just because of her. 

Penny secretly took a peek at the children behind her parents. The seventeen-year-old Atlas and sixteen-year-old Hugo stared at her impassively. But the fifteen-year-old Slater didn't feel the need to hide his disdain. The beautiful doll standing beside Slater, who was the same age as Penny, wore a small and forced smile. 

'Heh.' Penny mentally sneered. 'It's nice to see them so young again!'

She didn't want to waste her time on revenge, but petty as it may sound, it would still feel nice to annoy them. Her very existence was already annoying to them, anyway. 

"Mommy!" Penny grinned from ear to ear as she leaped toward Allison and hugged the madam tightly.

Surprised took over Allison's eyes before she looked at Charles with relief. "Oh, my dear Penny. Yes, it's mommy."

Charles smiled in satisfaction while Haines couldn't help but feel this slight doubt. Penny, on the other hand, peeked over and caught the irritation on Slater's face, the slight displeasure in Hugo's eye, the unfazed look on Atlas, and then the down curve on Nina's lips.