Life has its funny way of putting things in order

In her first life, when these people came into their house, Jessa was more than happy to give Penny away. Jessa didn't even have second thoughts. All she cared about was how much these people would give her for "taking care" of Penny for 13 years. 

"Are you insane!?" Jessa harrumphed. "How dare you people come into my house and claim my child is yours?! Get out of my property right now!"

Penny flinched when her auntie suddenly threw a huge fit. Jessa aggressively chased the people away.

The gates clanged aloud when Jessa slammed it closed, huffing sharply as she turned around. 

"Auntie?" Penny's round eyes swirled with curiosity. "Who are those people?"

Jessa offered a short smile. "They're no one. Just an insane bunch!" She patted Penny's head and nodded. "Let's get back in. The soup might turn cold. Come."

Jessa warmly held Penny's hand, and they got in. 

Penny couldn't help but gaze up at her auntie's back. It wasn't like she didn't know Jessa was acting this way because she was the family's money tree. Even so, it put her heart at ease that those guys wouldn't get what they wanted so easily. 

The next day, those same people came back to their house. However, Jessa chased them away like a plague before they could even give her an offer. 

It was the same the day after that.

And the day next to that.

For the next several days, Jessa would camp in their front yard. She would enjoy her coffee in the morning with a broomstick clumped between her armpit. The people from Penny's real family would come by at the same exact time. So by the time Jessa finished her morning fuel, she was more than ready to chase them away. 

"Penny, do you know those people who come to our house every day?" Yuri walked beside her bicycle. "Mom always looks even more furious every day because of them."

Yugi spat out. "Pwe! Those people are just bothering our family because they're jealous of our fortune!"

Penny's face contorted. Why would one of the richest families in Anteca get jealous of a middle-class family?

"It doesn't matter. Auntie is already handling it, so let's not worry about that," said Penny.

"Penny is right! Mom will chase them away until they give up!" Yuri was enthusiastic. "I wonder what we have for dinner?"

"You always ask what's for dinner, but only Penny gains weight." Yugi hissed, poking fun at his twin sister out of habit. But in a way, he was also unknowingly poking fun at Penny, too.

Penny looked at her cousin, smiling in satisfaction. These two used to bully her in the past, but now that Penny practically raised them, they're as good as trained pets. 

'It's a good thing I decided to take charge of the family instead of holding onto my grievances.' Penny was pleased she didn't resort to poisoning the entire family. 'If I didn't, I would have been thrown to that mansion the second they came to our doorstep.'

As the three made their way back home, a car blocked the path on the end turn of the street. The three looked at each other until a man in a fancy suit stood before them. 

"Miss Penny, we are from the Bennet Family. Can we ask a minute of your time?"

Standing in front of Penny was a tall man in his late thirties. She knew him. He was the man who promised her safety in her first life. Although he had been kind to her in her first life, he was usually absent most of the time. 

"Aren't you the people who have been pestering our family for weeks now?!" Yugi jumped in front of Penny defensively. "What are you doing, ambushing kids like this?"

Yuri, on the other hand, dropped her bicycle and held Penny's arm securely. 

The man glanced at the twins and then at Penny. "Young Miss."

"Penny will not come with you!" Yuri yelled, her vicious voice from her first life peeking in. Penny almost flinched when she heard that tone from the now meek Yuri. 

"We're not abducting…"

"Get away from us or we will scream for help!" Yugi spread his arms to protect the girls behind him. He surely got his defensive demeanor from his mother. "I'll count to three — one, two —"

"Yugi, that's enough." Before Yugi could finish his countdown, Penny spoke. "I'll talk to them."

"Penny, you can't do that! Mom always tells us not to trust strangers!" Worry laced Yuri's voice, gripping Penny's arm tightly. "These guys can't be trusted."

They couldn't, but Penny knew they wouldn't harm her. They might've come from her family, but taking her away without Jessa's permission would still fall into a crime.

Penny smiled reassuringly. "It's okay," she said. "I don't think they're bad people. It won't take long."

"Then let us come with you!" Yugi insisted. "We can't let you go on your own."

And then, they would have to find out Penny wasn't their real cousin. 

"No. Go home." Penny cast Yugi a knowing look. "Please."

Yugi took that look in her eyes as if she was telling them to ask for help. Hence, Yugi quickly nodded and then told Yuri to go home with him. Yuri was reluctant, but her brother dragged her away. 

Having said that, the twins went home while Penny went with the people from the Bennet. At her insistence, they followed her to the nearby park.

Seated on each swing, the man gazed at the chubby girl in the swing. 

"I apologize if we have to resort to this, Young Miss. Your auntie wouldn't let us talk to you or won't listen to us." The man sighed. "My name is Haines Bennet. I assume your auntie didn't tell you why we come every day."

The man explained the situation to Penny carefully and clearly. According to their investigation, Penny was a genius. Hence, he didn't feel the need to talk to her as a pre-teen but talked to her like an adult with respect.

"I'm sorry that it took us this long —"

"Even if what you're saying is true, why are you here?" Penny cut him off and looked at him for the first time. "Isn't only right for my parents or my grandfather to come in here instead of my uncle? If they truly want me home, they should come themselves to show their sincerity."

The man was surprised. The chubby kid's round eyes shone adorably but fiercely. 

"Uncle, I appreciate your efforts coming to our house every day. I also know you're not a bad person, but I'm happy with the way my life is," she continued. "My family has been taking care of me very well. So please, understand that I want to keep it that way."

'But your auntie is just exploiting you,' was what Haines wanted to say. 

"You people!" Suddenly, Jessa's aggressive voice was heard. "I told you not to bother us again, but you're lower than I thought!" 

Jessa aggressively grabbed Penny's arm, pulling her behind her while glaring daggers at Haines. "If you don't stop harassing our family, I'll see to it that you'll regret it! Penny, let's go, and don't talk to these people again!"

"Auntie —"

"Not a word, Penny!" Jessa huffed, glaring at Haines once more. "This is my last warning, mister. I advise you to take this warning seriously because you don't want what I'll do if you don't."

With that being said, Jessa took Penny home. 

Penny looked back at Haines, but she couldn't help but smile when she shifted her eyes to Jessa. At that time, she thought it was possible to avoid ever stepping foot in the Bennet mansion. Jessa wasn't the type to back down and if there was something Penny wanted in this life, that was to not ever see her family, especially her brothers. 

In the following month, Haines stopped coming to their house and Penny didn't hear from them again. 

However, life has its funny way of putting things in order. 

Two days before the original timeline of the day she returned to the Bennet Mansion, Yuri suddenly contracted a life-threatening disease.