Pampered by my three brothers: the return of the neglected heiress novel Chapter 104

Chapter 104: I’m okay

[Short Flashback]

Penny sat in a dining chair, staring at the cake before her. The candle burned slowly, wax melting and dripping down its base. The food arranged on the table was left untouched and now had gone cold.

She gulped, breaking the ringing silence in her ears. Her lips curled up a little as she began to sing softly,

"Happy birthday to you... Happy birthday to you... happy birthday... happy..." Her voice faltered as tears streamed down her cheeks. She tried to hold her emotions back and failed miserably.

Penny bit her inner bottom lips and sniffed, wiping the tears off her cheeks. "Why did I expect so much?" she mocked, laughing at herself. "It’s not like this is the first time they missed my birthday."

She tried to recover from the sorrow that was embracing her on this not-so-special day. Penny slapped her cheeks mildly, forcing a smile, and sang herself another birthday song. This time, she made it without breaking out in tears.

"My wish is..." Penny hummed before she closed her eyes. "... that I will be happy."

With a deep breath, she blew out the candle.

Opening her eyes, she watched the smoke rise in the still air. Her smile remained only for a few seconds, and then it faded. Before her mood could plummet further, her phone buzzed on the table.

Penny quickly picked it up the moment she saw Atlas’s name.

"First Brother —"

"Penny, I’m sorry I can’t make it today," was Atlas’s greeting remarks, his voice exhausted and stressed.

"Oh." Penny still smiled, thinking her brother was a very busy person. "It’s okay. Emergencies happen when you run a company."

"Yeah," Atlas sighed heavily. "And Nina also fainted. So I have to check on her first."

Her smile froze when she heard that name. "Nina?"

"Mhm. Thankfully, she was with Slater when it happened. Why don’t you come out and join us for dinner?"

"It’s okay." Penny forced a smile, though her grip on the phone tightened. "Actually, it’s good you called. I was just about to tell you I had to cancel the birthday dinner. Something came up."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. Anyway, I’ve got to go. Take care."

"Mhm. You too."

With that being said, Penny quickly ended the call. She glared at her phone bitterly, almost tempted to throw it.

Not long ago, Atlas brought up her birthday and suggested they should celebrate it. It was probably the first time he told those things to her, and she suspected it was because she helped him resolve a company issue. It didn’t matter to her because she wanted to celebrate it with the family.

So, Penny had taken the day off to cook for them, eschewing fancy dishes for something heartfelt.

But...

"I should’ve seen this coming." Penny swallowed the lump in her throat and shook her head. "It’s okay, Penny. It’s okay. Don’t be sad... don’t be disappointed... don’t..."

Her lips quivered once more, burying her face in her palms.

It wasn’t like she always celebrated her birthday. Matter of fact, she disliked this day. It wouldn’t be a stretch to say she hated this very day. Growing up, she had to witness Nina celebrate it so spectacularly, while she was always pushed aside as if it wasn’t her place to be in there.

Year after year, it was the same scenario with only a different setting.

Just like today, it was Nina again.

The only frustrating about this was that she expected this year would be different. She expected so much and was very happy throughout the day, only to be left in here all alone to sing herself a happy birthday with tears in her eyes.

Her sobs resonated in the silent dining room until the sound of the doorbell interrupted it. Penny slowly raised her head as another ring followed.

"Have they... have they come?" Penny cleared her throat, wiping her eyes, hurrying to the door.

’Even now, he’s the first to greet me,’ she thought, telling herself no need to feel bitter if her own parents and siblings forgot. ’I wouldn’t be surprised if they begged Aunt Jessa to take Nina out today. They’re always like that.’

Oh, well.

’Did she not want to talk about her birthday?’ His lips curved down but said nothing.