Pampered by my three brothers: the return of the neglected heiress novel Chapter 11

Chapter 11: Child custody

Penny went under the shrub to rescue a kitten, but this wasn't a kitten.

What welcomed her was a petite young boy. He looked a little gaunt and pale, but his eyes were brooding as if he were the grim reaper himself.

"What are you?"

"What are you?"

They asked in unison, but Penny was most taken aback because his low-pitched voice didn't match his sickly appearance. He frowned while her brows rose.

Before she could say anything, she heard a soft 'meow' from somewhere. Averting her eyes, she caught a small and frail kitten coming from his other side.

"Oh." Her lips formed an o-shape. "There's the kitten."

A big smile appeared on her face as she looked up at the boy. "I thought you were."

Did he look like a kitten to her?

The boy looked at the girl's round face and noticed that her nose looked pink. He bit his tongue, knowing whatever he was about to say was rude.

"It looks hungry and... oh, it has a company?" Curiosity was seen in her eyes as she stared at the cute rain frog.

Seeing this, the boy looked at the cat and froze.

"A rain frog?" she mumbled. "I didn't know there's some in here."

Penny glanced at the boy, only to furrow her brows upon seeing the horrified look on his face. Earlier, this guy had already looked sickly, but now it seemed he was about to go into the light!

"Kitty, are you okay?" she asked, watching him twist his neck like a rusting robot. The moment they were face to face, Penny panicked. "Are you dying?!"

"He — help."

"Help?" Penny was about to summon her superhuman strength and carry him, but then, noticed the frog coming closer to him. His face stiffened even more, and he was holding his breath until his neck turned taut.

"You're scared of frogs?" her panic subsided, moving closer but finding it hard to move freely because of the shrub she was stuck in. "If you don't mind, excuse me."

Penny placed a hand on his leg, making him wince as she put her weight on it to reach for the rain frog. She grabbed it without fear, making the boy lean back as she retrieved it.

"Why are you so scared of it? It's safe!" she reassured, a little sorry for him.

Penny was also a child once, and she was also scared of little creatures like this back then. However, she quickly realized there were more things scarier than these innocent little creatures. Even so, she knew the fear was valid, and she felt sorry for the little guy.

"It's okay now." She nodded at him encouragingly, smiling wide until her eyes were squinting. "This great aunt already took care of it!"

Great aunt?

"Tha — thanks." The boy heaved a sigh of relief, flinching wherever she waved the frog in her hand.

"You shouldn't be in this place if you're scared of innocent creatures checking you out," she said, almost scolding him. "But I know it's probably because you were trying to rescue the cat."

The boy didn't answer, but in truth, the situation was the opposite. It was more like the cat was rescuing him.

"Anyway." Penny cleared her throat, trying to pull herself out of the shrub. As she tried with great difficulty, she added, "I have to go... and..."

"Can you take care of it?"

She stopped and looked up at him. "Huh?" _{freeweɓnovēl.coɱ}

Why did it sound like they were talking about child custody? Or rather, why did she sound so experienced in this?