Pampered by my three brothers: the return of the neglected heiress novel Chapter 1206

Chapter 1206: You can call her my demon.

"Will you tell me, Penny? What happened? To you, to us... to everyone?"

"I can’t," Penny answered quietly. "I know what happened to me, but to everyone? How am I supposed to know what happened to everyone else aside from myself?"

Atlas narrowed his eyes, his brows knitting slightly. Even Hugo tilted his head, still doubtful about all of this. He had no idea where this conversation was going.

"I see." Atlas nodded. "You’re right. How could you know about other people’s lives when you had your own to deal with?"

"That’s not... what she meant," Slater interjected quietly, drawing Atlas’s attention to him. "Penny was incarcerated."

Atlas didn’t respond. He didn’t even react—mainly because he didn’t know how to. A flood of questions immediately filled his mind.

"Penny was what?" Hugo blurted out, still searching for clarity as this was all very confusing for him. "That’s impossible. Why would she—"

"Because the Penny I was and the Penny I am—the Penny you know now—are different," Penny cut him off with a deep breath, her hands unknowingly clasping in her lap. Her eyes locked onto Atlas. She had been prepared to talk to Slater, to take in whatever information he had that could help them resolve their current problems.

But this... this wasn’t in the plan.

She hadn’t prepared herself to have this conversation with Hugo. And especially not with Atlas.

Not him. Not now.

If she could stop this moment from happening, if she could turn back time, she would’ve kicked Atlas and Hugo back to where they came from the second she saw them approaching. Had she known this was what her brothers came for, she would’ve done so—passionately.

"It all started just as you all remember," she continued, steeling herself to what was unraveling between them. "You want to know the truth? Then I’ll give it to you, First Brother."

She paused, steadying her breathing.

Perhaps it was because her confrontation with Slater was still fresh that she felt more courageous. Or maybe it was because she was speaking to Atlas that her voice came out firm and unyielding. Not that she expected him to feel anything, but she knew if there was anyone who needed to hear this, it was him.

"Nina got sick, and because of her rare blood type, the truth eventually came out," Penny continued, her eyes never leaving Atlas. "But the Penny in my first life was different. She was eager, excited—relieved—to hear she had a real family. Her eyes glowed with hope, thinking she was finally safe. So when Uncle Haines made his offer to Aunt Jessa, she didn’t even hesitate. She didn’t negotiate — she didn’t care."

"She just wanted to get out of that house and be with people who would love her unconditionally. Because she was their flesh and blood."

Hearing this, Slater pressed his lips into a thin line and lowered his head. Zoren, on the other hand, kept his sharp, watchful eyes on Penny, ready to intervene if necessary. But Penny remained strong. Even though recounting her story was painful, she spoke with grace, fierceness, and honesty.

"And if you remember how you treated me when I first arrived at the mansion, it was the same in my first life," she went on. "It’s just... that back then, I cared."

"Your indifference. Second Brother’s neutrality. Third Brother’s clear displeasure. They were all the same. It doesn’t hurt me now, but it did in my previous life."