Chapter 1453: Parent in action

"Dad... I swear it’s not me." Penny frowned deeply, placing her hands together as if in prayer. "My brothers are just looking for a fall guy."

Penny might’ve dodged her brothers the entire day, but in the end, she still had to come home. And the moment she arrived, they were already there—with Charles and Allison. Haines was also present, and everyone knew why.

"Penny." Allison stepped forward, blocking Penny so her husband wouldn’t be swayed. "If not you, then who?"

Penny pursed her lips. "It was Renren who fed them the soup."

"That’s true." Zoren, who had somehow ended up siding with her brothers, nodded. He looked at his wife apologetically. "I didn’t know it was that soup. I’m sorry."

"We all know Zoren fed us the soup, but why was it even there in the first place?!" Slater yelled, while Atlas and Hugo nodded in agreement.

"You must’ve secretly told the chef to serve it to your husband," Atlas accused, and Hugo backed him up, adding, "Penny, if you’re not guilty, why did you avoid us all day?"

Penny sighed heavily and lowered her gaze. With their parents here to discipline her, she could only bite her tongue and puff her cheeks. Peeking up, she tried to get her father’s attention, but Allison tilted her head to block her view.

"Penny, don’t think your father is going to save you this time," Allison’s voice was soft, yet firm.

’I’m sorry, my princess!’ Charles mentally wept, feeling helpless. If it were up to him, he’d blame his sons for not knowing better. Penny was innocent! Without a doubt! But then again... his wife—his kryptonite—was here.

"It’s not like I was the one who wanted that soup here in the first place!" Penny yelled, glaring at her brothers.

"Then who else put it here, Penny?" Haines finally broke his silence.

"It’s... it’s..." Penny scanned the room before her eyes fell on Allison. "... Grandma Pierson."

The moment she mentioned Old Mrs. Pierson, everyone’s noses scrunched up. Zoren raised his brows, watching how their expressions shifted.

’I knew it!’ Penny mentally cried. ’I need a better reputation!’

Her eyes watered slightly as she tried to squeeze out a tear, hoping to gain Allison’s sympathy. But Allison wasn’t buying it. No one was—except Charles, who was also tearing up on the side.

"Fine," Penny sighed. "I’m sorry, okay? Even though it’s not really my fault."

"Penny, if you’re going to apologize, at least make it sound sincere!" Slater barked. "Can’t you see?! I feel like I’m going to catch a fever at this rate!"

As bold as ever, Slater suddenly lifted his shirt to reveal what he had been hiding underneath his loose clothing. The bulge was obvious beneath his pants.

"Slater, get that thing out of my face!" Charles, who was standing near his youngest son, gasped in horror. "You might be my son, but I never want to see even the shadow of it!"

Slater frowned and lowered his shirt, glancing at his brothers. All of them—even Zoren—were holding pillows in front of them. Haines was the only one who didn’t, since, unlike them, he had spent the night in the hospital.

"Slater, shut up." Much to everyone’s surprise, Allison raised her voice slightly while maintaining her firm tone. She huffed sharply, looking at her three sons. "I’m not siding with Penny, but you seem to be forgetting that you have faults of your own."

"What did I do?" Hugo blinked.

"Mom, how is it our fault when we didn’t even know we were being poisoned?" Atlas asked flatly.

"Your fault is that you don’t give your sister a break," Allison stressed. "If you weren’t always bothering her, this wouldn’t have happened. Atlas, when office hours are over, that means no more work. You don’t go to your sister to discuss business!"

Atlas frowned but didn’t argue.

Allison then shifted her gaze to her second-born. "Hugo, if you’re hungry, go home. If you refuse to accept money from your parents, then at least eat what’s in our home." She crossed her arms. "If this cake is really that tempting, then start saving up. You’re no longer a child—you should learn to manage your money."

Hugo opened his mouth, then shut it. His gaze shifted to the corner, unwilling to admit that his mother had a point.

"And you, Slater."

The moment Allison’s eyes landed on her youngest, Slater flinched—but a second later, he raised his chin defiantly.

Slater wasn’t like Atlas, who would talk business with Penny after hours, nor was he like Hugo, who came to Penny for free food. What could his mother possibly scold him for?

"I know you adore your sister, but that doesn’t give you the right to bully your manager!" Allison scolded, making Slater gasp. "And don’t you dare give him a hard time for coming to me for help. If I hear that you’ve been making his life difficult, you’re going to regret it. I swear to God, Slater Bennet, I’m not playing with you."

"..." Everything Slater wanted to say rolled back into his throat. ’But I’m not bullying him! I just don’t follow his orders!’

Penny pursed her lips, watching her brothers get scolded. But before she could smirk, Allison turned to her.

"Don’t smile, Penny," Allison warned. "I’m scolding your brothers because they deserve it. That doesn’t mean I’m siding with you."

"But Mom, it’s not me—"

"I know it’s not you," Allison interrupted, looking at Penny firmly. "However, you still need to be scolded because you avoided your brothers all day just to dodge responsibility. Even if their complaints were nonsense, you could have called your father or me instead of running away."

Penny frowned as her shoulders slumped. Charles and Zoren mentally wept in sympathy, but there was nothing they could do.

"All of you." Allison raised a finger, pointing at them one by one. "Do you understand what I just said?"

"Yes, Ma’am..." they mumbled.

"I can’t hear you."

"Yes, Ma’am!"

"Good." Allison nodded, huffing. "Now, apologize to each other. Atlas, you first."

"Why should I—"

"Just do it!" Charles hissed. "You’re the eldest. Set an example for your siblings."

Atlas grimaced. If he was supposed to set an example and his siblings still turned out like this, was he to blame for their... quirks?

Even so, Atlas had no choice.

"I’m sorry," he grumbled, followed by Hugo, then Slater.

When it was Penny’s turn, Allison watched her like a hawk.

"I’m sorry," Penny muttered.

Allison nodded in satisfaction, but she wasn’t done. As punishment, all of them had to go home, eat dinner together, spend a few hours watching movie together, and stay overnight.