Chapter 180: But I’m a kid

Penny and Charles stayed in the hospital a little longer because somehow, Penny and Grace ended up crying together. Fortunately, with Charles’s connection, he was able to find a nearby hotel for Grace to stay in so she could watch over her mother.

Grace’s mother was taken to the intensive care unit for a thorough recovery. After all, she might’ve been out of death’s way, but no one could really tell. They could only hope she would continuously recover and fight to live.

Once everything was settled, Penny and Charles drove back home. Angelo offered to drive them, but Charles was more reassured that Grace was safe.

On their way home, Penny looked at her father from the front-row seat. Now that things had slightly settled down, she now has a lot of room in her mind to wonder about other things. Her curiosity tickled a part of her mind.

"Papa?" she called, watching some lights flash on her father’s face. "Were you really at the Marine before?"

Charles hummed. "That’s a long time ago, Penny."

"How come we didn’t know?" she asked, realizing she probably asked the wrong question. "Am I the only one who didn’t know?"

"Heh..." he let out a defeated chuckle. "I’m sorry for not telling you, princess. It’s just not important, so Papa never mentions it."

"It’s okay. I’m just... a bit surprised. That’s all."

Who wouldn’t be surprised when she spent two lifetimes — including this one — and she didn’t know her father was a former Marine?! But then again, Penny wasn’t really close to them in her first life. Moreover, she was too busy pleasing her brothers and trying to gain just a little bit of their affection.

Well, they never mentioned it and she wouldn’t even know about it if not for Angelo.

’That guy Angelo... he looks really familiar...’ Penny rubbed her chin and after racking her brain, she finally remembered where she saw him. ’Ah. I saw him in my previous lifetime! He was... he was also in my trial.’

Penny pursed her lips, reminded of how everything went down in her first life. Although she didn’t know much of it when she was arrested, there was still some gossip she would catch on her trial or on her way to trial. Sometimes, even her inmates would hear some nonsense and use it to provoke her.

’Angelo was also... arrested, wasn’t he? How?’

Penny turned to her father, brows furrowed.

Sensing her gaze, Charles glanced at her. "Penny, I’m sorry, alright? I just don’t talk about my time there because I didn’t like my experience. So, when I got an honorable discharge, I just chose to do the family business."

"Did Uncle Haines also serve the country?" she asked out of plain curiosity.

"Haines didn’t serve the country. He was the one helping the family to manage the business."

"Oh..." Her lips formed an o-shape.

Right now, Penny was still too young to uncover the truth and forces at play that would occur many years from now. However, she still made another mental note about it. Not like it wasn’t part of her plan once she was old enough to carry out how to avoid it.

For now, she was just glad that they were able to save Grace.

"Hopefully, everything will be okay for her," she blurted out.

Charles smiled, knowing the person she was referring to was Grace and her mother. "Don’t worry about it, Penny. Dad is here."

Penny slowly turned her attention back to her father.

"It might not be much, but I’ll see what I can do to help them start anew once they recover from this incident," he reassured her without looking. "I know some people and agencies who might help the two of them. This time, I’ll make sure they get help."

"Thank you, Papa," she expressed, realizing her father could be reliable at times. Hearing him say that made her feel a lot more reassured. "Papa, can I still visit Grace once everything is settled?"

"Sure."

"Thank you, Papa!" Her lips stretched from ear to ear.

Charles smiled and glanced at her when they reached the gates of their home. "You’re welcome, Penny. But next time, don’t try to sneak out, alright? Tell me or if I’m not around, tell Haines or your big brothers or Butler Jen."

"Okay!"

Having said that, the two of them reached home happily, as if they had just come from the amusement park.

Their happiness, however, was short-lived when they reached home. Allison, Haines, and even Butler Jen were waiting for them outside with grim expressions. Before Charles could even pull over, he slowed down and drove at the pace of a snail.

"Papa..." Penny let out a nervous laugh, seeing the deadly look those three were wearing. "Why does Butler Jen look scary?" — this was the first she had seen this.

Charles laughed nervously as well. "Because that means we’re in trouble."

"Papa, I’m just a kid," Penny shamelessly blurted out as her survival instinct kicked in. "I think you’re the only one who’s in trouble."

"Penny!" Charles lamented, shocked at how his daughter was so quick to throw him under the bus. "I’m your dad! Are you just going to throw me under the bus like that?"

"I’m sorry, Papa." Penny scooted away. "I’m really, really sorry, but I’m your daughter. As Charles Bennet’s daughter, I always think of my survival first. The first rule of the Bennet Family."

Charles gasped. Who taught his daughter about the Bennet Family rules again?!

In the end, Charles was in for a terrifying scolding as Allison, Haines, and even Butler Jen took turns to say their piece. Penny could only watch her father apologetically while shamelessly melting in her mother’s embrace.

Regardless of the scolding, Charles took all of them because he knew he shouldn’t have taken his daughter with him. At least he could’ve just taken Haines or someone else. He learned his lesson and admitted his wrongs, kneeling before them with his hands up in the air.

While reflecting on his wrongs, Charles pitifully glanced at Penny. Much to his dismay, Penny tried to cheer him with a thumbs up.

’Hehe. Looking at him now, this is the father I know,’ she thought, and then remembered how he was hours ago. ’And my father is also reliable and fearless when the situation calls it. Not to mention, he once served in the military — hang on. Is that the reason Second Brother wants to enlist and Dad is openly against it? Is that why he is strict with Second Brother and has given him high requirements if he really wants to change our dad’s mind?’

Penny was mind blown.

Tonight, she also learned another thing on top of the lessons she learned today. That was, she still missed a lot of details in the past that she was only learning now.