Chapter 245: Since when did I get married?

"Penny!"

Penny jolted in surprise as she sat in front of the vanity, turning her head toward the door. Her face twisted when her eyes landed on Slater, fuming in the doorway.

"Wha—what?!" she raised her voice defensively. "I didn’t eat the chocolates in the fridge! Just—just one!"

Slater’s face turned even redder. "You didn’t just take my car; you also ate my chocolates?!"

"What?! I didn’t eat the chocolates! I borrowed them, just like your car!"

"Can you give my chocolates back?!"

"Why are you so mean to me again?!" Penny dramatically exclaimed, her voice echoing through the mansion. "You told me before I don’t need to ask for permission anymore!"

"That’s it! You’re dead today!"

*

*

Meanwhile, everyone else was already in the dining room for breakfast. Atlas ate peacefully as if he couldn’t hear the escalating chaos from upstairs. Hugo, on the other hand, glanced worriedly at the entrance.

As for Allison and Charles, they tried to ignore it. Allison couldn’t help but smile, but the more Charles heard his children’s banter, the more the veins in his forehead protruded.

"Third—Slater! Now you’ve done it!" Penny’s voice echoed.

Haines chuckled while enjoying his coffee, shaking his head. "What a nice morning."

"It’s been a while since our house was this lively," Allison chuckled. "Charles, it’s alright. Don’t worry about Penny."

"That brat... how dare he raise his voice at my princess?" Charles ground his teeth and glared at the entrance. "Slater Bennet! Leave your sister alone!"

"Charles, let them be. They’re adults. I’m sure they’ll eventually talk it out peacefully..." Allison trailed off when she heard Slater squealing like a pig being slaughtered.

"I’m worried," Hugo said, gazing at the entrance. "Slater might die. I’m going to check on them."

With that, Hugo pushed himself up and sauntered out of the dining room. Everyone except Atlas followed Hugo’s figure with their gaze.

"That’s it!" Charles tossed his napkin on the table. "Penny just arrived, and he’s already making her want to leave."

After saying that, Charles also rose from his seat to give Slater a piece of his mind. Allison automatically followed her husband out of concern.

The only ones left behind were Atlas and Haines.

"Uncle, aren’t you going to check?" Atlas asked out of pure curiosity.

Haines laughed. "I’ve got a bad knee, and I don’t want to go up and down the stairs. But I know Slater will live if he’s still screaming like that."

"I see. Anyway, has Penny told you about her plan?"

"It’s not a bad idea." Haines shrugged. "If you approved it, then I see no problem with it. Did you tell your father?"

"Yes." Atlas nodded before glancing under the table. "Your leg—what happened to it?"

"I told you," Haines smiled. "It’s a bad bone."

"I see." Atlas nodded again and didn’t press further.

Haines maintained a smile at Charles’s eldest, knowing that Atlas never truly bought that excuse. However, Haines found it unnecessary to disclose more to Atlas for now, considering Atlas was still under pressure from the elders.

"Atlas," Haines called, waiting for his nephew to look at him. "Your father might’ve said it many times, but don’t bend to the elders. Just treat it as their way of showing affection."

"Is this the same pressure you and Dad went through?"

"Worse." Haines chuckled. "Your father probably had it worse. If not for Charles, I could imagine us not being on good terms. The elders think having a rival makes the head stronger."

Atlas nodded in understanding. "I understand, Uncle. Thank you."

*

*

Meanwhile, when Hugo arrived at Penny’s room, Butler Jen was already standing outside. Seeing the nervous look on Butler Jen’s face, Hugo hastened his steps. Following behind him were Charles and Allison. Upon seeing Hugo stop by the door, they quickly reached Penny’s room.

The couple halted at the sight before them.

Inside Penny’s room, feathers were flying and floating in the air. Penny and Slater were holding each other by the collar, with Slater clutching a pillow in his other hand. Both were panting, looking at the door.

"Dad!!" Penny shouted while a little blood dripped from Slater’s nose. "Look what he did to my room!"

Slater clenched his teeth and swung the pillow at her face. "You don’t even want to apologize! Still lying about the chocolates!"

Penny glared at him as the pillow dropped to her feet. "You—"

"Enough!" Hugo shouted, knowing his father was too old for this. His shout made the two freeze, only for them to start complaining about each other again.

"Damn it." Hugo pinched the bridge of his nose and breathed out. "You two. Meet me in the driveway."

"Second Brother! It’s her fault!" Slater harrumphed. "She not only used my car but also left a dent in it!"

"I filled the tank!"

"I said, go!" This time, Hugo’s eyes blazed as he glared at them. "Meet me in the driveway and wear your shoes."

Penny and Slater glared at each other spitefully before releasing each other.

Charles, on the other hand, just tapped his second son’s back. "You got this, son."

Allison was a little worried about her daughter and third son. As for Butler Jen, he could only shake his head. It had only been one day since they were living under the same roof again, and this had already happened.

Surely, Penny and Slater’s relationship hadn’t changed.

One second, they loved each other to death. The next, they were trying to kill each other.

Good thing they had big brothers to discipline them because their parents weren’t getting any younger.

’It’s a good thing Sir Charles took his maintenance early today.’

To sort out Penny and Slater’s grievances, Hugo made them run around the mansion twenty times. Penny and Slater were both fit, and asking them to run a lap or two wouldn’t cool their heads. When both of them calmed down, Slater took Penny to the garage and cried about the tiny scratch on the car.

Penny apologized and cajoled Slater. Slater also apologized for barging into her room.

And like magic, the two of them were best friends again.

Everyone in the family could only shake their heads as the two happily ate breakfast as if they hadn’t been trying to kill each other moments ago.

*********

Penny’s day started off... mundane.

Fighting with Slater was a common occurrence, so much so that she didn’t even need to look back at how many times they had fought and made up over the years. He was the only brother, perhaps the only person in the world, who could rile her up like that.

Even so, her plans for the day didn’t change... until the last minute.

Seated in her car, Penny stared at the marriage printouts in her hand. "This is impossible," she breathed out. "Since when did I get married?"