Chapter 60: My money’s on you!

Being wrongfully accused was something Penny had gone through countless times in her life. Starting from the Cortez Household, the Bennet’s, and everywhere. Even how she ended up in prison, it was due to being wrongfully accused. It was all the same pattern. Hence, she could see through Patricia like an open book.

An arrogant young lady like her wouldn’t be so forthcoming unless she had an evil plan laid out. Penny might not know, nor did she care, about Patricia’s real motive, but she wouldn’t be the willing victim of some wicked plan.

A lesson learned she learned the hard way yet, a little too late.

*

*

Slater kept turning on the car seat as if his bottom was hurting. They’d been waiting for Penny, but until now, she hadn’t come out.

"Slater, will you stop moving around?" Annoyed, Atlas looked up at him. "If you’re worried about Penny, go get her."

"Who said I’m worried about her?!"

"Then, stop moving. You’re making me dizzy."

Slater frowned as he glanced at his big brother. As usual, Atlas was reading a book Slater would never understand. Thinking about the bet all day, he couldn’t even appreciate a day of not being bullied!

"Atlas..." he called worriedly. "Are you seriously going to do that bet?"

Atlas hummed a short tune.

"Really? Are you sure? I mean, I know you are great! But the star section..."

"Wouldn’t it be nice if your brother is part of the star section?"

"It is!"

"Then what seems to be the problem?"

Slater fiddled with his hands, hesitating to say his second worry. "But if you lose the bet... are you also going to drop out?"

"Do you think he’ll lose?"

Suddenly, Penny’s voice clapped at their ears like thunder. It wasn’t like she was yelling, but her abrupt entrance sounded a lot louder with the quietness.

"No, I mean... I don’t know?" Slater huffed before his look of worry turned to dismay. "Penny, what the hell are you thinking about roping us in this stupid bet?!"

Atlas averted his eyes to Penny, curious about her answer. He didn’t mind doing the bet, but Penny made some big declarations that would make anyone wonder where her confidence came from.

"Third brother, why are you so agitated? If you were scared, then you shouldn’t have agreed in the first place."

"Scared?" Slater almost spat out everything he ate for lunch. "Me? Scared? Why would I? It’s not like I declared to be in the star section! But the point here is, First Brother gave his word and if he loses the bet, then he’ll have to drop out!"

For a moment, Penny observed Slater. Seeing that he seemed to be back to his usual self, she was pleased.

’I guess he’s feeling much better now,’

’Is that the usual smile? Or the smile of death?!’

"Third brother, like I said, what made you think First Brother will lose?" She pouted and looked back at Atlas. "First Brother, my monthly allowance is on you! Fighting!"

Her money’s on me? He thought.

Seeing that full confidence in her eyes, as if she was certain he could do it, Atlas felt a little warm inside. Even though Atlas made it his life’s mission to excel in school, it didn’t matter to him if he was first or last.

In his perspective, as long as he did his best, then he could tell himself he did everything he could. Or perhaps try harder next time. After all, Atlas’s main reason for doing this was because he was training himself so his dad wouldn’t have worries about the company in the future. If doing simple work, such as studying and doing well in school, was something he couldn’t do, then how was he supposed to run the business when, clearly, his brothers weren’t interested?

"Penny," he called. "Answer my question."

"Huh?"

"Why did you agree on the bet despite hearing the unreasonable consequences?"

Because it wasn’t her future that was on the line!

"Hehe." Penny giggled as she secretly bit her tongue. It wasn’t like she was trying to curry favor with him, but it was still best not to make him a direct enemy. "Because I believe in you! Hundred — no, a thousand percent! No doubt!"

A shallow breath slipped past Atlas’s, while a very subtle smile turned up on his face.

’I thought as long as I believed in myself, I’d be fine regardless of other people’s doubts,’ he thought as he unknowingly reached out to ruffle her hair. ’But it feels comforting that someone has that much trust and confidence in me.’

Penny froze when Atlas’s soft hands touched the top of her head. It was unlike Hugo’s, whose palm was full of calluses, but still, his head pats felt caring and kind. Atlas’s touch was soft and gentle, it wasn’t as comforting as Hugo’s, but it felt very reassuring.

"I’ll do my best," said Atlas as he casually retrieved his hand despite his internal surprise when he realized his action. "Let’s double your allowance."

Hearing this, her lips stretched from ear to ear as her eyes formed a money sign. "Yes! Do that!"

Slater snapped back from his momentary trance at the warm moment between Atlas and Penny. He gazed at his palm and then clasped it. But when he noticed the money sign glittering in her eyes, his face contorted.

"Penny, did you really put on a bet on Atlas?"

"Oh, you didn’t know?" Penny looked back at Slater. "There’s a betting pool now going around the school."

"There’s what?!"

She nodded. "There are two separate bets, to be exact. The first one is about whether or not First Brother and Theo boy were getting in the star section."

"And the other one?"

"The other one is whether or not you stay a bottom feeder!"

Slater’s face stiffened as his complexion turned white as a sheet. "Oh, lawd. I feel like I’m going to faint."

"You can study with me," Atlas offered, but Penny crossed her arms to make an X sign. "Huh? No?"

"First brother, you should focus on your studies! Letting him study with you will only distract you!" She couldn’t afford to lose her allowance! "Don’t worry! I will study with him and monitor him 24/7!"

"You will what?!" Slater gasped, only to see Penny slowly turn to him with a smile.

Now Slater was so sure this was the smile of death!