Chapter 70: This is who you really are?

"Pe — Penny?" Nina meticulously wiped the remaining tears from the corner of her eyes and timely hiccuped. "Penny, what are you doing here?"

Penny’s expression was blank while carrying the tray. Nina’s eyes fell on the tray and mentally smirked.

’Did she bring me snacks to appease me?’

"Nina." Penny’s voice was low and for some reason, her tone alone caused the temperature to drop. When Nina lifted her eyes to her, her body intuitively stiffened as if it sensed immediate danger.

"This game you’re playing..." said Penny as she took a step forward.

Nina intuitively took a step back but then stopped. She held her feet still and sported a brave look. Hence, Penny eventually got closed until the tray between them was touching their stomach.

When Penny leaned forward and whispered in her ear, a sense of dread crept up her spine. Penny’s voice was even more quiet, but she felt the bloodlust laced in it.

"... is not a game you’d like to play. You have a lot of things to lose. I have none. Do this again and don’t blame me for being ruthless."

Penny slowly drew her head back. Her naturally adorable face paled in comparison to the coldness and ruthlessness in her eyes.

"Consider yourself warned, Nina Reed. This is the first and last you’re going to touch this family."

After saying her piece, Penny turned around and strode off.

Nina, who was left frozen, held her breath until her neck turned taut. She slowly balled her hands into a tight fist until her knuckles turned white. Glaring at the door, she clenched her teeth and slammed it closed.

"Reed?" Nina scoffed, her face turning red in indignation. "How dare she...!"

Nina ran to her bed and buried her face on the pillow to muffle her scream. When that wasn’t enough, she angrily beat the pillow while imagining it as Penny.

"I knew it! How dare you call me a Reed?! I’m a Bennet! The only daughter of Allison and Charles Bennet!" she punched the pillow until she was panting and exhausted. "It’s your fault! You should’ve died with your mother!"

Nina clasped the pillow and ground her teeth. What Penny said didn’t scare her, but rather, it only made her even more angry. That attitude Penny showed her was something she had never shown since stepping into Nina’s territory.

"Haha." A wicked laugh escaped Nina as a malevolent glint flickered across her eyes. "Does she think just because I’m being sent away, I can’t do anything? Penny Reed, you are the one who shouldn’t be in this place in the first place. If not for you, this wouldn’t have happened."

The roots of the seed of hatred in her heart slowly wrapped around her heart. "Soon, I’ll be back here once I uncover your real colors."

*

*

*

When Penny arrived in her room, she no longer had the appetite to enjoy the snacks. Instead, she sat by her pets with a somber expression. Sensing her mood, Tiana leaped and landed on her cheek before she leaped on top of her head.

"Hmm?" Penny glanced up, but her attention was stolen when Chunchun nuzzled her fingers before lying on her lap.

Her eyes softened at the warmth Chunchun and Tiana were giving her. Shifting her eyes to the unknown rodent in the cage, it stopped eating and just looked at her. That pet Charles gave her never stopped eating all day long. It was always munching something and it sort of explained its size. But now, it stopped.

"I’m fine," Penny smiled subtly while casually rubbing Chunchun’s fur. "I’m just upset. That kid is something and the worst of all is that I know she’ll just get worse."

Whether the Bennets loved her or hated her, Nina will never be appeased until Penny is miserable. Penny thought if she didn’t show interest in the family, Nina would calm down a little. But that wasn’t the case. Now Penny was certain what Nina said in their first life was nothing but the truth.

Nina would only find peace if Penny was dead.

"I hate her," she whispered. "In my previous life and even now."

Hate was something Penny didn’t want to nurture in this life. She had seen how revenge, hatred, and anger ruined people, especially after being in prison for the last months of her life. Therefore, she didn’t want those things to take root in her heart, regardless of the things that happened to her.

But Nina... was making that hard to do.

Penny sighed and shook her head, letting her pets heal the fury in her heart.

"Times like this make me wonder if my brothers even found out her true colors."

*****

[A glimpse of the past.]

"Nina, Nina!"

Nina turned her head to the hurried voice, but before she could see who it was, a hand already held her. She flinched at the man’s touch, looking up, only to furrow her brows.

"First Brother?" Nina’s shoulder relaxed a little, but then she panicked.

She was currently outside the gates of her private villa. Hence, she quickly pulled her arm from his grip and frowned. Gazing at her first brother, the once handsome and capable CEO was gone as he looked dirty and ungroomed. Atlas even looked older because of his long beard.

"First Brother, what are you doing here?" Nina hissed in irritation as she glanced back at the gates. "My husband is already inside and some of his friends. You can’t be seen here."

"Nina." Atlas reached out, but Nina intuitively slapped his hand away. "Nina..."

"First Brother, what do you want?" she asked quietly even though no one was around. When she realized what he needed, she quickly took out her wallet and took out a few bills, folding them, and then handing it to him. "Here, First Brother. I know times are tough now for you, but I can’t be seen with you."

Atlas gazed down at the few bills in her hand and slowly lifted his eyes to her. His heart felt bitter at the look in her eyes, as if all she wanted was to send him away. Was this the sister he knew?

"Nina, I didn’t come here to ask for money," he explained. "I came here because I need your help. Slater and I found some evidence that might reopen Penny’s case. We think she’s innocent and... we really can’t give up on her."

Hearing this, a layer of frost coated Nina’s eyes. "What did you say?"

"Nina, please. You know Penny —"

"First Brother, are you out of your mind?!" Nina roared as she crumpled the bills in her hand. "Do you have any idea of what sort of position I am in right now in the Pierson Family because of her?"

"Nina, I know. But if we can prove our sister is innocent —"

"You’re pathetic!" Nina hissed, catching Atlas off guard. "Brother, I’m already lucky despite what happened to the Bennet Family, the Pierson Family hadn’t kicked me out. Moreover, I know she’s innocent, but I don’t care. I’m not helping her — over my dead body."

Nina tossed the bills at him and added, "Get lost and don’t ever bother me again. The next time, I’ll call security and drag you out. Tch!" she turned around and sprayed alcohol on her arm as if being touched by him was akin to touching a dung.

Watching this, Atlas’s heart sank. He couldn’t believe what he was seeing and how Nina was now acting just because she was able to marry a richer family and wasn’t affected by the disaster that struck the Bennet Family.

"Nina..." Tears pooled in his eyes as remorse swelled in Atlas’s heart.

They’ve always felt sorry for Nina because Penny often steals her things or takes her anger on her. It was why giving her more attention and being overly kind to her was their way of expressing their apology for Penny’s actions. As a result, Penny thought they dotted Nina more than her. However, Penny wasn’t completely wrong because somehow, they eventually neglected her.

Now, after seeing this, Atlas couldn’t help but wonder about all the things Nina accused Penny of. Which one of them was the truth?

"This is who you really are?"