Chapter 978: Better deal

[Skyline Plaza]

The next day...

Despite Penny’s high fever the previous night, she woke up with a smile on her face. Stretching her arms and legs, she opened her eyes, expecting to be surrounded by her family.

But alas...

"Huh?" Penny blinked, sitting up in bed. She looked around, her brows furrowing. "Was last night a dream...?"

She remembered waking up briefly the night before, only to see her family, including her husband, sleeping in the same room. However, the room was empty and clean, with no sign of her mother, father, uncle, or brothers. Even her husband wasn’t around.

"What time is it?" she wondered to herself, turning to the digital clock on the bedside table. "It’s... almost noon—shit!"

She had an important meeting in an hour. Without thinking twice, Penny threw the blanket off her legs and flung her feet out of the bed. But just as she clumsily tried to put on her indoor slippers, Butler Jen’s voice was heard.

"Miss Penny?"

Penny stopped and gazed toward the source of the voice. "Good morning, Butler Jen!" She flashed him a smile and resumed slipping her feet into the slippers.

"I have an important meeting in an hour. Can you please call Yugi for me? Just in case. Thanks!" she said hurriedly, rushing toward the bathroom for a quick shower. However, after taking the fifth step, she slowed down and stopped.

Deep lines appeared between her brows as her eyes landed on the familiar door to the master bedroom. Penny studied the bathroom door for a moment before slowly turning around and scanning her surroundings once again.

When her eyes fell on Butler Jen, Penny cocked her head to the side. "Butler Jen, what are you doing here?"

"Sir Charles called for me early this morning to look after you, Miss Penny." Butler Jen flashed her his usual gentle smile. "He’s worried, so he asked me to help, even though Madam Allison and Sir Zoren stayed in to look after you."

"Huh?" Penny blinked, confused. "Mom and Renren stayed?"

"Yes. They’re in the kitchen, Miss Penny."

"Oh..." Her mouth formed a round shape. "So last night wasn’t a dream, huh?"

"Everyone was here last night, including Mrs. Cortez and Sir Wild."

"Why are they...? Did I look like I was dying last night?" Her face crumpled in dismay, thinking that Wild and Jessa would only show up if her condition were critical.

Penny only had a fever! Why would those two visit her? Did they get the wrong news and think she was dying?

Butler Jen smiled as he observed Penny’s expression. "I brought you some soup, Miss Penny. But it seems you’re better than we all expected. How about I set it up in the dining room?"

"Uh..."

"I’m sure your husband and mother can answer the questions in your mind."

"Butler Jen..." Penny laughed lightly, noticing the meaningful smile on his face. "Did I do something... err... strange last night?"

"I don’t think so, Miss Penny. However, I assumed you did something to make everyone gather at Skyline Plaza yesterday."

"Something I did...?" Penny trailed off, her face contorting as she remembered something that might have made even Wild and Jessa come to her.

As soon as realization struck her, Penny forced a smile. "Butler Jen, everyone left except Mom and Renren, right?"

"Yes, Miss Penny. You’re safe... for now."

"..."

*****

Meanwhile, in the kitchen...

Allison and Zoren worked quietly, preparing lunch for everyone. She glanced at him, smiling subtly as he meticulously shaped a piece of dough into a perfect small ball.

"You don’t have to make it look so perfect," she said, breaking the peaceful atmosphere between them. "Penny’s going to eat them either way."

"Am I taking quite a bit of time?" he asked, purely out of curiosity.

"A little, but it’s fine."

"Then I’ll make them perfect since your daughter only deserves perfection."

"Oh, dear!" Allison chuckled, amused by Zoren’s perfectionism. But the most amusing thing of all was that Zoren was doing all this so skillfully for her daughter.

"Penny mentioned that you make her breakfast every day," she remarked. "I can see now that it’s not a lie."

"Your daughter tends to skip breakfast, even if the table is already set for her." He smiled politely, his eyes softening as he refocused on the dough. "However, for some reason, she eats it when I prepare it for her."

"I should scold her for giving her husband extra work."

"Please don’t." Zoren cast her a quick smile. "I love serving her, and I’m flattered when she ignores everyone else except me."

Allison’s brows rose in surprise, a little torn between squealing or laughing. Either way, just seeing that genuine look in his eyes put her heart at ease.

"My daughter did find a good man," she said as she helped him speed up the process. "No wonder our Penny doesn’t want to come home. Her husband treats her well."

Zoren didn’t answer; he simply smiled meekly. Silence fell in the kitchen again as the two of them continued working. After a minute, Allison was reminded of the dish that was already cooking.

Without a word, she hurriedly placed the dough down and turned to check the pot. Zoren, on the other hand, quietly glanced at his mother-in-law and smiled.

From what he had heard, Allison rarely took a day off because the restaurant often needed extra attention. Moreover, they often needed extra manpower, and Allison didn’t want to push all the work onto Jessa. But after learning that her daughter had a fever, she didn’t hesitate to take a day off and watch over Penny, essentially caring for everyone in the residence.

’If only all mothers were like her...’ his thoughts trailed off as he quickly caught sight of a figure from the corner of his eye.

At the same time, Allison turned to assist Zoren again. But as she did, she saw her daughter coming into the kitchen.

"Oh, Pen...ny...?" Allison trailed off as Zoren quickly appeared in front of Penny.

Standing in front of his wife, Zoren studied her from head to toe. "Why are you here? You should be resting a little more. Your fever went down this morning."

Allison’s eyes softened as she watched her son-in-law panic while Penny grinned at him. ’He keeps saying he’s the one who got the better deal, but it’s actually the two of them.’’