Pampered by my three brothers: the return of the neglected heiress

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In the eyes of a child, you will see the world as it should be... except this child.

Right this very moment, Penny was sure all her eyes were screaming was horror. Babies were meant to be innocent, free from worries and wonders of the world. They should be sleeping soundlessly, smiling innocently, and simply a delightful existence. Not a baby with the memory of her criminal record!

Was she reborn? Did she reincarnate so soon?

Myriads of questions crossed her newborn brain, but none of them were answered. Thinking back to the time before she woke up in this small body, Penny could vividly remember her time in prison and all the years she spent trying to be a part of the family she was rightfully a member of, like it was yesterday.

Just like that time when her so-called family found her, Penny felt this same exact sense of hope for a new beginning.

It happened sometime around winter.

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Penny rubbed her little hands together and blew on them to give herself some warmth. The tip of her nose was red, and some snowflakes clung to her cheeks. Her body shivered within the worn-out and short jacket she had since she was six years old.

"Auntie!" she called from the outside, knocking on the small gates with her bare fingers. "Auntie, I learned my

lesson now. Please let me in?"

Penny stood on her toes, barely catching sight of the house's small front yard through the small gate.

"Auntie?" she called, her eyes welling up. Her gaze veered to the small window, where she could see her auntie preparing warm soup for her children.

"Auntie, it's cold here..." her voice lowered as it shook

along with the mild breeze that blew past her. "... please let me in? I'll be good!"

Penny clasped the cold metal gates as she sniffed, wiping her tears with her sleeve that only reached half

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of her arm. She turned around and hugged herself, rubbing her shoulders and then her hands together while blowing on them. Looking around, snow already blanketed almost everything.

The houses were all closed to protect themselves from the unbearably cold season. Penny was just thirteen, but she knew if she stayed out of there, she would freeze to death. Looking back at the gate one more time, she realized her auntie's anger wouldn't cease

anytime soon.

With that thought in mind, Penny dragged her feet

away.

'Aunt Baby went to her husband's place,' she thought, thinking of the only neighbor who showed concern for her. If this neighbor was only here, Penny would've been in her place the minute her real auntie chased her away after Penny accidentally spilled soup in her

hand.

for the time being,' was what she told herself, reminded

on the side of the

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already wearing this jacket while doing chores back home.

whatever she had on.

her way to her friend's house, Penny slowed down at the sight

street.

first thing that came into

SUV. Unknowingly, her steps. slowed down even more, following the cars with her gaze until

auntie found herself in trouble again due to her bad gambling habits and

to stop and postpone finding herself some warmth. However, since there were unknown people outside her auntie's house,

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was her

house.

soon as a middle-aged man in a lavish black coat stepped out of the vehicle. "Mister, do you

girl on his side, he gazed down at her. Penny

house." She pointed at the gates, eyes on him. "By

my auntie?"

the man, studying the young lady before him. The teen in front of him already had white residue clinging to her face, indicating she had been out in this cold for quite some time now. Yet, despite her shivering shoulders, she looked at him with genuine. curiosity, as if this weather was something she could fight for a

name Penelope?" he asked in

tone.

lines appeared on

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sorts of negative thoughts swirled in her mind. The curiosity in her eyes now had

restaurant owned by one of her auntie's mahjong buddies. If that person hadn't been arrested, Penny would still

man while keeping

Young Miss?

before she saw a subtle smile turned up on the middle-aged man's face. His smile might be short, but for some reason, it brought this warmth and

shoulders.

Miss, we're here to bring

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commanding tone of his voice

explain everything to you with

auntie."

her reassuringly. "You

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Penny actually believed the man was telling the truth. She was safe and no one would maltreat her ever again. When he revealed the situation to Penny and

she was wrong. The warmth she felt from that man was short-lived, like a futile flame in this

same.