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

11 Child custody

Penny went under the shrub to rescue a kitten, but

this wasn't a kitten.

What welcomed her was a petite young boy. He looked a little gaunt and pale, but his eyes were brooding as if he were the grim reaper himself.

"What are you?"

"What are you?"

They asked in unison, but Penny was most taken aback because his low-pitched voice didn't match his sickly appearance. He frowned while her brows rose. Before she could say anything, she heard a soft 'meow' from somewhere. Averting her eyes, she caught a small and frail kitten coming from his other side. "Oh." Her lips formed an o-shape. "There's the kitten."

A big smile appeared on her face as she looked up at the boy. "I thought you were."

Did he look like a kitten to her?

The boy looked at the girl's round face and noticed

1/8

11 Child custody

that her nose looked pink. He bit his tongue, knowing whatever he was about to say was rude.

"It looks hungry and... oh, it has a company?" Curiosity was seen in her eyes as she stared at the cute rain frog.

Seeing this, the boy looked at the cat and froze.

"A rain frog?" she mumbled. "I didn't know there's some in here."

Penny glanced at the boy, only to furrow her brows upon seeing the horrified look on his face. Earlier, this guy had already looked sickly, but now it seemed he was about to go into the light!

"Kitty, are you okay?" she asked, watching him twist his neck like a rusting robot. The moment they were face to face, Penny panicked. "Are you dying?!"

"He help."

"Help?" Penny was about to summon her superhuman strength and carry him, but then, noticed the frog coming closer to him. His face stiffened even more, and he was holding his breath until his neck turned

taut.

12:46

11 CHAT tedy

closer but finding it hard to move freely because of the shrub she was

making him wince as she put her weight on it to reach for the rain frog. She grabbed it without fear, making the boy lean back as she

it? It's safe!" she reassured, a little sorry

was also a child once, and

this back

were more

innocent little creatures. Even so, she knew

and she felt sorry

now." She nodded at him encouragingly, smiling wide until her eyes were

Great aunt?

boy heaved a sigh of relief, flinching wherever she

be in this place if you're scared

38

said, almost scolding him. "But I know it's probably

boy didn't answer, but in truth, the situation was the opposite. It was more like the cat was

cleared her throat, trying to pull. herself out of the shrub. As she tried with

added, "I

you take care of

stopped and looked

home," he said, a little

this favor. "But I think it won't survive

all alone."

her eyes fell on the pitiful

still thin and dirty. It

such a young age.

as

48

"Huh?"

for shared custody," she negotiated. "Giving her to me means you are

it sound like they were talking about child custody? Or rather, why did she sound so

in this?

with it, but what she said was right. He wasn't capable of raising it. He didn't even know if he

here every Thursday, same time. You can play with

the little guy was