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

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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.

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to move freely because

placed a hand on his leg, making him wince as she put her weight on it to reach for the rain frog. She grabbed it without fear,

scared of it? It's safe!"

was also a child once, and she

creatures like this back then. However,

realized there were more

little creatures. Even so, she

was valid, and she felt

now." She nodded at him encouragingly, smiling wide until her eyes were squinting. "This great aunt already

Great aunt?

relief, flinching wherever

shouldn't be in this place if you're scared

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checking you out," she said, almost scolding him. "But I know it's probably

the opposite. It was more like the

cleared her throat, trying to pull. herself out of the

she added, "I have

you take care of

and looked up

take it home," he said, a little

"But I think it won't survive

all alone."

home...?" Penny pouted as her eyes fell on the

looked frail and small, its hairs still thin and dirty. It reminded her of herself, abandoned

such a young age.

as she smiled. "You can't take it

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"Huh?"

for shared custody," she negotiated. "Giving her to me means you are not capable of raising it. Don't bother me in

were talking about child custody? Or rather,

in this?

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

pondered. "I'll come here every Thursday, same

the little guy