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

Chapter 1206: You can call her my demon.

"Will you tell me, Penny? What happened? To you, to us... to everyone?"

"I can't," Penny answered quietly. "I know what happened to me, but to everyone? How am I supposed to know what happened to everyone else aside from myself?"

Atlas narrowed his eyes, his brows knitting slightly. Even Hugo tilted his head, still doubtful about all of this. He had no idea where this conversation was going.

"I see." Atlas nodded. "You're right. How could you know about other people's lives when you had your own to deal with?"

"That's not... what she meant," Slater interjected quietly, drawing Atlas's attention to him. "Penny was incarcerated."

Atlas didn't respond. He didn't even react-mainly because he didn't know how to. A flood of questions immediately filled his mind.

"Penny was what?" Hugo blurted out, still searching for clarity as this was all very confusing for him. "That's impossible. Why would she-"

"Because the Penny I was and the Penny I am-the Penny you know now-are different," Penny cut him off with a deep breath, her hands unknowingly clasping in her lap. Her eyes locked onto Atlas. She had been prepared to talk to Slater, to take in whatever information he had that could help them resolve their current problems.

But this... this wasn't in the plan.

She hadn't prepared herself to have this conversation with Hugo. And especially not with Atlas.

Not him. Not now.

Hugo back to where they came from the second she saw

she continued, steeling herself to what was unraveling between them. "You want to know the truth? Then I'll give it to you,

steadying her

it was because she was speaking to Atlas that her voice came out firm and unyielding. Not that she expected him to feel anything, but she knew if there

and because of her rare blood type, the truth eventually came out," Penny continued, her eyes never leaving Atlas. "But the Penny in my first life was different. She was eager, excited-relieved to hear she had a real family. Her eyes glowed with hope, thinking she was finally safe. So when Uncle Haines made his offer to Aunt

get out of that house and be with people who would love her unconditionally. Because she was their

and lowered his head. Zoren, on the other hand, kept his sharp, watchful eyes on Penny, ready

was the same in my first life," she went on. "It's just... that back then,

were all the same. It doesn't hurt me now, but it

thinking, 'If I try hard enough, if I just keep pushing, if

the button to call for a

lifetime of trying to please everyone just so they would acknowledge me. Just

her. "Why did

before turning to the approaching crew member. When the

then turned to the others with a smile. "Would anyone else

Penny?" Hugo asked, raising a hand. "I'll take a beer. A very cold one-cold

no one else requested anything, she excused herself. Once she walked away, all eyes returned to

drinking because...?"

a smile. "If I'm going to tell you everything, you might as well meet her—the person who actually lived that lifetime

She leaned back.

the