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

Chapter 1552: This handwriting?

The day went by as usual, and like the past few days, Penny was already leaving hours before her usual time to go home.

As soon as she walked out of her office, Patricia jumped from her seat.

"Penny, are you leaving again?" Patricia asked, stepping in front of her.

Penny arched a brow, studying her. "What if I am?"

"Where are you even going?" Patricia demanded. "You've been leaving early these days. And you're even leaving me!"

Penny blinked, tilting her head slightly. "Patricia, even if I'm not here, the company isn't going to fall apart. So whatever it is that's worrying you, stop worrying."

She then planned to walk past her, but Patricia stepped in front of her again. "I'm not worried about the company. That's not going to happen."

"Oh?"

"You're Penny!" Patricia declared, clearly not in her right mind. "What I'm worried about is you."

She pointed at her dramatically. "Penny, I've known you long enough to know when you're being suspicious. Especially when you won't take me or Teddy with you."

"Mark's with me."

"But he doesn't care about you."

Mark, standing behind Penny, frowned.

"As long as you're alive, he's fine," Patricia added in a knowing tone.

Penny and Mark both opened their mouths, but no words came out. Patricia had a point, and Mark couldn't really deny it. He'd been Penny's bodyguard since his last real mission under Zoren, and had gotten used to this arrangement with her.

"And when you won't let anyone else in on your little secret, it's definitely suspicious." She crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes. "Now, where are you going?"

Mark: I thought she hired an assistant, not a mother?

Penny: This feels like Aunt Jessa all over again.

"Uh." Penny blinked, catching something out of the corner of her eye. "Oh?"

She slowly turned her head toward a small designer bag placed on the desk beside the computer. "That's a nice bag."

"Huh?" Patricia turned to where Penny was looking. The moment her eyes landed on it, her face brightened. "My dad just bought me hey!"

But by the time she turned around, Penny and Mark had already slipped past her and were halfway down the hallway.

be careful!" Patricia

them. She could-if she ran, she might catch up. But she didn't. She sighed and turned back,

doing?" she grumbled. "A part of me is genuinely worried

to her

will give him a good massage," she giggled, letting

as Mark was with Penny, the chances of her dying because of her own doing

Meanwhile...

the backseat. "For a second there,

driver's seat and buckled his seatbelt.

"A bit?"

seat. Patricia had been spoiling her with food lately, but her energy was a bit much. "Never mind her," she waved dismissively, taking off her blazer. "Let's just go." Mark didn't respond, but he quietly raised

---

Penny arrived at

it was as empty as it had

Professor Singh's a

But with the professor focused on another project, most of the team had moved

her beard in the mirror

briefly, letting her mind settle. She'd been coming here for

hands and spinning toward the stack of books

the books sat her notebook. She reached for it to check the formulas she'd already tested. But the moment she opened

muttered, flipping to

from her past life. There were formulas marked with big Xs indicating failed attempts. That wasn't

were already marked with Xs. On the

in. These weren't random scribbles. They made

were marked as failed, as

she flipped through more

along. They bickered constantly—not in a cute, teasing way, but in a soul-draining, blood-pressure-raising

spent most of their teen

This handwriting?

even need to

"As much as I hate it, that jerk is really good at this. He better not rub it on my face or I'll

His notes were

night of research, trial and

****

to the

usually

hours in her

—

- as if everyone just

time she checks

vete