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

Chapter 1567: Her second prison

[SHORT FLASHBACK]

The bags under Penny's eyes were dark, and exhaustion was written all over her face.

She opened the lab door and lingered at the entrance, looking around the empty laboratory. A deep sigh escaped her as she dragged her feet inside and dropped her duffel bag to the floor. She stopped at the first row of counters, her gaze landing on the stack of documents in front of her.

Penny casually picked up the first one. The bandage wrapped around her hand looked worn, like it needed changing - but she clearly hadn't had the time.

"I..." she mumbled, her body suddenly tipping forward as dizziness washed over her.

Clutching the edge of the counter, she closed her eyes. She wasn't sure if she'd just fallen asleep standing up for a few seconds, but when she opened her eyes again, she snapped back to full consciousness.

"Goodness," she whispered. "When was the last time I slept?"

To be honest, she was not that sure. And what she meant was proper sleep, not just short naps like what she had been having.

Her body screamed for rest.

Penny had just spent two full days and nights working on a project for Global Prime Logistics, which, ironically, got her scolded. She couldn't survive another sleepless day.

But then, her eyes fell on the stack of documents.

"I can't sleep," she told herself, dragging herself onto a stool. "I need to finish this."

She shook her head, hoping it would jolt her awake. She could've been sleeping right now, if not for the fact that she kept putting other things first-like helping out at Global Prime. But Penny's life choices weren't always the best, and now, after wasting all her energy on something that had nothing to do with her, she had to catch up on the research papers that were her responsibility.

The lab was quiet eerily so. On days like this, Penny welcomed the silence. Silence meant fewer distractions.

tube, a sudden buzzing sound startled her. Distracted, she accidentally swirled too hard, and hot liquid splashed onto her

the test

two days without sleep made her react without thinking. The contents spilled onto her hand

large cut across her palm was already red and swollen. She winced as the dried blood clung to the fabric, peeling off painfully. The back of her hand was now burned where

aside and stared at

again the back of her hand was blistering.

it under cold water. The brief relief was welcome, but the

the burn under the stream. "This

It was horrible.

point, she might as well just chop

slept," she muttered, snapping her eyes to

reflection nearly startled her. She

stayed up two days," she whispered,

month or two since the last time she looked in the mirror. No wonder Atlas stared at her with

like the physical embodiment of

bitter smile touched her lips as she turned away from her reflection. She grabbed a towel she had left nearby, soaked it in

followed the buzzing sound-it led her to the duffel bag she'd dropped earlier. She fished out

Nina.

to see the name,

"Hello?"

over today to help me?" Nina began, skipping any greeting. "I canceled all my appointments tonight-even my date-because you

head. "Right.

you really hate me

I burned

voice suddenly cut in from the background. "Why would you even believe her? She's just

not—" Penny tried to defend herself, but Nina spoke