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

Chapter 1651: I had to do it... to protect my child.

"You better have answers. I'm not in the mood to play nice either."

The woman trembled under their gaze. She could hear her own gulp echoing in her ears, and her throat drying up quickly. The tension in the room was so thick it felt like it had grown limbs, reaching out to choke her.

"Priscilla Reed," Mint called to get her attention, stressing each syllable. "Let's have a nice chat, shall we?"

The woman, Priscilla, Nina's biological mother, turned to Mint. She drew a deep, jagged breath as she clasped her hand on her lap. But before she could say anything, a painful throb struck her head.

"Aw-" Priscilla winced as she touched the side of her head where it throbbed painfully.

"Don't be dramatic," Slater clicked his tongue in irritation. "You were hit in the head, but it's nothing serious. Sleep it off and you'll be fine."

Priscilla clenched her teeth and glared at him.

"What?" he asked dryly. "Why are you glaring at me? If anyone should be glaring here, it's us at you."

"Third Brother." Penny gently raised a hand and rested it on his chest. "It's alright.'

Slater gritted his teeth silently but held back the storm of words brewing inside him. Priscilla might have been around their parents' age, but that didn't stop him from wanting to unload every harsh word in his vocabulary-words he'd practically rehearsed for a moment like this.

Penny, by contrast, maintained her composure. Her gaze locked with Priscilla's— cold, distant, unyielding.

"Priscilla Reed," she began, her voice low and tightly controlled. "You owe us an explanation. It's time to repay that debt."

"You better start talking," Mint added, giving a casual nod. "Or would you prefer we spell out all the questions we already know the answers to?"

Mint, but her eyes remained on Penny. She bit her inner lip, her head pounding, but she forced herself to ignore the

daughter?" she asked at last, her

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room responded

"Please... just this once-"

have the right to make a request like that?" Penny

Priscilla said nothing.

She knew she had no right. Not even to look at Nina from afar. The moment she did

silence again. Her voice cracked slightly at the

force a smile—but failing. Her eyes flicked to Slater's grim

whispered. "I had to do

child?" Slater, barely holding himself back, scoffed.

"Third Brother "

else's niece. Your daughter grew up believing she belonged to a family that never saw her as their own."His voice trembled with fury. "You

chest heaved with every breath. "How the

her lips into a tight line as she stared at his profile. Slater might be too emotional-but in

watching Priscilla's every move, every twitch, every flinch. She could tell-the woman was beginning to

her

whispered, her voice thin but clear in the silence. "I knew I had no right to be forgiven. But I

her eyes. "I had to act quickly. I had so little

if it meant entrusting

she added, voice cracking. "If I had another option,

"And if I had to choose again... I would do it

clenched so tightly it trembled. There