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

Chapter 1780: Moles

"Penny!!"

Charles shouted from the boat, cutting across the ocean near the explosion site. "Penny!! It’s Dad!!"

He scanned the nearby boats, all searching the expanding radius around the blast zone. The aircraft had already crashed into the sea, now slowly sinking. All that remained above water was a thick column of black smoke and scattered fire.

"Major!" One of the soldiers pulled up beside Charles’s boat.

Charles turned sharply—it was Angelo. "Angelo, did you find them? Any leads?"

Angelo shook his head. "I’ve sent a dive team to search underwater. In case there’s..." He bit his tongue before finishing the sentence, ’in case they find Penny’s remains.’

"Keep looking," Charles growled, then suddenly grabbed Angelo by the collar and pulled him close. "My daughter can’t die. Do you hear me? If she does... all my children will."

Not just Zoren. All of them. Charles couldn’t endure that.

"No remains means good news," he muttered to himself. "That means they’re alive. Somewhere."

Angelo nodded quietly. "We’ll keep searching, Major."

Charles let him go, watching Angelo wave to his men to continue the sweep. They had limited equipment, but giving up was not an option.

Charles turned back to the sea. "Penny!!"

Her name echoed across the ocean as everyone joined in calling out, clinging to hope that she’d jumped before the missile struck. Even from that altitude, the fall into the ocean could’ve injured her, but if she survived, she could be drifting nearby.

Time passed. Still, no sign of Penny.

Divers resurfaced one after another empty-handed.

Still, no Penny.

Just when hope was starting to fade, one of the boats near the island’s rough side slowed down.

"I see someone," a crewman called, stopping the engine. He flicked his flashlight toward the base of the island cliff. "There—who is that?"

Two others grabbed their rifles, aiming toward the faint movement near a bush. A pair of legs could be seen sticking out from behind a rock.

"Radio the captain," the first man said while slowly steering the boat closer. "Miss Penny? Are you there? We’re with your father, Major Charles Bennet. Miss Penny?"

the men scrambled up with effort. He turned and pulled his partner

expressions darkened. They exchanged glances... then looked

*****

Angelo about a sighting, he didn’t waste a second. Several boats rushed toward the jagged shore where the team had reported in. The area was too rough to dock, so

made

small clearing where

with

aside, revealing three men cuffed together. Two of them were wrapped

frowned. "Who the hell are

them wasn’t bandaged like a mummy, but that man’s mouth was gagged and his nose clearly

gasped for air,

daughter?" he demanded, no patience for games. "Who are

in terror. "Please don’t kill me.

Charles narrowed his eyes.

Penny..." the man panted, and Charles’s heart skipped. "She—she wrote something. She left a note. It’s in my

glanced at the pocket, but Angelo raised

one of

into the man’s pocket himself. Several men stepped back, half-expecting a bomb

a crumpled tissue, carefully unfolding

this, I

them were dying —

With love,

Alias P.

not Penny, so don’t go after me

note.

buckled slightly. He clutched his chest, the release of tension suddenly

holding the letter

nodded to himself, eyes reddening as tears welled up. "She’s okay. She’s

tear slid down

hand on his shoulder and gave it a reassuring squeeze. The others nearby exhaled

what exactly had happened here. But what mattered most was that

glanced at Angelo, then turned back to the man

"Where is she?"

the man replied honestly. "She told me

the island, Charles thought,