"You told her about it, huh?" Atlas walked beside Zoren, holding a glass of wine, as the latter stood on the garden porch, watching his wife host a wrestling match.
As usual, Penny started a bet among the bodyguards.
Zoren glanced at his first brother-in-law and smiled. "I’m sorry, I can’t lie to her. She’s my wife, my companion in life, and..." he trailed off, setting his gaze on where his wife was happily cheering on the sidelines. "...and the love of my life."
"The last part is unnecessary. You could’ve just said she’d figure it out with that dinner mom threw," Atlas coldly comnted, shifting his attention to the wrestling match from a short distance. "Just look at her. How could she let her pets see such a violent environnt?"
Zoren’s brows rose, gazing at Renny and Chunchun, who were idling right beside Penny. He couldn’t help but chuckle, thinking that Atlas was quite strange sotis. Except for Penny, everyone he had ever t was a little cautious or utterly terrified at the sight of Renny.
"You really are siblings," Zoren blurted out quietly, earning Atlas’s attention again.
"Of course we are. We’re womb mates."
"What I’m saying is that, just like her, you weren’t scared of Renny."
"Why would I be scared of it?" Atlas was utterly confused. "It’s just a cat... a big one."
Atlas set his eyes back on the black cat beside Penny, reminded of a different pet from the past. "She once had a mouse the size of a cat. Dad got her one."
"..." Zoren opened his mouth but then closed it again. ’It’s not like he mistook Renny for just a simple cat with an abnormal size as Mouse? Impossible. Atlas is the smartest man I have ever t in this life.’
Zoren decided to discard that idea, as he deed it impossible. If anyone looked at Renny, even if they weren’t experts, they’d know it was a black panther.
"Anyway, about what I said earlier..."
"Don’t worry." Zoren flashed him a reassuring smile and nodded at him. I didn’t tell her your suggestions. I thought you wouldn’t want her to know."
Zoren could’ve sworn that Atlas faintly heaved a sigh of relief. Although Atlas maintained a poker face, Zoren was sure his first brother-in-law had just shown a different reaction than usual.
"Good," was all Atlas said, setting his eyes on the wrestling match. "I hope they soon realize that Penny just started this wrestling match because she wants to earn quick cash."
"They’re having fun. I’m learning."
"Learning about what?"
"These types of gas," Zoren clarified. "I think it’s a good motivator since they also spar as part of their regular training. I think adding bets isn’t so bad at all."
"..." Atlas studied Zoren’s side profile until the latter noticed. "You are dood."
"Why am I dood?"
"Because you’re getting influenced by her—not just the good influence, but the bad ones." Atlas shook his head. "Whatever. Do whatever you want. I’m here."
Zoren’s brows rose a little, tempted to ask what that ant. But before he could, Atlas already added,
"Over a decade ago, my siblings and I made a promise to each other. We all swore to be what we aspire to be and reach our goals in life. What I told them is that... I’d be the First Brother." Atlas slid his eyes to the corner where Zoren was. "The brother who would give them the confidence to do whatever they wanted because they had a fallback. It’s the sa for you since you’re part of the family."
Zoren couldn’t help but smile subtly, watching Atlas look away from him to watch the wrestling match. Atlas said all that with a straight face, but Zoren felt the sincerity in it.
"Thank you," Zoren nodded in appreciation. "Then I hope you don’t mind if I rely on you for a little while."
"Just do whatever you want," Atlas repeated sternly as he lifted the glass of wine to his lips. "Like I said, I’m here."
With that, the two of them watched the wrestling match while Penny collected the betting money, acting like a thug when they gave their money reluctantly, as if she had done it countless tis before. This ti, after all, the betting money was huge because Hugo and Mark were going to fight each other.
******
anwhile... in the living area, Old Mrs. Pierson, Charles, Allison, and Haines gathered.
"HAHA!" Old Mrs. Pierson laughed as she listened to Haines’s side of the story about his date with Mildred. "I knew it—you two are a good match! It’s actually Penny’s idea!"
Haines’s brow twitched. "It was... Penny’s idea?"
"Yes! Yes! She said the two of you will get along well!"
"I see." Haines maintained a smile, but this ti, it didn’t reach his eyes. "Initially, I thought there was a misunderstanding. But it seed... Penny was, indeed, worried about my marital status."
"That is why you should work hard! You’ve worked hard all your life, but this ti, it’s ti to focus on other things!"
"Grandma, you are very right!" Charles chid in. "Haines needs a wife because he’s becoming more grumpy! It’s the lack of sex for sure!"
Allison didn’t bother with her husband as she smiled in satisfaction. "That is so nice to hear. Haines, why don’t you invite Mildred to our ho sotis?"
"..." Haines studied everyone’s faces, realizing saying such praise about Mildred when Allison was here was not a good idea. ’I’m screwed—Mildred and I.’
*****
In the kitchen...
Butler Hubert and Butler Jen chatted, catching up over tea by the kitchen counter since Old Mrs. Pierson was already enjoying her ti with Penny’s guardians. Not far away from them were Slater and Benjamin, having their warm chocolate milk.
"This is so good!" Benjamin was in awe. "What kind of chocolate is this?"
Slater smirked proudly. "It’s a special kind, and you only get this one at a ti because the supply is limited. But Grandma gifted an access card. So, I can visit their factory whenever I feel like it and order as much of it as I’d like."
"Wow..." Benjamin’s eyes twinkled. "I think I need this access card as well."
"I’m sorry, but only I am allowed to have it."
"I’ll ask my boss for one—"
"Hey! That’s cheating!" Slater accused, knowing Benjamin would get it if he asked Zoren for one. Zoren, after all, was surprisingly generous.
"Why is it cheating?"
"It’s a gift! You don’t ask for one! Are you shaless?"
"But I want it."
"No can do. Unless soone gives you that access card of their own volition, you can’t have it!"
Benjamin frowned, narrowing his eyes suspiciously at Slater. "Fine!" he said, taking out his phone in a hurry.
"Hey! What are you doing?! I just told you you can’t ask my brother-in-law for one!"
"I’m not going to ask him, but my cousin! I’m sending her a list of my wishlist for my birthday! It’s up to her if she gifts or not!" Benjamin barked, typing just one thing on his list: the access card. "Done!"
Slater narrowed his eyes. "Is your cousin wealthy? How could she get the access card only the Piersons can?"
"My cousin is not wealthy, but she has a lot of friends! I’m her favorite cousin because she says I’m cute, so she usually gets what I want for my birthday!"
*****
[Holand Security Main Headquarters]
DING!
A short-haired woman heard a faint ring from her desk drawer. Glancing at the shut drawer, she opened it to check who it was.
[From: Button
Birthday wishlist:
1. Access card from Chokoleit Factory.
2. Read the first one.]
Her lips curled up before placing her phone down, setting her eyes back to her computer where a person’s profile was displayed. She leaned back against the swivel chair, her legs resting on the edge of the desk.
"What is so important about this woman...?" she wondered to herself, eyes fixed on the profile of who was killed in a military attack many decades ago. The attack that Charles Bennet led. "Is it because of the drug she created many years back to poison her husband?"
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