anwhile...
Knock, knock.
Atlas sat on the couch in his room, his laptop on the coffee table. When he heard a knock on the door, he looked over his eyeglasses and watched as it opened.
There, peeking her head in, was Penny.
"Penny," he called as he took off his eyeglasses. "What is it this ti?"
Penny left the door slightly ajar and skipped over to where he was. Bouncing a little on the couch, she stretched her lips into a wide smile until her teeth were showing.
"I don’t feel safe with that smile, Penny," Atlas confessed, looking at her suspiciously. "What did you do?"
"First Brother, I haven’t done anything yet!"
"Yet. So you’re planning on doing sothing?"
Penny sucked in her inner cheeks and puckered her lips. "It’s harmless."
But her face told him it wasn’t harmless at all.
"What is it?" Atlas leaned back and faced her squarely. "Is it about your company? Didn’t you like the building I told you about? Do you want to look for another place?"
"No, no, it’s not that at all! The building and the location are perfect!" she waved both her hands in front of her. "First Brother, I t Nina, and she told about the situation in the Bennet Family."
As soon as Atlas heard this, his lips curved downward. "I told her not to tell you about it."
"And if she didn’t tell , I wouldn’t know you’re willing to marry another man for my sake."
He froze as his face slowly turned red, making her giggle. Atlas reached for the cushioned pillow beside him and threw it straight at her face.
"Shut up," he breathed out. "Not a word, Penny."
Penny chuckled and grabbed the pillow, pulling it down from her face. "If you’re so embarrassed about it, why say it?"
Atlas avoided her gaze for a reason. Wasn’t it obvious that he was trying to protect her from the elders’ interests? Although Atlas wasn’t joking about that. After all, he was the eldest and had to protect his younger siblings no matter what — even if they were already adults.
Penny chuckled weakly and placed the pillow on her lap. "First Brother, I have a plan."
"A plan?" Atlas arched a brow and gave her a look. "What plan?"
"Hehehe."
"Penny, save the evil laugh for later. Tell first." Her laughter was making his heart leap nervously, after all. "What are you thinking this ti?"
"Nina ntioned that there aren’t any unmarried female descendants on the other side. So the elders’ first target is !" Penny summarized casually. "But what if I’m not available anymore?"
Deep lines appeared between Atlas’s brows. "Tell I’m following this wrong."
"I’ll get married," she simplified, confirming Atlas’s guess.
"No," Atlas said coldly, with a tone of finality. "Not gonna happen."
"First Brother, I’m saying this to make things easier for all of us."
"No."
Penny pouted. "Why?"
"Penny, I promised you that you don’t have to worry about that. Even Dad gave you his word not to worry about it," Atlas remarked solemnly while looking into her eyes. "Just let it go. I’ll handle it."
"What if Grandpa gives his share to our cousin?"
"Then, so be it." Atlas nodded. "If he does, I’ll watch how that fool drags our entire clan down. And when he does, they won’t be able to co to for help once the inevitable happens."
Penny couldn’t help but smile at her brother, a little proud of the man he had beco. But then again, Atlas was always like this, even in their previous life. He was unmoved and unbothered, smart and decisive.
"But I don’t want our family to go down," she expressed. "The elders paved the way for our dad and Uncle Haines. However, Dad and Uncle Haines took the business to heights we would’ve never reached. And because of that, they were able to hand over the business for you to maintain its stability."
That was true.
Compared to her first life, the Bennet Family was more of a middle-class family in the world of elites. But when Atlas took over, he boosted the company to new heights.
In this life, Penny’s ddling when she was thirteen and fixing an issue gave Charles and Haines more leverage.
Penny didn’t want to take all the credit because she only gave them a resolution and a plan. Her father and uncle were the ones who executed it perfectly and maximized its potential. In other words, Global Pri Logistics had a more solid footing before it was handed over to Atlas in this lifeti.
"How can we hand the business over to soone else and let them reap what our father and Uncle Haines sow?" Penny grumbled. "We’re the Bennets. Since this is a family matter, pride should be the least of our concerns."
She hugged the cushion and fluttered her eyelashes coquettishly. "I’m getting married."
"To who?" Atlas was dismal, but at the sa ti, he understood her argunt. It wasn’t like he wanted to hand the business over, but the elders were a stubborn bunch. "Don’t tell you have a boyfriend."
"Brother, do you think I had ti to date while I was away?" she felt sour at the re thought of it.
Her brothers and father weren’t where she was, but she was surrounded by a bunch of ex-cons. She only went on a few dates, and they left with their tails between their legs, never to contact her again. Haines was one thing, but Wild was another. That man was truly wild.
’I’ve simply accepted that my love life eventually grew wings,’ she thought, sighing deeply.
anwhile, Atlas smiled in satisfaction.
"I see."
"Brother, don’t be too happy about that." Penny clicked her tongue. "Anyway, I’m getting married."
"A sham marriage?"
"Not sham per se. I’ll register it with the Civil Bureau, so I’ll hire soone who won’t be interested in anything. Don’t worry, Grace already drafted a contract." Penny grinned. "Just trust , okay?"
Atlas was still not pleased with this. "Have you told Dad?"
"Brother, do you still want to live?"
"You..." Atlas pinched the bridge of his nose. "Is this why you’re telling instead of just doing it?"
"You’re the head of the family now. So, of course, you should have my back." She blinked adorably. "Fighting!"
Another sigh escaped Atlas as he pondered. "Fine, I’ll tell our parents."
"Thanks!" Penny shrugged before leaning closer. "How about our brothers?"
"Don’t. They’ll rage."
"Hehe. Good!" she intoned. "So, when should we visit the elders?"
"When you’re ready."
"Tomorrow!" Penny winked as she rose from the couch. "I already called Yugi to find a suitable husband. Grace is done with the draft and is waiting for my approval. Let’s end this madness tomorrow. Ciao~!"
With that, Penny skipped toward the door while Atlas kept his eyes fixed on her figure.
He shook his head. "She’s really quick to make a move," he whispered with a smile before panic surged in his heart. "Close the door—damn it."
Why did his siblings have this TERRIBLE habit of not closing the door?
"I’m actually living with them again." He pinched the bridge of his nose, realizing it was inevitable to deal with his siblings’ bad habits now that they were living together.
"Ho sweet ho, indeed."
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