PAMPERED

221 Hoped they would be friends.

The next day, Allison was peacefully spending time with her family in the garden when Butler Jen approached her.

“Ma’am, Mrs. Cortez is calling,” said Butler Jen and handed over the phone to her.

Hesitation flickered across Allison’s eyes which didn’t go past Charles’s eyes.

“Is there something wrong?” he asked. “Why do you look so reluctant?”

From what Charles heard, his wife and Mrs. Cortez were getting along. After all, Jessa had been coming over to give Penny some snacks and also to teach Allison some of the dishes Penny liked. It wouldn’t be a stretch to say that Allison was growing fond of Jessa, which made him happy since his wife had some problems with the word “friend.”

Allison just chuckled nervously. “It’s nothing,” she said, gazing down at the phone and choosing to ignore the call.

“If it’s nothing, why aren’t you answering?”

“Well, just because…” Allison was not ready to face Jessa’s wrath yet.

A deep exhale slipped past Allison’s lips, thinking of what she had done the day before. She didn’t know what came over her for not asking Jessa’s permission. She didn’t want to blame Penny for urging her as well.

At this point, the children returned for some snacks.

“Mom, is there’s something wrong?” Hugo asked while casually dragging a chair for Penny to sit on. “You look a little pale.”

When Penny sat down, Hugo sat next to her. Slater, on the other hand, took the other chair next to his father.

“You looked like you’ve seen a ghost, Mom,” Slater pointed out. “I’m getting scared now. Dad, should we invite a priest to bless our house?”

Charles shook his head, catching Atlas coming out of the house. Atlas was the only one who hadn’t been playing with Penny and her pets.

When Atlas noticed the look on Allison’s face, he raised a brow, “Mom, I think you need some iron.”

“Ha ha…” Allison laughed nervously, casting Penny a look. “Mrs. Cortez is calling, Penny”

“What does she want?” Slater frowned, casting Atlas a look as if he wanted his first brother to take over.

Atlas casually sat down in the empty seat, curious. “Where’s the watermelons? Butler Jen told me there’s some here.

“Kids, you’re diverting this matter: Charles sighed as It seemed his children had some different issues at the moment. Hence, he cast Penny a look, as it seemed their daughter had some idea

221 Haped they would be friends.

“Papa, I didn’t do anything!” yet.

Ever since Penny threw her father under the bus, Charles was getting more and more judgemental. It wasn’t in a negative way, though. It was more like Charles understood Penny wasn’t just adorable and a source of sunshine in his life, but Penny was so proud to be his daughter that she was sometimes mischievous!

“Then, why is mom looking at you?” Atlas asked, now appeased because the watermelons were

served. Ccontent © exclusive by Nô/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

“Well…”

“It’s not Penny’s fault, Allison clarified. “It’s my fault.”

“Mom, what did you do?” Hugo inquired out of pure curiosity.

“Thing is… I registered Mrs. Cortez for the cooking competition without telling her beforehand.”

All of them looked at Allison with a dead expression. Before they could think of what to feel about this, they imagined Jessa and what kind of impression she made on each of them.

“This is worse than having a ghost roaming around our house,” Slater blurted out, looking at hist mother in disbelief. “Mom! Don’t you not love us anymore?! Why would you do that to Penny’s aunt?!”

Atlas just shook his head in disappointment while Hugo cast his father a look. Charles, on the other hand, pinched the bridge of his nose. As for Penny, she looked at her mother apologetically.

“I think I’m at fault too, Penny admitted with great difficulty. “I kinda cheered Mom to do it.” “You mean manipulated?” Atlas clarified and quickly earned a sharp look from Penny. 5

“First Brother, it’s not like that!” she defended herself. “You make me sound evil!”

Atlas shrugged, but his action only showed as if he just proved his point.

“It’s okay, kids. Don’t worry.” Allison sighed and cast her husband a look. “It’s okay, Charles. I’ll

correct it.”

Having said that, Allison had to correct her impulsive decision to be a good example for her kids. Holding her phone, she didn’t have to call Jessa because the latter was already calling again.

Allison gulped nervously before answering the call.

“Are you out of your mind!?”

Allison didn’t even put the phone in speaker mode, but everyone around the garden table heard Jessa’s voice loud and clear. They could even hear everything that Jessa was saying at the moment, and they could tell she was ready to tear the entire world apart.

“Oops…” Penny pursed her lips and shrunk in her seat.

Her brothers cast their mother a look and decided that was her problem. As for Charles, his

221 Hoped they would be friends.

heart ached for his wife. However, seeing that Allison was trying to be an example to their children, he didn’t intervene. Even so, Charles mentally wept and cajoled his poor and gentle wife.

“Why would you do that, huh?! Do you think you own my life and that you can decide for me?! Allison Bennet, you crossed the line this time! How dare you!?”

Allison pressed her lips, glancing at her family, who was feigning a deaf ear. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. When she reopened her eyes, determination flickered across her

eyes.

“Jessa Cortez, I signed you up because I think this is the chance you’ve been looking for! Didn’t you say you’d been thinking of having a career? I know you wouldn’t want to register because you’d be too shy. I just did it as your… as your… hmm… as your student in the kitchen!”

Charles and the children almost choked on their food when they heard Allison’s response. Their eyes slowly went wide, looking at Allison incredulously.

Didn’t she say she would apologize?! Why was she arguing?!

“Hah!” Jessa scoffed. “Wow, Allison! Not even an apology, huh?!”

“Mom! You should just join!” In the background, Yugi urged. “Why are you angry?! You cannot be a judge in the show when no one even knows about you!”

Allison’s eyes lit up. “See? Even Yugi is on my side here!”

“Auntie Allison, please talk some sense to her!” Yuri was also heard, followed by Jessa’s yelling.

Hearing that the twins were on Allison’s side, she felt a lot more confident about coaxing Jessa into joining the

contest.

“Excuse me,” Allison excused herself from her children and husband, leaving them flabbergasted as she continued to argue.

“Wow” Slater was in awe. “Is that Mom?”

“So Mom can argue?” Hugo blurted out under his breath.

Atlas, on the other hand, kept his gaze on Allison while taking another slice of watermelon. But before he could, someone slapped his hand away. When he turned his head, he saw Penny holding the last piece.

“Penny, where are the rest of the watermelons?” weren’t there a lot of them just moments ago? As for Charles, he studied Allison before the corner of his lips curled up. “I guess she and Mrs. Cortez are getting along more than I

I expected.”

He hoped they would be friends.

The weekend passed just like that and before they all knew it, the last week of the school year

arrived.