CHAPTER 189: GIFTS

This Chapter is dedicated to Ariana_Gold. Thanks for the golden ticket love! (⁠っ⁠˘⁠з⁠(⁠˘⁠⌣⁠˘⁠ ⁠)

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If by chance you’ve gifted me golden ticket and you haven’t seen your shout-out, it’s coming soon my loves. These shootouts are from last month 💕💕

Chapters will be updated soon. Thanks for your understanding.🤗

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Outside the Adkins estate, two figures stood in the soft glow of the morning sun.

A man in a crisp white shirt, tall and striking, looked like a prince who had stepped right out of a manga. Beside him was a girl in a flowing white dress, her long hair swaying at her back as the breeze played with the hem.

Her dress swayed gently, the sunlight kissing her fair skin, making her seem even more ethereal, like an angel who had wandered into his world. In just a few short weeks, Penelope had bloomed like a flower in spring.

Every day, she seemed to grow brighter, softer... and somehow, without him realizing, she had slowly become the Madman’s most precious little penguin.

It was her idea that they both wear the same colour of outfit today. According to his penguin, she was tired of always seeing him in black. Since Osvaldo looked like the men she imagined in books and novels, she decided to make him dress like one.

For today’s outfit, he was her garden prince, the kind who would stand in a sunlit garden, sleeves rolled up, helping her pick herbs as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

And Osvaldo, though he would never admit it aloud, didn’t mind one bit. Not when he would spend his day with her and she would shower him with pegs while feeling embarrassed.

She’s the only woman he has seen that even thought they’ve done it a couple of times, she still felt so ashamed to do it again and again.

Osvaldo bent to pluck a sprig of mint from the garden, glancing at her with the faintest smile.

"Careful," he said quietly, watching her reach for a delicate herb.

"I’m careful," Penny replied, pretending not to notice how close his hand was to hers. And when his skin brushed hers she could feel her heart flutter. Osvaldo would be the first real person that had cared for her and the first man to show her this much affection.

"Master they’re here." Hughes hurried by immediately, behind her was Barnaby who was yet to speak. His master seemed to have extended his punishment for God knows how long after the incident of that night.

He had no idea how Hughes who had instigated the whole things had walked freely just because his miss loved the woman. Now more than ever Barnaby wished he was her servant instead. His master was just too strict.

But he knew it could only be in this thoughts. His master would kill him if he knew his thoughts. Barnaby smiled.

Staring at the monster right now, those golden eyes looked like they could already read his thoughts and his small smile fell. Osvaldo was a science freak, it would not be shocking if he could read minds at this point.

If only his innocent madam, knew who she was dealing with. But she seemed to have fallen for the monster, what more can they do?

"Who?" Came his cold tone.

"The gifts." Hughes announced to see her masters eyes lit up. This after just got really interesting. He turned to his penguin, taking her hands in his, "Let’s recieve our guest and your gifts Penguin. But remember, I am mad." Penny nodded with a smile.

To her, Osvaldo didn’t want anyone to know he was getting better yet because he wasn’t fully recovered. She was so sure that in his time, he would let everyone know.

The sound of tires crunching over the Adkins’ driveway broke the still morning air. This time, the royal family had made sure every step of their arrival was grand.

A deep crimson carpet had been rolled out from their convoy all the way to the front yard of the estate. Footmen in gold-trimmed uniforms walked ahead, scattering rose petals as if they were entering a palace.

When they reached the front yard, the Adkins lawyers were already waiting.

Timothy, Willy, and Treadwell stood side by side, their black suits crisp, their faces unreadable as they redid themselves to recieve their gifts.

The Willards arrived next, escorted by the Petersons.

In Maybelline’s hands was a large box of jewels, heavy enough for her to shift its weight between arms. Penny’s eyes narrowed, she wondered why her mother was here with gifts too.

Why were they here if they hated her?

Why bring her gifts?

To Maybelline and Abby, the answer was simple. This was what Penny wanted all along, a performance. Fine. They’d perform. They were here with what they called "good gifts," and they would hand them over with a smile, even if it killed them inside.

Even if these jewels were only a cheap copy of the original, it still hurt her that she spent her money on this bastard daughter of hers.

The Gutters were there too, as were the Carters and the Joneses, each clutching their offerings like lifelines.

One by one, their gazes turned toward the young woman walking towards them.

She looked like an angel in human form. Beautiful was an understatement. Penny was everything. She looked so pure in her white dress yet elegant at once.

If Gregory ever thought he was over the girl, then he was lying. Now more than ever, he imagined how beautiful her insides would be too.

standing beside the lawyers — the one the lawyers had addressed as "Penguin."

Their eyes shifted to the person beside her, towering and still as stone, stood the man they could only assume was the Adkins heir.

Though neatly dressed, something about him didn’t look normal. His long, dark hair spilled forward, hiding most of his face. He stood slightly behind her, but his presence filled the yard like a shadow no one could escape.

Was this the Adkins daughter in law? Xavier Bloodsworth’s daughter.

And is that the Adkins heir?

Was he okay?

It’s the first time they were all seeing the Adkins heir, but he didn’t look like on that gave the authorities the Lawyers spoke about.

They said his authority could make presidents tread lightly, could make royal families bow to him. That’s how powerful the Adkins were.

But all they saw was a mad looking man. The same man the Bloodsworth’s daughter has presented to the world on her debut. And yet, none of them dared look too long. There was something dangerous in not knowing.

The royal family stopped at the edge of the carpet, and so did the others.

Timothy’s voice cut through the quiet.

"You may present your gifts now. My master and his Penguin would love to see them."

Prince Raphael led the way, each of his men carrying one of the priceless treasures from the royal vault. The crown, the scepter, the pearl-and-opal necklace, the cloak, and the Star of Adorah. The gold and gems caught the sunlight, scattering flecks of color across the white marble underfoot.

For the first time in a while, he fell to his knees and smiled at the Xavier Bloodsworth’s daughter. This was the most powerful union knows to earth.

A Bloodsworth and an Adkins. The world was truly doomed at what power they would produce together.

Penny had no idea the kind of power she yielded yet.

"My lady, please accept my gift and forgive our royal family for ever rasing a bad seed to mess with you." Prince Raphael said.

Even Hughes was shocked at how the prince, the most powerful prince of all prince would kneel before their miss Penny like it was nothing.

The Gutters followed immediately bowing low. Another powerful family in Owlsgrave kneeling before Penelope Adkins presenting a large box of gold coins.

Godly coins have been missing for years and finding the large box of it...

"Please accept our gifts Mrs Adkins and forgive our family for everything they did to you." Penny’s blue eyes followed them and their gifts.

She had no idea why they had offered these gifts and why they were apologizing when they have done nothing wrong to her.

The Carter’s were next, presenting their old family Calligraphy down with care. They were the first family to invent handwriting, and these were the most treasure peices in their family.

The Carter’s are loved and appreciated by the world for creating such blessing on earth.

They knelt before the tiny 5’3 innocent looking girl standing before them. She had no idea why they were doing this.

"Please forgive our daughter. We have no idea why she would try to harm you."

The Joneses placed their crystal service on the floor, the glass catching the sunlight in sharp, perfect reflections.

"Forgive my daughter too. Tender mercy with judgement."

Finally, Maybelline and Abby approached. They knelt, presenting their jewel box with carefully rehearsed smiles.

From the side, Hughes’ eyes flicked over the jewels. The settings were excellent, the shine convincing, but she could tell. They were fakes.

She said nothing. Not yet.

"Ariana is your sister Penelope, she’s gone through enough already. Please let her go." Maybelline said sweetly. Those words were her trying to be polite to this bastard daughter of hers.

While Penny stared at the gifts not knowing what to say, a black car pulled up immediately and out of it came Xavier Bloodsworth.