CHAPTER 190: GIFTS 2

This Chapter is dedicated to Midge01. Wow Midge! I love you so much baby 💕. Thanks for the gift love (⁠*⁠˘⁠︶⁠˘⁠*⁠)⁠.⁠｡⁠*⁠♡

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The rules were simple. Even if the most dazzling treasures in the world were placed before Penny... even if they were worth enough to buy a kingdom... even if they were one of a kind...

If Osvaldo’s little penguin didn’t like them, the search for "the perfect gift" would start again from the beginning and the families’ children would bear the brunt of that failure.

Osvaldo would torture them harder than before.

They couldn’t afford that risk. That’s why each family had gone to absurd lengths, scouring the world for what they believed to be the most luxurious and precious gifts to place at Penny’s feet.

None of them knew that the young woman standing there in her plain white dress, looking like an angel, her hair soft as the clouds above, wasn’t at all dazzled by gold or pearls.

In truth, Penny would have treasured a tiny bunny in her arms far more than any diamond necklace. She would have lit up for a jar of rare flower honey, a delicate glass bottle for her lab, or a clean, sharp syringe for her experiments.

Pearls? Jewels? Those could stay locked in someone else’s vault.

If they wanted to make her truly happy, they could take the money and feed the hungry children on the streets. They could help the sick, shelter the homeless. Drugs are really expensive these days especially for those helpless children. That would be a gift worth smiling for.

"The rules are the rules," Timothy’s voice cut through the air, polite but unyielding. He could see the nervous looks on their faces.

"As my master instructed, the gifts will only be accepted if our mistress accepts them." he gestured his hands towards Penny.

All eyes shifted to the tall, shadowed figure, the master of the Adkins mansion. And the heir to the entire Adkins wealth.

He had barely spoken since they had arrived, yet the weight of his presence filled the yard like an unseen crown. He didn’t need to speak for his presence to be felt.

Osvaldo’s golden eyes followed the gifts before him. Though they couldn’t see his face, but his eyes could see the gifts they had brought and they looked worthy for his penguin.

All he wants is for her to be respected and treated like a queen. Like his queen.

His wife, the new madam of the Adkins empire cannot be messed with.

While the others feared Osvaldo and didn’t dare speak, Abby and Maybelline stared at the man like a sacrificial lamb. Even if they both were terrified after their experiences with him, they still wanted him gone.

To Abby, it was either him or her son. And she cannot let her Chris die. All she needs is a maid or servant to pass the drugs to.

"If she doesn’t accept them, then I’m afraid you all will have to start your search again." Timothy announced.

Osvaldo was playing a game with kings and mighty men like they are puppets.

Maybelline stared at the man they claim had given instructions. A man that can barely form a straight sentence. How can he give all of those commands?

"How can..." Maybelline began, her voice rising, but Abby’s discreet pinch silenced her. Speaking out of turn against Osvaldo would be like setting fire to her own roof.

"Mrs Willard, do you have any questions?" Willy asked to see her shake her head. Abby was right, she couldn’t cause more trouble for Ariana. Not when she’s not out yet.

"Mrs. Adkins, do you like any of the gifts?" Timothy turned to Penny who bit on her lower lips.

Immediately, silks shimmered, gold gleamed, gemstones caught the light as the families angled their offerings toward her. Everyone wanted their gifts to be accepted.

David Willard stared at his once step daughter and shook his head. He never knew one day, he would kneel before like this, presenting gifts of offerings because of the kind of power she now holds.

They all thought her marriage to Osvaldo would be punishment, but it had backfired now.

Maybelline eyed her daughter stylishly, even the devil himself, she thought, could refuse such beauty.

Her lips curled in triumph. This was exactly what Penny wanted, her greedy little moment in the spotlight, surrounded by glitter and envy.

This attention-seeker!

In her mind, Maybelline pictured dragging Penny by the hair, slapping that calm face until it shattered. She would scratch Penny’s face with her fingers, and disfigure her stupid face.

Slender or not, Penny was nothing next to her precious Ariana.

"They are beautiful," Penny said at last.

The families’ faces softened into relieved smiles.

But before their satisfaction could settle, Penny tilted her head slightly, her voice light, almost curious.

"But... I have no idea why I’m being given gifts."

The entire place went still. Eyes darted between one another, as if searching for someone brave enough to explain. Was she truly serious? Had no one told her? But the lawyers had sworn she was aware, that she had been hurt by their daughters.

"Mrs. Adkins, I’m sorry we didn’t inform you sooner," Timothy finally said, his voice trembling with formality. "These people... are the parents of the girls who almost killed you by the pool a few days ago."

Penny’s frown was instant, her fingers curling at her sides.

"So why are they here?" she asked, her tone cutting.

The memory of that day scraped across her mind like broken glass. The panic. The cold water closing over her head. It was too traumatic for her to remember.

Penny had always known her sister could insult her, belittle her, humiliate her, but never had she imagined Ariana would go so far as to try to erase her from the world entirely.

Ariana had been cruel and heartless that night, along with the girls that escorted her. They all laughed at her demise.

"I don’t want your gifts," she said flatly, stepping back. "Stay away from me."

Gasps rippled through the group. They hadn’t expected this. If she didn’t accept their offerings then it was a death sentence for their children.

Penelope, once a nobody now had royalties and powerful men kneel before her. Yet, she treated them like they were nothing.

"Please, Mrs. Adkins," Prince Raphael blurted, his desperation raw enough to strip away his royal pride. "You cannot reject our gifts." His hands trembled as he clasped them together, the faintest sheen of sweat forming at his temples.

Roselyn was his only child, his only thread to the royal bloodline. If anything happened to her... the inheritance, the crown, the centuries of power tied to his family name... all of it would be gone. The crown would pass to his younger brother, and Raphael’s name would fade into irrelevance.

He couldn’t allow that!

"Mrs. Adkins," another man, Mr. Jones, stepped forward, his voice hoarse. "These gifts are the finest in the world. We bled for them, searched the farthest corners of the earth to find them for you. Please... take them."

Penny’s gaze swept over the jeweled boxes, the silk-wrapped treasures, the things most people would kill to own. But she wasn’t most people.

She was Penelope, a girl who one day was heartbroken and wanted to be loved, and the next wanted to live the simplest most peaceful life. But she unfortunately got thrown into a marriage with a madman who unfortunately is the richest man in the world and now she gets gold as gifts because she was almost killed.

Penny wasn’t stupid. She knew this was all of Osvaldo’s doing.

Did he punished these men and drag them out of their way to appease her with gifts? Penny smiled stylishly, turning to look at the man behind her, but his face was covered.

The rules were clear...

Even if the gifts were priceless. Even if they could never be replaced. Even if they could buy cities and crumble empires, if Osvaldo’s Penguin didn’t like them, the cycle of searching for "the best" would continue. The gifts would become their curse, and their children would suffer for it.

"I’m sorry, but I do not need your gift."

"You cannot do this to us." Mrs Carter suddenly said. "I know our children hurt you so much, but please show them mercy. Please, if you reject these gifts it would be over for us." She cried out.

From the pictures they had all seen, they couldn’t let their children suffer again. Not anymore.

"How can you do this to Ariana Penelope, she’s your sister. No matter what she did, you shouldn’t treat her this way." Maybelline blurted a s regretted her words almost immediately.

No was not the time to pass blame on Penny. If she did, how would they get close to kill the madman.

"Penny opened her mouth to speak but Maybelline beat her to it. "It’s all my fault. I should never have tried to separate you two while you were little. I’m sorry for everything Ariana did to you. That is why I had picked the best gifts for you."