Chapter 208: Penny is leaving
That night, Charles summoned his children to the family room. Even though there was an upcoming basketball play Hugo and Atlas were participating in, he wanted to break the news to them as early as possible. He didn’t want the same problems they had before to come between them again just because he held off on information the boys would most likely want to hear early on.
"Atlas, Hugo, I know you’re tired, but this is important," said Charles sternly, watching his two elder sons look at him listlessly. However, Atlas almost looked like he needed emergency attention because of how tired he appeared.
Charles took a deep breath and huffed it out. "Penny is leaving."
"What?" Atlas, despite his haggard and stressed appearance, frowned. "Dad, what is it this time?"
Hugo wasn’t also pleased. "Dad, why are you sending Penny away? Whatever bad news you heard, it’s not true."
Penny smiled awkwardly at her brothers but was not surprised that Slater didn’t react. Much to her shock, before Charles could continue, her father and her other brothers suddenly cast Slater a look.
"Slater, why are you not reacting?" asked Charles out of pure curiosity. "If you’re going to react, react now, son. In that case, we can all move forward together."
"Slater, don’t tell me you’re secretly happy with the news?" Hugo squinted. Atlas, on the other hand, preserved his energy on the upcoming "debate," he would have with his father. He shared their sentiments, though.
Slater cleared his throat and shrugged. "Penny and I talked about it." His display of nonchalance looked more like arrogance. "She explained it to me, so I understand about it now."
Atlas, especially Hugo, was quickly filled with bitterness at Slater’s bragging. Was he saying he and Penny were closer? That’s why Penny told him beforehand?