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  3rd POV

  {Did you think they bought it?}

  Ted’s voice echoed softly through the phone pressed to the butler’s ear as he walked down the long hallway, away from the room he had just closed behind him.

  “Yeah…I think so, sir,” the butler replied with a quiet chuckle, slowing his steps as he glanced back over his shoulder toward the closed door, the room where Penny and Luke had been moments ago. His amusement faded quickly. “Are you sure about this, sir? I could clearly see the young lady crying.”

  A low, unmistakably villainous laugh crackled through the line.

  {Hehehehehe—}

  “Please, sir,” the butler sighed immediately, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Your throat will hurt if you make that sound again.”

  {I KNOW! STOP REMINDING ME!} Ted barked, his voice suddenly sharp. The butler instinctively pulled the phone away from his ear.

  A second later, Ted cleared his throat harshly on the other end, followed by a short, irritated cough. The damage was already done. Age was a cruel number in life.

  {Back to business!} Ted continued with a little stubbornness. {It’s time to teach that little brat to respect older people!}

  “Sir…” the butler exhaled slowly. “It’s just a story. I know they got bored—”

  {THEY WERE NOT BORED!} Ted snapped instantly.

  Even through the phone, the butler could hear it, the faint hesitation behind the outburst. The words sounded less like anger… and more like self-convincing.

  “…But it did scare them,” the butler continued carefully. “You are old—”

  {YOU ARE OLD TOO!} Ted yelled again.

  The butler chose to ignore that entirely. “…But you can’t scare them like that, sir.”

  Another chuckle followed. Quieter this time, a little more satisfied chuckled.

  {So they really were scared, huh? Heh… that’s great. Okay.}

  The butler slowed to a stop.

  He had served this family for decades. He had seen Ted at his best of his life, kinda hopeful, romantic, ridiculous, and at his worst, stubborn, dramatic, and utterly convinced he was always right.

  But now…

  Now Ted was old. And The Butler got old too.

  …..And in his distraction, the butler hadn’t heard the door behind him open.

  {I don’t care!} Ted continued rambling. {I want to tell the story of how I met their mother seriously, but they keep calling, questioning everything I say! I’m telling the truth!}

  “Yes, sir,” the butler replied gently, still listening. “But you can’t really lie about your condition, can you? I’m certain the young lady and young master are terrified right now. I believe they’re preparing to head to your office as we speak.” He turned his head slightly.

  ….And froze.

  Penny and Luke stood right behind him. With their arms crossed, expressions flat and their eyes sharp. Maybe a little deadpan gaze to the Butler like it’s just another trick their father have.

  “…Sir,” the butler swallowed, his throat suddenly dry.

  Ted’s voice continued, completely unaware.

  {It’s for the greater good…. They’ll learn their lesson. They’ll think about their old man. And if they come to me—} Ted chuckled again, smug. {—I’ll hug them and pretend I’m about to die again. Simple right? Huh? Huh? huh?} Ted said again with smugness and didn’t care about The Butler voice before, even though he heard something wrong in the Butler voice.

  The butler felt a chill crawl down his spine and gave Ted a low chuckle too. Maybe it’s not for him, but it’s for Penny who clearly pissed off to him.

  This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

  He opened his mouth to warn Ted—

  …..But Penny lifted one finger slowly to her lips.

  ‘Shhh…..’

  Her glare and motion gesture said everything.

  The butler hesitated, then nodded weakly. With trembling hands, he slowly offered the phone to Penny.

  She snatched it from him without breaking eye contact. It’s like she’s thinking of what punishment she will give to her father and his accomplice.

  But, Ted was still talking. He didn’t know what happened here, and kept thinking that his plan was working.

  {I know they’re scared out of their minds right now. Especially Penny. She loves me too much, of course I love her more than anything in this world.} He laughed again and kept rambling about his children.

  {And don’t get me started on that little boyfriend of hers. I’m not proud of it, but I scared that little shit right out of my house when she brought him home, hehehehe} Another evil chuckle followed, but that gotta impact Ted’s throat. He coughed hard for that.

  “……Eat your medicine, Dad.” Penny's voice cuts Ted’s cough.

  Ted stopped coughing mid-breath. Silence followed both of them and the line went completely still.

  {H–Hello, my little princess!} Ted’s voice came through the phone, overly sweet, painfully forced. {Ow… ow… owh… my heart!}

  Penny clenched her jaw hearing that.

  “Stop pretending dad!” she snapped, her voice rising instantly. “I know you’re not sick!” Penny practically roared into the phone.

  Behind her, the butler merely shook his head in silent resignation, while Luke let out an amused snort.

  “That old man’s trying to fool us again,” Luke muttered loudly on purpose. “Teach him a lesson, Penny!.”

  Ted heard it. Of course he heard that and he knows that Luke didn’t try to just whisper to Penny.

  {You little brat!} Ted yelled and gritted his teeth.

  “Don’t yell in my ear, Dad!” Penny shot back without missing a beat, grumbling under her breath. She had the upper hand now and she knew it.

  Usually, Penny was sweetness incarnate when it came to her father. Softer than sugar. Kinder than he deserved. Maybe a little naughty but Ted always sees her as a little sweet little girl for him.

  But right now?

  She was genuinely ticked. The fake sickness?. The almost dying act?. The emotional ambush?. Yeah, she got angry.

  Ted’s tone softened almost immediately.

  {Sorry…} he muttered, noticeably quieter. {Honey… you know what I’m doing, right?}

  Penny scoffed. “What?” she replied dryly. “Fooling us? Pretending to die?”

  Then, without warning, her voice cracked….on purpose.

  “…I was scared, Dad,” she said softly, letting a pitiful tremble seep into her words. Almost crying and almost breaking again like before.

  It was a performance. Trying to get more higher ground from Ted’s.

  Of course because Ted couldn’t see her and could only hear her.

  …..And that was enough.

  There was a long pause on the other end.

  {…Fine.} Ted sighed deeply. {I’m sorry, Penny. I just wanted you two to listen to my story seriously.}

  Penny glanced back at Luke.

  Yeah… they shared part of the blame.

  They had been joking around. Interrupting his story and not really taking him seriously.

  Still—

  …..She was winning right now.

  “I know, Dad,” Penny said more gently. “I’m sorry. And Luke’s sorry too.”

  She tilted her head slightly and nodded toward Luke.

  “How about this,” she continued smoothly. “We’ll listen to your story seriously. And we swear not to ask Aunt Robin, Aunt Lily, or Uncle Marshall anything.”

  Ted practically brightened through the phone…..but Penny wasn’t done.

  “…But,” she added casually, a grin spreading across her face, “you have to buy me a car.”

  Luke’s head snapped up instantly. “I want a car too!” grinning madly at Penny and can’t help but shout to the phone.

  {Absolutely not!} Ted shouted reflexively. {You’re both underage!}

  They are both still underage, Penny still 15 and Luke 13. They can’t have a car yet and don't have a license either. Ted's crazy if he buys them a car.

  Penny rolled her eyes dramatically. She knows that already, but she can’t help but keep looking at one of the cars she wanted. That’s why she has this moment to ask her dad about this.

  “Of course, Dad. Not now,” she replied calmly. “I just want to choose the car you’re going to buy later. I don’t want one of those practical, safe cars you’ll definitely pick!”

  “Me too!” Luke chimed in eagerly.

  The butler sighed, rubbing his temples.

  He knew about this and yes, like Penny said.

  Ted would buy them cars. One for each. But knowing Ted, they’d be ridiculously safe, over-tested, borderline boring vehicles.

  Penny knew it too. Her old man is over protective! He already said about her boyfriend before, what he does to her boyfriend and what side effect of that over protectiveness.

  Of course, she feels the love of that over protectiveness he gives to her and Luke.

  {…Fine!} Ted finally groaned in defeat.

  {Okay, okay. I know you want a Porsche, right? Fine. I’ll buy you a Porsche.}

  His voice dripped with exaggerated helplessness. {…Tell Luke he’ll get a Toyota later.}

  Penny and Luke exploded into silent celebration grinning ear to ear, clapping their hands together in victory.

  “Thank you, Daddy!” Penny chirped sweetly.

  “Yes! Thank you, Daddy!” Luke echoed enthusiastically.

  {…Tell Luke to shut up.} Ted snorted.

  {Now get back to the room. Let’s hear my story again, okay? You remember my rules?}

  Penny giggled.

  Luke answered with a smug snort. “No contact with outsiders!”

  {Good.} Ted replied.

  {…Alright. You two can grab popcorn or drinks. I’ve got a call from Robin first…}

  The irritation in his voice was unmistakable.

  Penny smiled knowingly.

  Yeah… that part was definitely their fault.

  “Alright, bye-bye!” she said cheerfully and promptly ended the call before Ted could say anything else.

  She handed the phone back to the butler.

  “...Nice work, you two,” he said dryly, pocketing it.

  Penny and Luke both snorted at him, still remembering very clearly that he had been their father’s accomplice.

  “Just to be clear,” the butler added with a chuckle, completely unfazed by their glares, “I work for your father.”

  He straightened slightly.

  “Now,” he continued, “what would you like? Popcorn? Soda? It’s my apology.”

  “…Fine,” Penny sighed, suddenly tired but remembering she had to choose a car for her 16th birthday later is making her excited. “Please make popcorn. I think this is going to take a while.”

  Luke nodded eagerly behind her. “I want a Monster!”

  The butler squinted at him.

  “…Fine. Just one can,” he said sternly. “It’s part of my apology.”

  Luke’s grin stretched from ear to ear.

  And with that, the butler turned and walked away, leaving two victorious children behind, ready to hear their father’s story once more.