#06-The Real Penelope Askary!

"Hello."

The greeting made Penelope groan softly and slowly opened her eyes. She swept her gaze around. It's an unfamiliar place, where white dominated her surroundings. However, there was a flower bed that was so beautiful around it, that Penelope smiled unconsciously. Then, as if she had just remembered that someone had called her, Penelope turned to the source of the voice. She widened her eyes when she saw a woman who had a face very similar to her own, sitting in a luxurious chair crossing her right leg over her left and waving her hand.

"You...?" Penelope was speechless. She rose from her position and approached the luxurious chair. Her hand was raised to cover her mouth due to the shock. "Penelope... Askary...?"

The real Penelope Askary, currently sitting in the luxurious chair, giggled and waved a hand. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

"But, how could it be..." Penelope moistened her lower lip and rubbed her face with one hand, while she pointed the other hand at the real Penelope. Ask her to wait a moment. "Wait, am I dreaming? Or did I die because I was too afraid of Duke Edmund's presence earlier?"

"You're dreaming." The real Penelope, who was wearing a red dress, stood up from her chair. She approached her body which was now possessed by a soul from another world. "I'm just a dead soul and you're a new soul that entered into my body. I am very grateful that you want to live a life as me."

Penelope looked at the woman in front of her with pitying eyes. "So, during the carriage accident that time, you were really… dead? Then, why can I enter your body, Penelope?"

The woman took a deep breath and sat back down. "I'm not willing to die such a horrible death, Penny. Oh, I'm going to call you Penny now, because you are Penny. That's why, when I felt like I was going to die, I asked God to grant me one wish. I want another soul to enter my body and replace me to make my family happy. During my life, I always make trouble and make them sad. It was because I was blinded by my love for the crown prince."

Penelope looked down when she heard it. She knew and believed, after reading stories about this world in her first life that Penelope Askary was a good woman. Penelope changed because she couldn't control her love for the crown prince, as well as her jealousy due to the closeness between the crown prince and the female lead, Isabella.

"But..." Penelope looked at the woman in front of her. "Shouldn't you be killed by... the crown prince and Duke Edmund?"

"That was my first life," Penelope said casually. "Then, somehow, time repeats itself. I thought it was a second chance for me to get love from Sebastian De Louis. Unfortunately, the carriage accident that day made me think that I might be destined to die an early death in my second life. That's why I begged God so that God would bring a soul from another world into my body so that the new soul could help me to make my family happy which I had wasted." The real Penelope pointed at the woman before her. "And you are now replacing me."

"Then, the horrible memory that suddenly surfaced when I faced Duke Edmund… it was your memory when you were cruelly killed by him and the crown prince?" Penelope asked to make sure.

The real Penelope nodded. "Correct. I guess you should be careful with him. And with the crown prince too. I just want you to make my family happy. I don't want you to have anything to do with those two men, if possible. They will never change. You will only continue to be seen as a bad woman who intends to harm Isabella Lysander. So stay away from that woman as well as Duke Edmund and the crown prince."

Of course, Penelope had no intention of getting involved with the three main characters of this world. But, she also couldn't just close her eyes, when she knew that Isabella Lysander would be kidnapped and that kidnapping would make her suffer for some time.

"It's time for you to wake up."

Penelope blinked and her eyes widened as she felt herself being pulled by an invisible force. The woman looked at the real Penelope, who was now smiling and waving.

"Penelope… um, Sienna," the real Penelope shook and corrected her sentence. "Please take care of my family and tell them that I love them very much."

###

Duke Edmund Gerwyn looked at Penelope Askary who was still lying on the bed with her eyes closed.

Currently, the doctor from Askary's family is examining the woman's condition. Penelope's parents stood on the other side of the bed, as well as Ethan Askary. Edmund realized that earlier, the man had been staring at him intently. As if blaming him for his younger sister's fainting. But, Edmund did not want to be provoked. He didn't want to go looking for trouble and his priority right now was Penelope's condition.

"Lady Penelope is fine," said the doctor whose hair was turning gray. "She was just tired and had too much on her mind. I will give her some vitamins to support the Lady's health. In that case, I will excuse myself, Duke, Duchess, Young Master, Duke Gerwyn."

Edmund nodded and sent the doctor away with a flat look. Meanwhile, Penelope's parents accompanied the doctor out of their daughter's room, at the same time wanting to ask, and confirm once again about Penelope's health. Leaving Ethan and Edmund in Penelope's room. Edmund stood up and Ethan sat on the edge of the bed, holding Penelope's cold hand.

"With all due respect, Duke Gerwyn," Ethan said suddenly, without looking at the man who was still standing. "Please get out of here. Your arrival was the cause for my little sister losing consciousness just now."

Edmund's hands clenched tightly at his sides. His jaw tightened. He wasn't unaware that all of this was his fault. However, his pride and ego forbade him to admit this.

"I'll stay here until Lady Penelope wakes up." Edmund insisted. "As you said, I am responsible for Lady Penelope's condition right now. Then, I will make sure with my own two eyes that Lady Penelope is all right."

Ethan growled and turned his head. Even though both of them had high status, Edmund's status was slightly higher because Ethan was only a young Duke. Still a candidate, because his father was still a Duke on par with Edmund.

"Your Highness Duke Edmund," Ethan hissed. "Please—"

Ethan's sentence was cut short when he heard a soft groan. The man hurriedly checked Penelope who now opened her eyes and held her forehead due to the feeling of dizziness.

"Big brother?" called Penelope. "Why—"

This time, it was Penelope's turn who couldn't finish her sentence. Her eyes met Edmund Gerwyn's and the fear returned.

"Lady Penelope, are you all right—"

"Please get out!" Penelope shouted when Edmund wanted to ask how Penelope was. A scream that sounded so scared and trembling, that made Edmund freeze in his place. "Please get out of here, Duke Edmund!"