This Chapter is dedicated to. Thanks for the golden ticket.
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"You’re to take this every morning or evening, whether I’m mad or not. And don’t skip your exercise or diet, Penguin. I’ll know, and I’ll punish you when I get sober."
Those were his words, half growled, half-whispered, but utterly unforgettable. Penny held on to them like they were sacred scripture, even as her legs burned beneath her on the treadmill.
She was sweating like crazy. Her shirt clung to her back and her ponytail had long given up pretending to be neat. But she didn’t stop. She wouldn’t dare.
Her lips moved without sound. Determination in her eyes. She’ll make everyone eat their words after this. She’ll make them pay for the humiliation they’ve caused her.
Across the room, Osvaldo was busy being ridiculous.
"Push. Pull. Push. Pull..." he mumbled, dragging the dumbbells along the floor like a caveman discovering fire.
When the dumbbells clashed against one another, he laughed so hard, almost like a toddler having fun. It looks like he’s still stuck in time. The time when he was seven.
Every time he turns mad, he just acts in that time frame.
Penny glanced at him, startled... then unexpectedly softened.
Her Mr Osvaldo has been kind to her the last few days. And seeing him act this way, made her a little sad.
He had been kind enough to make her forget, if only briefly, that he was not always like this. She knew he was fighting himself, the madness, he has been fighting for the past few days now, just to remain sane.
And she was beginning to fall for the war he fought. Penny felt pity for him.
She couldn’t believe this was the same man who had made her feel so many emotions all at once. The same playful person is seated before her now.
She could still feel his hands on her, the echoes of his sinful words rang in her ears. Penny’s cheek turned pink immediately.
"Snap out of it, Penelope," she muttered, slapping the ’Speed Up’ button. "It meant nothing. We’re not going through another heartbreak again."
But then, a loud thud made her flinch.
"Mago... ma-go..." Osvaldo muttered, now seated on the floor, gently tapping his head with a dumbbell like it was a drumstick.
A very dangerous drumstick.
Penny’s heart leaped out of her chest.
"Mr. Osvaldo, no!" she shrieked, slamming the STOP button on the treadmill and jumping off. She reached him in seconds, crouching beside him with panic all over her face.
"I told you! They’re not for your head! Dumbbells are for... arms! Muscles! Looking hot!"
"You told me before." She said glaring stylishly at him.
Osvaldo blinked at her slowly, his long hair falling over his face. "Give it," he said, stretching his hand out.
"No." Penny’s voice was firm, maternal even. "You’ll give yourself a concussion and I’ll be the one cleaning up your mess, again. Not happening."
Osvaldo frowned. "Bad..."
When she reached the room, she was greeted by Darlington and Osvaldo who sat on a chair from across playing with his food as always. For a moment, she thought he was back, but seeing how he ate. She knew he wasn’t.
She knew it was bizarre, but she missed sitting on his legs while he fed her. Even if it was embarrassing, somehow, she liked it.
"Penelope," Darlington called the moment she stepped in. He had woken up this morning to only discover his grandson was mad again. Barnaby and Hughes used the opportunity to explain the situation to him and now he understood.
They also told him that their new miss have been looking for a cure for their master. Darlington smiled now as he stared at the girl. He knew there was more to her than his assistant or the world knew.
But why is she hiding her identity?
"Good morning Grandpa." Penny greeted with a smile.
"How was your night dear?"
"It was perfect." She said taking the seat next to Osvaldo who was playing with his food. Seeing his Penguin seat next to him, he smiled.
"I can see that," Darlington said.
"I had no idea he hasn’t fully recovered." He said turning to Osvaldo and Penny nodded.
"His illness became temporary when he took the antidote according to the servants, but he didn’t fully recover, that’s the reason for his on and off consciousness." Penny briefed him.
Right now, Osvaldo wasn’t mad, he was stuck in a time zone. Maybe the time when he was a toddler. Penny had no explanation for this, but she knew she needed to do something about it.
"My son’s lab was moved here." She nodded. "Can I see it, we could work together on how to treat him faster." Penny’s eyes turned wide.
Was Osvaldo’s grandfather also a doctor or a genius like him?

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