The next day...
"Mercy..." Jennie called sweetly and quietly, peeking her head in the entrance. "I brought you food~"
Unlike the past few days, Jennie would usually just hear growls, hiss, or the sound of rush in her direction. Every day, she would call Mercy and peek inside, only to slam it close before Mercy could bite her head off.
But today, Jennie's brows rose as she spotted Mercy lying under the small tree.
"Mercy?" she called, watching Mercy look in her direction.
Mercy didn't show the usual aggressiveness she had displayed the previous days but only stared at Jennie. Seeing that it wasn't doing anything, Jennie's eyes lit up.
"Mercy, I brought you food." Jennie discreetly slid in the door, carrying a tray with her. She paused right by the entrance, stopping the door from closing with her foot in case this was a trap.
"This is the food," she emphasized, raising the tray. "Want to eat?"
Mercy looked away nonchalantly.
"Wow..." murmured Jennie, in disbelief at the calmness surrounding Mercy. "Did I succeed?"
Thinking of the past several days, Jennie never saw Mercy this calm. Well, she did see her calm one time when she came in here for the first time with Grandma Manoban.
Despite this display, however, Jennie stayed by the door as she assessed Mercy. When she was sure this wasn't just any trap laid by the black panther to eat her, she carefully advanced in Mercy's direction. A meter from Mercy, Jennie stopped as the former turned its head in her direction once again.
"Hehe... here's your food," said Jennie, squatting down and putting down the tray not far away from her. "Don't worry. I won't go closer so soon. I don't trust you easily, you know? Especially when you tried to bite my head off a few times."
Jennie folded her arms, keeping them on her thighs as she remained squatting. "Gosh... but to be fair, this is the closest I reached all alone." Her cheek slightly turned pinkish, feeling a little proud of this achievement.
"Did you finally realize that you should be nice to me?" she smacked her lips, unable to take off the smug look on her face. "Gosh. I can't believe I will persuade such a big cat when I used to have a pet allergy. Though I've always wanted one."
Jennie grinned as she rested her chin on her arms, raising her brows when Mercy stood up slowly. She held her breath as the latter sauntered in her direction. However, based on the calmness the beast gave off, Jennie didn't feel any strong desire to run.
"Oh..." she blinked when Mercy veered direction, stopping in front of the tray to eat.
The corner of her mouth slowly curled up in satisfaction as her blush deepened. She watched Mercy eat in delight, grinning from ear to ear.
This was the first time Mercy ate something Jennie brought to her. Therefore, Jennie felt this sense of pride and achievement.
"Good girl." Jennie nodded proudly. "Eat well. Did you know I was the one who prepared that? I've heard eating gourmet foods like this one is good for your health. You're not young, you know? You already have silver hairs so you shouldn't be too grumpy."
Jennie talked and talked, and it felt natural. She had spent days just talking outside the greenhouse, after all. Therefore, being able to get in the greenhouse and talk to Mercy up close felt better.
When Mercy finished every crumb on the tray, it cast Jennie a glance before walking back. Seeing her walk away, Jennie frowned.
"Goodness, look at her attitude." Jennie clicked her tongue and sighed. "But well, as I've said, we'll keep things slow. I'm just glad that you aren't trying to eat me anymore."
She watched Mercy walk back to the small tree and rest there. Mercy then licked her paws, completely ignoring Jennie. However, Jennie already found satisfaction with her leniency.
"She's really pretty." Jennie idled, admiring the beautiful black cat resting under the tree. 'Surely, this life is fulfilling all my dreams one by one.'
Be it having a loving husband and a sweet son, and now a baby was on the way. But also, she used to dream of having a pet. However, due to a severe pet allergy, she couldn't keep one. Therefore, her parents started giving their men animal nicknames to make her happy. However, this eventually became a tradition, straying from its original purpose.
"Mercy," she called after minutes of admiring Mercy. "I can't stay here today because I am going out."
Mercy still ignored her.
Jennie smacked her lips, smiling. "I did tell you that I will protect this family, right? I'm going to do that, so don't miss me too much today, alright?"
"I'll tell you everything that happens once I return. For now..." her eyelids drooped as her innocent smile turned cunning. "... stay here while I pull the traps I laid somewhere."
A glint flickered across her eyes and this time, Mercy turned its head in her direction. Mercy's eyes were still shining brightly, like two small suns that could blind anyone who would gaze at them for too long.
*
*
*
Almost an hour later...
"Sis, you didn't have to go with me," Lucas complained to Jennie, who was on the other side of the back seat with him. "It's faster if I go on my own — look! Bear is driving 40 kilometers per hour because he's being careful with you as his passenger!"
Jennie sported an innocent expression. "But I want to go out. I've been in the old residence all day long, so I'm a bit bored."
"Goodness..." Lucas clicked his tongue and sighed, adjusting to his seat as he cast the driver's seat a look. "But didn't you say you need something urgently? At this speed, I don't think we'll reach my brother's house in an hour."
"It's alright." Jennie chuckled, resting her elbow against the window as she looked outside. "I just said it was urgent because you will keep sleeping since it's your day off if I don't."
"What?" Lucas gasped, looking at her, only to see the side of her mouth curling up into a crafty smirk. "Uh... I know this look. Sis, what devious plan is going on in your mind?"
"Didn't you hate Eric?" Jennie cocked her head back to him, casting him a knowing look. "I'm cutting off his limb, Lucas. So, I thought you should come. You might learn a thing or two, so I won't worry about you too much."
YOU ARE READING
My Precious Family 3 [Jenlisa]
Storie d'amoreREMINDER: STORY NOT MINE She was known as an underground empress, leading the mysterious and most notorious assassin organization called the Reapers. She was intelligent, cunning, and ambitious, living her life trying to reach a height where no one...