Filed to story: The Daughter in the Shadows (Yunice) Book by Una Norris
Just when he thought the conversation could not get any more painful, Yunice delivered the final blow. “If the Saunders family’s status were powerful enough, then none of these hidden issues would be a problem. But unfortunately, in Mr. Jensen’s eyes, we are utterly insignificant. What he wants from a marriage alliance is a family that brings gold by the millions, not a charity case for us.”
Owen straightened his back, glaring at Yunice with even more hostility.
That’s right. How dare she criticize me? She was the most useless one in the family!
Watching the three of them glare at her like angry roosters, Yunice found the situation amusing. No one likes to hear the truth. Owen, especially, lived in a bubble of flattery, indulging in his own delusions. No wonder the Saunders family kept declining.
She did not bother arguing further as it would only be a waste of breath.
Elsie, however, took the opportunity to declare, “Owen, I will find a way to cure my illness and restore our family’s reputation.”
Seeing Elsie’s determined expression, Owen felt a wave of warmth in his chest. Yes. This was what a caring younger sister should be like. Unlike Yunice, who only knew how to stab her family where it hurt!
With Elsie by his side, Owen found Yunice even more insufferable. Elsie comforted him while heading upstairs, throwing a glance at Lily on the way. Understanding the silent message, Lily headed to the kitchen to prepare a plate of fruit for the two of them.
And so, Yunice was left alone again. But she did not feel lonely. In fact, she felt more at peace this way. Resting her chin on her hand, she sat downstairs, lost in thought. A face flashed through her mind. It was Wyatt.
She had to get her father’s bracelet back. It was one of the few things in this world that still meant something to her.
Everyone in Silverburgh knew Wyatt was a cruel man with a twisted sense of humor. He found pleasure in watching others. For the stingy, he would lure them into gambling, reveling in their downfalls as they lost everything. For insecure women, he would provide money, fueling their obsession with plastic surgery-until they butchered their own faces beyond recognition. Then, he would cut them off, leaving them no room for regret. For the devoted, he would deliberately send people to tempt them, watching as they spiraled into utter ruin before finally losing interest. The last of his amusements was long. It seemed he was just a man who enjoyed causing harm for no benefit of his own.
After gathering enough information on him, Yunice noticed a pattern. Wyatt’s targets were random, but he had a preference. He liked destroying things that were beautiful. He took pleasure in turning people into the very thing they hated most.
And now, Yunice suspected she was his next plaything. But what could possibly interest him about her? She was already ruined. No family, no love, no wealth, no future. What was there left for him to break? She could not figure it out, but one thing was certain. If anyone belonged in La mental hospital, it-
She looked up and saw Paul. After today’s disastrous gathering, she figured he was here to comfort Elsie. Without hesitation, she pointed upstairs. “They’re all up there.” Then, she lowered her gaze again, continuing to ponder her thoughts.
But Paul did not leave. Instead, he scoffed. “Yunice, do you think this is fun?”
She blinked. “Hmm?”
Paul stiffened. “You’re ignoring me on purpose. You canceled the engagement just to play hard to get and make me chase after you, right?”
Yunice was a little confused about what Paul was thinking. He would not have wanted it if she were to keep holding on to their past, but now that she was letting go, he seemed unhappy. What do you want?
“Oh. I get it now. You wanted me to beg you to stay so you could dramatically reject me, making yourself look even more desirable.” Yunice smirked.
“You!” Paul stammered, suddenly unsure of himself.
Yunice leaned back lazily. “You’re just mad that I let you go too easily. Your ego couldn’t handle it, so now you’re here to make trouble.”
Paul clenched his jaw. “You. You got it wrong! I dumped you first!”
Yunice tilted her head. “Then why do you seem like the one who can’t move on?”
-Saving Medicine
Paul was momentarily stunned before immediately refuting. “You’re overthinking it. I only like Elsie!”
Yunice’s expression was unreadable, but her fingers twitched involuntarily. Even though she had long accepted that there was no future between her and Paul, every time she saw someone she once cherished choose Elsie with unwavering certainty, a sharp pain still stabbed through her heart.
Upstairs, Laly was flipping through medical books by the bookshelf. Elsie and Owen sat across from each other, both absorbed in browsing websites on their devices. Owen was distracted, his mind replaying Yunice’s scathing words. The Powell family wants an alliance that brings millions in gold, not a charity case. At the time, he had only felt humiliated and furious at Yunice, but now that he was sitting here in silence, he could not deny the truth in her words.
For the past three years, Oscar’s research had stagnated. The hospital had failed to introduce any new drugs, leading to significant patient loss. Financially, the hospital’s annual report was bleak. The Saunders family had always been at a disadvantage compared to the Powell family. If it were not for Yunice’s engagement, they would not have had any connection with them in the first place. A network is only valuable when both parties benefit. If only one side is taking advantage of the other, it’s called ‘clinging.’ In Jensen’s eyes, the Saunders family was nothing more than a poor relative trying to get a free ride. The broken engagement was not Yunice’s fault. It was merely because of the Saunders family’s lack of power.
Owen glanced at Elsie, who was earnestly browsing the web with her mother, searching for a miracle cure for her asthma. He sighed inwardly. His naive little sister still believed that if she could just cure her illness, the Powell family would accept her. Not wanting to dampen her hopes, he started typing on his keyboard, intending to help find the latest special medication. However, his fingers subconsciously typed ‘Common treatments for mental illness.’
Perhaps it was the lingering resentment from his earlier argument with Yunice, but a sense of unease pricked at him. Especially after learning that Yunice had undergone electroshock therapy, that discomfort became even harder to ignore. More than anyone, he knew Yunice was completely sane because he was the one who had forged her medical records. But he had done it for her own good. At least by being sent to a mental institution, she had avoided prison. He had only meant to give her a minor punishment, not to have her suffer abuse!
Owen clenched his fists. If he found out that the hospital had engaged in excessive or violent treatment, he would not let it go. As he sat there, tense with conflicting emotions, a pop-up appeared on his screen. It was an image of a patient strapped to a chair, writhing in pain during electroshock therapy. Instinctively, he closed it. Then he saw an article stating that electroconvulsive therapy was a standard medical procedure for treating psychiatric disorders. His furrowed brows relaxed. Feeling relieved, he reassured himself. If it’s an approved medical treatment, then it’s not abuse. Since it’s used on humans, it couldn’t possibly be harmful. With that thought, any lingering guilt he felt for Yunice vanished.
“Owen! Look what I found!” Elur suddenly stood up excitedly, turning her laptop towards Owen.
-Saving Medicine
Lily was so overwhelmed with joy that she burst into tears, hugging Elsie tightly. “My poor Elsie is finally saved!” Downstairs, Lily’s sudden outburst of sobs was so jarring that even Paul and Yunice were startled. Paul instinctively wanted to check on the situation upstairs, but before he could move, Owen, Lily, and Elsie were already hurrying downstairs in his direction.
Just as Paul was about to speak, Owen and Lily brushed past him, heading straight for Yunice. Only Elsie lingered, her voice trembling with sorrow as she asked, “Did you come to see my sister, or did you come to see me?” A flicker of guilt crossed Paul’s face, but he quickly masked it. “Of course, I came to see you.” Elsie’s eyes reddened again, her voice laced with hurt. “You forgot there are surveillance cameras all over the house…. Every moment he spent here, every person he spoke to. It was all recorded.”
Before Paul could explain, Elsie lowered her head and walked away, her posture dejected. Paul stood there, awkward and embarrassed, feeling as if he had been caught sneaking around. He rubbed his forehead, then hurried after Elsie, just in time to hear Owen questioning Yunice. “Yunny, the Alphasirox pills can cure Elsie’s illness. Why didn’t you take them out sooner?”
Lily grasped Yunice’s hands, tears of joy streaming down her face. “Yunny, I always knew you were a good child! You’ve been thinking of Elsie all along, even getting this medicine for her. I don’t even know how to thank you…” Owen, brimming with relief, reassured her. “Mom, we’re family. There’s no need for gratitude. It’s only right for Yunice to help Elsie.” Yunice’s gaze bypassed the overly dramatic pair and landed on Elsie. Meeting her eyes, Elsie smiled gently. “Sister, thank you for preparing the Alphasirox pills for me.”
Paul, still confused, pulled Elsie aside and asked, “Alphasirox pills?” Owen answered, “It’s a newly developed special medication for asthma. With this, Elsie will finally be able to live like a normal person.” But Paul frowned. “The Alphasirox pills aren’t available for sale yet. Even my family’s hospital can’t get them. How would Yunice have them? You must be mistaken.”
Yunice remained silent, her gaze lowered. The moment Owen mentioned the pills, she knew this was Elsie’s scheme. She could not deny having them because she really did. Sure enough, Giana had already rushed to her room to search. Her room was not big. Nothing could be hidden for long. “Found it! I found the medicine?” Giana came running back, waving the pillbox triumphantly. Owen’s and Paul’s attention snapped to the box. No one seemed to notice Giana’s blatant invasion of privacy. When Giana handed the pillbox to Owen, she deliberately shot Yunice a triumphant glance, a smug satisfaction gleaming in her eyes. Yunice fixed her gaze on the pillbox as she saw them taking it away, her voice trembling as she slowly stood up. “That’s my life-saving medicine. It’s not for Elsie.”
-Saving Medicine
Back upstairs, when Elsie mentioned that Yunice had the medicine, he had not given it much thought. But now, with Paul’s reminder, Owen suddenly found himself questioning it. As Paul had pointed out, this medication had yet to hit the market. Even the powerful Powell family could not get their hands on it. So how could Yunice, who rarely even stepped outside, possibly have it?
Paul studied the box for a while before turning to Yunice, his gaze sharp and probing. “Where did you get this medicine?” Owen caught onto something. “So, this is real?” Paul gave a slight nod. “A friend of mine asked me to source a box, but no matter how many connections I used, I couldn’t get one.” His gaze toward Yunice grew even more complex. But Owen had no interest in these details. His only concern was whether the medicine was genuine. Snatching the box from Paul’s hands, he shoved it into Elsie’s grasp. “Elsie, hurry! Take it now! Once you do, your illness will be cured!”
Send Gifts
, She Lived for Herself!
Yunice’s gaze followed the small box of medicine as it landed in Elsie’s hands, a flicker of disappointment crossing her face. Lily noticed her reaction and quickly grabbed her hand with a bright smile. “Yunny, Morn will make something delicious for you tonight as compensation. What would you like? Chicken drumsticks, perhaps?”
Without waiting for an answer, she made the decision for Yunice. In a cheerful tone, she called out, “Giana, go buy some chicken drumsticks. Oh, and pick up some candy for Elsie too. She can’t stand the bitterness of medicine.”
Yunice stared at Lily’s smiling face, but all she felt was an abyss in her chest, a gaping void where icy winds howled, freezing her to the bone. The pain was sharp, slicing deep. Her daughter was going to get better, and she was overjoyed. Not once did she consider that her other daughter would lose her only lifeline in the process.
Yunice had just learned something new. Chicken drumsticks could be used as rewards. Her life was worth nothing more than a few pieces of chicken. Ha.
Her gaze shifted to Owen. And him. He was the same as always. So good at being generous with things that were not his. Every time, with his ‘kindness,’ he made decisions on her behalf, giving away everything that belonged to her to Elsie. Her dresses. Her gifts. Her room. Her identity. Now, even her life-saving medicine.
Maybe her stare was too sharp because Owen finally frowned at her. “Why are you looking at me like that?” It was just a box of medicine, yet she was acting as if the whole world had betrayed her. How childish.
Owen took a deep breath, trying to be patient. “Yes, the medicine is yours, but Elsie’s condition worsened because of you. Even if she doesn’t blame you, you should at least show some remorse.”
Elsie bit her lip, looking pitiful. “Forget it, Owen. Maybe Yunice needs it more than I do. I can wait…”
At those words, Owen’s expression darkened. “Wait? For how long? Do you think your body can afford to wait? You heard Paul just now. This medicine is rare!”
“You’re always thinking about others,” he sneered, glancing at Yunice. But do you think some people even appreciate…
Yunice did not argue or justify herself. She merely waited for Owen to finish his lecture, then said calmly, “I’ve already told you. I have compression injuries. This medicine is for my treatment. I can’t give it away.”
Owen let out a mocking laugh, as if she had just told the most ridiculous joke. “You eat well, sleep well, and have enough energy to argue with the entire family. How do you look like someone who needs treatment?”
Yunice opened her mouth to speak, but he cut her off with a wave of his hand. “Don’t tell me another sob story about your time in the mental hospital. I’ve checked. It was all standard treatment. Stop using cheap tricks to make us feel guilty.”
“Guilty?” Yunice let out a self-deprecating chuckle, turning to Lily. “Do you even know what guilt feels like? You accused me of hurting Elne and sentenced me to ‘atonement’ by locking me away for three years. Have I not paid enough?”
Lily averted her eyes, unable to meet Yunice’s gaze. Only she knew the truth. Yunice had been innocent all along.
Caught in the silence, Lily suddenly dropped to her knees before Yunice. She clutched at Yunice’s clothes, tears streaming down her face. “Blame it on me! It’s all my fault! Just don’t take it out on your sister, okay? I’ll kneel, I’ll beg if that’s what you…”
She knelt so decisively that even Owen was stunned. Elsie immediately followed suit, throwing herself into Lily’s arms.
Owen’s vision blurred with tears, his chest tightening until he felt like he might explode. In his rage, he grabbed Yunice by the collar and lifted her off the ground. Her feet barely touched the floor, her breath caught in her throat as her face turned red from the pressure. Yet she refused to look away, refused to back down. Her eyes locked onto Owen’s, unyielding and sharp, as if to say, “I will not apologize. I am not wrong. Regardless of the pain. Regardless if it kills me. I. Am. Not. Wrong.”