Filed to story: The Daughter in the Shadows (Yunice) Book by Una Norris
Owen glanced toward the door and quickly left without another word. The moment he stepped out, Yunice bent and picked up the cigarette from under the bed.
When she walked out into the living room, she found Lily sitting on the couch wiping tears, while Elsie stood off to the side. Owen slammed his phone down and growled, “I already paid to have the charges dropped-why are they filing again?”
Lily snapped, “Let them sue! So what if there was a mistake during surgery? Nobody died, we paid compensation-why can’t they just let it go?”
The moment Elsie heard that, she froze. If this went to court, officials would get involved-and once they started digging, they’d find out she’d been treating patients without a medical license.
Owen sat there in silence, his face tight. Clearly, he hadn’t come up with a solution yet. Then, Elsie spotted Yunice, and her eyes lit up. She rushed over, dropped to her knees in front of Yunice, and clutched her hand.
“Yunice, please help Owen,” she cried. “Just talk to Mr. Morgan. Ask him to back off the investigation. He’ll definitely listen to you!”
Yunice let out a quiet, bitter laugh. Classic Elsie-acting like it was all for Owen, just to take the heat off herself. She didn’t care about helping him. She just didn’t want to get exposed. And if Yunice said no, she’d be the one who looked heartless.
If Yunice didn’t step in, she’d take the blame-and Elsie would walk away untouched. But Yunice wasn’t falling for it this time.
She reached out to help Elsie up, her tone full of sympathy. “Elie, Mr. Morgan actually likes you. If you ask him… I’m sure he’ll say yes… he’s only interested in Elsie. He said he’ll only help if she asks him herself.”
Lily froze when she heard that-just like Owen had. Then, almost instantly, she snapped, “Who does Morgan think he is, going after Elsie?”
But the second the words left her mouth, she realized she’d slipped. Back when she was trying to arrange Yunice’s marriage, Lily had gone out of her way to praise the Johnson family. But now that Morgan was interested in Elsie, she was suddenly furious. She quickly covered her reaction with a handkerchief and stole a nervous glance at Owen.
Sure enough, Owen was staring at her, surprised. Owen had always believed his mom arranged Yunice’s match with the Johnsons because she didn’t know any better-because she didn’t realize what kind of people they were. That she meant well. But now it was obvious. She knew exactly what kind of family the Johnsons were. And she still pushed Yunice toward them.
Owen had gone along with the marriage too, but in his eyes, Yunice was too good for them. The Johnsons were the ones getting a deal. She had a history and no legal ID. That limited her options, but it didn’t mean Morgan was the best she could get.
Clearly, Lily didn’t see it that way. For the first time, something stirred in Owen. Maybe, just maybe-not all mothers actually loved their children.
Lily, feeling the weight of his stare, rushed to change the subject. “Owen, what are we going to do? That family’s already blowing up online again. If this leads back to Elsie, what then?”
Elsie was still down on the floor where she’d dropped earlier, while Lily and Owen were caught up in their own worries; neither of them even thought to help her up. Her knees were sore, and she was just about to quietly push herself up when Yunice suddenly spoke.
“Eisie, why are you still here? Shouldn’t you be talking to Mr. Morgan?” Yunice asked calmly. “Or do you not want to help Owen?”
Elsie froze.
Lily quickly stepped in front of Elsie, shielding her. “Elsie and Paul are together. Are you seriously trying to break them up?”
Yunice stared at her mother’s protective posture. Did she forget I’m her daughter, too? But Lily’s favoritism was nothing new. Yunice had gotten used to it. Maybe it was because she’d never really felt loved by her mother that walking away from that bond came so easily now.
She didn’t back down. “I’m not the one trying to break them up-Morgan is. I already did everything I could to win over the Johnsons. So why are you taking it out on me?”
Lily shot back, “How do I even know you really tried?”
Even Owen looked uncomfortable hearing that.
Yunice replied calmly, “Morgan’s not some puppet. You can’t just hand him someone and expect him to fall for her. Elsie’s smart and beautiful-why wouldn’t he want her instead?”
“You-” Lily opened her mouth to argue, but instead, she started to tear up. “All I did was ask you a question, and you snapped at me? I didn’t cause that scar on your face-why are you so angry with me? How can you hold such a grudge against me?”
Now Lily was crying. Then Elsie started crying too. It gave Owen a headache just listening to them.
He dropped the hand that had been resting on his forehead and looked straight at Yunice. “Yunice. Apologize to Mom.”
There was weight in his voice now-tight, controlled, on the edge of losing patience.
So Yunice bowed her head. “I’m sorry, Mom.”
But Lily wasn’t done. She helped Elsie up with a cold scoff. “Sorry doesn’t help. You still can’t help Elsie.”
Owen cut in coldly. “The Johnsons don’t want her. What’s Yunice supposed to do about that?”
Lily froze, stunned. It took her a moment to realize-Owen was blaming her. He’s blaming me!
He didn’t even look at her. He was already done with the conversation.
The only reason Owen agreed to let Yunice marry into the Johnson family was because Morgan’s mom promised they’d treat her well-and with their money and status, it seemed like a smart choice back then.
But now? It was obvious. They couldn’t even keep Morgan in check.
Owen made his decision then and there. “If Morgan doesn’t want Yunice, then the engagement’s off.”
“But-” Lily started to object, but the seriousness in his tone stopped her cold. All she could do was throw a bitter glance.
Yunice’s way.
Yunice didn’t crack a smile-she kept her thoughts to herself, not letting anyone read her.
Owen stood up and headed for the stairs. “Elsie. Come with me.”
Yunice knew that tone. She knew Owen had already made up his mind.
And this time, even Owen wouldn’t be able to protect her.
Elsie knew it too. Tears welled in her eyes as she clung desperately to Lily’s hand.
But no matter how much Lily cared, it wasn’t enough to change Owen’s mind.
All three of them looked down at the same time.
Owen stepped forward, picked it up-and froze.
It was a cigarette. Still warm.
His eyes widened in disbelief, then darkened fast. He clenched it in his fist, turned to Elsie, and snapped, “Upstairs. Now.”
Elsie flinched but followed. Lily, panicked, rushed right behind.
Yunice was the only one left standing in the living room-completely ignored.
She reached up and lightly touched the bruise on her face, a faint smile tugging at her lips.
She had to thank Paul-not just for blowing up the Johnson engagement but for leaving behind the cigarette that let the drama play out perfectly.
Upstairs
Elsie stood stiff in front of Owen, her eyes wet, trembling under his glare. Usually, if she looked a little pitiful, he couldn’t bring himself to raise his voice.
But not this time. Even with Lily right there trying to ease the tension, Owen’s tone was sharp.
He held up the cigarette between his fingers. “This is Paul’s. Don’t lie to me. Just tell me the truth-did something happen between you two?”
He knew that brand. Paul always smoked it.
Elsie’s face flushed as she fidgeted with her fingers, too embarrassed to look up.
Lily jumped in, scolding him. “Owen! You can’t talk to Elsie like that-she’s a young woman. What kind of question is that? Don’t you have any shame?”
But Owen wasn’t backing down. He raised his voice. “I asked you-did something happen?”
Elsie shrank back, panicked. She honestly didn’t know how that cigarette had ended up in her clothes. Maybe it fell in while she and Paul were fooling around, maybe he tucked it there by accident-but there was no way she could admit that.
But she couldn’t admit that. No way.