Filed to story: The Daughter in the Shadows (Yunice) Book by Una Norris
“No? Then what are you-“
Morgan didn’t bother playing along. He grabbed at her in a way that left no room for misunderstanding. He laughed again. “You show up looking for random men, and you still want to act like you’re not a whore?”
Elsie’s face flushed bright red. She’d been trying to seduce this man with her charm, not expecting things to escalate this fast. Worse, he wasn’t what she’d imagined. She thought he’d at least be as polished and well-mannered as Paul. But now, faced with his crude behavior, she realized she’d targeted the wrong kind of man.
Panicking, Elsie tried to bolt. But Morgan grabbed her instantly, pinning her by the shoulders. With his other hand, he pulled out the leftover powder Yunice had made earlier-and dumped it into Elsie’s mouth. A bitter, acrid, spicy taste exploded on her tongue.
Morgan smirked at the empty packet. “Let’s see if Yunice’s little mix works. Let’s see if you melt in my arms.” He stepped back, expecting her to get dizzy, flushed, and start clinging to him. Instead, Elsie clutched her throat in pain, her face twisted in agony. She’d assumed the drug was an aphrodisiac. But it was far too bitter. Not only did it not make her weak or feverish-her body felt sharper, more alert.
The moment Morgan released her, she spun on her heel and bolted down the stairs. Morgan stood there stunned for several seconds before he finally realized his prey had escaped.
“Sh*t. That dummy tricked me!” he roared. Without hesitation, he launched himself down the stairs three steps at a time, chasing after her.
Elsie burst out of the stairwell and into the hospital hallway, sprinting. She glanced back mid-run-and slammed into someone.
“Elsie?” Owen stared at her, shocked by her disheveled state. He glanced toward the stairwell door behind her. “Where did you just come from?”
Before Owen could see him, Morgan slipped behind the door. Elsie burst into tears the moment she saw Owen. “It was Yuni-” She’d meant to say Yunice had someone drug her to ruin her reputation, but stopped herself at the last second. Instead, she just cried silently.
Her silence only made Owen more anxious. “What happened? Tell me. Did someone hurt you?” Then he remembered what she’d almost said-and his expression darkened. “Was it Yunice?”
Elsie quickly shook her head. “It’s not her fault…” But Owen had already made up his mind. Of course, it had something to do with Yunice. He grabbed her hand. “Let’s go. I’m asking her myself.”
Owen had come to find Yunice anyway. With the Saunders-Powell wedding approaching, the Saunders family couldn’t just sit on the sidelines.
Owen hadn’t expected to walk into the middle of Elsie being attacked. Elsie clung to his arm, refusing to move. “Owen, don’t go up against Yunice anymore. She’s got Wyatt backing her now. I’m scared they’ll come after you…”
Owen froze, embarrassment flashing across his face. Elsie pressed on. “You have to protect yourself. If you end up in jail, what’ll happen to me and Mom?”
Owen’s face darkened further. He understood exactly what she meant-you don’t mess with the people Wyatt Cooper protects. From now on, even the Saunders family would have to bow to Yunice. But what kind of brother would he be if he just let her walk all over him?
“Owen… your phone’s ringing,” Elsie reminded him gently. He picked up-and immediately scowled. “Quinton wants to cancel the contract?”
Quinton was a traveling pharmaceutical merchant. Owen had just signed a major order for original-formulation drugs with him. Right now, his hospital was the only one in the country with access to that supply. Owen had planned to use it to boost their revenue. And now Quinton was pulling out?
“He’s never heard of breach penalties?” Owen snapped. The voice on the other end replied, “Mr. Quinton says you can sue if you want.”
For all his gentlemanly charm, Quinton was known to be ruthless. He was betting Owen wouldn’t dare take him to court, especially since he had proof of Owen’s break-in and assault.
Owen gripped his phone tighter, closed his eyes, and forced himself to swallow the bitter truth. “Fine. I get it.”
After hanging up, Elsie’s mind raced. Saunders Hospital can’t go down like this! Tears welled in her eyes. “Owen… what if we ask Yunice for help? If she talks to Wyatt, maybe he’d help the hospital through this.”
Owen sighed. “That dummy can’t even take care of herself. Why would Wyatt help her?” But as he spoke, his eyes flickered. Truth was, he just didn’t want to beg Yunice. She was his sister. She was supposed to grovel to him-not the other way around. Still, she was part of the Saunders family. She couldn’t just stand by and watch the hospital fall apart.
“Come on. Let’s bring Yunice home.”
They made their way to her room. Owen knocked. It took a long while before the door opened. A woman stood there, arms crossed, leaning against the doorframe. Owen froze. It took him a moment to recognize her. “Gill?”
Yes-it was Gill. Wyatt had called her to the hospital specifically to take care of Yunice. She used to work as a maid in the Saunders household; Owen never saw her as anything more than hired help.
So he ordered, “Pack Yunice’s things. She’s coming home with me.”
Gill didn’t move. Instead, she gave Owen a mocking once-over. “And who exactly are you ordering around? Was I supposed to get a notification when you were promoted to my boss? You still think this is the era of ‘once a servant, always a servant’?”
“You-” Owen flushed with anger. He shoved past her. “I’m not talking to you. I’m here for Yunice.”
“I said you’re not going in!” Gill blocked the doorway, holding her ground. They began to shove at each other. Elsie took advantage of the moment, sneaking a vicious pinch into Gill’s side. Gill cried out in pain-and Owen took the chance to push her hard. She stumbled into the room and fell. The moment she hit the floor, she turned and saw Yunice stepping down from the bed, heading straight for her.
“Ms. Saunders, don’t move. I’m okay,” Gill said quickly, clutching her side and trying to get up. But Yunice came anyway. She stopped in front of the two intruders, her expression icy. “Who pushed her?”
Owen frowned. He didn’t like the way she was looking at him. What, she was going to start a fight over a maid? He lifted his chin defiantly. “I did. She was blocking the door. What, I wasn’t supposed to push back?”
Gill shouted, “Elsie, don’t think you can weasel out of this. You pinched me when I wasn’t looking. Don’t have the guts to own up, huh? Sneaky little rat.”
Owen turned to her in surprise. Elsie stood behind him, shoulders shrinking as she shook her head pitifully. “Owen, I didn’t…”
Before Owen could say a word, Yunice stepped forward and locked eyes with Elsie. Elsie flinched and hid behind Owen.
Yunice said calmly, “Gill, do you still have the strength?”
Gill rolled up her sleeves. “Enough to move a mountain. Just tell me what to do.”
Yunice stared directly at Elsie. “Hold her for me.”
Elsie hadn’t even processed what was happening when Gill rushed forward and grabbed her from behind in a crushing grip. Gill had the build and strength of someone used to heavy work. And she had plenty of ways to keep someone from escaping.
The Daughter in the Shadows
Gill locked both of Elsie’s wrists from behind. With her arms pinned tight, Elsie couldn’t move at all.
“Ow-” Her cry for help had barely left her mouth before a loud smack rang out, and her face snapped sideways. A bright red handprint bloomed across her cheek.
Owen’s eyes went wide. He spun toward Yunice, stunned. She had hit Elsie. Three years ago, she’d stabbed her. And now-after all that-she dared to lay hands on her again?
So much for learning anything in the asylum. If anything, she’d only gotten worse.
As Owen lunged forward, Yunice struck again-this time across the other cheek.
“Aah!” Elsie cried out, her voice shrill with pain. She thrashed, but Gill clamped a hand over her mouth with her lab coat. She wasn’t about to let this two-faced bitch get in Yunice’s way again.
Yunice said coldly, “Don’t think I won’t hit you just because you know how to fake a sob.”
Owen charged forward, hand raised-but before he could strike, Yunice met his gaze with a voice like ice.
“Before you lay a hand on me,” she said, “take a moment to think about who I am now.”
His body locked up like someone had hit the pause button. He stared at her, frozen. She glanced at his raised hand and added, “Maybe you haven’t seen what Wyatt does to people who cross him. Want a demonstration?”
For a second, it seemed like Owen might back off. Then-he shoved her to the floor.
“Oh, so that’s what this is. You got your claws out now because some man’s backing you?”
“I’m your brother. Your family. And you threaten me with an outsider?” He shouted, jabbing a finger into his chest.
“Tell me-honestly-haven’t I always treated you well?” He didn’t wait for her answer.
“When we were little, Dad was always away. Oscar had school. It was me who carried you on my back every single day. I threw my back out doing it. Still can’t sit or stand for long.”
“And when you were thirteen-you caught that weird illness after obsessing over those roses beyond the courtyard wall. You’d cry for no reason. I crossed half the country to find an old gardener with rare herbs to cure you. I almost got kidnapped along the way.”
Yunice’s eyes turned red. Her nose stung. Despite everything, her heart tightened with emotion. But her gaze remained hard.
Owen kept going.
“That jewelry cabinet I gave you-remember that? It wasn’t just a gift. I built it by hand. Learned from scratch. Took me six months. I wore my fingers raw until I didn’t have fingerprints left.”
Tears slipped down Yunice’s cheeks. But she didn’t break.
Maybe he moved himself with that speech, because seeing her cry, Owen’s own nose twitched, his voice catching. “So why are you crying? If anyone should cry, it’s Elsie. You just slapped her.”
Yunice curled her lips into a hollow smile. She let the tears fall. She didn’t cry from weakness or guilt-just quiet incomprehension.