Filed to story: The Daughter in the Shadows (Yunice) Book by Una Norris
She wanted to build an empire for herself, not someone else. She couldn’t handle Wyatt. That man is unhinged.
She tilted her head and looked toward the caf?, where Yunice had just stepped out.
Alan followed her gaze and said, “If even you can’t handle him, then she definitely doesn’t stand a chance.”
At the Powell family dinner the other day, even though the encounters had been brief, she could tell-Wyatt treated Yunice differently.
Yunice got into Jordan’s car. Wyatt wasn’t in it, though. Jordan drove her to a banquet hall.
It was a seaside hotel; the event space covered over five thousand square feet. Inside the hall, glasses clinked and conversations overlapped; elite guests filled the space shoulder to shoulder.
Yunice walked through the VIP entrance, which led straight to the wraparound terrace. Wyatt was out there, leaning against the railing with the wind in his hair.
Like he had eyes in the back of his head, Wyatt spoke. “Well, if it isn’t my fianc?e, out and about…recruiting new concubines for me.”
Yunice didn’t respond. She didn’t think she was in the wrong. The two of them had been forced into this arrangement from the beginning. He hadn’t really wanted to marry her; she hadn’t really wanted to marry him.
In fact, Taylor and Wyatt were the ones who were more aligned. Both were career-obsessed and matched in every way…
Wyatt turned around and kept poking at her. “My fianc?e’s so considerate. How lucky am I?”
No matter how sarcastic he got, Yunice just stood there and listened, as if nothing could get through to her-like a bad student tuning out the teacher.
Fine.
Wyatt slid something off his wrist and held his hand out over the railing, using the item to tease the decorative fish in the artificial sea below.
The fish must have been used to being fed; as soon as they noticed the shadow dancing on the surface, they swam up with wide-open mouths, trying to snatch it away.
Yunice finally tilted her head to take a look, intrigued. A string of worry beads. Wyatt was teasing with the bracelet her father had given her!
“The bracelet can’t get wet…” Yunice ran over and reached for the bracelet. “Give it back…”
But Wyatt had long arms, and she had to climb up on the railing to try and grab it. He kept messing with her, swinging the bracelet around like he was teasing a cat.
“Can’t get wet?” Wyatt raised a brow. “I don’t buy it. Let’s see what happens if it does.”
“Seawater’s full of corrosive substances. It’ll ruin the natural oils on the surface, destroy the scent, and damage the wood’s quality…”
“I didn’t go to college, no idea what you’re saying.”
Yunice gritted her teeth and gave in. “I’m sorry. Please don’t feed my bracelet to the fish.”
Wyatt turned his wrist and finally gripped the bracelet in his hand.
Yunice let out a sigh of relief and asked, “You’ve had my bracelet for a while now. Should be tired of playing with it, right? Can I have it back?”
“Had it?” Wyatt said, not letting it go. “Is your whole family this good at twisting the truth? I paid for this thing. What’s it got to do with you?”
He kind of had a point.
Yunice said, “Then I’ll buy it back. How much do you want?”
Wyatt replied, “Not for sale.”
Yunice went silent.
“Forget it. It’s just a material possession anyway.” Her expression darkened as she stepped down from the railing.
, and So Did the Vibe
No one expected the floor to be that slippery; the small footstool she brought over to stand on suddenly slid forward. Just as Yunice’s waist was about to slam into the railing and she started toppling into the sea, Wyatt grabbed her around the waist. He casually kicked the stool aside and wrapped his arms around Yunice, pressing a kiss to her lips. It was quick, like a brush of dragonfly wings. He glanced at Yunice; when he saw she wasn’t resisting, he deepened the kiss possessively.
“Mr. Paul, what are you looking at?” Jordan walked up beside Paul with a champagne glass in hand and a grin that practically screamed flirtation. Paul was standing in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, staring out toward the terrace. Between the glass and the terrace, lush seaside plants had been arranged like a screen, partially blocking the view. Still, through the gaps in the foliage, you could make out what was happening on the terrace. Because their backs were turned, Jordan didn’t see Wyatt’s face, but he did see Yunice.
He assumed Paul was interested in the woman and leered, “She’s got fair skin and a tiny waist. If you’re into it, Mr. Paul, I can get her for you tonight.” Paul had been dragged to this party by Jensen. He didn’t expect to show up and immediately see Yunice and Wyatt making out. His mood tanked. Everything felt off, and now everyone looked like an eyesore. He shot a glare at the man trying to suck up to him and said coldly, “Sure, bring her to me.” With that, Paul slammed his glass down and headed inside.
Jordan blinked, confused by the look he got. He didn’t think he said anything wrong. Meanwhile, the couple on the terrace finally broke apart. With the change in angle, Wyatt’s face came into view; Jordan’s hand slipped, and he nearly dropped his champagne. No wonder Paul had glared at him. Competing with Wyatt over anything was practically suicide. Wyatt’s fingers brushed the red marks on Yunice’s neck. The handprint was a real eyesore. Wyatt’s eyes grew darker by the second. Jordan walked out onto the terrace and said, “Wyatt, everyone’s waiting for you.”
Wyatt gave a low grunt of acknowledgment. After a few seconds, he finally let go of Yunice’s neck. “Wait here for me,” Wyatt said, then walked into the hall without looking back. The place was packed with entrepreneurs and executives-elites from all industries. Yunice…
So she stood by the window, gazing outside. Behind Wyatt on the stage was a row of ribbon garlands for a ceremonial cutting. It looked like a product launch event. Jensen stood to the side, leading the applause with a smile that gave nothing away. Everyone in the Powell family could put on a show except Paul. His face always gave him away. Wait. Why wasn’t Paul onstage? Would the Powell family really pass up a chance to let Paul soak up the spotlight?
Just then, a server came in with dessert and tea for Yunice. She pulled her gaze back and asked, “What’s the event outside?” The server bowed slightly. “Good evening, ma’am. It’s the launch and distribution ceremony for Alphasirox pills.” “How are the sales?” Yunice asked. “It’s a new release; demand far exceeds supply.” After the server left, Yunice sat down. She hadn’t expected Huaxin Pharma to move so fast. With Anning monopolizing the market, no one was catching up anytime soon. She checked her phone-sure enough, Huaxin’s stock had skyrocketed. With results like this, someone in the Powell family probably wasn’t going to sleep tonight.
Just as Yunice snapped back to the moment, a pair of brand-new leather shoes appeared in her line of sight. She looked up and met Paul’s eyes. His brows were tightly furrowed, a deep line between them. His gaze swept over her critically, and his tone was cold as he said, “Yunice, how can you sit here so comfortably?” Yunice thought he was talking about Elsie. She shot back sarcastically, “You’re fine attending this party, but I’m not allowed to be?” “I’m not talking about Elsie,” Paul said flatly. Yunice was completely lost now. So maybe she had wronged someone in his family again. He couldn’t even bother showing up to celebrate-just came straight to her to ruin the night.
Paul stepped forward quickly, invading her space. “I’m talking about Moss.” “Moss is dead, did you know that? The pet you raised yourself is dead. You killed it!” Yunice’s expression turned mocking; she was at a loss for words at his accusations.
He died. Don’t you feel guilty when you dream at night? Can’t you hear him calling for you?” Even Paul got emotional as he spoke. His eyes turned red, his voice caught in his throat. If Yunice hadn’t known the truth, she might’ve been wracked with guilt and grief over Moss’s death. But she knew everything. Every last bit.
Killed Moss?
Yunice stayed seated, her voice calm and distant. “Do you dream about Moss at night? Hear him calling your name? Asking why you hurt him? How you could be so cruel? How you could turn on a pet you raised for over four years?”
Paul froze. Whether it was guilt or the intensity of Yunice’s stare, he actually took a step back; his bluster faded fast. “No, I never dreamed that! You’re the one who abandoned Moss; you’re the one who delayed his treatment. If he’s coming after anyone, it’s you.”
“Still pretending?” Yunice cut straight through it. “Moss was poisoned by disinfectant. He was a handful, sure, could unscrew a bottle cap, but you tell me, when did he learn to screw it back on, perfectly tight?”
That was Paul’s slip-up. His guilty conscience had him thinking he could cover it up; forcing Moss to drink the disinfectant, he’d screwed the cap back on, thinking no one would notice.
Yunice slowly stood. “You say I killed Moss? That I delayed treatment? Then tell me-when Moss was dying, where were you, his so-called owner?”
“Did you take care of the body afterward? Were you there when he was cremated? Did you say goodbye? You did nothing-but now you put on this show of devotion, just to shove all the guilt onto me? Trying to cover up your own conscience?”
“Paul, is it because I’ve been too easy to push around all these years? So now, every time something goes wrong, it’s just second nature for you all to pin it on me…”
Paul’s face twisted with frustration. He cut her off loudly. “You’re just making excuses-“
Splash! A full glass of red wine hit Paul in the face, cutting off whatever insult he was about to spit out.
“If you want a fight, Mr. Paul, I’m right here,” Yunice said, slamming the glass down hard on the table.
Paul stood there, jaw clenched, holding his breath. The wine ran down his face like blood, staining his white suit red. Looking like that, there was no way he could show his face in public again tonight.
He wiped his face, veins bulging in rage, but he didn’t dare make a scene-not with all the guests around. He’d embarrassed himself too many times lately. His grandfather and father had been disappointed in him for a while now. With so many people watching, he couldn’t afford another mistake. He shot Yunice a vicious glare, swallowed his anger, and turned to go change his clothes.
Yunice was just starting to relax when Paul’s phone rang. He paused mid-step, answered the call, then turned to Yunice with a frown. “She’s with me. Alright, I’ll bring her over now.”
He ended the call, came storming back, and yanked Yurice by the arm. “You’re coming with-“
Ice gasped but couldn’t break free. Paul dragged her to the-
At the Saunders mansion. Yunice was shoved into Elsie’s room. Paul slammed the door shut behind them. Yunice took a breath and calmed herself as her eyes swept the room; the whole Saunders family was there. Elsie lay pale and unconscious on the bed. Lily had passed out crying at her bedside, barely breathing. Oween, the only one still standing, stepped forward and grabbed Yumice’s arm.
“This is your doing!” Owen raged.
Yunice stayed cold.
“You think we don’t know?” Owen roared. “We tried to take Elsie to the hospital, but every single one turned us away. Not one expert in the entire Suverburgh would touch her case. Who else could be behind that but you?”
Yunice let out a dry laugh. “You think I’ve got that kind of pull?”