Filed to story: The Daughter in the Shadows (Yunice) Book by Una Norris
Wyatt leaned toward Yunice. “Want to go for a walk?”
He had no interest in listening to the circus anymore.
Yunice nodded. She’d stirred the pot enough for one day. Time to make a graceful exit.
Wyatt led her on a stroll through the Powell estate.
The grounds were expansive, steeped in a century of legacy, but to Wyatt, there wasn’t a single corner worth reminiscing about.
Still, he thought Yunice might appreciate it.
She had spent her childhood running around these paths with Paul. Maybe she had fonder memories than he did.
But as they walked, it became unclear whether it was coincidence or fate that led them where they ended up.
They stopped in front of the courtyard where Wyatt had lived as a child.
It was a fenced-off section of the estate-a barren patch with an old well, infamous because someone had once died in it. The area had been sealed since.
The place wasn’t even as nice as the servant quarters, yet this had been assigned to Wyatt and his mother.
It was from this very house that his mother had fallen to her death.
The flat-roofed building wasn’t even three meters high, but it had still managed to claim her life.
Yunice hesitated. She figured Wyatt wouldn’t want to come back here.
After nearly a decade, the stone tiles showed no trace of blood.
Yunice stood behind Wyatt. She still remembered where she was standing the day his mother fell.
At the time, the woman was still alive. Yunice had slipped her a life-saving pill.
She had always wondered about that day. “Did you… see her before she died?”
She knew that Jackson had deliberately kept Wyatt away. The family had been holding a banquet that day.
Yunice had been dragged off by servants. When she last saw the woman, she still had a faint breath in her. But Luke had ordered her wrapped up in a straw mat like she was already gone.
Wyatt said calmly, “I saw her. We talked.”
His voice was steady, like the pain had been smoothed over by time.
“She told me you gave her medicine. Said you were a good kid. Told me to protect you.”
Yunice froze at those words.
Wyatt added, “Since we’re already here, pay your respects to your mother-in-law.”
“What?”
Before she could react, Wyatt gently pressed a hand to the back of her neck and bowed with her toward the old house.
Her mind spun as she followed through with the motion, slowly understanding what he meant.
His mother asked him to protect her. Was that why he married her? Why he treated her so well?
All because she once gave his dying mother a pill?
It was a strange feeling. As she stood upright again after the third bow, her head spinning, Yunice couldn’t help but recall the young Wyatt-and the woman who raised him.
The seed sown in childhood had finally borne fruit ten years later.
They left the courtyard and locked the door behind them.
Back in the reception hall, the shouting had stopped.
The patriarch and Jensen had failed to convince Paul. With no other option, they decided to let Taylor step in and work at the Cooper family on Paul’s behalf.
But Taylor was still an outsider, so the Powell family remained cautious.
As for Paul, he would remain locked up until he yielded.
When Yunice heard the news, she was delighted.
As they were about to leave, Wyatt turned to the patriarch and asked, “So… should Yunice stay behind to serve the Powell family or not?”
“Get out,” Jackson barked, livid.
Wyatt threw an arm around Yunice and swaggered out without a care in the world.
The next morning, Paul received a deposit of twenty million from a middle-aged man’s account. It was the return on an investment he’d made with just ten million in capital. He hadn’t lifted a finger-just wired the money. And in one week, it had doubled. Who could resist that kind of return?
Paul had considered the possibility of a scam, but ten million was pocket change to him. Even if it vanished, it wasn’t going to hurt. But it hadn’t vanished. He’d made a fortune. Ecstatic, he wired the full twenty million-principal and profit-back to Yunice and asked her to manage it for him. In his mind, even if this turned out to be a scam, at least the scammer had serious credibility. And if the pot kept growing, they might not be able to keep up with payouts. Even if he lost some of it, for the Powell family, it would barely leave a dent.
Yunice stayed calm and accepted the transfer, promising to deposit forty million into his account the following week. But she did the math-at this pace, her capital chain would collapse within a week. She needed money. A lot of it. Billions, if possible. Now, where could she find a rich fool to fleece? She glanced at Wyatt behind the wheel. …Nope. She didn’t have the guts.
Instead, Yunice started texting people for loans. She opened with Quinton and asked for one billion straight. Quinton, mid-breakfast, nearly spit out his milk. “You trying to buy an immortal tortoise or something?”
Yunice replied, “I’m strapped right now.” Strapped was an understatement. A billion? Quinton wiped his mouth. “Why not ask Wyatt?”
Yunice responded, “I’m asking you because we’re friends.” Manipulative? Absolutely. But effective. Quinton had no choice. He was still counting on Yunice to help treat his precious child. A billion? Two billion? He’d find it.
Once Yunice received Quinton’s transfer, she hit up Taylor, Freya, and Victor too. Altogether, she scraped together fifty million. With Quinton’s billion, she was still far from her target. But it was enough to keep things afloat for the next three weeks.
Wyatt pulled into the company garage.
Yunice hopped out with a handwritten referral letter from Wyatt and went straight to the pharmaceutical research center to pick up her access badge. With the badge, she’d have open access to the lab. Due to the risk involved in drug development, the lab was on the top floor-two levels above Wyatt’s own office. As she handled paperwork with HR, a woman in a white lab coat strode in, hands in her pockets, with the air of someone who didn’t care how loud her steps echoed. She was clearly here for something else but overheard Yunice talking to the HR manager. Without warning, she snatched the letter from Yunice’s hand. She opened it. “Introduced by Mr. Wyatt?” she asked, gaze cool and probing. Yunice calmly looked her over too.
First the lab coat, then the name tag-she was a licensed pharmacist. Then the marks on her hands from long hours of lab work. Most likely, she worked on original drug development. They might even end up collaborating. This woman looked like the type who didn’t play well with others. Yunice retrieved the letter and resumed her conversation with HR. But the woman shot her a sharp look, then suddenly grabbed Yunice by the wrist and dragged her away without a word. With one hand in her coat pocket and zero regard for the curious stares of nearby coworkers, she strode confidently through the hall. Naturally, Yunice also became the center of attention. She frowned. She had no idea what this woman wanted and tried to shake free. But the woman shoved her into the elevator and hit the button for the executive floor.
Yunice studied her again during the ride. She looked to be in her thirties. Probably single, judging by how well she maintained herself. If she didn’t always have that icy expression, she might even look younger. When the elevator doors opened, the woman walked out first without turning around. “Follow me.”
Fine. Lead the way. Yunice trailed behind, watching her swaying low ponytail and unbothered, loose-limbed gait. They arrived at the CEO’s office. The woman stopped and pointed at the door. “Go in.” Yunice raised a brow. “Did you knock?” If someone inside was discussing confidential matters, barging in would be asking for trouble. The woman sneered but didn’t argue. She stepped up and knocked. Yunice stood behind her. She wasn’t the one stirring trouble. She had no reason to lead the charge.
There was no response from inside the office for a long moment. No sound-it was unclear if it was empty or just occupied.
The woman in the lab coat was clearly in a hurry. She glanced at her watch repeatedly, growing visibly impatient. Then, without waiting for any response, she turned the handle and pushed the door open.
The moment the door cracked, a folder came flying out and smacked the ground near Yunice’s feet.
“Do you not understand basic protocol?” a furious voice boomed from inside.
The papers landed right in front of Yunice. The woman who had opened the door, due to her angle, had avoided the direct hit.
Yunice glanced at the scattered documents at her feet, then looked up-only to see Wyatt’s face, twisted with anger behind his desk.
The rage on his face softened slightly when he realized it was her-but only slightly. He didn’t say anything to her, just shifted his gaze back to the executives standing at attention before him. None of them dared break the silence. Jordan wasn’t present either.
The woman in the lab coat froze, clearly stunned by the outburst. Her first instinct was to slam the door and run. But when she noticed the documents near Yunice’s feet, she hesitated. Those papers were important-they needed to go in. She couldn’t just pretend not to see them. She started wildly signaling to Yunice with her eyes, as if silently scolding her for not being more aware.
Yunice was irritated by her condescending attitude, but now was not the time for petty squabbles. Quickly, she gathered the documents, tucked them back into the folder, and stepped into the room under immense pressure. She placed the folder on Wyatt’s desk, turned around, and was ready to leave.