Filed to story: The Daughter in the Shadows (Yunice) Book by Una Norris
Yunice stayed obediently nestled in his arms. “Don’t blame Elianna… she didn’t hang up on purpose-her phone just died.”
Elianna: “…”
She felt like she’d just swallowed a cactus. She wanted to defend herself but didn’t dare say a word.
Yunice continued softly, “I should be thanking her, actually. If she hadn’t called you, you wouldn’t have arrived so quickly. I didn’t expect her to help me like that…”
Wyatt’s expression softened. His eyes held a glint of guilt, clearly feeling bad for having snapped at Elianna earlier.
Elianna: “..”
Now she truly understood what it meant to manipulate men like they were puppies. Yunice, you two-faced little witch!
At the hospital, Yunice was sent in for a full check-up.
Standing at the door, Wyatt glanced at the disheveled Elianna and said, “You should go in too.”
Elianna frowned and stepped back. “No way.”
She had no interest in being stuck in a room with Yunice.
Wyatt noticed her tightly knit brows and how she kept rubbing her hands nervously behind her back.
“What’s wrong? You’ve been acting weird all day. Just say what’s on your mind.”
Elianna’s heart skipped. Without thinking, she blurted, “Wyatt, Yunice… she’s lying to you!”
If she didn’t say it now, she’d never get another chance.
“Lying?” Wyatt, phone in hand, paused mid-message. “What is she lying about?”
“She met with-“
Just then, Wyatt’s phone rang.
Elianna’s words cut off mid-sentence as both of them looked at the phone.
Wyatt, visibly irritated, held it up and said. “Whatever it is, we’ll talk later.”
He walked off while answering the call.
Elianna stared after him, heart sinking. He hadn’t taken her seriously at all. Even if she told him the truth, he’d never believe her over Yunice.
Disappointment hit hard. Has he really forgotten about me ever since he got a wife?
But then a thought stopped her cold.
Wait. If he cares about Yunice so much, why did he leave before her results came out?
What kind of call can’t be answered right outside the exam room?
Her instincts kicking in, she quietly followed him.
Wyatt walked down the corridor, alone.
“She doing okay?”
“Mr. Wyatt, Ms. Nora has shown repeated response to the rhino-hom compound. She could wake up any minute. If you’re not there when she does, you may miss it.”
“If she wakes up and doesn’t see you, it could cause her emotional distress.”
Ms. Nora?
Nora… is waking up?
Elianna’s breath caught in her throat. But realizing she’d just made a sound, she quickly turned and rushed back to the waiting area.
A few minutes passed. Wyatt didn’t return.
Her heart was pounding.
What is going on?
He was protecting Yunice on one hand, and saving Nora on the other.
Who does he really love? Or is he trying to have it both ways-one as his ideal, one as a substitute?
Elianna had once thought Yunice had Wyatt completely under her thumb. But now… Yunice was just a piece on the board too.
Frowning, Elianna realized she didn’t understand the game at all. She didn’t dare take sides anymore.
“Whatever. Let them lie to each other all they want. I’ll just live easy. No matter who the wife is, I’m still Wyatt’s little sister.”
When Yunice came out of the exam room, she saw Elianna swinging her legs on a bench, looking idle and carefree.
Odd.
After being humiliated by Yunice earlier, Elianna should’ve been stomping in anger in front of Wyatt.
Yunice asked, “Where’s Wyatt?”
Elianna looked up lazily, just about to reply when a familiar voice came from behind Yunice.
“I’m here,”
Yunice turned. Wyatt stood there holding a takeout bag. “I went to get us something to eat. Are you hungry?”
From her seat in the back, Elianna’s expression shifted. She recognized that bag-it came from a place at least ten minutes away.
But she had just overheard Wyatt’s phone call barely moments ago. There was no way he had gone out himself.
So someone else bought it for him. He was just covering up his absence.
Elianna stared at the couple, her mind in knots. They’re both so two-faced. Is this what a complicated marriage looks like?
She knew everything… but chose to stay quiet.
Wyatt looked down at his phone. “The doctor already sent me your scans. You’re lucky-no internal injuries.”
He looked up, gaze drifting to Yunice’s neck. Her skin was pale and slender, so even the faintest bruises stood out starkly.
Wyatt reached up, his knuckles brushing lightly over the reddish bruises on Yunice’s neck. They didn’t look like a result of a car crash-more like hand marks.
Yunice replied calmly, “The doctor said it’s soft tissue bruising, likely from some accessory in the car that hit me during the impact. It’ll fade in a few days.”
Elianna dropped her gaze, eyes darting.
That’s a lie. Paul strangled her. And Paul also said the one who framed Oscar was Morgan.
So that’s why Yunice staged the car accident-to explain away the marks on her neck.
That way, Wyatt wouldn’t suspect she’d met with Paul-or that she knew the truth.