Filed to story: The Daughter in the Shadows (Yunice) Book by Una Norris
Elsie put on a pitiful face. “Yunice… don’t tell me you’ve changed your mind? You don’t want to give it back? But the photo’s still mine. What’s the use of you keeping it?”
The people nearby began to jeer. “Didn’t she act all generous just now? Can’t even keep it up for five minutes?” “If you want us to believe you didn’t take it, at least open your bag and let us look.” “She definitely doesn’t dare open it. Who knows what she’s hiding? Don’t forget what she used to carry back in high school!” “Should’ve stopped Oscar from drinking. At least then he’d see what kind of sister he really has.”
Yunice’s eyes passed over their cager, mocking faces. Yes, she used to prove her innocence in situations like this, over and over again. They knew she was being wronged, but they weren’t after the truth. What they loved was…
…Not anymore.
Calmly, Yunice said, “Call the police.” She pressed the service bell.
When the waiter arrived, Yunice pulled out a wad of cash and handed it over. “Could you please find two people to help carry him out?” She pointed at Oscar.
At that moment, Owen, now tipsy himself, groaned with his head in his hands, cheeks flushed red. “Yunny…”
Yunice glanced at him, then looked away as if she hadn’t heard.
As the waiter came in to lift Oscar, a man who had been ignored all night suddenly lunged forward and yanked her handbag. “Who said you could leave?”
With a hard pull, the bag slipped from Yunice’s shoulder and crashed to the floor. The man glared at her, then turned to Elsie. “Go ahead, check it. So many of us are here. What’s she going to do?”
This man had long been harboring sleazy thoughts about Yunice. He thought she was pretty and seemed open ‘in private.’ Now he saw a chance to take her down a peg.
Elsie, delighted, rushed over to pick up the bag.
Yunice sneered. “There’s a needle in there meant for sewing mouths shut. Want me to use it on you?”
Elsie’s hand trembled. She suddenly remembered who was backing Yunice: Wyatt. And she definitely remembered the pain of having her mouth sewn shut. She reflexively recoiled. But the man was not afraid. He grabbed Yunice’s bag and turned it upside down.
In that instance, bundles of cash hit the floor. Then, with a soft clink, a massive diamond ring rolled out.
Everyone stood up to gawk. “That can’t be real, right? Who has a diamond that big?” “Who carries that much cash in their bag unless they’re showing off?”
The man shook the bag again until it was completely empty. No personal items. No sign of Elsie’s ID.
That was how she always was. Using light and breezy apologies to dismiss the humiliation she had just caused.
Yunice replied evenly, “It’s fine. When legal comes to collect evidence later, just remember to wire the compensation fee to my account.”
Elsie blinked, “What do you mean?”
Yunice was already taking photos of the scene, specifically, the scattered cash and the gleaming, pigeon-egg-sized diamond ring on the floor. “This is a colorless South African diamond. Current market value? Around 7 million dollars. The base has a new scratch. Repair cost… roughly 410,000 dollars. But you know how luxury goods are. Once repaired, they lose value. You’ll need to cover the depreciation, too.”
“Oh, and there was 3,000 dollars in cash in my bag,” she added as she started counting the bills on the floor. “Huh… how come so much is missing?”
The man who had yanked her bag stared at her in disbelief. “What are you saying? Are you accusing us of stealing?”
Yunice lifted her phone and took a full group shot of everyone in the room. “I just withdrew that 2,000 dollars today. The receipt’s still in my coat pocket. If none of you took it, who did? You’re all here. No one leaves.”
Only those truly wronged understand the depth of such injustice. The man was furious. “Keep dragging us into this nonsense, and I swear I’ll-“
“You all owe me exactly 1.11 million dollars,” Yunice calmly interrupted.
“Your ass!” The man lunged, reaching for her collar.
Yunice raised her voice, unflinching. “I suggest you behave. Right now, you’re dealing with me. If my husband shows up, things will get ugly.”
The moment she mentioned her husband, Elsie’s face turned ashen. She instantly clutched the man’s arm, her voice trembling. “It’s just money, just a little money. Let’s not make a big deal of it with my sister…”
The man looked at her like she’d lost her mind. “Little money? 1.11 million?! Have you completely lost it?” He flung off her hand. “Since you’re such a saint, you pay!”
Elsie’s face collapsed. “I haven’t even officially started working yet… I really don’t have that kind of money.”
The man rolled his eyes. “Then why act all noble? You think I should pay for your mess? You’re the one who accused her. It’s on you!”
Elsie tried to shift blame. “But I didn’t tell you to grab her bag…”
The man was furious. “Oh, so now I’m the idiot in your little scam?”
Someone nearby muttered, “How do we know that ring’s even real? Could be a con to trap us.” Yunice raised a brow. “Well then, I suppose I’ll have my husband verify it.”
“No!” Elsie cried, panicked. The mere thought of Wyatt made her blood run cold. Even if it meant losing everything tonight, she couldn’t let him come.
She immediately turned back to the crowd, almost pleading. “Please don’t doubt Yunice. That ring is definitely real. We broke her stuff. It’s only right we pay.”
Her words had barely landed when the room exploded.
“Elsie, you hypocrite! I’ve had enough of you!”
“This whole thing’s a setup, isn’t it? You two sisters are scamming us. Has the Saunders family fallen so low they’re staging extortion schemes now?”
Elsie was stuck in the middle, like an ant on a hot pan. She turned desperately to Owen, but he was too drunk to even stand.
Panicked, she stomped her foot. “Fine! I’ll borrow the money! I’ll write IOUs, okay?”
Someone sneered. “Why are you so scared of her? Is her husband really that powerful?”
Powerful? The man who once sewed someone’s mouth shut in a fit of anger? That was an understatement.
Elsie clasped her hands and sobbed, pleading. “Please, I’m begging you all…”
Her tears were convincing, but no one wanted to be the scapegoat. They had come for fun and left with drama.
There were eleven people in the room. Evenly split, they each owed over 95,000 dollars.
Someone finally sighed, “I can lend 3,000 dollars; take it or leave it.”
The rest echoed similarly modest offers. After collecting everything, they were still 700,000 dollars short.
Elsie looked pitifully at the man who had grabbed Yunice’s bag, eyes swimming with tears. He scratched his head in disbelief. “We’re looking at 700,000 dollars!”
Yunice smiled faintly. “Her boyfriend’s the eldest son of the Powell family. Surely 700,000 dollars isn’t a problem?”
That seemed to convince him. With a half-glance at Elsie and perhaps with an ulterior motive, he pulled out a check. “Fine. I’ll lend you 700,000 dollars.”
Yunice reminded coolly, “Don’t forget the IOUs, everyone. It’s best to have documentation. It saves arguments later.”
Elsie shot her a venomous glare, on the verge of choking from rage. She had only gone through Yunice’s bag hoping to fish out something valuable and ended up losing so much money.
Once the dust settled, Yunice scribbled an account number. “Go cash the check yourself and wire the money to this account.” She glanced sideways at Elsie. “Handle it quickly. Don’t make me follow up.”
Elsie’s eyes were red with anger. She nearly bit through her own lip.
Yunice slung her bag over her shoulder and left with Oscar.
There was nothing Elsie could do. What could she say when Yunice had married a man who was capable and fiercely protective of her?
“Who is her husband, anyway?” a woman asked, gossip lighting her eyes. “Did she hook up with…”
“Probably,” someone added. “If she married into a decent family, she’d be flaunting it already.”
“Come on, Elsie, tell us. What does her husband do?”
Elsie’s heart twisted with jealousy. These people were all shameless opportunists. If they knew Yunice’s husband was Wyatt, they would drop her in a heartbeat and rush to flatter Yunice.