Filed to story: The Daughter in the Shadows (Yunice) Book by Una Norris
Wyatt glanced at Jordan. Jordan understood and stepped forward. “Little rabbit, let’s go.”
Seeing that Wyatt didn’t move, Yunice knew this was his way of telling her to leave. She didn’t say anything, got up, and followed Jordan out of the clubhouse. The moment they stepped outside, they heard the sound of rain hitting the windows. Yunice then realized it was raining.
A valet pulled the car up to a dry spot. Jordan got into the driver’s seat, and Yunice sat in the back.
After a moment, someone knocked on the window. Jordan rolled it down, and the person outside tossed in a briefcase. It wasn’t very big, but it landed on the seat with a heavy thud. Jordan rolled the window back up, turned the wheel, and said, “This is three hundred thousand in cash. It’s not that they’re giving you too little; it’s that you wouldn’t be able to carry more.”
Yunice opened the case. It was full of money.
Jordan glanced at the rearview mirror and saw Yunice holding the case tightly, laughing and crying at the same time. He was puzzled. She was, after all, the eldest daughter of the Saunders family. Why was she so happy over such a small amount of money?
Jordan asked where she wanted to go. Yunice gave him Gill’s address. She wasn’t trying to hide it-if Wyatt wanted to find out, she wouldn’t be able to keep it a secret anyway.
The car moved through the rain, but the luxury vehicle’s soundproofing was excellent. Yunice had never liked rainy days, but maybe because she was in a good mood now, even the rain felt gentle and lovely.
She quietly rolled the window down a little and reached her fingers out. The raindrops hit her hand, cool and refreshing. On rainy days, would she meet a god with a soft heart?
Looking at the neon lights reflected in the raindrops outside the window, Yunice felt as if the whole world had come alive. For the first time, she truly felt like she had escaped the psychiatric hospital.
Jordan dropped her off and drove away. Standing at the door, Yunice’s heart pounded. She hesitantly knocked. Soon, she heard the door open.
Gill held the doorknob and let out a surprised, “Ah!”
Yunice’s hands loosened, and the money case fell to the ground.
Gill brought it inside. Yunice cried for several minutes, finally releasing all the emotions she had been holding back. As she gradually quieted down, Gill went to get her some water.
Yunice sat on the couch, looking around. It was a small villa, with a garden on the terrace.
It was still raining outside, but under the glow of the ambient lights, she could see a large rose tree swaying in the wind and rain. Because it was the wrong season, there were no flowers on the tree, only a few dried, dark red buds stubbornly clinging on.
Yunice stared at them for a long time, feeling an overwhelming sense of longing for her father.
Gill followed her gaze out the window and said, “Miss, does it look familiar?”
Yunice snapped out of her thoughts. Gill was only ten years older than her, so she was barely thirty now. She dressed simply but neatly. She had come from a poor background, but she was hardworking. Ten years ago, Margaret had introduced her to the Saunders family as a housekeeper. To Yunice, Gill was more than just a playmate. She was family.
Gill had been married, but Margaret had told Yunice that her husband had taken another wife in the countryside. She had tried to fight it, but it was useless. Margaret felt bad for her and let her take care of the house. Now, Gill lived alone in the villa, which was a comfortable arrangement.
Gill also looked out the window and said, “That rose tree was planted by your father himself. After Mr. Owen dug it up, I saved a few branches and replanted them. In three years, it’s grown this much.”
Yunice’s heart moved. Now, the only people left who still remembered her father were her and Gill.
Gill squatted in front of Yunice and squeezed her arm. Even through the fabric, she could feel how thin she was.
Gill’s eyes turned red instantly. Her voice broke as she said, “Ms. Saunders, you’ve suffered. I only hate that I was so useless. No one believed me back then. I was with you for so long. How could I not know if you had a mental illness or not?”
Yunice laughed bitterly. Her own family didn’t believe her, so how could they believe Gill?
Gill gripped her hand and said through clenched teeth, “Ms. Saunders, you can’t lose. I’ve lived for thirty years, and I’ve finally figured out that no one is reliable. A person can only rely on themselves! You have to work hard, buy a big house like this one, move out of the Saunders family, and I’ll take care of you. I’ll be your companion! The Saunders family has long turned into a den of jackals. If you can’t stand on your own, they’ll tear you apart and swallow you whole!” Gill spoke with gritted teeth. She was truly afraid Yunice would never recover, but there was nothing she could do to help.
Yunice squeezed Gill’s hand in return and said, “I will buy a big house in the future. We’ll live together.”
Hearing this, Gill immediately thought of something. “I even saved something for you! When you were locked in the psychiatric hospital, Elsie wasted no time trying to get rid of your things. I secretly kept some for you. They’re buried under the tree in the yard. Ms. Saunders, find a chance to dig them up. They might come in handy!”
The rain dripped outside. Yunice and Gill seemed to have endless things to say, but the sun would rise again, and people had to part eventually.
No matter how much Yunice hated that house, she still had to go back. She knew Paul would definitely report her absence last night to Owen. Instead of rushing back, she boldly delayed her return until late at night. After all, Owen wouldn’t be back for another six days. But the moment Yunice got home, she was suffocated… Owen’s car was parked in the driveway.
Owen came back early? Is it because Paul complained, and Owen rushed back overnight?
Yunice knew Owen’s temper. He was impulsive and quick to anger. The best choice when he was mad was to avoid him.
She turned around immediately, planning to stay out for six or seven days. By then, maybe Owen’s anger would have subsided.
“Yunice.” It was Paul’s voice.
Yunice turned back. Paul walked toward her from the living room. She didn’t see Owen.
Paul stopped in front of her, his eyes scanning her up and down, checking for any suspicious marks. Only after confirming there was nothing unusual did his expression relax. He lowered his voice and said, “I didn’t tell your brother about what you…”
Yunice looked at Paul warily.
Paul said, “You used to take the fall for me, so I’m helping you this time.”
Paul had never been an easy person. When they were kids, every time he got into trouble, he made Yunice cover for him.
One year, Elsie was hanging out with a group of gangsters. Paul beat one of them up, and he ended up at the police station. Paul was worried about Elsie’s reputation, and made Yunice say she was the one being harassed by those gangsters. It was as if her reputation didn’t matter at all.
Yunice didn’t respond to Paul’s goodwill. She just gave a short “Mm” and walked toward the house.
Paul followed. “I helped you, and you’re still ignoring me?”
Yunice stopped, looking impatient. “You’re Elsie’s boyfriend now. Is it appropriate for me to talk to you?”
Paul grabbed her. “Stop using that as an excuse. If you were really so loyal, would you have thrown yourself at Wyatt?”
Yunice turned her head and looked at him coldly. “I’m not jealous,” Yunice continued. “If I like someone else, I won’t be in your and Elsie’s way. You should be happy.”
Instead of standing here lecturing her, acting as if she was the one who had cheated…
Yunice walked into the living room. Paul didn’t follow. He was probably too pissed off.
As soon as she stepped inside, Yunice noticed extra people in the house. On the sofa, Lily was chatting with a woman around her age.
Seeing Yunice come in, Lily smiled and said, “Look, our Yunny is back. Yunny, say hello to Ms. Genna.”
Yunice had never heard of anyone named Genna being close to the family, but to avoid unnecessary trouble, she simply said, “Hello, Ms. Genna.”
Looking up, she noticed the bangle on the woman’s wrist was of good quality, but it wasn’t a top-tier piece. Most likely, she came from a well-off family but wasn’t as wealthy as the Saunders family.
After greeting her, Yunice didn’t think anything good would come from this conversation, so she turned to head upstairs.
But unexpectedly, Genna reached out and pinched her butt hard, deliberately using a lot of force.
Yunice was so shocked that she took a step back, but she didn’t cry out. Genna was pleased with her reaction. She smiled and nodded at Lily. “This girl is steady. She can live a good life.”
Hearing that, Lily’s expression visibly relaxed. She replied, “She was raised in comfort. As long as you approve of her, that’s good enough.”
Genna grinned so wide that the flesh on her face trembled. “She is good, just a little too skinny. Might not be easy for her to bear children.”
Yunice understood immediately. Her heart skipped a beat as she looked at Lily. “Mom, who is she?”
Lily knew Yunice wasn’t asking for a name. She reached out to soothe her. “Your brother asked me to arrange your marriage. Genna is an old friend of mine. Her son is honest and dependable. If you marry him, you won’t suffer.”
Genna quickly chimed in, “That’s right! You won’t have to do anything at my house. Just lie in bed and give birth to a son.”
Yunice turned around, her face cold. “And what if I can’t have a son?”
Genna didn’t realize she was being mocked and said, “It’s fine if you have a daughter. Just keep having kids. You’ll get a son eventually.”
Yunice now understood exactly what kind of family this was. She glanced at the coffee table, picked up the teapot, and poured it over Genna’s head! The tea was at a drinkable temperature, but it still made Genna yelp as she flailed her hands in the air.