Filed to story: The Daughter in the Shadows (Yunice) Book by Una Norris
She knew she’d just been exposed to ten thousand people in a matter of seconds. And worst of all-she had no idea what Yunice was planning.
Then Yunice spoke again, voice calm, sharp.
“Miss Yunice,” she said smoothly, “do you know why I’m calling on you to clear my name? From what I understand, you’re currently in a graduate program, correct?”
Elsie’s stomach twisted. Her face tensed as she watched the stream.
Yunice continued, “Then I assume you’re quite familiar with SAT-level questions. So how about this-we let the audience choose a few SAT problems, and we solve them together. Sound fair?”
Elsie snapped, “What does your cheating have to do with me? Why should I help you?”
The chat went feral.
This wasn’t just a scandal anymore.
This was bloodsport.
Elsie turned on the reporters in frustration. “This is a hospital. Back off, or I’ll call the police and report you for disturbing the peace!”
But before she could push her way out, Yunice’s voice came again from the livestream: “Miss Yunier, if you really have nothing to do with my so-called cheating, then why did you anonymously send that report to the media accusing me?”
“My lawyer already has your submission. Do you want me to show it to everyone right now?”
Elsie’s face went pale. She barked out, “You’re paranoid. I didn’t report anything. I don’t even know who you are!”
Watching from his phone, Owen was practically choking with panic. He typed furiously into the comments only to realize, too late, that he was still banned from the chat.
He immediately called Yunice, wanting to force her to end the livestream before she embarrassed the family even more.
But the call didn’t go through.
Back in the stream, Yunice narrowed her eyes and kept her tone even. “It’s just one SAT question. The audience is waiting. Why so evasive, Miss Yunice? You’re a grad student, right? Are you saying you can’t even solve a high school test question?”
Elsie could barely breathe as she saw the comment section explode again. The viewers weren’t just curious now; they were thirsty for blood.
“What the hell is her problem? It’s just a question!”
“This is all staged, right? No way this isn’t a setup.”
“Calling it now, that girl’s just a decoy. Watch Yunice ask her a rigged question, get it right, and use it to ‘prove’ she didn’t cheat. Then it’ll turn into a smear campaign against the other girl for being dumb.”
Yunice saw the last comment and almost laughed out loud. Smart crowd. Someone give them a prize.
She leaned her chin into her hand, eyes calm, and said into the mic, “Since you’re all so brilliant and passionate about fairness, how about you vote on the most accurate and transparent way to test me? Let’s let you decide.”
She checked the time and added, “Tell you what, I’ll give you until tomorrow. Figure it out. I’ll go live again then.”
“Oh my god, she’s unreal. She just put all of us on trial!”
“Who even gave her the mic! She’s bossing the whole internet around!”
“Great. We bust our asses during the day, and now she wants free labor from us at night too?”
“Okay but seriously-anyone got ideas? I really wanna see her go down.”
Yunice watched the chaos unfold in the comments. Then she calmly ended the stream.
She wasn’t trying to clear her name anymore. She wanted to raise the stakes.
She was betting that these angry netizens didn’t actually care about the truth-they just wanted a scapegoat to beat down, someone to symbolize everything wrong with society.
So she let them take the reins.
Let the mob decide how to judge her. Let them feel like it was their justice.
If she played by their rules and still won-what excuse would they have then?
Yunice left the study and stepped out onto the second floor landing of Pavilion Hall.
From there, he had a clear view of the living room. Wyatt sat on the couch below, his posture relaxed.
Their eyes met.
Yunice started down the stairs slowly, each step deliberate.
She walked over and sat next to him. He turned to her and asked, “Are you scared?”
The rumors. The storm. The pressure. Yunice hadn’t let him interfere once.
But now it was out of control. No one could predict how far this would go.
If she failed the public test tomorrow, the label of “cheater” would stick for life.
Everything she worked for would go up in smoke.
But Yunice didn’t flinch. “What’s the worst that could happen? I go back to square one? I started with nothing anyway. What’s there to be afraid of losing?”
Wyatt reached out, brushed his knuckles gently under her jaw. “If I’m here, you’ll never go back to zero.”
Even if she fell, he would catch her.
Yunice looked into his eyes-and for the first time in a long time, she let herself lean on someone else.
She tilted her head and gently nuzzled against his fingers.
For someone so used to being ignored, that one touch was a lifeline.
The world wanted to drown her, and Wyatt… he was the only one offering her a raft.
How could she not want to hold on for dear life?
But neither of them moved any closer.
They held the line-just barely.
After that moment passed, Wyatt turned to his financial reports. Yunice curled up with a book.
Outside, the internet was on fire.
Clips from her livestream were everywhere.
Screenshots. Edits. Reactions. Debate threads.
Even Elsie-who had only shown her face for a few seconds-was being hunted down by netizens.
Tomorrow was going to be the real war.
Rumors about Elsie were spreading online like wildfire-some true, some twisted beyond recognition. Either way, it was enough to keep her locked inside, curtains drawn, too afraid to even step out the door.
She spent the entire night crying on the couch, blowing through two boxes of tissues.
Owen slammed his fist into the armrest. “Is Yunice trying to destroy this family? She must be having another psychotic episode! Can’t we have her committed again!”