Filed to story: The Daughter in the Shadows (Yunice) Book by Una Norris
“Yunice, what really happened that day?” he asked, still shaken.
Yunice met his question with another. “Why did you cover for Paul?”
Owen hesitated. “Well… you didn’t say anything either.”
Yunice lifted an eyebrow. “How do you know I didn’t?”
Owen froze. A flicker of panic crossed his face. Was the task force baiting him?
Yunice chuckled inwardly. He really is just… average.
A man who’d never suffered, who had coasted through life-how could he possibly keep up with people who’d learned to lie just to survive?
As he stared at her, confused and anxious, Yunice leaned down and said softly, “It was Paul who injected you with the newest antigen. He told me to keep it secret.”
Owen blinked. “New… antigen?”
Yunice nodded. “Yes. Wellinges Pharma has been developing one specifically for this virus. Paul stole a sample and used you as the test subject.”
Owen’s expression darkened with disbelief. He struggled to process it.
Yunice let out a cold laugh. “Do you have any idea how much money this antigen could make if it works?”
Owen looked at her with something like awe-How does she know so much?
Standing up, she went on, “This all started because of business competition between Powell Corporation and the Cooper family. You were just a test subject. Not because they wanted to hurt you-but because, ironically, they wanted to save you.”
She walked slowly around the room as she spoke. “You’re the hospital director. You should know what ‘using every last resort’ means. Without this, you wouldn’t have lived long enough to see stable treatment.”
Owen’s expression was comical-a mix of confusion, resistance, and dawning understanding.
Then Yunice added, “Elsie tested positive too.”
He looked up sharply, panic flickering in his eyes.
“She got sick five days before you… and she’s still alive. Get what I’m saying?” she said calmly.
Owen stared at her, then finally seemed to grasp the situation. “Tell Mr. Wyatt… thank you.”
He looked genuinely grateful, his voice subdued with humility.
Yunice didn’t respond. Thank him? What for?
Wellinges Pharma only saved Elsie because she had value. If she’d been an ordinary patient, she would’ve been left to die.
Owen, encouraged by Yunice’s words and the good news, clearly felt their bond had strengthened. He opened his mouth, likely to say something warm and sentimental-but Yunice had already turned and walked out.
He sat in silence for a long while, digesting everything.
Paul stole Wyatt’s research. Used me as a guinea pig.
Wyatt, on the other hand, saved Elsie-out of love for Yunice.
The balance in his mind tipped.
Wyatt had done far more for them than Paul ever would.
A week passed. As the virus began to spread wider and public measures adapted, Saunders Hospital was finally unsealed.
Yunice, as a volunteer without a medical license, wasn’t obligated to stay. Once her quarantine period ended, she was free to leave.
On their final night together, all the volunteers gathered for a commemorative photo and set up a group chat.
Most of them were young-some working already, some still students. Having spent nearly two months confined together, sharing beds and meals, this experience had become a badge of honor.
At the end of the night, they all raised their cups.
“To surviving this disaster-and the good luck that comes next!”
Laughter echoed as small clusters of friends filtered out, promising to help one another if future opportunities arose.
Yunice left with Tommy.
Outside, she called him a ride.
As they waited for his car, they chatted idly-eventually turning to the topic of Tommy’s future plans.
Tommy tried to sound casual. “Work, you know. Keep looking. Walk around, see what’s out there.”
Yunice replied, “You don’t have to aim for top-tier companies right off the bat.”
As a job seeker, Tommy had one fatal flaw-his reputation as a test-taking god.
People like him often held themselves in high regard. But that title only worked in school. Once you left campus and entered the real world, grades stopped mattering.
Tommy wasn’t an evergreen candidate, nor did he have any connections. His only asset was his academic background.
But in the talent pool, academic credentials were the least rare commodity.
He didn’t have enough to stand out-so much so that no major company would even consider hiring him.
Yunice had specifically checked with the HR department about this. If Tommy wanted to move up the social ladder, he’d have to start from the bottom-build connections, prove his value, and only then would the big companies start paying attention.
But if he kept thinking so highly of himself, it’d be a long, hard road.
Tommy nodded at Yunice’s advice, acting like he was going to take it to heart. But Yunice knew he hadn’t really heard a word she said.
Just then, it started to rain.
A car honked from a distance. They both looked and saw a star-gray Aston Martin slowly rolling up and coming to a smooth stop.
The hotel steps were long. It was clear this car was here to pick someone up.
Tommy froze for a moment, then asked, “Here for you?”
Yunice wasn’t sure.
It wasn’t until the car door near the steps opened and a pair of red-soled leather shoes hit the ground that she stepped forward.
A silver-handled umbrella stretched out from the car. Yunice saw a long, well-defined hand holding the umbrella’s handle, while the other pushed the canopy open.
The moment she caught a glimpse of the face under the umbrella, Yunice smiled and said to Tommy, “Tommy, I’ve got to go.”
Tommy blinked and glanced back at the car.
Last time he saw Yunice, she was riding in a Maybach. Now it was something else again.
Yunice didn’t notice what he was thinking. Her full attention was on Wyatt.
Wyatt held the umbrella and walked up the steps.
The stairs were long and high. At first, all she could see was the black top of the umbrella, black leather shoes, and suit pants.