Filed to story: The Daughter in the Shadows (Yunice) Book by Una Norris
As he got closer, Wyatt raised the umbrella, finally revealing those familiar features she hadn’t seen in so long.
Yunice jogged down a few steps. Wyatt quickly tilted the umbrella forward to shield her from the rain.
He wrapped an arm around her waist, then looked past her at Tommy and asked, “Who’s this?”
“Tommy. Top scorer from med school. He’s the senior who cleared things up for me in the livestream,” Yunice introduced him.
Tommy stepped forward politely and offered a handshake.
Wyatt looked down at the outstretched hand.
Seeing him hesitate, Yunice jabbed him lightly in the waist.
Only then did Wyatt lift the corners of his mouth, giving a very fake smile as he raised his hand and gave Tommy a brief shake.
After that, Tommy stepped back and politely said, “Well, Yunice, I’ll let you head home with… your friend.”
He made a gesture as if putting on a mask. “Take care of yourself.”
Yunice nodded and tugged Wyatt down the steps.
By the car, Wyatt held the umbrella as Yunice got in first.
On the other side, the driver rushed over, took the umbrella from Wyatt, and waited until he was in the car before returning to the driver’s seat and folding it up.
Neither of them got touched by a single drop of rain.
Just then, the car Tommy had called arrived, too.
He glanced at the Aston Martin pulling away, then frowned at the taxi pulling up to the hotel. He held his briefcase over his head and dashed down the stairs before scrambling into the car.
Yunice looked back and saw the scene through the window-then turned away.
When she turned again, she saw Wyatt staring at her with a mocking look. “That the guy who brought you roasted sweet potatoes?”
Roasted sweet potatoes?
Yunice thought for a long while. “What roasted sweet potatoes?”
Wyatt sat up straight and didn’t answer.
Yunice kept thinking until it finally clicked. That time Wyatt visited the hospital wing, Tommy had brought her a roasted sweet potato.
Seriously? This guy remembered something that minor all this time?
They didn’t speak again until they reached Pavilion Hall. Then Yunice said on purpose, “What roasted sweet potatoes? I really don’t remember.”
Wyatt glanced at her, smirking. “If you don’t remember, then forget it.”
Not remembering meant it wasn’t important. If it wasn’t important, why was he being so jealous?
Yunice slipped her hand into Wyatt’s open palm and followed him home.
It had been nearly two months since she’d been back, and the new flowers planted in the courtyard were blooming beautifully.
Knowing it was going to rain today, the housekeepers had already set up rain covers over the flower trees, afraid the downpour would ruin the fresh blooms.
Yunice walked into the living room in high spirits. A housekeeper immediately brought her slippers and a throw blanket.
As she changed out of her shoes, she said, “I’m skipping dinner with you guys. I need to quarantine myself for a while.”
Wyatt frowned. “Even at home you’re being that strict?”
Yunice muttered, “They haven’t got the outbreak under control yet.”
Although the death rate wasn’t that high anymore, the aftereffects of infection were still serious. Yunice had to be responsible-not just for herself, but for everyone else, too. Wyatt stood off to the side, hands on his hips, fuming on his own. Yunice locked herself up in the guest room and called out through the crack in the door, “Could you please bring my meal to the room? Thanks.” The housekeeper looked at Wyatt with a troubled expression. What now?
Wyatt took a deep breath, then flung his hand. “Bring her the food.” The autumn rain came fast and left just as quickly. Yunice sat by the floor-to-ceiling window. On the other side of the glass was the garden room. Full of blooming flowers and lush greenery, it was a sight for sore eyes after being shut away for two months. Yunice sat on a cushion with her meal in hand, eating as she admired the view. Her phone, resting on the wooden floor, buzzed twice. It was a message from the volunteer group chat. She opened it to find people sharing bits of their lives-finally out and free, everything looked fresh and full of life. Some shared food, some posted photos of their pets, others shared selfies with family. Yunice was in a good mood too and wanted to join in the fun. She thought for a moment, then picked up her phone and aimed it at the window. She tried out different angles to capture the garden. Suddenly, a shadow slipped into the frame-followed by a pair of long, straight legs wrapped in suit pants that made her throat tighten at the sight. Yunice looked up, her hand jerking the camera. The shot came out blurry, but she sent it to the group chat anyway. She glanced at the message-it was a photo of the flowers outside the window… and a very suggestive glimpse of a trim waist. Since the photo was already blurry, she didn’t bother deleting it. She set her phone down and looked out the window at Wyatt. He stood beneath the awning, hands in his pockets, watching her through the glass. Yunice remained seated, tilting her head as she looked back at him.
What? Wyatt’s eyes fell on her outfit, his brows arching in disapproval. She’d spent the last two months in the hospital, usually wearing short sleeves. The weather was hot, and the layers of protective gear nearly gave her heat rash. Realizing he was judging her clothes again, Yunice rested her chin on her hand and stared back at him. Wyatt reached to the side-somewhere out of view from the window-and pulled up a dress like magic. He held it up, gesturing for her to stand. Then he used the glass as a mirror, measuring the dress against her figure. Satisfied, he handed the dress to a housekeeper. A few minutes later, someone knocked on Yunice’s door. She opened it and found a folded dress on a tray on the floor. It was the same one Wyatt had just shown her. Yunice looked back at him through the window. Wyatt made a gesture, telling her to try it on. Yunice touched the fabric. It was cool and smooth to the touch-made from silk, one of the luxury fabrics he had picked up at an auction. But there was something thoughtful in the way it had been made. The fabric had been used inside out. Pure mulberry silk fabric was soft and smooth to the touch, yet still structured. But it had a double-faced quality: the front was usually a deeper color and smoother, while the back was slightly rougher. This dress had the smooth side on the inside, so it would be gentle on her skin. Yunice thought it was clever and went to the dressing room to change. Only then did she realize that the waist had been altered. It was clearly smaller than the waistlines of her other dresses. She raised an eyebrow, now even more curious who had made the dress-and how they had gotten her current measurements after two months. Setting the question aside, Yunice stepped out of the dressing room and walked over to the glass to show it off. Wyatt stood with his arms crossed. Judging by his expression, it was a success.
After her little spin, Yunice sat back down. Wyatt had a table and chairs brought out to the balcony. Yunice sat inside the glass window; Wyatt sat just outside. Yunice played on her phone, while Wyatt stared at her through the glass like she was a prized jewel in a display case. Yunice, used to his intense and ambiguous stares by now, calmly accepted his gaze and kept playing on her phone. In the time it took her to change clothes, the group chat had already exploded with over 99 new messages. She scrolled to the beginning and saw that after she posted the photo, the group had been flooded with questions. Was that her house? She lived in Silverburgh and had such massive windows? And such a huge garden? With all those rare flowers? Was she a trust fund kid? But if she was rich, why would she work so hard volunteering? Her family must be way too chill. The girls in the group spammed heart and drool emojis. “Yunice, who is that!” “Your brother? How old is he? Is he single? I think I’d make a great sister-in-law, just saying!” “Got a Facebook link?” “Yunice! Show us the whole face!” Blushing emoji: “I don’t believe we’ve met. Are you new here, Your Majesty?”
Yunice couldn’t hold back a laugh.
Just then, another message popped up on her phone.
She switched apps and saw a voice message from Wyatt: “What are you laughing at?”
Yunice looked up and replied with a grin through the glass, sending him a voice message: “My friends think you’re hot.”
Wyatt replied, “You could learn a thing or two from your friends’ taste.”
Yunice instantly rolled her eyes.
All because she never complimented him on his looks? Now he was accusing her of having bad taste?
The guys in the group chat were joking about having a get-together at Yunice’s place now that the lockdown was lifted-they wanted a glimpse of that high-class lifestyle.
The girls, meanwhile, kept pestering Yunice for more info about her “brother.”
Yunice hesitated for a moment, then sent a message: “He’s not my brother. He’s my husband.”
As soon as she sent it, the whole group chat exploded.
“You’re married?!”
“Oh my god, you got married this early?”
“My mom told me not to get married until thirty-said girls should build a career first so we have the money and confidence to get respect from our in-laws. Yunice, you didn’t even finish college before tying the knot?”
“I’m so jealous. Yunice, your family’s well-off, and you married a guy with a body like that? You’re living the dream.”
Tommy quoted Yunice’s message-“He’s my husband”-and added a shocked emoji.
He’d guessed the man was Yunice’s boyfriend, but he hadn’t expected they were actually married.
The group kept buzzing about her, and Yunice finally had to step in to stop it: “Once the lockdown is over, I’ll invite you all over to hang out.”
“For real?!”
“Wow! I want to see that huge apartment! I want to roll around in the garden! Yunice, you probably can’t even imagine-most of us who moved to Beijing don’t even have real jobs yet. We’re stuck living in basement apartments without a single ray of sunshine. It’s so cramped, the bed practically touches the sink. Who knows when we’ll be able to afford a place with real light…”
After that message, everyone in the group started sighing.
They were all young, with no solid family backing. Trying to make something of themselves in the big city, they were chasing opportunity but had no idea what their future would hold.
Yunice’s seemingly perfect life felt even more distant and enviable to them.
But as Yunice read those messages, she felt something complicated stirring in her chest.
All the things they envied-she had them because she was with Wyatt.