Filed to story: The Daughter in the Shadows (Yunice) Book by Una Norris
Despite her bias toward Elsie, Lily had always favored Oscar more deeply than anyone else. He was the only one she had raised herself. Now the eagle she’d raised had gouged out her own eye-and she had no tears left to shed.
“You’re here to gloat?” The voice came from Paul.
He sat with unnatural stillness on the couch. His tone was quiet but carried an eerie chill. The heavy makeup over his scarred face, paired with his sunken cheeks, made him look ghostlike. Anyone could tell just by looking-Paul had not been doing well. And it hadn’t even been two years since the engagement broke off.
He barely looked human anymore.
Yunice narrowed her eyes. “And what are you doing here?”
Lily answered before Paul could. “Paul has a good heart. Elsie’s been hurt-he feels just as miserable as the rest of us.” Then she slowly lifted her gaze toward Yunice. Her voice turned sharp. “But you must be pleased, huh?”
She had wanted revenge on the Saunders family. On Elsie. Well, now she had it.
Yunice snorted. “From the moment I walked in, all I’ve heard is concern for Elsie. Funny how none of you seem to care that Oscar’s rotting in a cell right now. He might get charged with assault-and not one of you has even mentioned him.”
At that, every face darkened. It was clear-none of them believed in Oscar’s innocence.
Yunice’s voice sharpened. “Lily, of all your children, Oscar is the only one you personally raised. Don’t tell me you don’t know what kind of man he is.”
Lily bit her lip, voice weak. “He was holding the knife… He cut Elsie’s wrist. Everyone saw…”
“Oh? So ‘seeing’ makes it true?” Yunice snapped. “You already forgot how you and Elsie framed me back then?”
Lily said nothing, stiff with resentment.
Owen surged up again, trembling with rage-he couldn’t take anyone insulting Elsie right now. But Peggy held him down firmly. She wasn’t about to let him ruin things. Oscar and Elsie both being in trouble suited her just fine-but crossing their golden ticket? Not worth it.
Instead, Peggy turned her eyes, shameless and bold, toward Wyatt. She recognized him instantly-this must be the legendary, mysterious husband of Yunice. The one whose name no one dared speak. So she smiled sweetly and said, “Actually, I think Yunice makes a good point. There’s definitely something off about this whole thing…”
Then, fluttering her lashes in Wyatt’s direction, she added with a syrupy tone, “This must be Wyatt, right? You can tell at a glance-he’s the kind of man who handles serious business. With someone like him around, I just know Oscar and Elsie will both get justice.”
Lily and Owen both rolled their eyes at her blatant flattery. They knew full well Yunice would only lift a finger to save Oscar-not Elsie. But Yunice noticed something far more interesting. The moment Peggy finished, Paul let out a quiet, mocking laugh.
She stepped toward him, slowly, stopping right in front of his seat. She leaned down, eyes locked onto his. “What are you laughing at?”
Paul’s smirk faltered. His expression hardened.
He hated that look in her eyes-that calm, condescending gaze. Since when did Yunice get to look down on him?
Yunice’s gaze flicked across his face deliberately-landing on the scar beneath the thick layers of foundation. Her voice turned icy. “No matter how much cream you smear on your face, it won’t cover that scar. Guess some kinds of ugliness can’t be hidden, huh?”
Yunice heard the crack of Paul’s knuckles and knew he was angry. But she also knew something more important-Paul was a coward. No, even worse than Owen.
Owen, at the very least, would fight for the people he cared about. Paul? He was scum. The kind who would destroy lives for the sake of his own satisfaction. Just like when he let Gerardo die and triggered a citywide health scare. How many innocent people had suffered because he deliberately spread the illness?
And yet here he was-bold enough to sit calmly in the Saunders’ living room like he belonged.
Yunice let the sound of his popping joints fill the room, knowing full well Wyatt stood right behind her. Even if Paul had ten times the guts, he’d never act out in front of Wyatt.
It reminded her of the “flea effect”-take a flea that can jump thirty centimeters, trap it in a ten-centimeter jar, and close the lid. After hitting the lid enough times, even when it’s removed, the flea never jumps higher than ten centimeters again.
Paul was that flea. After being crushed over and over by Wyatt, his spirit was permanently stunted.
Yunice smirked, fearless. “I’ve been meaning to ask-who carved up your face?”
Paul’s expression dropped like a stone. Across the room, Owen looked stunned, like something had just clicked.
He was the only one here who knew the truth-those scars on Paul’s face had been carved by Oscar. With a scalpel.
To defend Yunice.
Now that he remembered, Owen’s chest filled with dread. His eyes flicked nervously to Wyatt.
Could Wyatt know?
He and Oscar had visited Paul under Wyatt’s arrangements. Someone might’ve told him what had happened.
Uneasy, Owen quickly avoided Wyatt’s gaze. His hand clenched unconsciously around the armrest.
Wyatt, as if sensing something, slowly turned toward him. Their eyes met for a split second-then Owen looked away again, his guilt written all over his face.
Across the room, Paul’s Adam’s apple bobbed. His eyes met Yunice’s-and for all his anger, he said nothing.
A silent standoff. One full of tension.
Yunice could see straight through him.
Paul was never evil enough, never clever enough. His work was sloppy, always letting his tail show.
She straightened up. “Let’s go.”
As she and Wyatt headed for the door, Owen suddenly stood. His eyes locked on Paul-but he addressed Lily.
“Mom, go lock the door.”
Lily didn’t understand, but she obeyed.
Owen walked toward Paul like he had a weight on his back. Once in front of him, he stared for a moment, searching his face.
“Was it you?” His voice was low, tense. “Oscar carved up your face. You hate him. So you framed him…”
His voice rose suddenly. “But what the hell did Elsie ever do to you?! She’s always been good to you!”
He was shouting now. “When you were nearly drowning at the Crawford estate, she jumped in to save you even though she was sick! She ended up with pneumonia and stayed in bed for half a month! She risked her life for you, and you did this to her?!”
Paul didn’t reply. But in his head, he was laughing bitterly.
Good to me? Elsie was good to me?
That woman slept with Morgan while I was still barely standing on my feet.
Saving him? That was all for show. A meaningless performance. The same night she “saved” him, she went off to roll in bed with Morgan.
Paul’s lips twisted into a cold sneer.
Let’s see how Owen reacts when he finds out Elsie was nearly killed by Morgan, not Oscar.
Meanwhile, outside the Saunders home, Yunice and Wyatt got back in the car.
As soon as the door shut, Yunice pulled out her phone. Her voice was calm and serious. “I planted a listening device in the Saunders’ house.”
Owen and Paul had been acting strangely.
She’d sensed it and deliberately left, knowing they’d talk once they thought she was gone.
Slipping in her earpiece, she suddenly froze, blinking in surprise.
“Oscar’s the one who carved Paul’s face?”
Wyatt looked puzzled for a second, then shrugged. “Oscar always looked so mild. Guess appearances are deceiving.”
Yunice shot him a curious glance.