Filed to story: The Daughter in the Shadows (Yunice) Book by Una Norris
“Truth usually isn’t pleasant,” Yunice said calmly.
Owen was done arguing. “Just handle it, will you? I can’t stand having that man in my house another day.”
Yunice sneered. Even now, with trouble knocking at his door because he stole her rightful 10% of the inheritance, he still wouldn’t come clean.
Her tone turned frosty. “I never agreed to help you. What you’re asking me to do is illegal. Are you teaching me to knowingly break the law? What if I take care of Timothy for you, and then you report me to the cops afterward?”
“You…” Owen didn’t expect her to think like that.
He lowered his voice. “Don’t act naive. You know the kind of things Wyatt’s involved in. Even if he really did send someone off, do you think I’d have the chance to report it? Don’t be ridiculous.”
Yunice replied, “And don’t you be ridiculous either. Why would Wyatt help me? Just because we’re married? You think that means we share everything-money, power, favors?”
Owen bit back, “Why not? He’s your husband. Isn’t it natural for you to use his resources?”
Yunice smiled coldly. “Great point. Then how come, when Peggy asked to work at Saunders Hospital the other day, you didn’t let her? You two are married too. Why not let her use your money and resources? Isn’t that ‘natural’ too? Why didn’t you like it then?”
Truly, Owen held everyone to different standards.
Yunice tapped at her keyboard and added, “I can’t get rid of him for you. But I did find out he does have a legal residence here in Silverburgh. He even owns property.”
“Property?” Owen was stunned.
Because purchasing real estate in Silverburgh required more than money. You needed to have family ties or five years of legal residence.
Timothy, a hick from the mountains with no money or power-how could he possibly own a house here?
Yunice said, “I’ll send you the sales contact that helped him buy the place. You can see if that leads anywhere.”
As she was about to hang up, Owen snapped, “Can’t you just handle it for me while you’re at it?”
Yunice sighed in exasperation. “Can you get one thing straight? This is your mess. Timothy’s got nothing to do with me. I don’t owe him anything. I’m already being nice just looking into it for you, and now you expect me to do everything for you? What are you thinking?”
She hung up without waiting for a response.
Still holding her phone, Yunice immediately dialed Peggy.
Peggy was currently locked upstairs by Owen, pacing frantically and trying to figure out how to escape-when Yunice’s call came in.
The moment she answered, her tone turned sickly sweet. “Yunice, darling, I was just thinking of coming over to visit you today. My friend grows lychees on her farm, and I was planning to bring some over for you to taste. But that wretched Owen locked me in the house! Can you believe it?”
Peggy couldn’t stop ranting and muttered mysteriously, “I’m telling you, someone weird showed up at the house today. Do you know him?”
Yunice sighed. “Of course I do. That’s exactly what I called to complain about…”
“Huh?” Peggy perked up. Someone like Yunice had complaints? That was rare.
Yunice spoke softly, “You came to our family late, so there’s a lot you don’t know. Elsie… she was never really a Saunders.”
“What?” Peggy blinked.
Yunice asked, “Didn’t you ever wonder who I really am in the Saunders family?”
“Well…” Peggy paused. She’d always assumed Yunice was some kind of cousin. Some old-fashioned families gave similar names to kids of the same generation, and she figured that was the case here. Maybe ‘Yunice’ was a given name, and ‘Elsie’ just a nickname.
Now Yunice had thrown her completely off.
If Elsie wasn’t a real Saunders, then who was Yunice?
Yunice sighed. “It’s a family secret. But you’re my sister-in-law now-not exactly an outsider. I’ll tell you the truth.”
“I’m the real daughter of the Saunders family. That weird man you mentioned-Timothy-is actually Elsie’s biological father.”
“Huh?” Peggy’s eyebrows shot up, her eyes lighting up with the thrill of fresh gossip. She didn’t realize the gravity of what she was hearing. “You mean Mom had an affair and brought the bastard child home to raise?”
She cackled, “Didn’t think she had it in her. Still, what a disgusting taste… picking a guy like that…”
Yunice’s tone dropped. “She didn’t do it willingly.”
She had no sympathy for Lily, but as a woman herself, Yunice wasn’t about to mock her over something like that.
Peggy caught the chill in her voice and backtracked quickly. “Oh-right, sorry.”
Yunice continued, “Owen gave Elsie a legitimate identity by letting her take my place. But the real issue is that identity came with 10% of Saunders Hospital. That so-called ‘weird man’ is here to take a piece of the family fortune.”
“What!” Peggy shot up in alarm.
One dead Elsie trying to steal the inheritance was bad enough-now there was another?
She shrieked, “Yunice, this is your family’s fortune. You can’t just let this go!”
Yunice sighed. “I’m not legally part of the Saunders family anymore. The shares aren’t in my name. I don’t have any say in what happens.”
“I’m only telling you this because I don’t want to see you kept in the dark. If someone’s going to walk off with the Saunders fortune, I’d rather it be you than an outsider.”
Peggy growled, “Damn right! I’m the real lady of the Saunders house. The whole fortune should be under my control! Why should some outsider-some rapist-get a cut?!”
Then, brimming with self-righteousness, she said, “Yunice, thank you for warning me. Don’t worry, I’ll protect the Saunders fortune.”
Yunice smiled. “Then I’m relieved.”
Just as she was about to hang up, she added casually, “Oh, right. My father’s will should be in my brother’s study, in the safe. If you can find it, you’ll have the upper hand.”
Peggy nodded eagerly. “Got it!”
Yunice hung up, fully satisfied.
Let them fight.
The more chaos, the better. Let the vermin rip each other apart over that 300 billion.
A servant knocked at her door. “Someone’s asking for you at the gate.”
Yunice looked toward the pool, where Wyatt was swimming. Seeing he wasn’t paying attention, she lowered her voice. “Who is it?”
“She said her name is Nora. She’s in a wheelchair.”
Yunice didn’t even blink. Coolly, she said, “Tell her to leave. I’m not letting her in.”
The servant hesitated. “She said she knew you wouldn’t, so she asked me to pass along a message. She wants you to let her friend Maine go.”
“…She actually said I wouldn’t let her in?” Yunice asked coldly.
“Yes.”
Yunice scoffed. “Then go tell her something from me, too.”
The servant bowed and headed out to deliver the message.
It was winter. Snow was falling, blanketing the trees and rooftops with a thick, glistening white coat.
The servant stood before the grand, ornate doors of Pavilion Hall as they slowly slid open with a low hiss, triggered by the motion sensor.