Filed to story: The Daughter in the Shadows (Yunice) Book by Una Norris
“Of course you are.”
“So, between you and me, who’s prettier?”
Elsie paused, reluctant. “Looks are subjective, everyone has their own standards. But in my eyes, of course you’re prettier, Taylor…”
Paul frowned at the exchange, growing more and more annoyed with Taylor. How narcissistic can she be? Forcing Elsie to praise her beauty like this?
But Taylor wasn’t satisfied with the answer. She grabbed Elsie’s chin, turned her face up, and examined it carefully. Her voice dropped, cold and slow.
“So you think that just because I’m prettier than you, you switched my meds on purpose-so I’d get ugly and no one could compare to you. Is that it?”
Elsie’s eyes widened in horror. With Taylor gripping her jaw, the fear crawled over her like maggots gnawing at her nerves.
Paul was stunned. He turned toward the two women. There was bad blood between them? That didn’t sound like the Elsie he knew. He was just about to speak up and tell Taylor not to throw her weight around when-smack! A crisp slap rang out. Taylor’s hand came down fast and sharp, sending the delicate Elsie flying off her stool. She landed at Paul’s feet, her cheek swelling almost instantly.
Something snapped in Paul. He shot up and yelled, “Just hitting people like that-is that what the Kendall family calls proper manners?”
Paul’s face darkened. He hadn’t expected them to show up just then. Remembering Jackson’s warning, he stood and bowed slightly. “Mr. Gerardo. Madam Kyla didn’t mean it that way. But hitting someone like that-Taylor was out of line!”
Yunice curled her lips in a smirk. Did Paul seriously think the same lines he used on me would work on the Kendall family?
Sure enough, Gerardo gave Paul a sidelong glance like he was looking at an idiot. “You’ve never hit anyone?”
Man Up
Paul was left speechless. Gerardo let out a cold laugh. “So only officials can set fires, and common folks can’t even light a lamp? The Powell family sure knows how to throw its weight around, even trying to control my daughter.”
Paul’s lips tightened with frustration; his expression was defiant, but he didn’t dare talk back to Gerardo. The Powell family might be powerful, but Gerardo was a seasoned force in his own right.
Yunice’s mocking gaze swept over Paul. He was so used to pushing people around with his influence, it clearly never crossed his mind that there’s always someone stronger.
Gerardo and Kyla took their seats. Gerardo looked down at Elsie on the floor with disdain. “What did she do?”
One of Taylor’s assistants brought over a bag of herbal medicine. Taylor looked at Elsie and gave a chilling laugh. “This tramp got sneaky while working beside me-she secretly swapped out my meds, trying to make me ugly.”
Elsie shook her head from where she sat on the ground, eyes brimming with tears. “I didn’t…”
Taylor replied, “If I slapped you, that means I’ve got solid proof.”
A dagger landed in front of Elsie. She stared up at Taylor in shock. What did that mean?
Taylor said, “I don’t tolerate betrayal. You tried to hurt me, so I won’t let you off. I’ll leave you with two fingers as a warning, and then we’ll call it even.”
Elsie’s face went ghostly pale. She’d never imagined Taylor had figured out the meds had been switched-let alone caught her red-handed.
She quickly tried to defend herself. “Taylor, it really wasn’t me! You’re mistaken! If you don’t trust me, don’t you at least trust my brother? Didn’t you say you liked-“
Taylor cut her off with a swift kick, sending her sprawling. “What does your brother have to do with the stupid crap you pulled?”
Clutching her chest, Elsie winced. Taylor was way too domineering-there was no way to get out of this by playing the victim. She could only tremble and turn her tear-filled eyes toward Paul, locking onto him like she was gambling everything on his conscience. Is he really going to stand there and do nothing?
Paul’s face had darkened completely; his fists clenched tight at his sides. But even as his emotions hit the boiling point, he still didn’t open his mouth to admit their relationship. Gerardo and Kyla were sitting right there. If he said anything, it would be an admission that…
…Even without a word, Gerardo picked up on the unspoken tension. Elsie made a desperate plea: “Please help me!!”
Tarchon’s suspicion fell between the two of them. Perhaps sensing Elsie was in danger, Sayden murmured something unintelligible.
Elste took a breath, straightened her back, and spoke with a measure of defiance. “Tim is Paul’s fianc?e.” She hoped revealing this would elicit some shock, or at least a bit of respect. Gerardo and Kyla immediately turned their eyes to Paul.
Even Taylor was taken aback. She just clenched her jaw and coldly asked one question. Then, seeing everything exposed, she cast a scornful glance toward Paul. He clenched his jaw, his eyes like a man finally accepting a heavy burden. His expression was one of dawning realization.
Bartholomew Yurice just foamed with laughter. Paul had always been spineless. He’d made a mistake, yet he faltered when it mattered most-letting two women tear each other apart while he remained silent. No matter who won, he wouldn’t lose.
But she knew better-when you betray someone who truly cared, you’d get burned. His hard days were just beginning.
Elsie, however, hadn’t fully processed what was happening. Or maybe she had, and just didn’t want to believe it.
Taylor answered, “Funny thing-I’m also Paul’s fianc?e. But at yesterday’s Penwell family dinner, you weren’t there. Why was that?”
Elsie stared at Taylor’s seemingly calm face. There was no way to keep pretending anymore. Her mouth opened, but only a guttural sound came out, like a wounded animal. She finally turned her head and looked at Paul.
“Paul, you betrayed me?” Her voice cracked with tears.
Paul’s eyes reddened too. He lowered his head and said nothing, wearing the pained expression of a man too heartbroken to speak.
The room fell into heavy silence. Finally, Gerardo gave his verdict. “Since she’s the Powell family’s future daughter-in-law…” The bet was settled.
So they were dragging Elsie away. Paul’s anger flared. “Mr. Gerardo!”
But Gerardo and Ayia stood up, giving him no chance to intervene. Taylor’s people moved fast. They shoved a rag into Elsie’s mouth and bound her up with thick rope. Elsie cried out through the gag, sobbing hysterically and pleading with Paul.
Paul’s face turned bright red. The moment Gerardo was out of sight, he spun around and lashed out at Taylor. “You’re a woman too-treating her like this only makes you look jealous and vicious. It just makes me like you even less.”
Taylor laughed as if she’d just heard a joke. “You think I’m trying to win you over? Get over yourself.”
She stood up and walked off, calling Yunice along. Yunice followed without a word, passing Paul as she walked. A faint, bitter scent drifted past Paul’s nose; puzzled, he looked toward Yunice but only caught a glimpse of her profile, completely hidden beneath her cap. A flicker of her gaze met his for just a second under the brim of that baseball cap-just long enough for him to feel something strange-then it was gone.
Paul frowned and reached out as if to grab her arm, but behind him came Elsie’s frantic cry.
“Paul, help me!”
He turned around just in time to see Elsie breaking free of her restraints, trying to run toward him. Before she got far, someone stuffed the rag back into her mouth and tied her down even tighter. Once they finished, they started dragging her out right there in front of everyone. If she got dragged all the way to the Powell mansion like this, the whole city would find out. Paul rushed over to stop them, trying to wrestle her back from the Kendall family’s people.
Upstairs on the balcony, Taylor stood watching Paul struggle in the chaos. Her face twisted in disgust. Yunice stood calmly beside her, her eyes steady as she watched the scene unfold below. If this whole mess actually got back to the Powell family, what would Jackson do then-him, of all people, so obsessed with keeping up appearances? Tonight wouldn’t just be a storm for the Powell family; even the Saunders family would be thrown into a boiling pot. Not even Yunice could predict how the two families would clean this up. But… no matter what happened, she would be the one to come out on top.
Truth be told, she actually admired Taylor’s personality. Someone this decisive and ruthless would pair well with Wyatt. Wyatt was by far the best investment-the real ace up their sleeve. She just wasn’t sure whether Gerardo would care about him being an illegitimate son. Taylor, of course, had no idea Yunice was already plotting to matchmake her behind her back.
“Does Paul have some kind of condition?”
Yunice replied, “He’s a playboy-been through a lot of women.”
“So basically, he just changes partners too often?” Taylor leaned on the railing, lowering her gaze as if trying to see into the shadow under Yunice’s cap. “I heard he’s infertile?”
Yunice said, “Gun’s fine; no bullets.”
“He’s got azoospermia?” Taylor burst out laughing, then nudged Yunice playfully. “You and your cryptic metaphors. Just spit it out next time, seriously.”
The mask beneath Yunice’s cap crinkled slightly; she was probably smiling. Taylor found her pretty interesting. She didn’t compete, didn’t meddle, and was easy to be around.
“It’s not azoospermia,” Yunice said with a quiet smile. “But it’s true he can’t have kids.”
Taylor gave her a thoughtful look, just about to ask more when a servant walked over to say that Gerardo wanted to see her. Probably to talk about the marriage with the Powell family. Taylor told the servant to escort Yunice out while she headed into the main hall. But Yunice didn’t get a moment’s peace either. She had barely stepped out of the Kendall mansion gates when Owen called her.
He sounded like he was driving; the roar of the engine blasted through the line. But even louder than the car was his voice, shaking with urgency. “Yunny! Something’s happened at home. Where are you? I’ll come get you right now!”
Yunice casually kicked a small rock on the ground, calm as ever. Owen, on the other hand, was running around like a deer in headlights. “Can we just call a truce? Swear-no more yelling, no more punishments!”
Like that’s some kind of promise? Isn’t that just basic decency?
When Yunice still didn’t respond, Lily took the phone from Owen, her voice choked with tears.
“Yunny, it’s me.”