Filed to story: The Daughter in the Shadows (Yunice) Book by Una Norris
He chuckled. “If you weren’t sure and opened it anyway, isn’t that just stealing?”
Elsie immediately tried to weasel out of it: “I was sure-because she never lived at the Saunders mansion. If it got delivered there, it had to be for me.”
She glanced timidly at Yunice and added in a soft voice, “Yunice knew that, and that’s how she managed to frame me…”
“Oh?” Carl looked intrigued. “If she doesn’t live with the Saunders, then where does she live?”
Elsie looked at Owen, unsure what Carl was getting at. Wasn’t he here to back us up? Why is he interrogating me instead?
Owen, frustrated, snapped, “That’s exactly what’s been bothering me! Ever since Dad passed, Yunice has been totally out of control-always out running around, never home. I’ve talked to her, yelled at her, but nothing works!”
He grumbled, “Mr. Carl, now that you’re back, you have to help me keep her in line. Otherwise, I won’t even be able to face my dad’s grave!”
Yunice sneered. “Oh, and you really care so much about Dad, huh? How many times a year do you even visit his grave?”
What does that have to do with this? Owen snapped. “Stop dragging me into it!”
Elsie jumped in to smooth things over. “Yunice, don’t argue with Owen. He’s been supporting our whole family all by himself. He’s so busy he can’t even take care of himself. Saying that just hits…
, New Wounds
“Hmph,” Yunice sneered, watching Elsie’s show. “Do you really think everyone’s as much of an idiot as Owen? That they’ll just dance around your little games?”
Elsie looked confused-until Carl’s cold voice cut through the air. “So much effort running the show, and yet you can’t even make space for your own sister to stay in the house? What exactly have you been busy with all these years?”
Owen’s face flushed hot. He darted a glance at Yunice, his eyes full of embarrassment and threat, wondering if she’d said something to Carl behind his back. I still need to work with Mr. Carl; I can’t afford to let him think poorly of me!
Carl said, “Don’t look at her. I’ve seen all the quarterly reports from Saunders Hospital. The place has been going downhill year after year-is that Yunny’s fault too?”
“Mr. Carl…” Elsie’s voice trembled, a mix of panic and dread. “It’s not Owen’s fault…”
But before she could finish, Carl snapped, “And who the heck do you think you are, speaking to me?”
His cold, impatient glare made Elsie flinch. Her eyes reddened instantly, as if she’d been bullied.
But then, quick as lightning, she ran to Yunice’s side and grabbed her arm, crying as she pleaded, “Yunice, tell Mr. Carl! Tell him how hard Owen’s worked all these years, please. He’ll believe you-he trusts you…”
Seeing Elsie desperately trying to plead Owen’s case, even while clearly terrified, touched something in Owen. Compared to that, Yunice’s icy silence only made his heart chill.
Noticing Carl’s dislike toward Elsie, Owen made up his mind-he’d stand up for her. He addressed Carl with solemn resolve. “Mr. Carl, I think you’ve misunderstood Elsie. She’s my real sister, not some outsider. I only hope she can be treated with the same kindness and protection you give Yunny.”
Carl had been merely cold before-but hearing that made his expression darken with genuine fury. “Will only had one daughter-Yunny. And that one? If anything, she’s the reason your father ended up dead.”
Just as he said it, Lily had walked in-and caught every word. With a loud thump, she staggered and collapsed against the doorframe. The noise caught everyone’s attention.
Lily clung to the doorframe, her expression crumbling. Her eyes, aged by time, brimmed with tears-then overflowed.
Elsie panicked. “Owen, did Mom hear what Mr. Carl said?”
Owen panicked too. He and Elsie rushed to Lily’s side, one on each side supporting her. Owen’s voice shook. “Mom, why are you here?”
Lily glanced guiltily at Carl, then tried to compose herself. “I heard something happened with Elsie. I was worried…”
Owen whipped his head around to glare at Yunice. “You called Mom here, didn’t you?”
In his mind, Yunice wanted Lily to witness Elsie being humiliated-that way, she’d feel satisfied. But Yunice frowned. Lily didn’t come because of me.
Still, with Lily’s arrival, the atmosphere shifted once again. Yunice looked to Carl. Carl’s brow was furrowed into a hard line, his expression cold, though something unreadable flickered in his eyes.
He and Will had been as close as family. Back when Will married Lily, Carl had been a constant presence. In a way, Carl and Lily were old acquaintances. When Lily disappeared, Carl had even used his connections to search for her. But after Will died, and with everything that followed, it had been over twenty years since he last saw her.
Old friends meeting again stirred old memories. Two decades had passed. The kids were grown; time had left its mark on them all.
Lily stepped forward, her eyes already bloodshot. “Carl.”
Carl didn’t answer. His face remained cold.
Lily looked down. “I know you blame me. You think I’m the reason Will died-your best friend…” Her voice was barely more than a whisper. “I don’t blame you. All of Will’s friends think the…”
Owen and Elsie clutched at Lily’s arms, eyes red with emotion. Owen clenched his jaw, fury building as he watched his mother humbled like this. “Mr. Carl, my mom is a victim too. For fifteen years, she lived a life worse than death. No one has the right to blame her-not even you!”
She leaned in and said, “Everyone, if you need to talk, maybe take it somewhere else?” This is still the Powell mansion. One after another, sobbing and pleading on the floor-it’s starting to look like we’re bullying someone.
Carl said, “Actually, I’ve got something to talk about, too. Let’s grab a meal together.”
He turned to Yunice and said, “Yunny, should we wait for you?”
Yunice needed to check with Wyatt before she left. “I’ll just give him a quick call,” she replied.
No one said a word. Lily glanced at Yunice, who looked stunning in her designer outfit, then lowered her head in silence. That girl really has it made; no matter where she goes, someone’s always looking out for her.
After calling Wyatt, Yunice joined Carl and the others for dinner at a restaurant. Carl booked a private room and casually ordered a spread of dishes. No one was really going to eat much today, anyway.
Owen and his parents sat side by side, deliberately leaving the seat of honor for Carl. When Yunice was about to find a random seat, Carl waved her over to sit next to him. That move, naturally, made the Saunders family turn green with envy.
Carl had just returned to the country, bringing with him a massive cache of cutting-edge foreign medical equipment. And the newly built hospital in the northern district desperately needed those resources. Whoever-Wyatt or Paul-could land a partnership with Carl would gain leverage over the northern district hospital. Carl showing this much care for Yunice was clearly bad news for Owen.
“Mr. Carl, a toast to you,” Owen tried to cozy up, lifting his glass high and downing it in one gulp.
Carl raised a hand, signaling him to sit. “No need to be so formal.” Then he asked, “Is Oscar still abroad?”
“He wrote to say he’ll be back soon. When he does, I’ll make sure he visits you right away.”
Carl, still making small talk, gave Owen a bit of relief. After all, Carl was his uncle by generation; he wouldn’t go picking fights with his brother’s widow and the younger folks.
Then Carl said, “He’s coming back for Yunny’s wedding, right?”
Carl set down his untouched drink, his voice laced with pressure. “I want to know who arranged such a great marriage for Yunny.” He deliberately emphasized the word “great.”
Owen tried to smooth things over. “Mr. Carl, don’t listen to any outside rumors. Yunny and Wyatt are in love; she insisted on marrying him. We couldn’t stop her even if we tried.”
Lily also looked up, her tone gentle. “Carl, do you think we’ve been unfair to Yunny?”
Her serene and calm demeanor made it seem like this was all just a harmless misunderstanding between her and Carl. She smiled. “You care so much about Yunny-if you think this marriage isn’t good for her, then you go ahead and call it off.”
She turned to Yunice, her tone serious. “Yunny, tell Mr. Carl now-do you want to marry Wyatt?”
Yunice didn’t take the bait. She asked in return, “Do you want me to marry him, or not? I’ll go with whatever you say.”
Lily chuckled. “Silly girl. Your happiness is in your own hands. I won’t interfere.”
Yunice turned to Carl. “Mr. Carl, Elsie has always wanted to marry into a wealthy family. I’d like to give her the chance.”
Lily’s hand shot out to grip the table. She knew Yunice was up to something and instinctively snapped, “No! Elsie can’t marry Wyatt!”
That was exactly the reaction Yunice was waiting for. “So you don’t think Wyatt’s good enough?”
Lily’s face froze with embarrassment. Owen slammed his spoon against the table. “Yunice, how can you act like this in front of Mr. Carl! Your engagement to Wyatt was settled long ago. Now you want to back out? What are people supposed to think? You think this is something you can just swap like clothes?”
Yunice replied, “Didn’t seem that complicated when you switched it on me.”
He had known all along about Paul and Elsie’s affair and still helped cover it up. When the engagement was annulled, he even brought Elsie along, hoping to confirm their relationship immediately. There had never been any rules he felt obligated to follow. If something benefited Elsie, he’d flip heaven and earth to make it happen. He’d never once considered her feelings.
