The Daughter in the Shadows — Free Preview

In the third year at the psychiatric hospital, the assistant nurse frowned as she walked down the hallway, kicking aside the mental patients who were huddled together playing a game of stacking humans. Once they scattered with distorted screams, the woman at the very bottom of the pile was revealed, curled up and unmoving.

Her hair was a mess, covering her face, and her eyes were vacant as she heard the assistant nurse's harsh words above her.

"1030, you've got visitors from home. Get up and clean yourself up."

Home... was she talking about the family that had thrown her into this psychiatric hospital and left her there for three years? They weren't her family anymore.

Seeing that the woman remained motionless, like a dead body on the ground, the assistant nurse impatiently yanked her by the hair, pulling her up. "Are you trying to die? Can't you hear me?"

Yunice Saunders hugged her head with both hands as she was roughly dragged to the bathroom by her collar. The nurse turned on the high-pressure shower, spraying Yunice, who was crouched in the corner, in a way that resembled how they treated animals in a cage.

Twenty minutes later, Yunice was taken to the visitation room.

"Mr. Owen, 1030 is here to see you."

Yunice's blank gaze shifted to the man sitting on the couch. He was clasping his hands together, elbows resting on his knees, and he had a frown on his face that suggested annoyance and heavy emotions. This was her second older brother, Owen Saunders.

When Yunice was born, her mother and father had fought, and after giving birth to her, her mother left the house in a tantrum. Her father searched for her in vain, and he passed away when she was 13. Later, Oscar Saunders and Owen took care of the family. Back then, they swore that as long as they were around, no one would ever bully her. Now, seeing this familiar face once again, Yunice felt a sharp pain in her chest, but her gaze dropped coldly.

The grievance was real, but so was the resentment. Owen no longer cared for her and had personally sent her to the psychiatric hospital.

Owen also looked up at Yunice. On the way here, he had imagined that after three years apart, she would surely have realized her mistakes and would obediently throw herself into his arms, asking for his forgiveness. However, she didn't. She stood there with a cold expression. He had come here full of joy, expecting to bring his sister back home, but she didn't even greet him.

Owen had intended to get up and embrace her, but he hesitated and spoke in an annoyed tone. "Elsie misses you. She begged me to bring you home. From today on, you can leave the psychiatric hospital." When he finally got a reaction from Yunice, Owen's tone changed. "But there's a condition. Once you get home, you are not allowed to make things difficult for Elsie."

Yunice's face fell. They really thought that if she didn't make things difficult for Elsie White, everything at home would go back to normal? It was Elsie who had played a part in getting her sent to the psychiatric hospital.

Five years ago, the police returned her mother, who had been missing for 15 years, along with Elsie, who was a year younger than Yunice, to the Saunders family. Yunice then learned that her mother had been kidnapped by human traffickers and taken to the mountains, and Elsie was the child she had been forced to bear. In other words, Elsie was her half-sister.

The family reunion moved Oscar and Owen deeply, and they accepted Elsie without any resentment, treating her as their own sister. Yunice had initially treated Elsie with all her heart, wanting to make up for lost time. But Elsie kept scheming behind her back, constantly framing her. To avoid upsetting her brothers and making her mother feel uncomfortable, Yunice had always endured.

Until three years ago, when she was trapped in a fire, and Elsie insisted on rushing in to save her. By the time Owen found them, he had snatched the gas mask from Yunice's face to give it to Elsie.

Owen had carried Elsie out of the fire without a second thought, leaving Yunice, who was nearly unconscious, behind. Afterward, Elsie triggered Yunice, saying that she had deliberately run into the fire to see who Owen would save. The Saunders family only needed one daughter; the one who wasn't loved was the excess.

Yunice exposed Elsie in front of everyone, but Elsie merely threw herself into Owen's arms with a sob, and everyone rushed to comfort Elsie while calling Yunice cruel and ungrateful. In the end, Elsie deliberately stabbed herself while holding Yunice's hand. The family had seen her holding the knife, and they all thought she was crazy, so they sent her to the psychiatric hospital.

Seeing Yunice's bitter expression, Owen felt his anger rise. He had come to help her, to bring her home, but she was still acting so ungrateful and passive-aggressive. Doesn't she want to leave?

"Are you trying to stay in the psychiatric hospital and enjoy the good life there?"

The "good life" in the psychiatric hospital? Yunice was stunned. Does he have any idea what it was like there? It is full of madmen! Crazy people whom neither the law nor common decency could control! These people could rip my clothes, poke my face with the back of a spoon, and they loved playing human stacking. A pile of them would crush me under the weight of their bodies, squeezing my chest and hips, suffocating me into darkness. Even if a crazy person killed me, they wouldn't be held accountable!

Of course, Owen wouldn't know any of this because he hadn't visited her in three years. He probably thought she was resting peacefully in the psychiatric hospital, lying down and enjoying a lazy life. She knew Owen too well–he thought she was a liar and a crazy person. No matter how much she explained, even if she showed him the scars, he wouldn't believe her. He'd think it was all part of her act.

And the nurses at the psychiatric hospital wouldn't admit that they allowed the patients to bully her. Yunice had already confirmed this many times with Owen. Complaining to biased people was just stupid.

Seeing Yunice still acting indifferent, Owen felt even more irritated. "I see your madness isn't cured yet. Are you planning to take revenge on Elsie when you go home?"

Owen wanted to hear Yunice admit her mistakes, but her cold attitude made him feel suffocated. In a fit of anger, he kicked the tea kettle near him, sending it sliding toward Yunice. Sparks flew out of the kettle, and Yunice jumped back, her face full of fear as she hid her hands behind her.

Owen snapped, "If you dare grab the charcoal, I'll believe you're cured, and you can leave this place."

The implication was clear–if she didn't dare touch it, that meant she wasn't cured, and she would have to stay for further treatment. After the fire three years ago, Yunice had developed a fear of fire. Owen noticed the fear in her eyes, and he felt a little relieved. He knew that she was most afraid of fire and pain, so she wouldn't dare reach for it. As long as she promised not to harm Elsie again, he would forgive her.

Just as he thought this, Owen's eyes widened in shock as Yunice suddenly reached into the fire.

"Who told you to actually grab it?" Owen rushed over and pulled her hand away. Yunice's palm was burned so badly that it was bleeding! Seeing her grit her teeth and endure the pain, trembling from the agony, Owen froze. She was the most afraid of pain. Even when her hand was just scratched as a child, she would cry and make him comfort her.

How can she stand such severe pain without a word now?

The younger sister he had spoiled for 20 years was no longer seeking his comfort. Owen's heart tightened. She was his most beloved sister… How could he not care? "Does it hurt?"

Yunice withdrew her hand and hid it behind her back, her voice cold. "I'm better now. I'm not crazy anymore. Can I leave the hospital?"

Owen's brows furrowed deeply, and he said angrily, "I came to pick you up out of kindness, and you're throwing a tantrum and being passive-aggressive. You stabbed Elsie, and we didn't send you to jail. We've been nice enough, and now you're complaining? You think I'll pamper you like I did before just because you're self-harming?" His anger flared, and he turned to leave the psychiatric hospital. "If you want to leave, go ahead."

In her rush to leave, Owen wasn't worried that Yunice wouldn't follow. She had been desperate enough to grab burning coal, so there was no way she would be petty enough to stay behind. Sure enough, Yunice walked out of the psychiatric hospital.

The way she walked was a little strange. She held her stomach with one arm, her shoulders hunched, and her legs seemed too heavy to lift.

The driver, Bobby, sensed something was off. "Mr. Owen, Ms. Saunders doesn't look well."

Owen lifted his gaze and let out a cold scoff. "She's just putting on an act, trying to make me fuss over her. I've spoiled her too much, and now she thinks acting weak makes her justified in everything."

Even as he spoke dismissively, he couldn't help but notice how much thinner she looked, how pale her complexion was, and the injuries on her hands… Fine. Once she got in the car, he'd take her to a hospital for a checkup, just so she wouldn't use illness as an excuse to manipulate him again.

But before he could follow through with that thought, Yunice, despite seeing his car, suddenly turned and bolted in the opposite direction. She was trying to escape!

Yunice had no intention of returning to the Saunders family! Elsie must have set a trap, just waiting for her to walk into it. Going back now would be like throwing herself into a pit of suffering!

She didn't want anything from the Saunders family anymore. Her priority was to replace her ID, and disappear just to start over on her own!

But her body was too battered. The internal injuries from those crazy people back there had taken a toll. Every step she took was like reopening a wound. Yunice panted heavily, her forehead drenched in cold sweat, yet she barely made it far before Owen yanked her back.

"Ah!" Yunice let out a sharp scream as she lost her balance and fell hard to the ground.

The sheer agony in her cry startled Owen. He froze, staring at Yunice, who curled up on the ground, clutching her head like she was bracing for a beating… But he hadn't even done anything. Frowning, he examined her carefully but made no move to help her up. "If you think running away is going to make me worry, you're wrong."

At the sound of Owen's voice, Yunice finally dared to lower her hands. Right… this isn't the psychiatric hospital. No one is going to chase me down and beat me here.

Owen said with a frown, "Right now, you don't even exist in the system. Without identification, you can't even buy a ticket."

No money, no phone, no ID… She had nowhere to go. Like it or not, she had to rely on the Saunders family.

"I don't exist?" Yunice was confused at first, but then her eyes widened as realization struck.

Elsie was the illegitimate one. When their mother brought her back from the mountains, she couldn't provide a birth certificate or any information about her father. Because of that, Elsie had been a ghost in the system ever since she joined the Saunders family. She couldn't enroll in school, couldn't buy a plane ticket, and barely dared to step outside. Her background was a stain on her existence. She was pitiful, innocent. So, the whole family bent over backward to compensate her. Even Yunice had done the same.

And now…

Yunice let out a bitter laugh. The very thing she once pitied in someone else had now become her own reality.

Owen, seeing her reaction, figured this would be hard for her to accept. He crouched down and started explaining, "After you were admitted to the psychiatric hospital, Oscar was worried that the longer you stayed, the worse your reputation would get. So, he had Elsie take on your identity–she went to school as you, attended banquets as you. She grew up in the mountains, Yunice. When she first arrived at our house, she didn't even know what a strawberry was. She knew she was worlds apart from you and was terrified of embarrassing you in public. That's why she studied late into the night, until she collapsed from exhaustion more than once. She did it all for you. Don't be ungrateful and hurt her feelings."

Owen frowned, his expression filled with disappointment, as if Yunice were the unreasonable one.

Yunice let out a humorless chuckle. "So now that I'm better, can she return my identity?"

She knew the answer already. Elsie had spent years establishing herself under Yunice's name. Even if she willingly handed it back, the people she had built connections with would only see Yunice as the imposter bullying her.

She already knew she'd never get her identity back. Still, she couldn't help but feel bitter, resentful. She wanted to hear Owen's response.

As expected, Owen snapped. "I just explained everything to you, and all you care about is yourself. Not once did you ask how Elsie was doing. Three years of treatment at the psychiatric hospital, and you're still just as selfish!"

Owen lost the last of his patience. "The psychiatric hospital is right there. If you don't want to come home, go back inside!"

With that, he turned and got into the car. The driver, Bobby, hesitated. "Mr. Owen, are we really leaving Ms. Saunders behind?"

Owen made sure Yunice could hear him. "I was too good to her, that's why she turned into an ungrateful brat! Let her suffer a little, maybe then she'll finally understand what kindness means."

With that, he rolled up the window and ordered coldly, "Drive."

As the Saunders family car sped away, Yunice didn't even glance at it. She forced her battered body to move and turned to look at the psychiatric hospital one last time. She would never, ever go back in there.

She knew the way home. Even without transportation, she could walk back. Yet two hours after Owen had arrived home, there was still no sign of her.

…

At the cemetery, Yunice knelt on the ground, pressing her face against the cold tombstone as she sobbed.

"Dad, I miss you so much… If you knew your daughter had no home to go back to, you'd be heartbroken. Dad, hold me, please… Owen and Mom don't love me anymore. They only hug Elsie. They only smile at Elsie…"

Clutching the tombstone, Yunice buried her forehead against the photo of her father, but the stone remained silent. Just like how she would never receive the comfort she longed for.

She didn't know how long she cried. Only when her tears had completely dried did she start to calm down.

Wiping her face with the back of her hand, she then used her sleeve to clean the dust off the tombstone. "Dad, I'll take care of myself. Don't worry."

With that, she started digging at the ground in front of the grave. When her hands weren't enough, she used a rock to pry up one of the tiles.

Beneath the stone was a hollow space containing a box.

The Saunders family came from a long line of apothecaries, but when they transitioned into the hospital business, traditional medicine was gradually phased out. However, the family's medical texts were still passed down through generations.

When Yunice was little, her father had noticed her fascination with ancient medicine and left all the books to her. After he passed, ten-year-old Yunice had secretly hidden them here. Back then, she had naively thought that if her father got bored underground, he could at least have something to read.

She never expected that a childish decision would one day become her last remaining asset. Inside the box wasn't just an ancient medical script; there was also a Bovine Bezoar Pill, and a real one at that.

A proper Bovine Bezoar Pill could save a life in a critical moment. The original formula required rhino horn, but since rhino horn was banned, later versions used buffalo horn instead, which significantly reduced its potency.

But the one in Yunice's possession was a rare, original formula. Her body was a mess. She had no money, no ID, no way to get hospital treatment, and no access to medicine. So, she bit off a piece of the pill and swallowed it. The remaining chunk was carefully put away.

She quickly scanned her surroundings. No one was nearby. She buried the rest of her things back in the ground.

Elsie could never know about this. Otherwise, she would sweet-talk Owen into taking everything away from her.

Just as she finished covering the grave, a familiar yet unfamiliar voice spoke from behind her.

"I knew you'd be here."

Yunice's back stiffened, but she didn't turn around.

It was Paul Powell, her childhood playmate and fiancé.

She didn't turn around, but Paul reached out, grabbed her shoulder, and turned her to face him with a grin. "You always run to your dad's grave whenever you're upset…"

His smile froze. He had finally seen Yunice's face, which was sickly pale. Her eyes, hidden beneath long black hair, were shrunken and hollow.

A chill crawled up his spine, and he instinctively withdrew his hand. That was when he remembered that she was a lunatic. Lunatics were capable of anything. He had even heard rumors that she smeared filth on herself for fun.

The thought that he had just touched her made Paul's skin crawl, and he discreetly wiped his hand against the tree trunk behind him. His movements weren't obvious, but Yunice still noticed.

She and Paul had been engaged for years, and everyone had always assumed they were a couple, even Yunice herself. Because of that, she had always felt a subtle sense of possessiveness toward him.

Being rejected by someone she liked was painful. But Yunice's reaction was subdued.

Paul hadn't visited her even once during her three years in the psychiatric hospital. She had already realized there was no future between them.

Too much time had passed. Paul no longer knew how to interact with Yunice. To him, she was like a familiar stranger. Awkwardly, he said, "Ever since you stabbed her in a fit of madness, Elsie's health has been poor. Now that you refuse to go home, she's so worried she can't even eat. We're all really concerned about her."

Yunice smirked. She's been skipping meals, yet she's still alive, isn't she?

Seeing that Yunice was unmoved, Paul frowned and his tone hardened as he said, "I'm telling you to go home and apologize to Elsie right now. If you don't, then you can forget about ever seeing me again."

Yunice had indeed been submissive toward Paul in the past, making him believe she couldn't live without him. But during her years in the psychiatric hospital, waiting for salvation, her hopes had already been eroded to nothing. She had stopped expecting anything from anyone. She would no longer try to please anyone.

Letting go of her need to be loved, she now only wanted to live for herself.

Yunice spread her palm open and looked at the burn mark on her hand. Pain reminded her that when she had no power, being stubborn or acting tough would only bring her more suffering.

So she decided to go with Paul.

She had planned to return to the Saunders family to reclaim her identity anyway, and riding in his car was better than walking. Paul walked ahead and pulled some wet wipes from the car to wipe his hands outside the door.

When he got in, he noticed Yunice sitting in the backseat. She used to always sit in the front passenger seat–it had been her exclusive spot. Why isn't she sitting there now?

Then he spotted the sticker on the dashboard that read: "Princess' Exclusive Seat. Other Girls, Sit in the Back."

Paul's face flushed with embarrassment. He quickly explained, "My sister put that there as a joke. Don't overthink it, alright?"

He expected Yunice to pester him about it like she used to, to interrogate him relentlessly. Just thinking about it annoyed him. Yunice was always jealous, and if she found out Elsie had put that sticker there, she'd definitely cause trouble for her.

Paul had already prepared himself. No matter what Yunice questioned him about, he would just lash out, accusing her of being paranoid. That had always worked before; not only would he get away with it, but Yunice would also end up coaxing him instead.

But to his surprise, before he could even say anything, Yunice simply replied, "Okay."

Then, nothing. Paul was stunned for a moment. He waited but Yunice truly had no intention of asking further.

He frowned, then started the car. The inside of the car was silent. Neither of them spoke. Paul glanced at the rearview mirror and saw Yunice gazing out the window with an indifferent expression, as if she wasn't even paying attention to him. He had planned to talk to her about breaking off the engagement, but he had also worried she might refuse to let go.

Yet now, seeing her so indifferent, he inexplicably felt irritated. He couldn't put his finger on it, but the more she ignored him, the more irked he became. So he suddenly slammed on the gas, speeding up.

Yunice was timid. Whenever he drove fast, she used to get scared and beg him to slow down. But now, even as the speedometer neared its limit, Yunice simply fastened her seatbelt and remained silent. The car barely scraped past a massive truck, making Paul break out in a cold sweat. Panicked, he quickly slowed down on his own.

She didn't even ask him to stop. He felt embarrassed, and he muttered, "You're braver than before."

Paul was young and reckless. He liked showing off by driving fast, enjoying the way Yunice used to get scared and plead with him to slow down. But Yunice had never been afraid of speed. Back then, she was only afraid of him getting hurt. Now that he was no longer her loved one, she no longer cared.

At the Saunders family estate, Lily Moore and Elsie stood at the gate, eagerly awaiting their arrival.

Seeing Owen walk out with a shawl in his hand, Elsie assumed it was for her. She subtly nudged Lily aside, waiting for Owen to drape it over her shoulders.

But Owen didn't even look at her. He was gazing down the road, anticipating the arrival of Paul's car, holding the shawl for Yunice.

Elsie's face twisted with frustration. Even now, Owen still can't let go of that lunatic.

Just then, Paul's car pulled up, and she quickly put on a look of admiration. "Paul always knows how to handle things. Yunice only listens to him…"

Then, as if realizing she had said something wrong, she gasped and covered her mouth. With a sob, she said, "Owen, I wasn't trying to say you're incapable. It's just that I grew up in the mountains and don't know how to speak properly…"

But Owen was already deep in thought. She is right. I had personally gone to pick Yunice up, had spoken to her patiently, but she had only given me attitude and refused to go with me. Yet Paul, of all people, had managed to bring her home so easily?

Owen's mood soured. He had been so happy just moments ago, yet now his face darkened. She didn't care whether he coaxed her or not? Well, he didn't care either!

So, when Yunice stepped out of the car, Owen deliberately draped the shawl over Elsie's shoulders instead.

As for Yunice… She could freeze for all he cared. The autumn evening was already chilly. Especially stepping out of the car, the cold wind immediately sent a shiver through Yunice's thin T-shirt.

She glanced at the shawl wrapped around Elsie, then turned her attention to Lily, who was hurrying toward her.

Lily's eyes were red as she sobbed, "My child, you've suffered…"

Elsie stepped forward as well, tears brimming in her eyes. "It's all my fault for wanting to live with the Saunders family. That's why Yunice got so angry that she fell ill. I should never have dared to dream of having a family… If you agree to come home, Yunice, I'll leave with nothing. You'll never have to worry about me taking your family away again."

Hearing that, Lily immediately burst into tears and pulled Elsie into an embrace.

Owen scowled. "You're Mom's child too. What's this talk about yours and mine? The Saunders family is your home. No one has the right to kick you out! Don't ever say such things again!"

Paul stepped forward as well, placing himself between Yunice and Elsie. "She stabbed you, causing you to need lifelong medication. This is her punishment. She owes you. The Saunders family owes you. We all need to make it up to you."

Owen's expression darkened. Yes. This is Yunice and the Saunders family's debt. We all owed Elsie.

Yunice lifted her gaze and saw that the people she had once been closest to were now standing together with Elsie. She was the only one left out in the cold wind, completely out of place. So, she shifted her eyes to the flowerbed by the iron gate of the Saunders family estate.

When she was a child, her father had told her that her mother loved red roses. So, she decided that she would love red roses too. Her father personally planted an entire row of rose trees along the courtyard wall outside the gate. During the blooming season, the roses thrived, swaying in the wind, and her tall father would hold her small hand as they stood beneath the flowers, eagerly waiting for something. After her father passed away, Elsie moved into the Saunders family, and since she was allergic to pollen, Oscar decided to have all the rose trees cut down and replaced them with bamboo, Elsie's favorite.

Elsie said bamboo was noble and unyielding, and she wanted to learn from its qualities. Yunice refused to let the rose trees be removed. She kept pleading with Lily, saying they were a symbol of her father's love for Lily. She begged her to keep them for her father's sake. But the moment Elsie gasped for air a few times, Lily panicked and urged Oscar to cut down those "damn roses" immediately.

Oscar scolded Yunice for being selfish, for not caring about others, and for lacking compassion. Owen said that only shallow people liked roses and that she should learn from Elsie, understand moral principles, and develop a character like bamboo.

Lily comforted her, saying that when people died, they were gone. What was more important, a bunch of plants or Elsie's life? In the end, all the roses along the wall were ripped out, leaving her with nothing to hold on to.

By now, the group who had been crying together had finally calmed down. Lily wiped her tears with the back of her hand, as if she had only just remembered how cold it was. She then turned to Yunice and said, "Go take a hot shower with Gianna to wash away the bad luck. From now on, we are still a family."

Gianna came out smiling, walking ahead to lead Yunice.

The house her father had left behind was a standalone villa, the place Yunice had grown up in. But after three years away, it suddenly felt both familiar and unfamiliar. The layout was the same, but there were many things she no longer recognized.

For example, the shoe rack at the entrance was filled with pink fuzzy slippers… Elsie's. The framed personal portraits hanging on the walls were of Elsie. Even the thick carpet covering the staircase was there to keep Elsie from falling. As for her old room on the second floor, it was now, of course, Elsie's. It had the best sunlight and the best view–there was no way they would leave it empty for three years.

Sure enough, Gianna led her to a small room. Yunice remembered it had been converted from a walk-in closet, slightly better than a maid's quarters.

As for Gianna, Yunice didn't recognize her. She must have been hired after Yunice was sent to the psychiatric hospital.

When she entered the room, Yunice instinctively glanced at a hidden surveillance camera in the corner of the wall. Without showing any reaction, she asked, "Gianna, what happened to the former housekeeper?"

"Oh, she went back to her hometown three years ago. I heard her husband found a younger woman, and she wasn't happy about it, so she went back to stir things up," Gianna said with a sneer. "What man doesn't cheat? If she makes a scene like that, it only affects his ego more."

Yunice shot her a glance but didn't respond. Seeing that Yunice didn't like the topic, Gianna chuckled and went into the bathroom to run the bathwater.

Meanwhile, Yunice took the opportunity to rummage through the drawers. This room had clearly been hastily arranged; there was not a single electronic device.

She looked up at the surveillance camera again. On her way in, she had noticed that there were now many of these cameras installed throughout the house. They were obviously meant for her. They all thought she was crazy, afraid that she might harm Elsie, so they needed to monitor her at all times. If they are this wary of me, why even bother bringing me back from the psychiatric hospital?

Suspicious, Yunice saw Gianna step out of the bathroom, so she quickly went inside and locked the door behind her.

Gianna knocked on the door. "Hey, why did you lock the door?"

"I'm taking a shower," Yunice replied.

"You don't need to lock the door for that!"

Yunice countered, "Do you not lock the door when you shower?"

Gianna glanced toward the bathroom, then reached for her work uniform. But when she was about to leave, she reached into her pocket and suddenly realized that her phone was gone.

Inside the bathroom, Yunice swiftly disassembled Gianna's phone, removed the SIM card, set it aside, and disabled the location tracking.

After that, she started typing rapidly on the phone's keyboard.

Outside, Gianna pounded on the door. "Did you take my phone?"

Without turning around, Yunice replied, "I haven't seen it."

Gianna didn't believe her. "Open the door and let me in. I'll check."

Yunice dismissed her. "Wait until I'm done showering."

Unable to force the door open, Gianna was fuming. She shouted through the door, "If you don't open up, that means you definitely stole it! Just wait! I'm telling Mr. Owen!"

Yunice ignored her, focusing solely on the phone screen. A moment later, the noise outside stopped. Gianna had likely left. Using Gianna's phone, Yunice accessed the Saunders family's security cameras.

On the screen, she saw Lily and Owen already inside the living room. Meanwhile, Paul had pulled Elsie aside and was speaking to her.

With an affectionate look, Paul said, "Elsie, we brought her back this time to talk about breaking off the engagement. You can't keep hesitating."

Elsie bit her lip, looking conflicted as she pushed Paul away. "Your engagement is with the Saunders family. I'm an outsider. How could I steal my sister's fiancé? I can't betray Yunice!"

Paul circled around to face her again, squatting down to look at her blushing face, and coaxed, "Come on, it's the modern age. Arranged marriages are an outdated custom that should have been abolished long ago. Besides, our whole family agreed to call off the engagement. If it makes things easier, I can apologize to her. If she doesn't agree, she'll never see me again."

Watching the surveillance footage, Yunice smirked coldly. So that was their plan. No wonder they were so eager to get her out of the psychiatric hospital… They wanted her to give up her fiancé.

She remembered that when Paul was born, he had been in a breech position, stuck in the birth canal. No hospital in Silverburgh dared to take him. It was her father who used an ancient remedy to keep his mother alive just long enough to give birth to him. His mother had survived a near-death experience and was so grateful that she arranged their engagement.

And now, the Powell family wanted to hand over that gratitude to Elsie instead.

Not long after, Gianna returned. She used a key to unlock the bathroom door and barged in without a shred of politeness. "Ms. Saunders, stealing is a bad habit. If Mr. Owen finds out, he'll send you right back to the psychiatric hospital!"

She was convinced Yunice had taken her phone. Reclining in the bathtub, Yunice turned her head lazily to look at her and said flatly, "I didn't take it. Go ahead and report me."

Gianna was stunned for a moment. She hadn't expected Yunice to be this defiant.

She knew Yunice had a mental illness, and crazy people couldn't be trusted. If she caught Yunice red-handed, she could go to Owen and earn some points. Once she proved that Yunice was a thief, any future thefts in the house could be blamed on her. After all, she was the crazy one.

But in order to make an accusation stick, she needed solid evidence. Earlier, she had checked the surveillance footage but found nothing showing Yunice taking her phone.

Even so, she was certain Yunice had stolen it. The bathroom was only so big. Where could she possibly have hidden it?

Gianna forcefully dragged Yunice out of the bathtub. When she didn't find the phone on her, she began searching the rest of the bathroom. The moment she tried to open the toilet's water tank, Yunice rushed over and pressed the flush button!

Seeing the nervous expression on Yunice's face, Gianna reacted quickly and lifted the toilet lid. But inside, aside from the powerful water flow, there was nothing else. The phone is flushed away?

Gianna immediately seized this opportunity, gloating as she pointed at Yunice. "Stealing? Mr. Owen won't let you off for this!" Excitedly, Gianna ran out to report her.

Owen was sitting in his room, feeling unsettled. He couldn't shake the feeling that Yunice had grown distant since coming back, unlike before when she had been close to him. Feeling uneasy, he got up and took out a gift he had prepared for Yunice–a necklace.

The year their father passed away, Yunice had lost interest in everything, except for this necklace. But back then, he and Oscar were busy managing the family affairs, and no one had the time to fulfill her small request.

Owen murmured to himself, "If she still refuses to be nice after accepting this gift, then she's just being ungrateful."

Just as he was about to go find Yunice, Gianna hurriedly approached, looking like she had something to say. But before she could speak, Lily grabbed Owen's arm anxiously. "Owen, hurry! Go check on Elsie, she's having another attack!"

Moments later, chaotic footsteps echoed outside, accompanied by Lily's sobbing. After a few minutes, everything quieted down again.

Yunice stepped out of her room with wet hair and bare feet. The entire villa was silent, so quiet she could hear her own heartbeat. She knew that tonight, no one would care about her return. Elsie was an expert at this–whenever something significant happened in Yunice's life, she would always have an "episode" to steal everyone's attention.

During Yunice's college entrance exam, Elsie accidentally spilled water on her exam admission ticket, got scared, and had an asthma attack. To rush Elsie to the hospital, Yunice was kicked out of the car, almost missing the exam. On Yunice's coming-of-age ceremony, Elsie was so "happy" for her that she had another attack. Yunice was abandoned at the banquet, left to endure the whispers and pointing of the guests alone.

Even on the second anniversary of their father's death, Elsie made a spectacle of herself by kneeling before his grave, slapping her own face, crying that it was all her fault for ruining their father's family, and then fainting from grief. After that, Oscar and Lily decided they wouldn't hold any more memorials to avoid bringing up sad memories.

Yunice smirked coldly. No wonder the grass on her father's grave had grown so tall, since she was locked in the psychiatric hospital, no one had taken care of it. And today, Elsie had another attack just to prove that nothing had changed, even with Yunice's return.

Lily's words about still being a family… How funny.

Back in the psychiatric hospital, Yunice had entertained many dark thoughts. What if Lily had never brought Elsie back? What if Lily had never been rescued?

But over time, love faded, and hatred dulled. Eventually, she no longer wanted Oscar or Owen, nor did she want Paul. She just wanted to leave the psychiatric hospital and hold on to the few things her father had left behind.

But first, she had to survive.

Yunice looked toward the second floor, where her old room used to be. Her gaze darkened.

…

At the pawnshop.

The clerk passed a bank card through the window at lightning speed. "Dead pawn, three months. No extension. There's 300,000 in the account, no password."

Yunice quickly grabbed the card and clenched it in her palm. This was a black-market pawnshop, hence, no ID was required, and no questions were asked about the source of the items. She gave something, they pawned it.

She had pawned a bracelet–one of her father's keepsakes. In three months, she needed 500,000 to buy it back.

Oscar had manipulated her household registration, replacing her fingerprint records with Elsie's. So even if Yunice personally went to renew her ID, she wouldn't be able to.

Without an ID, she couldn't even open a personal bank account. This 300,000 dollars was the only real money she had in her hands.

After securing the card, Yunice covered her face with her scarf and asked, "Have the Alphasirox pills been sold yet?"

The clerk pointed toward an alley behind him. "Still at the back."

Yunice thanked him and jogged toward the dark alley. Alphasirox pills were excellent for internal injuries, but since they were a newly tested drug not yet on the market, they were incredibly hard to find. The only place to get them was the black market.

What she didn't expect was that, in her haste, she would run straight into someone's arms while rounding a corner.

Already weak, she lost her balance from the impact, and the card in her hand went flying.

Panicked over her money, she was about to grab it when a pair of strong hands seized her arms. Before she could react, her back slammed against the rough brick wall. The impact made her gasp as pain flared through her entire body.

Just then, heavy and chaotic footsteps echoed through the alley. "He ran this way! That cripple can't have gotten far!"

Yunice stiffened and instinctively looked up at the man pinning her against the wall. He swiftly took off his jacket and tossed it into a dark corner.

She then felt something hard pressing against her lower abdomen. It was a metallic cane.

The man calmly finished disguising himself before lifting his eyes to glance at Yunice. A moment later, he frowned in disgust.

Yunice's disguise was too thorough. She wore a thick knitted hat, her face was wrapped in a scarf, and she had even stolen Gianna's maid uniform. In a place like the black market, this kind of attire only made someone look undesirable.

Wyatt Cooper scoffed. Using a maid as a cover was too obvious as it would only draw suspicion. His luck really was terrible tonight.

As he was about to shove her aside, Yunice suddenly grabbed his collar with surprising force.

In the next second, their positions flipped. Wyatt was now against the wall, and Yunice pulled down her hat and scarf. Her long hair fell around her face, partially veiling her delicate features. Wyatt froze for a moment.

Without hesitation, Yunice yanked her pants down to her ankles with one hand and pulled her arm through the neckline of her shirt with the other, instantly transforming the maid uniform into a revealing off-shoulder outfit.

Just then, the pursuers burst into the alley.

Yunice pressed her hands against Wyatt's lower abdomen, her entire body swaying against his.

"Oh… you're too good, I can't take any more… ah… you're ruining me…" Yunice moaned, tilting her head back as the alley light illuminated her face.

The men hunting Wyatt flashed their flashlights toward them, scanning the scene. Wyatt instinctively raised a hand to block the light, concealing his face.

The black market was a filthy place, full of addicts and pimps. Seeing a man "having fun" with what looked like a streetwalker, the pursuers dismissed their suspicions. The man in front of them clearly wasn't the limping target they were after.

Noticing his exposed abs pressed against the woman, they sneered and ran off in another direction.

Once the footsteps faded, Yunice let out a few more exaggerated moans before cautiously glancing at where the pursuers had disappeared.

Believing she had just successfully escaped danger, she turned back, only to be met with a pair of sharp eyes.