Chapter 121

This was a glass building; the ledge was barely four inches wide. Yunice could only rest the balls of her feet on it—her heels hung in midair. She shut her eyes for a moment, too afraid to look down. All she could do was stare straight ahead and glance around; there were ventilation openings not far in either direction.

If she climbed left, she’d have to pass that corridor again… Yunice made a quick decision to crawl right. She knew her stamina wouldn’t last long; the more she hesitated, the weaker her limbs would get. Without wasting time, she grabbed hold of anything that could help support her weight.

Honestly, if she could just get over her fear of heights, this climb wasn’t much different from balancing on a curb as a kid. Except this game didn’t allow for mistakes. Once she managed to inch her way over to the ventilation window of the room on the right, Yunice reached up. But the window was too high; not only did she miss, her ankle cramped up.

Gritting through the pain, she changed tactics—first grabbing onto the platform that held the outdoor unit beside her. It took a huge effort to haul herself onto it, and once she managed to stand, her legs gave out, and she collapsed onto the tiny platform, utterly drained.

Heart still racing, Yunice decided to rest for a bit in this relatively safe spot before figuring out a way to call for help. After all, no one would expect her to actually climb out the window.

“Stop pacing around. You’re making me dizzy?”

Suddenly hearing Paul’s voice, Yunice’s eyes lit up. In such a desperate situation, hearing a familiar voice felt like grabbing onto a lifeline. She sprang to her feet and looked up at the ventilation window overhead. The window was open; she could hear voices coming from inside.

Just as she was about to shout, Owen’s angry voice cut through the air. “If Morgan dares lay a finger on my sister, I swear I won’t let him get away with it!”

Morgan? Morgan is the one who kidnapped me! Yunice didn’t doubt for a second that Morgan would do something like this. He was already infamous as a reckless rich brat who acted without consequence. Knowing that Owen and Paul were both inside made her feel much more at ease.

Standing on the platform of the outdoor unit, she shouted up toward the ventilation window, “Owen! Owen!” She wasn’t confident she could climb up to the vent. She didn’t want to die; so even though things had gone south between her and Owen, she still chose to call for help.

If he is still my brother, right? Yunice shouted with all her strength. Before long, she saw Owen and Paul appear by the floor-to-ceiling window. It looked like they had heard something but couldn’t make out the words.

Owen stared outside, startled. “I could’ve sworn I just heard Yunice’s voice.” Paul leaned on the window and looked to the side, then realized how ridiculous that was. “You’re meters up. How could Yunice be out there?”

Yunice stood up against the wall and waved frantically toward the window.

But the hotel’s soundproofing was too good; the vent barely carried her voice. No one inside could understand what she was saying. Owen stood again, puzzled. “I still think I hear Yunny calling me.” Paul slowly got up, thinking out loud. “Could she be awake?”

“No way,” Owen said. “The meds shouldn’t wear off that fast…”

Hearing their conversation, Yunice’s expression grew guarded. They knew she’d passed out from the traditional medicine. Pressed against the wall below the vent, she fell silent. Then came the sound of Paul twisting the doorknob. “I’m going to check.”

Owen yanked him back by the shoulder. “Don’t think I don’t know what you’re up to. You’re not going anywhere!” Paul shook him off angrily. “What do you think I’m up to?”

“You booked this room on purpose! You wanted Yunice to panic and run straight into your arms!” Owen shouted. “You already took advantage of her, and now you’re still trying to get your hands on her!”

Paul flinched, guilt flashing across his face. His temper flared as he snapped back, “Don’t lump me in with your filth. You’re the one who drugged your own sister and handed her off to some stranger! I’m not the one who ruined her reputation!”

Owen’s face burned. Furious, he shouted back, “And you think camping out like a vulture isn’t filthy? What if she ran into Morgan’s room—that’s one thing—but what if she ended up in yours? What the heck would you do then?”

Paul snorted, “I just wanted to give her a safe place to stay. I wouldn’t lay a finger on her.”

“That’s nonsense!” Owen almost never cursed; this time he was truly livid. He pointed furiously at the door. “You know how many cameras are set up in that hallway? If even one of those videos gets out and shows you with Yunice, how the heck is Elsie supposed to live that down?”

The Daughter in the Shadows