Chapter 19: A Bloodsucking Leech
At first, Yunice didn't understand, but then she recalled the discarded medication bottles in Owen’s desk drawer. By hospital regulations, all used medication vials required thorough documentation and disposal. The fact that Owen hadn't done so meant those drugs were obtained through improper channels. Owen prided himself on his principles, except when it came to Elsie. Those discarded bottles had to be connected to her.
“Here you go with the Epinerate,” the pharmacist said, handing over the medication. “Make sure to test for allergies first. We don’t want another near-accident like last time with the Pentopex shot.”
Yunice’s eyes darkened slightly. She accepted the package with a soft hum and carried the Epinerate back to Owen’s office. Now she understood why it had been so easy to get the prescription filled. And she also understood why the Saunders family hospital had been plagued by so many scandals in recent years. It all traced back to Owen’s indulgence of Elsie.
Elsie had entered the Saunders family at fourteen, illiterate and uneducated. Oscar and Owen, full of guilt and affection, had arranged a place for her in school and forced Yunice to tutor her. But Elsie’s foundation was too weak, and every exam she took was a disaster. Eventually, she started resenting school. To keep her motivated, Oscar and Owen forced Yunice to sign Elsie’s name on her own test papers. Elsie’s stellar grades were praised by the entire school, while Yunice, taking the fall for her, was publicly shamed for failing. But the brothers never once noticed Yunice’s humiliation. They only felt that it was a great idea. They went on to make her publish medical papers under Elsie’s name and forced her to let Elsie accept her competition awards.
All this while, they had been telling her that Elsie had no citizenship, no official student status, and that Yunice needed to let go of her vanity for the sake of her sister’s happiness.
Looking back now, Yunice realized Elsie had never actually cared about learning. Even after three years of university under Yunice’s stolen identity, there was no way she had passed her courses. Oscar and Owen must have pulled strings to fabricate her academic success. Now, Elsie was both a postgraduate student and a hospital intern, and Owen was surely still covering for her. Those empty vials were proof that she had been practicing on real patients. And clearly, violating medical regulations was nothing new. It was practically common knowledge among the hospital staff.
No wonder the Saunders family hospital’s reputation had plummeted. It had been bled dry by Elsie. Before this, Yunice had assumed Elsie’s actions stemmed from insecurity or jealousy. Now she saw the truth. Elsie was merely a parasite, a bloodsucking leech, feeding off the Saunders family to fatten herself. If this continued, Oscar and Owen would be dragged into prison along with her.
Yunice injected herself with Epinerate. As the cold liquid seeped into her veins, she thought to herself. She did not care what happened to Oscar and Owen. But her father’s legacy? She would not let Elsie sink her fangs into that any longer.
To seize power, she needed leverage. After dropping out of school, Yunice had wasted three years. Her future was ruined. But she refused to despair. Her father once said, “The best time to plant a tree was ten years ago. The second best time is…”
10:46 AM
Chapter 19: A Bloodsucking Leech
Elie wanted to destroy me? Fine. Then I would rise beyond her reach. Yunice clenched the pill in her palm, her expression unreadable. If she wanted to escape the Saunders family’s grip, she needed a ladder.
The next morning, she finally returned home. Owen was already fuming. The moment he saw her strolling leisurely through the door, he stormed toward her. “Yunice, you really think you’re something, huh? Didn’t come home all night? I almost thought you were dead!”