The Heiress's Comeback-Chapter 116: [Volume 1] - - Distraction..
"Is there anything new?" Esme asked, her voice steady, cutting through the silence like a cold blade. She wasn’t one to dwell on things, and clearly, last night’s dinner wasn’t worth her time anymore.
Helga, equally composed and precise, kept her eyes on the road, but something flickered in her mind. "Yes," she replied, her voice void of warmth, "I nearly forgot." She paused, as if choosing her words carefully. "Yesterday, the second madam of the Aron Group—"
Esme’s eyebrow arched slightly, her tone flat. "Second aunt?"
Helga nodded. "Yes, second aunt. Her eldest daughter... she’s been arrested."
Esme’s expression barely shifted, but there was a brief flicker of curiosity behind her cold gaze. "Arrested? Why?"
Helga’s tone remained matter-of-fact, as if delivering any other business update. "Harassment charges, apparently. But that’s not all. Someone beat her. Badly. Broke her nose, shattered her face—she’s unrecognizable." There was no sympathy in her voice, just the stark facts. "And she’s got rashes all over, as if allergic to something."
Esme remained still, her thoughts guarded behind her distant exterior. "Rashes?" she repeated, more like an observation than a question.
"Yes," Helga said, with the same cool detachment, "Something strange. Almost intentional." Her eyes flicked to the rearview mirror, briefly catching Esme’s reflection before focusing back on the road.
Esme sat in silence for a moment, her cold eyes narrowing as she pieced it all together. She knew this second aunt well—this was not a woman who allowed her daughter to suffer, not without tearing apart the city in revenge. And yet, after such a brutal attack, there was nothing but silence from the woman. That in itself was a sign. It meant the attacker was someone beyond her reach or, more intriguingly, someone she dared not provoke.
Who could that be?
Her mind raced through the possibilities. And then, like a sudden flash of insight, the connections became clear. Ray’s unusual behavior last night. Then, the second aunt’s daughter beaten within an inch of her life, left in such a state. A smile curved slowly on Esme’s lips, cold and calculating. If her instincts were correct, this situation was about to become very interesting.
"Helga," Esme’s voice broke the silence.
Helga turned her head slightly, acknowledging her with a curt nod. "Yes?"
"Turn the car around. We’re going to the police station."
For a moment, Helga’s calm expression flickered with surprise. Esme rarely involved herself in such affairs unless there was something deeper at play. But then, it clicked—second aunt’s daughter was at the police station. Helga nodded and without a word, smoothly adjusted the car’s course.
Esme leaned back, resting her head against the window once more, her gaze distant but her thoughts sharp as ever. If things were unfolding as she suspected, it was time to see just how far this game would go.
...
On the other side of town, the second aunt seethed with barely contained fury. Her hand gripped the edge of the table as she paced in her luxurious living room, eyes blazing with anger. The audacity of someone daring to touch her daughter, and in such a brutal manner—unthinkable. Whoever had done this clearly had no regard for the consequences, no fear of what she could do in retaliation. But what infuriated her the most was the complete lack of evidence. Not a trace of the perpetrator. No witnesses, no clues.
Yet, deep down, the second aunt had a nagging suspicion. She wasn’t entirely in the dark. After all, the poison found in her daughter’s system was unmistakable. It was the same poison she had been slowly administering to Ray over time. But unlike her subtle, drawn-out approach, the dosage given to her daughter had been far more aggressive. It wasn’t meant to kill, no—that would’ve been too merciful. The amount used was just enough to inflict unbearable, excruciating pain.
Her fists clenched, her mind racing. Who would dare? She had an idea, of course. There were only a handful of people who had the knowledge—and the nerve—to use such a poison.
The first person who came to her mind was Rose, but something didn’t add up. Rose, after all, had just joined the family and had no obvious reason to hold any enmity against her daughter. But could it be possible? She recalled how Rose had been subtly maneuvering, doing everything in her power to ensure they were pushed out of the business. Still, that didn’t quite fit the full picture.
The second suspect on her list was the Aron brothers—her sister’s foolish sons who had been too quiet, too passive, staying at home without making much noise. It had always bothered her how they seemed almost too peaceful, too calm. She knew better than to trust their silence. People like them rarely stayed out of trouble for long, and she couldn’t shake the feeling that something was brewing.
Knock knock
A soft knock echoed through the tense silence of the room, breaking Second Aunt’s spiraling thoughts. She turned sharply to see the butler standing in the doorway, his posture rigid and formal, holding a letter delicately between his fingers.
"Madam, a letter has arrived for you," he said, his voice low and respectful, though she could sense a hint of urgency beneath the surface.
Frowning slightly, Second Aunt crossed the room, her curiosity piqued. She reached out and took the letter from him, noticing the elegant script on the envelope—no return address, just her name. The seal was unbroken, a promise of secrets hidden within.
"Thank you," she replied, her voice measured as she studied the letter. The butler nodded, retreating into the hallway, leaving her alone once more.
As Second Aunt carefully opened the envelope, she felt a prickle of anticipation. The words inside were elegantly penned, but the message struck a darker chord.
"Think of me as a lion hiding in the shadows. I might seem quiet and unassuming, but trust me, my calmness isn’t a sign of weakness. Just wait until I let out my roar; those who try to mess with my loved ones won’t know what hit ’em."
