In the cozy guest room of the sprawling villa,Audrey quickly attached herself to an IV drip. The distant sound of approaching footsteps made her perk up. Eagerly anticipating the visitor, she decided to amp up the drama a bit. With practiced ease, she slouched against the bed’s headboard, adopting an appearance of frail vulnerability.
A soft knock interrupted her rehearsal.
A hint of elation twinkled in Audrey’s eyes as she mustered a weak, croaky voice.”Yeah? Who is it? Come on in.”
As the door creaked open,Audrey shot the visitor an eager gaze, her voice tinged with hope.”Oh, Brandon! It took you long enough to…”
Her chipper greeting hit a wall mid-sentence. Instead of Brandon, the face of the butler greeted her. Audrey’s face fell, the depths of her disappointment evident.”Ugh, it’s just you? Where’s Brandon? Did he hear about my sunstroke? Why isn’t he here?” The butler’s gaze turned icy for a split second before resuming its professional detachment. In a voice that practically dripped with indifference, he said,”Mr. Larson’s orders are clear. Stay put tonight. Oh, and do pack up your bags. You’ll be leaving after the burial tomorrow.Got it?”
Audrey’s feeble facade crumbled, her voice rising in disbelief. “Hold up! Brandon’s giving me the boot? Just like that?”
The butler mentally checked off his task, having no desire to engage further. He was nearly out the door when her shrill voice halted him.
“Hey! Hold it right there! You think you can just waltz in and out without giving me a second glance?” Concerned that her antics might draw unwanted attention, the butler paused, sighed deeply, and turned back.”Alright,Miss Larson. What do you need now?”
Audrey, her eyes burning with indignation, fired back,”So, let’s get this straight. I’m down and out here, and Brandon doesn’t even come to see me.
Why’s he rushing me out? I’m his family, for heaven’s sake! What’s gotten into him? Why is he being so heartless?”
The butler, for all his years of service and the countless characters he’d seen, couldn’t help but feel a stirring of contempt.
Here was Audrey,proclaiming herself as Brandon’s one and only family. The irony was palpable. Where was she when Brandon’s mother succumbed to her ailments? Where was she when a sinister plot by Mrs. Klein almost snuffed the life out of Brandon? It was no mystery. During Brandon’s times of destitution, this “family” was nowhere to be found. Yet now,with Brandon’s name adorning some of the world’s wealthiest lists,she emerged out of nowhere, claiming kinship. The sheer audacity!
The deep-seated disdain evident in the butler’s gaze stung Audrey like a slap. In a fit of rage,she grabbed a water glass, hurling it towards him as she spat out,”What’s with that look? Don’t push it, or I’ll make sure Brandon shows you the door.
The shattering glass resonated sharply, but the butler remained unflinchingly composed. “Miss Larson,” he began, his voice a calm contrast to the room’s tension, “I’m simply here to pass on a message. There’s no need for theatrics. Perhaps you should rest.”
The butler’s indifferent attitude made Audrey even more indignant. Audrey’s fury bubbled over any pretense of fragility was forgotten.
“I demand to see Brandon! He wouldn’t just send me packing.Fetch him! Now!
Shaking his head at the audacious display,the butler simply signaled the guards stationed outside to keep a vigilant watch on her antics before departing with grace.
Audrey fumed, her gaze piercing the butler’s departing form.The sheer insolence! A mere servant acting so high and mighty?
Her fingers twitchedandshe visualized them around his throat.
Once her rage subsidedslightly, she furtively retrieved a cold vialstashed beneath her pillow, smirking malevolentlyIf they want to play it this Way, I’m game. Brandon will see me tonight.”
Time dwindled as the contents of the infusion bottle dwindled to nothing.
Grimacing from the pain, Audrey fueled herself with some food before attempting to leave.
However, the moment she approached the door, two imposing bodyguards obstructed her.
One guard, his face void of emotion, stated, Miss Larson, Mr. Larson has ordered that you remain in this room. We’re here to ensure that. Anything you require, let us know.”
Audrey, trying a different tactic, fixed them with a firm gaze.”I wasn’t planning on heading out. Just fetch Natalie for me.It’s imperative I speak with her. Don’t let this be on your conscience if you delay.” The guards exchanged wary glances, an unspoken understandingpassingbetweenthem.They recognized trouble when they saw it and were resolute in their silence This silence pushed Audrey’s buttons all over again. Her voice, dripping with impatience,echoed. “Did you not hear me? I said, Bring Natalie to me. Now. The two bodyguards despite Audrey’s escalating demands, exuded a calmand unruffled exterior, choosing to stay mum.
“Well,alright thenAudrey remarked with a feigned chuckle, her voicedripping with icy mockery”Assuming your silence means I’m powerless, are we?”
As her voice trailed off,a sudden glint caught the dim room’s light. She revealed a fruit knife, its blade gleaming ominously.”You know,” she mused, her tone chillingly relaxed, “if Natalie isn’t brought to me, I might just end it all here and now. Surely the commotion would get her attention, right? But you guys… oh, you guys…”
The horror in the bodyguards’eyes was palpable as she pressed the blade against her delicate wrist, her eyes darkening with mischief.”You’ll bear the brunt of Brandon’s rage. I hear he has ways of making people regret crossing him,especially in Barnes.
A thin line of crimson began to trace its way down her wrist, a testament to herunwavering commitment to her threats.
The spectacle before them left the bodyguards perturbed. One finallywith a hint of desperation in his calm voice, implored,”Miss Larson, enough with this. I’ll fetch Mrs. Larson right away.
Audrey, reveling inhertriumphant maneuver, slightly eased the knife’s pressure against her wrist. With a smirk, she advised,”Better be quick about it. Who knows what might happen should my patience run thin?”
The two exchanged a heavy look, and one of them made a hasty exit, leaving his partner behind to monitor the increasingly unpredictable woman.
Audrey’s lips curled into a wickedly triumphant smirk, watching the bodyguard’s rapidly retreating form. An aura of menacing, almost fanatical glee oozed from her very being.
The bodyguard stationed by the door shifted uneasily. Despite his years in this line of work and witnessing countless harrowing scenarios, Audrey’s cold laughter sent an unexpected shiver down his spine He mentally noted, “This woman… She’s entirely unhinged.”
“Miss Larson,” he began, his voice a soothing contrast to the tension in the room.”Maybe it’s best. if you head back inside? Whenever Mrs. Larson is ready, you’ll be the first to know.”
Audrey, her objective met, had no intention of entertaining these guards any further.
She cast a dismissive, almost pitying look at him, smirked, and, with a flourish, shut the door with a resounding thud.
Time seemed to drag on in the silence of the room, but soon the door creaked open,revealing Natalie, looking effortlessly graceful in her silk nightgown and chic overcoat.
Taking a seat, she nonchalantly inquired, “Miss Larson, you seemed quite keen to share something. What might it be?”
Natalie’s beauty wasn’t lost on Audrey and an unmistakable flash of envy darted across her eyes. She couldn’t help but think about how this woman, growing up in an impoverished environment, managed to ensnare her beloved Brandon.
Natalie, sensing the prolonged scrutiny but hearing no words, began to lose patience.Miss Larson,”she remarked with a hint of irritation,”if there’s nothing pressing, I really should be off.
Suddenly snapping back to the moment, Audrey attempted to reign in her jealousy. With a sly, almost predatory grin, she gracefully stood, deliberately closing the gap between them.
“Natalie, I wouldn’t have disturbed you at this hour without good reason. I’ve just been pondering how best to broach the topic.
Natalie involuntarily wrinkled her nose as Audrey’s overpowering perfume wafted over.Miss Larson, she said with forced patience,please,if you’ve got something on your mind, out with it. I do need my sleep.
Audrey, clearly enjoying having the upper hand, replied with a teasing lilt,”Worried, Natalie? In your own house? With guards just outside? I wouldn’t dream of causing harm.”
Her gaze,now keen and scrutinizing,wandered over Natalie. After what felt like an eternity, she softly uttered,Do yourecallthecircumstances surrounding your… lost memories?”
The weight of Audrey’s words bore down on Natalie. The atmosphere grew thick and palpable,almost as though the very walls were leaning in to listen. Natalie felt her throat tighten;the simple act of drawing a breath now seemed Herculean. She clutched the edge of the table so fiercely that her fingers transformed into stark white talons.
“What… what are you implying? Only a select few even know about my amnesia Brandon ran the villa with meticulous precision. The very idea that a servant or even one of the bodyguards would gossip about something so personal was laughable. The thought of someone from the outside knowing was even more ludicrous. The circle that knew of her memory loss was minuscule.
So how had this piece of information fallen into Audrey’s lap?
A horrific realization began to creep up on Natalie,and her entire countenance shifted.
Could it be Was Audrey in cahoots with Jeremy? Audrey’s sinister chuckle cut through Natalie’s reverie.”Surprised I know about your little secret? It’s Shocking, isn’t it?”
Her voice dripping with condescension, she added,”Do you ever wonder, my dear Natalie, how it all slipped away?”
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.
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