"No, l didn't mean it like that. You just appeared out of nowhere. I was scared." Yakira crouched down to pick up her bag. She dusted off the bag, carefully avoiding Leo's penetrating gaze. She didn't dare make eye contact with him, fearing that her look might betray her secrets.
"Scared? Do you seriously expect me to believe that? You went behind my back and secretly took five hundred million from somebody. You know I'm not happy about that. But you don't seem like someone who gets scared very easily. How could my words frighten you?"
Asked Leo with a sneer. He looked at the woman and began to wonder if he had made a mistake to trust her. And then his mind went back to the report Luke gave him. He had refused to believe it was true, but now he kept thinking that maybe it was not forged after all, that maybe Yakira had planned all this and he fell for her trap like a fool.
"Why do you still believe that? There is no five hundred million! Jonathan Mu made the whole thing up! He set me up! He wants to turn us against each other. He wants to avenge the slap you gave Daisy. Don't you see what he's doing?"
Yakira never dreamed that Jonathan would mention the money again. After all these years, why did he try to stir things up now? Hatred for the man ran like poison through her every thought.
Of all people, why do you think he chose to set you up? Your defense is a little weak, don't you think? Five hundred million! No wonder Jonathan accused me of selling my own daughter. You are indeed a good wife! Well done! I've never felt so mortified in all my life!" Leo gave her a look of deep disgust. All of a sudden her customary heavy makeup seemed almost horrifying. He wondered how could she allow herself to be seen like this. And then he thought of Grace, who never wore makeup but her look was ever so beautiful and breathtaking. What a pity Grace died so young!
"What are you talking about? Is that true? You took five hundred million to marry Daisy to Edward? I can't believe my ears!"
Brian closed his eyes and opened again, bitterly disappointed with what he had seen and heard ever since he went back home from abroad. These people were his closest family, who should look out for each other. But what had they done? They behaved worse than animals. No wonder Daisy didn't like them. If it were him being treated this way, he would dislike them even more.
"Don't listen to your father, Brian. There is no five hundred million! You really believe that someone would pay that much for Daisy? Don't make me laugh!" Yakira gave her son a nearly obsequious smile, trying to please him. But Brian just stared at her with his cold eyes as if he could see into her mind.
You think Daisy is not worth five hundred million? You think that's funny? But to me, Daisy is priceless. She is not for sale. I wouldn't give her away for all the money in the world. She is special, unique, the one and only!" Brian didn't believe what she said. His mother was an expert at deceiving and scheming ever since he was a kid. All these years his resentment against her deepened as he discovered more and more about her personality.
"Have you lost your mind? Do you really know who your mother is? It's me who gave you your life, me who raised you! Not the woman called Grace! And how can you treat her daughter like gold and treat me like dirt? Has it ever occurred to you that I'm a human being, that I can feel pain?"
Yakira snapped almost before Brian could finish his words. She was in such a fury that she blurted out the name she had been avoiding to mention for a very long time.
"How do you know her name?" Shocked, Leo leaned over and grasped Yakira's chin tightly. He had never talked to her about Grace. How could she know? Was there something else she hid from him?
Well… A housekeeper told me. Is her name a taboo? Am I not allowed to mention it?" At this moment Yakira finally realized one thing, after all that she had done for Leo, after so many years of being together, she was still no match for Grace. Just her name could make Leo lose control. What would he do if he found out that she was partly to blame for Grace's death? Would he kill her?
Huh! You know what she means to me. If I find out you cross the line, I will make you suffer. I promise you this, you don't want to feel my wrath.
It seemed very normal if the housekeeper told Yakira something about Grace. After Grace died, he didn't change the housekeepers, yet Yakira said she was the woman in charge of the house now and would need some submissive housekeepers, so slowly she had fired everyone who had been in service to Grace. Dismissing some housekeeper is not a big deal and he took no notice. But now as he listened to her explanation, he sense something fishy. Was it possible that deep in his mind he just didn't trust Yakira anymore?