Yasmin took a step back and sank into the bed, her hand on her chest. She could feel her legs shaking. Her heart was still pounding in her ears.
"Oh, gosh. He is terrifying. Phew." Yasmin blew air, fanning her face with her hands. She calmed herself a while later. She remembered how pale he was.
"He seemed disturbed," she murmured again, her expression solemn. "Who is Grace? Why is Declan so mad at her?" More wrinkles appeared between her eyebrows.
She turned her head and looked down at the stunning diamond rings scattered on the floor. "What should I do?" She sulked, depressed. "These are the blessings of someone. It should not be humiliated in this way. I will keep these with me. Maybe Declan will accept these someday."
Yasmin got up and crouched down to pick up the rings. She carefully placed them inside the box. She gazed at the rings for a while.
Those were the platinum rings, each with a cushion-cut solitaire diamond. Both rings were identical. The only difference was the circumference.
"These are so pretty," she murmured, closing the box. "Not useful for the time being." She got to her feet and went to the closet. After putting the box into a drawer, she strode out of the room.
She couldn't find him in the hall or at the dinner table. She figured he was in the study.
Amy was serving the food.
"Is Declan coming?" Yasmin asked as she sat on a chair.
Amy gave her a quizzical look, wondering why Yasmin posed that question. "Uh... I will have Harry call him."
"Hmm…" Yasmin took a bowl of rice and began eating. She saw Harry heading to the study through her peripheral view. She ate slowly, expecting Declan to come at any moment.
Declan didn't come, but Harry returned quickly with a sullen face.
Yasmin stopped eating and looked at him. "Is he not coming?"
Harry shrugged and shook his head. "He said he would eat later."
"Oh…" Yasmin hung her head down, poking the food. She realized he was still upset. "Wait a minute."
Harry halted his steps and turned back to her.
"Who is Grace?" she asked, looking up at him.
Harry felt a shudder down his spine when he heard her mention Grace. He stared at her with a gaping mouth, unsure of what to say. He could neither lie nor tell her the truth. He moved his head from left to right, pulling his eyes down.
Yasmin squinted at him. When she saw his flustered face, she figured he knew something about Grace. "What is her relationship with Declan? Does she have a grudge against the Wilsons?"
Harry kept his mouth shut. He shifted his weight from one leg to the other as if he was restless to go away.
Yasmin looked down at his feet before returning her gaze to his pale face. "I need to know, Harry. Please say something."
"I don't know much about her. Sorry, Madam." He hurried away as if he was escaping from her.
"What the…" Yasmin felt a flash of irritation, her hands curling into fists on the table. "Loyal servant," she muttered. "How can I possibly expect him to reveal anything?" She stuffed the rice into her mouth and chewed ruthlessly.
After dinner, she returned to her bedroom and sat with her books to finish her homework.
Two hours later…
She put down her pen and closed her books.
"Uh…" She yawned widely and raised her arms, stretching her body. She was finally done with her homework. Only then did she realize Declan had not come yet.
"What time is it?" She looked at her phone. "Oh, shit…" She jumped to her feet and dashed towards the shelves. She unzipped her bag and retrieved her phone. "How forgetful have I recently become?"
Yasmin plugged in her phone to charge. She bit the corner of her bottom lip as she craned her neck and looked at the door, wondering if he had eaten. She thought about going to the study and checking on him.
She recalled him throwing the paperweight the day she walked into the study.
'This time he will throw the paperweight at me.'
She envisioned the paperweight slamming into her. She swallowed the lump in her throat.
"I better go to sleep," she muttered and went to bed. "He will certainly grow upset seeing my face. I don't want to get hurt."
She sighed and lay down, her eyes on the round yellow light on the ceiling. Her mind raced to her meeting with Grace.
"Grace seemed so nice," she continued murmuring. "Why did Declan say that she would manipulate me against the family?"
Her expression grew pensive as she reflected upon it. The more she thought about it, the more perplexed she became. But she did figure that the Wilsons did not have a harmonious relationship with Grace Woods.
She was not sure whether Grace had any bad intentions toward her. She realized that keeping in touch with her would only worsen things between her and Declan.
"Stop thinking…" Yasmin groaned and turned to her left.
She removed the specs and put them on the side table. She turned off the bedside lamp but couldn't sleep. Her gaze was fixed on the thick brown curtains across from her.
Yasmine had no idea how long she had been staring at the curtains, lost in her thoughts. She was brought back to reality when she heard the sound of the door opening and closing. She remained still, pretending to be asleep. However, her eyeballs moved from left to right.
She clutched the pillow tightly when she heard the footsteps stop beside the bed, her heart pounding. The footsteps moved away.
She breathed out a sigh secretly, her grip on the pillow loosening.
Creak... Thump...
The bathroom door opened and closed. Yasmin propped herself up with her elbow and gazed into the bathroom. She dropped her head on the pillow and sighed in dismay, assuming he was still angry.
"Why isn't sleep coming today?" She groaned and closed her eyes tightly.
After brushing his teeth and washing his face, he came out of the bathroom and went to the closet. He put on his grey pajamas and came to bed. He lay down but couldn't take his eyes off her.
"Huh…" He sighed loudly, shifting his gaze to the ceiling. He put his hands under his head. "I shouldn't have yelled at you," he murmured. "You are not upset with me, are you?" He turned his head to look at her.
He did not receive a response from her.
"Yasmin."
Yasmin preferred not to answer him. She kept feigning to be asleep.
'He can't say the word "sorry," even if he feels bad about yelling at me. How egoistic!' She twisted her mouth. 'Beg for mercy, Mr. Declan Wilson. I am not going to respond to you. Humph…'
Her expression softened in seconds. Despite her decision not to respond, she was eager to hear him continue to persuade her.
'Declan, say something. I will respond.' She impatiently waited to hear from him.
"Good night." That was what she heard from him after a while. The eagerness in her heart disappeared right away. Her face twisted with annoyance.
'Idiot.' She closed her eyes, rage swelling within her.