"Piper, please keep this just between us," Isadora whispered, her eyes locked on the young girl's face.
Piper's face softened, and she wrapped her small hand around Isadora's. "Don't worry, Aunty, your secret is safe with me. I know my mom won't be thrilled about it, but I won't breathe a word," Piper promised.
Isadora's tense shoulders relaxed, her mind calming like a soothed storm. "Thank you, Piper," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Piper's gaze turned wistful, her voice tinged with sadness. "I wish you were my mom, Aunty. My mom is always busy, and I feel like I'm not important to her."
Isadora's heart ached, and she drew Piper into a gentle hug. "Oh, Piper, I'm so sorry to hear that. You deserve to be loved and cherished."
Piper's small hand wandered to Isadora's belly, her eyes sparkling with hope. "I wish the baby was a boy, a little brother to play with."
Isadora chuckled, her eyes shining with warmth. "Me too, sweetie. Me too."
"So, how did you figure out I was pregnant?" Isadora asked, visibly curious.
Piper rolled her eyes good-naturedly. "Geez, Aunty, you and Dad were discussing it right in front of me during my last hospital visit! You didn't even bother to lower your voices. Did you really think I was that dumb?" Piper teased.
Isadora's face flushed with embarrassment. "Oh dear, I remember now. We totally underestimated your sharp ears, didn't we?" she admitted with a chuckle.
Piper grinned mischievously. "Don't worry about it, Aunty. I'm always on your side, no matter what. You can count on me."
"Thanks, Piper," Isadora said, smiling gratefully.
Piper's eyes brightened with a nostalgic glint. "You know, you remind me so much of the lady who used to take care of me before you came along. I called her Aunty Lolly."
Isadora's became curious, she was hoping she could get some answers from Piper. "What happened to her?" she asked, her voice tinged with interest.
Piper's face clouded over, her voice laced with sadness. "She just... vanished one day. I woke up, and she was gone. I asked my mom what happened, but all she said was that Aunty Lolly had resigned."
Isadora's eyes narrowed slightly, sensing there was more to the story. "So, Aunty Lolly wasn't her real name?" she asked, her tone gentle.
Piper shook her head. "No, it was just a nickname I gave her. I never really used her real name."
"Do you know her real name?" Isadora asked, her curiosity still simmering.
Piper's brow furrowed in concentration, her finger tracing a path on her forehead. "I think...," she began, but the door swung open, interrupting the moment.
Hillard entered with a tray of food, a thoughtful smile on his face. "I'm back! I wasn't sure what you'd like, so I got a little bit of everything," he said, setting the tray down.
Isadora's eyes lit up with gratitude. "Thank you so much, Hillard."
As Hillard and Piper helped Isadora sit up to eat, Hillard spoke up again. "I'll have to take Piper home, but I'll come to check on you later."
Piper's face clouded over, her voice tinged with reluctance. "Uncle, do I have to go home now?"
Hillard's expression turned sympathetic. "Piper, your mom is back in town, and I had to tell her I took you to the mall. If she finds out you're here, she won't be happy."
Piper's face fell, but she nodded understandingly. "Okay, Uncle Hillard."
With a sad smile, Piper turned to Isadora. "Aunty, I'll see you soon, okay? I'll come back and visit you again." Isadora's heart swelled with affection as Piper hugged her tightly.
As they left, Isadora was left alone with her thoughts and the food, the silence punctuated only by the sound of her own contemplative sighs.
As Hillard slid into the driver's seat, Piper settled in beside him, her eyes still shining with a mix of sadness and affection for Isadora.
Hillard's hand instinctively reached for his phone, his thumb hovering over Maxwell's contact information. He had been trying to reach him for days, but the phone remained stubbornly unreachable. A faint frown creased his brow as he tried again, only to be met with the same disappointing result.
Despite the silence from Maxwell's end, Hillard was determined to hold up his end of the bargain. He had promised to watch over Isadora, and that's exactly what he intended to do.
With a quiet sigh, he dropped the phone and turned the key in the ignition, the car purring to life as he headed towards the mansion.
As soon as they stepped into the mansion, Piper swung open the car door and climbed out, Hillard following closely behind. The living room lights flickered to life as they entered, revealing Mrs. Adriana engrossed in her phone.
She glanced up, her eyes locking onto Piper with a warm smile. "Hey sweetie, how was your day out?" she asked, her tone dripping with maternal affection.
Piper's response was lukewarm, her voice barely above a whisper. "It was fine, mum."
Mrs. Adriana's eyes beamed with expectation, her arms opening wide for a hug. "Come on, Piper, didn't you miss me. A little hug won't hurt, will it?"
Piper's sigh was almost inaudible as she trudged over to her mother, her smile a pale imitation of genuine warmth. "I missed you, mum," she muttered, before quickly disengaging from the embrace.
"I'll be in my room," Piper said, her voice a whispered escape.
Mrs. Adriana's gaze lingered on her daughter's retreating figure before turning to Hillard. "Where's Sophia? I thought she went with you guys."
Piper's response was a shrug. "Maybe in her room, mum."
Mrs. Adriana's expression morphed into a mix of panic and self-rebuke. "Oh dear heavens, what kind of mother am I? I totally forgot...!" She sprang to her feet, her heels clicking against the marble floor as she hastened towards Sophia's room, her maternal instincts finally kicking in.
Piper and Hillard exchanged a confused glance, deciding to remain silent, then went their separate ways. Piper headed to her room, while Hillard disappeared into the depths of the mansion.
Mrs. Adriana knocked on Sophia's door, and it swung open immediately. Seeing her mother, Sophia feigned anger.
"Honey, I'm so sorry. I totally forgot to call the doctor. It wasn't my intention. I got distracted by another call and forgot all about it until now. I'm really sorry," Mrs. Adriana said, her voice filled with remorse.
Sophia stepped back into her room, her mother following close behind. "You don't care about us, Mum," Sophia accused.
"Don't talk like that, Sophia. We need to be able to take care of you both," Mrs. Adriana replied.
Sophia shot back, "Are you defending yourself?"
Mrs. Adriana sighed. "Okay, fine. I'm sorry. It won't happen again."
Sophia's expression softened slightly. "Okay, Mum. I'll forgive you this once." Mrs. Adriana opened her arms, and Sophia hesitantly hugged her.
"How are you feeling now?" Mrs. Adriana asked, releasing Sophia from the embrace.
Sophia shrugged, a hint of a smile playing on her lips. "As you can see, I'm perfectly fine."
Mrs. Adriana's eyes scanned Sophia's face and body, searching for any signs of injury. "You're looking remarkably well, I must say. I didn't expect the bruises to heal so quickly."
Sophia's mind raced for a plausible explanation. "I guess the maid's care and attention made all the difference," she ventured. "And, of course, the doctor's medication helped too," she added, trying to sound convincing.
Mrs. Adriana's expression relaxed, seemingly satisfied with Sophia's explanation. "Well, I'm just glad you're okay, sweetie. Take care, and I'll check in on you later."
As soon as Mrs. Adriana left the room, Sophia let out a sigh of relief. She was grateful her mother had bought into the story, but a nagging concern lingered - Piper. Sophia's thoughts turned to her sister, wondering if her secret was safe.
As the evening shadows deepened, Mrs. Adriana sat ensconced in the library, her two bodyguards standing sentinel beside her. Her voice was low and commanding as she issued her directive. "Investigate and find out who dared to remove Isadora from the cold room without my explicit permission."
The bodyguards nodded in unison, their faces set with determination. "Understood, ma'am," they replied, before departing to begin their inquiry.
As the room fell silent, Mrs. Adriana's thoughts turned to the next move in her strategic game. But her reverie was interrupted by the melodic chime of her phone.
She glanced at the caller ID, and a subtle smile played on her lips as she recognized the caller. Her voice was warm and inviting as she answered the call, a stark contrast to the icy tone she had used with her bodyguards just moments before.
The days passed in a blur, with Piper continuing to sneak visits to Isadora, keeping her company and lifting her spirits. Meanwhile, Sophia was on a mission to keep Piper's silence bought, showering her with gifts and treats in the hopes of ensuring her discretion.
Before long, the day of Isadora's discharge arrived, and she sat on the hospital bed, looking remarkably recovered. She gazed wistfully into space, wishing she could escape the mansion's oppressive walls forever. But she had no choice than to go back.
As Hillard entered the room, Isadora's expression turned resigned, and she rose to her feet, following him out of the hospital room like a prisoner being led back to her cell.
They made one final stop at the doctor's office for a discharge consultation before heading out into the bright sunlight, where the car was parked for Hillard to take her back to the mansion.
The journey home was a somber one, with Isadora's thoughts consumed by the secrets she kept and the uncertainty that layed ahead.
As Isadora returned to the mansion, she found the halls quiet and empty. The staff were likely busy with their duties, she thought.
Hillard accompanied her to her room, his presence a gentle reminder of her safety. When they arrived, he turned to leave, and Isadora entered her room, feeling a mix of emotions.
She looked around, taking in the familiar space she had left behind. The room was unchanged, she couldn't believe she was back there.
No sooner had Isadora settled onto her bed than the door creaked open, and she sprang to her feet, expecting to see Hillard's familiar face. But instead, Mrs. Adriana stood in the doorway, her expression stern and unyielding. Isadora's eyes widened in surprise as Mrs. Adriana strode into the room, her eyes blazing with an inner fire.
With a dramatic flourish, Mrs. Adriana tossed an envelope onto the floor, her voice icy and detached. "Pack your bags and leave this house immediately."
Isadora's heart raced as she bent to pick up the envelope, but before she could, a deep voice boomed from behind Mrs. Adriana, halting her in mid-motion. "I don't think so. She's going nowhere."