Zinnia's smile vanished abruptly as Duncan walked into her office unexpectedly, forcing her to quickly put the call on hold. She shouted at him, irritated by the intrusion. "What are you doing here?" Zinnia snapped. Duncan, maintaining composure, replied, "I lost my ID card here earlier." Suspicion etched on her face, Zinnia doubted his excuse until she noticed the ID card under her desk. She picked it up and wordlessly handed it to him. Finishing the call, Zinnia hung up, a sly smirk forming on her face. As she thought about the unfolding plan, she relished in the satisfaction of how well everything seemed to be falling into place. Her gaze locked onto Duncan, and she warned with a hint of menace, "Watch yourself, Duncan. Things are about to change around here." Duncan, seemingly oblivious, nodded and left her office. Unbeknownst to him, the gears of Zinnia's vindictive scheme continued to turn, setting the stage for a series of events that would alter the course of their
They settled at the dining table, Lady Zelda attempting to brighten her expression despite the lingering discomfort. Sir Logan, perceptive of her unease, inquired, “What's wrong, Zelda? You look worried.” Karla, through subtle eye contact, tried to signal Lady Zelda not to reveal her concerns. However, dropping her spoon, Lady Zelda sighed and shook her head. “I'm sorry, Zinnia, but I still don't feel right.” Sir Logan, narrowing his eyes, sought an explanation. “What happened, dear?” “Father, I feel uncomfortable, truly. I think something wrong is happening or has happened to my son, Duncan.” Concern etched Sir Logan's face. “Is everything okay?” Karla reassured, “Yes, sir. Aunt Zelda just saw a vase break, and I'm sure that triggered something in her, causing her to start panicking.” “I can't help it, Karla. I'm so worried,” Lady Zelda muttered. “It's okay, Zelda. You don't need to worry much.” “Exactly. I spoke to Duncan earlier, and he was fine too. Please, cheer up, A
Karla, growing increasingly anxious about Duncan's well-being, discreetly left the Walton Domicile after Lady Zelda and Sir Logan retired to their rooms. Utilizing the phone tracker linked to Duncan's device, she hoped to find some clues about his mysterious location. The app indicated he was in a dense, unfamiliar area, intensifying her concern. Attempting to contact him proved futile, deepening her worry. Karla quietly informed the butler that she was going for a stroll, concealing her true mission. Driving for about 20 minutes, Karla traced the phone's signal, eventually arriving in front of an abandoned warehouse. As she stepped out of the car, the eerie atmosphere of the desolate surroundings heightened her apprehension. Wondering why the tracker had led her to this obscure location, Karla cautiously examined her surroundings, preparing for the unknown that lay ahead. “What could Duncan be looking for in such an environment?” She wondered aloud. Hearing the sound of a comi
She kept trying to call for emergency help. "Duncan, please hold on." Her heart was pounding with dread as she stared at him. The sight of him lying on the ground, bathed in blood, sent shivers down her spine. Panicking, she dropped to her knees beside him, shaking him gently, "Duncan, wake up! Can you hear me?" The desperation in her voice echoed through the empty alley. His eyes fluttered open, but the pain was evident. "Karla?" Duncan's voice was weak as he tried to sit up. "Don't move, Duncan. What happened?" Karla frantically searched for signs of more severe injuries. "I... Gregg and Zinnia... They..." Duncan winced, struggling to articulate the ordeal. His body ached, and the pain was etched on his face. "We need to get you to a hospital," Karla declared, her eyes scanning the surroundings for help. The alley, however, remained eerily quiet. "Karla, they mentioned... a plan... to end me," Duncan managed to convey between labored breaths. Fear gripped Karla's heart a
After a brief silence, Duncan broke the quiet before Karla could reiterate her question. "My mind told me that all was a plan to expose me, Karla. That's why I was quick to think and didn't react when I saw Gregg after being kidnapped. Then everything made sense to me when he asked if I knew him and said I was not going to pretend for long." He sat up properly and turned to face her. "They were having doubts about me, and that's why Gregg wanted to see me personally. The fool thought that at the verge of losing my life due to the ruthless beatings then I would expose myself, but I got them all shocked. I realized that Ma'am Luna, Zinnia's Mom, and Zinnia were there, and I didn't want to fail so woefully by letting my true self be known to them all. So, I took the beatings, controlled my temper, and…""And risked your life," Karla cut in, her voice edged with disbelief, "because you wanted to keep your secrets and true identity hidden?"Duncan nodded, avoiding her hunting gaze, sens
Duncan broke the uneasy silence, scanning everyone's faces before saying, "It's Lisa," and pointing at her. Ma'am Luna and Laila exchanged questioning glances as Lisa flared up, hurling insults at him.Chuckling, Duncan quickly added, "Just kidding," attempting to diffuse the tension. Bella, Lisa's mother, warned him sharply not to falsely accuse her daughter again, threatening dire consequences. Trying to ease the atmosphere, Ma'am Luna shifted the focus, asking, "Duncan, how did you get treated? Those bruises look quite severe." Duncan, adept at weaving his web of deception, lied smoothly, "Oh, a good Samaritan happened to find me and helped me out. Nothing serious." Lisa, still fuming, interjected, "You are a woeful liar!"Duncan maintained a calm facade, wanting to infuriate her the more. "Why would I lie about something like that, Lisa?"Ma'am Luna, sensing the escalating tension, intervened, "Enough, Lisa. Duncan, if you need anything, let us know." As the breakfast contin
A couple of days later, Zinnia found herself seated at the edge of the table in Ma'am Luna's personal home office, playfully rounding the fake globe. Laila walked in, giving Zinnia a warning look."Grandmother said we should meet her here in the next 10 minutes. I'm five minutes early, and you're a minute late. Anyway, she's not here already, so you're safe," Zinnia chuckled.Laila advised, "You shouldn't be sitting on top of the table. Get off before she walks in and gives you an earful."Zinnia, unfazed, shrugged. "Grandmother's mouthful has become a normal thing to me. It doesn't scare me anymore."Laila remarked, "I see you've become bold…"Ma'am Luna walked in, interrupting their banter. "And I know it's because you've learned about big things now. It looks like you've seen and know everything about me that you no longer fear me, Zinnia."Zinnia rolled her eyes and promptly got off the table. "I don't understand what you're saying, Grandmother.""You can save the lies and star
Growing impatient, Zinnia urged Duncan to admit his incompetence and declare that he couldn't handle the task.“I personally know that you can't handle such a task so stop being a time waster, save us the stress and decline.” Ignoring her prodding, Duncan asserted confidently that he could handle it, but he needed to know what was in it for him. Ma'am Luna, seizing the opportunity, began to shower him with promises of a better life, emphasizing the rewards he could reap upon accomplishing the assigned task.“Your life is certainly going to change once you've done this. Mark my words.”Duncan, contemplating the incentives, then questioned Ma'am Luna's belief in him, a hint of skepticism in his voice. "Why do you believe in me?"Ma'am Luna, without hesitation, responded, "Because, Duncan, blood ties run deep, and despite the complexities, you're still part of this family. Your success is our success, and your loyalty will be rewarded."Duncan absorbed her words, a mix of emotions s