CHAPTER 10
Earlier that day at the Wilson residence, Elizabeth stood before her mirror, feeling increasingly uneasy about the direction her life and her daughter's life were taking. Today marked a critical moment; she was about to undertake something she had vowed her parents she would never do. The atmosphere was charged with an undercurrent of apprehension and resolve.
The butler, Davis, appeared at her door, which was slightly ajar. "The car is ready, ma'am," he informed her. Elizabeth replied with a simple, "Okay, thank you," but she sensed that the older man had something more to say. Davis, a man who had always shown her a brotherly concern, hesitated. Elizabeth could see the familiar worried look in his eyes.
"Where is Judy?" Elizabeth inquired, trying to shift the focus from herself.
"At the coffee shop," Davis responded before falling silent again, leading her to question his lingering presence.
"Do you want to say something, Davis?" she prompted.
"Can I drive you?" he asked, his voice revealing genuine concern. Elizabeth turned to face the butler, whose protective demeanor had been a constant in her life. A bittersweet smile graced her lips, which the butler didn't fail to take note of,he wondered if she had ever truly been happy in the confines of her home. He wondered if her smiles had merely been a facade over the years?
"I won't be needing your driving services today, Davis. No need to worry; I'm going to see my parents," she assured him gently. The trip to The Devalors' would take about three to three and a half hours, a decent span of time for unpredictable events to unfold. Davis who had always been sceptical about her safety, for this reason, felt disquieted by her decision to refuse her usual escorts; he was all too aware of the perils that could arise on the road.
Once she headed out of the compound, Davis decided to take action. He pulled out his phone and made a call, issuing discreet orders. "Track down the vehicle of the older lady and follow her," he directed, but to his annoyance, the person on the other end seemed troubled.
"Sorry, boss, Jude and I are out of town today; Elder sent us on an errand," the response came back, leaving Davis frustrated.
"How can he forget it was today?" he thought, realizing that he would have to take matters into his own hands. Determined, he steeled himself for what lay ahead. Elizabeth's journey was about to take an unexpected turn, and he was determined not to let her undertake it alone.
****
At 11:00 AM, Agnes woke up, refreshed herself, and made her way to the dining table, ordering the maid to prepare a quick breakfast. As she began her meal, she inquired nonchalantly about Elizabeth's whereabouts, noting that the woman's room door was locked—a sign that Elizabeth was leaving the mansion. The maid, visibly nervous due to Agnes's notorious reputation for being difficult, replied that Elizabeth hadn't mentioned her plans. Agnes pressed further, asking about the butler, only to learn he had errands to attend to.
Agnes had always found the butler unsettling; despite his calm demeanor, his penetrating gaze gave her chills. She believed this may have been due to his strict rule over the household staff, ensuring they adhered to the expectations of the Wilson family. The maids were well aware that failing to obey could lead to severe consequences under his watchful eye.
As she continued eating, Agnes abruptly pushed her plate aside, startling the maid. With a dismissive tone, she commanded the maid to take the trash away while she shifted her attention to her phone. Moving to the sofa for more comfort, she was taken aback when the curtain to the outside was thrown open to reveal Robert. His disheveled appearance—rumpled shirt and swollen eyes—instantly raised alarm bells for Agnes. Bloodstains dotted his face, indicating he had been in some sort of altercation.
"Oh my, Robert! What happened?" Agnes exclaimed, rushing toward him with concern, her earlier aloofness giving way to shock at his distressing state.
Robert looked terrified and disheveled, a stark contrast to her usual calm mornings within the luxurious confines of the mansion. His presence sparked a flurry of questions and emotions within Agnes as she tried to decipher the situation. The mansion, which often felt like a serene haven, was now overshadowed by a palpable unease.
Was he not supposed to be working by this time, her mind raced with the implications of his injuries. It was a day that had begun with mundane routines, yet had rapidly escalated into something far more serious. The underlying tension of the household, combined with Robert's appearance, hinted at unseen troubles lurking beneath the surface. Agnes could not shake the feeling that whatever had happened to Robert was not an isolated incident but possibly connected to the larger web of secrets that pervaded their lives in the mansion.
Thus, as Agnes stood there, torn between her ingrained coldness and the human instinct to help, she braced herself for what revelations were yet to come. The questions swirling in her mind foreshadowed a day that would change everything for the Wilson household.
"Judith, Judith, where is Judith?" Robert gasped as he rushed through the house, heading for Judy's room only to find it empty. Agnes, trailed behind him, half-yelling in impatience, "Judith is not home, Robert, what is going on? What happened to you?" Ignoring her, Robert moved toward Elizabeth's room, only to discover the door was locked. The realization that his wife rarely left the mansion nagged at him, but he quickly dismissed it; more urgent concerns occupied his mind. As he shakily approached his room across from Elizabeth's, he cast a glance at Agnes and uttered the word,
"Papaya." This simple nickname triggered a profound reaction; Agnes's eyes widened with fear and alarm.
******
Meanwhile, Judy drove back to the mansion, the evening settling in. She purposefully took her time, reluctant to return home. Upon entering, an uneasy tension greeted her in the hallway, not the usual warmth she'd known. The maids, with expressions of fear or sadness, greeted her, something she had never encountered before. The butler, who usually stood by to welcome her, was absent, heightening her sense of unease. Though the house often had a quiet demeanor, this night felt distinctly oppressive.
Confusion welled within her as she entered the parlor. Her father and stepmother were seated, their eyes fixed on her, as if they had been anxiously awaiting her arrival. Robert, though his injuries had been tended to, bore a look that suggested he had been in a brutal fight. Judy quickly assessed the unusual demeanor of her father, noting that he appeared to have been in some physical altercation.
The unusual situation in her home—a contrast to the life she had known—pressed heavily upon Judy's heart. She found herself caught between the unfamiliarity of the night and the pressing need to understand what had transpired in her absence. The silence felt thick and foreboding, every detail seemingly charged with hidden meaning. The worry etched on her family's faces only deepened her unease.