The Billionaire Who Saved Me

It was thirst that made Elice get out of bed. The water in the jug had run out. She forced herself to stand up.

But just as Elice was about to turn and head for the stairs, something caught her attention. A soft sob and a whisper of warning. A sound that stopped Elice in her tracks. She looked around, scanning all sides of the large house.

Perhaps it was because it was already night that the atmosphere seemed quiet. Especially since she was on the second floor, seemingly avoiding the hustle and bustle of some of the maids.

But Elice’s ears couldn’t have been wrong. It came from behind the wall. Opposite her.

Elice changed her destination. Instead of heading straight for the kitchen, as she had originally intended, she made her way to the source of the sound. With slow and stealthy steps.

“Is Master Garrett still in Madam’s room?”

The soft voice was audible. Elice was sure. It was Yocelyn. And to whom was she speaking?

“H-he is.”

Regina was stunned. It was Regina. Elice wouldn’t be wrong.

“Good. Everything is going according to plan. So, stop crying. If someone hears, everything could go wrong.”

Plan? What was Yocelyn talking about?

Filled with question marks in her mind, Elice strengthened herself not to act recklessly. She wouldn’t forget that there was something different about Yocelyn and Regina lately. Their behavior seemed unusual. As if they were hiding something.

Elice would wait. A little more patiently.

“I-I shouldn’t do this. No. I should stop.”

“Regina, don’t be foolish! It’s too late now.”

“No. Let me go. We shouldn’t do this to Madam.”

“You need money, don’t you? And this is how. Besides, it won’t be you who’s to blame. It will be Master Garrett.”

Elice’s body instantly froze. Her intuition had already felt uneasy when she first heard the conversation between Yocelyn and Regina. And when Garrett’s name was mentioned, her feelings became even more unsettled.

“Master Garrett will be suspected. He’s with Madam. And that means he’ll be blamed for what she drank.”

Elice felt lifeless when she heard what Yocelyn said. Cold sweat broke out on her forehead. It brought a terror that made her feel powerless.

It didn’t take long for Elice to draw a conclusion from this conversation. Yocelyn and Regina were planning something. An evil plan that would harm Daphne. And not only that. Garrett would be blamed for something he hadn’t done.

Garrett. Nana.

Elice didn’t have much time. She left immediately. Running as fast as she could. Straight to Daphne’s room and opening the door without permission or even knocking.

“Elice?”

Garrett stood in front of the door. But Elice ignored him. She pushed the man aside to clear her path. And what Elice saw made her heart race.

“Nana.”

Daphne looked at her, a glass in her hand. She raised it to her mouth. But just as Daphne’s lips were about to touch the glass, Elice quickly knocked it away. The glass fell to the floor, shattering, and Daphne gasped in shock. Her eyes went wide as she looked at Elice.

So did Garrett, who decided to approach Elice, but was instead stunned when he saw what his wife was doing.

“Elice, what are you…”

Elice hugged Daphne. And at that moment, something made Daphne freeze. All the words on her tongue vanished.

Elice sobbed and held her tightly, her body shaking.

“Nana.”

*

“I’m sorry, madam.”

Apologies filled Daphne’s room moments later. From Regina and Yocelyn. Who were summoned immediately when Elice told Daphne and Garrett everything.

Unbelievable. That was the first thing that crossed Daphne’s mind. How could Regina and Yocelyn do that to her?

But that’s what happened next. When they were called and both froze when they saw the broken glass scattered on the floor.

Daphne stared at Regina and Yocelyn without blinking. In her hand was the remaining shard of glass with a little water in it.

“Would either of you like to drink this water?”

That was Daphne’s only hope. It seemed an unlikely possibility. To trust Elice, who had only been part of her family for a few months, or two people who had worked with her for a long time.

“Answer!” Daphne snapped. “Which one of you wants to drink this water?”

None of them did. Instead of doing what Daphne wanted, Regina and Yocelyn just stood there with pale faces.

“I-I’m sorry, madam. I really didn’t mean to do this.”

Regina’s sobs finally broke out. Followed by apologies and regrets that accompanied every word she uttered.

“I didn’t want to do this, madam. But I was forced. Please forgive me.”

“Forced?” Daphne asked in a condescending tone. “Forced, you say?”Please check at N/ôvel(D)rama.Org.

Regina, tears still streaming down her cheeks, looked at Yocelyn standing beside her, her shoulders shaking with sobs. Her pale lips quivered with fear she couldn’t hide.

“Who forced you?”

Without answering, Regina, her shoulders shaking with tears, just looked at Yocelyn standing beside her. And for that, Daphne clenched her fingers tightly.

“That doesn’t change the fact of what you did.”

What Daphne said was true. So, Regina knew she could not do anything but apologize again and again.

But for all Regina’s following words, Daphne did not react. She was silent, her face hardened. There was a grip inside her that brought her pain.

Unbelievable. Disappointed. The unbearable sting nestled completely in her chest.

Silence. Daphne fought to hold back her tears, even if it meant forcing herself not to breathe for a few seconds.

“You,” Daphne whispered, her voice shaking. She looked alternately at Regina and Yocelyn with incredulous eyes. “How could you do this to me?”

Regina dropped to the floor and knelt at Daphne’s feet. Her face was now filled with tears.

“I’m sorry, madam. Please forgive me. I’m guilty, Madam. I beg your forgiveness.”

Repeating the same words, Regina remained kneeling at Daphne’s feet. She didn’t release her grip on the woman’s legs. She tried to beg for forgiveness, though she knew something. That it was impossible for Daphne to forgive her.

*