The woman cramd into the sack was scared out of her wits. She yearned to beg for rcy but feared that her aunt and uncle would recognize her voice. She knew the horrible things she had done to Rosemary, and if her cruelty was uncovered, she might lose their affection—just like her brothers. Or worse, they might despise her.
"Alright, calm down now, don’t get yourself all worked up," Bard soothed as he rubbed her shoulders.
"Where’s Rose?"
"I told her to head back first."
"Does she know you’re here?"
"I told her."
Bard gently caressed his wife’s face. "Look how upset my sweetheart is."
Eunice couldn’t help but chuckle at his antics.
With a doting tone, Bard asked, "Did you find anything you liked shopping today?"
"Oh yes, the new season’s collection is rather fetching."
"And what did you get for Rose?"
"Clothes, shoes, handbags, a bit of everything. I’ll take her out for so jewelry another day."
"How co you didn’t use my credit card?"
He had waited all day and hadn’t received a single bank notification.
Eunice flashed a coy smile. "A re three million, I can handle that."
"And what about you? Didn’t you treat yourself to anything?"
"Rose got gifts! The entire trunk is filled with presents from her," Eunice bead, her smile radiant and enchanting.
"Look at how happy you are," Bard smiled, catching her infectious joy.
"It’s my niece’s token of affection." Eunice straightened his collar. "There are a few things in there for you too."
Bard lit up, pleasantly surprised. "For as well?"
"Of course. Our niece is nothing if not fair."
"Is it a suit?"
"Suits, shirts, ties—she got it all." After adjusting his collar, Eunice gazed at him with eyes full of love.
"Then let’s pick up Serena and head ho to see our gifts. As for her—" Bard wrapped an arm around Eunice’s shoulder, glancing at the sack on the ground, "her fate, alive or dead, we’ll leave in the hands of the Almighty."
Eunice couldn’t be bothered with the sack anymore and walked away with Bard.
Serena listened as their footsteps faded and the car drove off. She dared not move until several minutes had passed, ensuring they wouldn’t return. Only then did she start to whimper for help.
At that mont, the fruit shop nearby was closing, and a clerk, carrying out the trash, spotted the sack on the ground. Hearing muffled cries for help from within, she was startled but quickly untied the ropes sealing it.
Serena was finally exposed to the outside world, her eyes adjusting to the light as large snowflakes fell from the sky. Her phone was ringing non-stop on the ground.
The clerk saw the blood on Serena’s mouth and her filthy appearance—stained with wine and muck—and hastily helped her to her feet.
What on Earth was going on here?
"Hey, are you okay?" The clerk, seeing she was a girl and probably not up to no good, picked up the dropped cellphone and handed it over. "Is this yours? How’d you end up in a sack? You should head ho quick, alright."
Serena didn’t know how long she’d been out of it until the clerk left and her phone started ringing again.
That was when she finally snapped out of it and saw ’Uncle Bard’ flashing on the screen, but she couldn’t bring herself to answer.
Sitting in his car, Bard had called Serena three tis with no answer, and he was starting to worry.
"Could sothing have happened?"
"You said she called you for help, ntioning she was being bullied?" Eunice asked.
"Yeah," Bard replied, worried his niece might be in danger. He was about to get soone to check on her when his phone rang.
It was Serena!
Trying to muster strength, Serena stood up against the wall, forcing a smile, and said with a light laugh:
"Uncle Bard, you don’t need to co get . My boyfriend just ca by and he’s taken back to the hotel safely. I’ve just finished taking a shower."
Bard, relieved yet surprised, said, "Since when do you have a boyfriend?"
"It’s a long story." Serena teased sweetly, avoiding a lengthy explanation. "I’ll tell you all about it when we et tomorrow."
"You ntioned on the phone that you were bullied? What exactly happened? Did you have a fight with your boyfriend?" Bard asked with concern.
"No, it’s not that." Serena didn’t want to tarnish Martin’s image—especially since he was already no Roo. To speak ill of him now would only make him seem worse.
She lied, "My boyfriend’s been tied up with work in Dawnstar, busy for a long ti. He said he missed , couldn’t get away, and wanted to co see him."
Serena could feel pain all over, but she endured it, standing and smiling.
"I thought, it’s been a long ti since I’ve seen Grandpa and you, especially since I heard Aunt Eunice is back. I couldn’t contain my excitent, wanting to visit you all. I planned to stay at a hotel tonight and co see you tomorrow, but I didn’t expect that as soon as I got to Dawnstar, while waiting for my boyfriend on the street, so thugs started harassing ."
Bard frowned slightly. "Thugs? What did they do to you? Can you rember what they looked like?"
Serena was afraid Bard would check the surveillance footage and find out that she wasn’t harassed by thugs but was, in fact, the one who got into a scuffle with Rosemary and ended up in a sack, taking a beating.
So she lied again.
"It wasn’t much, they just whistled at and said a few rude things. I’ve never encountered such people before, so I got scared. Maybe they got bored when they saw crying and left."
Bard seed unconvinced. "Nothing else happened?"
"Nothing. Uncle Bard, don’t worry. I’ve adjusted my attitude. Please don’t tell my parents about this. I’m eighteen now. I should start facing this complex world. If you tell them secretly, they won’t let go out alone next ti."
Bard relaxed, not pressing further. "Alright, as long as you’re okay, I promise I won’t tell."
Serena felt a lump in her throat and a sudden urge to cry.
"Which hotel are you staying at? Send the address, and I’ll send soone to pick you up tomorrow," Bard offered.
Serena hadn’t actually settled on a hotel yet and chuckled.
"No need, Uncle Bard, I want to spend so more ti alone with my boyfriend. I don’t know when I’ll be free to visit you. Don’t bother coming to get ; my boyfriend will arrange that."
"Then get so rest. Now that I know you’re safe, I can relax. If you need anything, just call ," Bard said warmly. "I’m glad you thought to call . Will you reach out next ti you’re in trouble?"
"Of course," Serena’s voice wavered, and she sniffled. "Well, Uncle Bard, you and Aunt Eunice should get so sleep too."
"Alright," Bard said, finally at ease and hanging up the phone, content that she was safe.
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