The cryptic riddle wrapped itself around her mind, its implications heavy with threat and promise. To anyone else, it might appear to be a cautionary note, perhaps even an ally reaching out in secrecy. But for Second Aunt, the words held a weight far more personal.
She recognized the significance of the lion taphor embedded within the ssage. It was a warning, one that resonated deeply with her. The lion, a symbol of strength and dominance, represented the family she thought she had tad.
.....
On the other side of the estate, in her quiet office, Es sat comfortably in her chair, a sly smirk playing on her lips. The room was bathed in soft light, and the air was thick with the scent of old books and parchnt. Across from her, Helga raised an eyebrow, her curiosity piqued by the mischievous gleam in Es’s eyes.
"Why are you smiling, Es?" Helga asked, her tone cautious but knowing. "And why did you send that letter to Madam Aron when you didn’t even do the thing ? What’s the point of provoking her?"
Es’s smirk remained firmly in place, her eyes twinkling with a trace of playful mischief as she regarded Helga. Her voice was calm but carried an unmistakable hint of amusent. "You know what, Helga? Whether I did it or not doesn’t really matter. What matters is what she can’t even fathom. If Madam Aron thinks it was done by , then it was done by . Perception is everything. Besides, all I want is to keep her busy, to stop her from figuring out who really sent the letter. Better she directs her suspicions towards than soone else."
Helga’s brow furrowed in confusion, her head tilting slightly. "I don’t understand. Why protect soone else? And why does it matter if Madam Aron finds out who did it?"
Es’s smile broadened, her eyes gleaming as she leaned back in her chair, folding her arms. "Ah, my dear Helga," she began with a knowing look, "there aren’t many who truly see through Second Aunt’s hypocrisy and her two-faced nature. But among those who do, there are only two who matter: —and my dear husbands."
Helga’s confusion deepened, and she glanced
Es’s smirk deepened as Helga’s confusion grew. "Then, who do you think would be responsible if not ?" Es asked, her tone teasing as she let the question hang.
Helga responded almost instantly, "The Aron Brothers."
Es chuckled softly, leaning back in her chair with a knowing look. "Exactly. My dear newly wedded husbands. No one else would have the audacity." There was a hint of pride in her voice, but her expression remained playful.
Helga, still puzzled, furrowed her brows. "But why would they do it? And who among them could have done it?" she asked, her confusion deepening.
Es’s smile lingered as she spoke, her tone matter-of-fact. "Why did they do it, you ask? The reason is simple. Madam Aron touched sothing that belongs to them. That’s why." Her eyes glimred as she spoke, her confidence unwavering. "As for which one of them did it... does it really matter?"
Helga leaned forward, pressing for clarity, but Es just shook her head with a sly grin. "The important thing is that they acted to protect what’s theirs. And now, Madam Aron will spend all her ti wondering who, rather than focusing on anything else. Isn’t that all that matters?"
Helga blinked, still trying to make sense of the ga Es and her husbands were playing. "So, none of this was about you at all?"
Es simply shrugged, the smirk never leaving her lips. "Why would it be? I’m just the distraction."
Es’s smile grew more amused as she watched Helga struggle to make sense of the situation. "But who? Who among them did it? I still don’t understand," Helga said, her confusion evident.
Es leaned forward, her voice lowering slightly, a playful glint in her eyes. "Do a little calculation. It’s really quite easy to see."
"Easy to see?" Helga repeated, her brows furrowed in puzzlent.
"Yes, easy to see," Es continued, clearly enjoying the mont. "Let break it down for you. First, Ray. He’s a cripple. Sure, he’s better now and can stand, even walk, but not for long. Do you really think he would be capable of orchestrating sothing like this?"
Helga frowned, her mind working to follow Es’s logic.
Es pressed on, "Second, Kai. Now, do you honestly think if it were him, he’d bother with a re letter? Please, Helga. Kai would have already thrown them into a lake or the ocean, let them die off. And he wouldn’t have just accused her of sothing small like molestation. It would have been sothing far bigger—murder, perhaps."
Helga’s eyes widened slightly, but Es didn’t stop.
"And then there’s Jay," Es continued, her tone more pointed. "Do you think he’d waste ti writing a letter? If it were him, Madam Aron would already be attending a funeral."
Helga blinked, and then it hit her. "Then..."
Es’s smile widened in satisfaction, her voice soft but triumphant. "Right. It wasn’t Ray, Kai, or Jay." She leaned back in her chair, the ga now fully revealed. "Which leaves only one option, doesn’t it?"
Helga nodded slowly, finally understanding.
Helga, still processing everything, asked in a softer tone, "But how did you figure it out so easily?"
Es, still smiling, glanced at her and said, "Isn’t it easy? After all, they are my husbands."
Helga looked at her with an expression of disbelief, clearly not buying the explanation Es was offering. She raised an eyebrow, her skepticism evident in her gaze.
Seeing Helga’s doubt, Es’s smile remained as she added, her tone even more playful, "It’s easy because there’s only one doctor in the family who’s always calm and collected. And funny enough, it all started after he arrived." She paused for effect, her smirk widening. "So, isn’t it obvious who it is?"
Helga’s eyes widened slightly as the realization hit her. "The doctor," she muttered under her breath, her disbelief slowly turning into understanding.
Es gave her a knowing look, her smirk never faltering. "Exactly. Sotis, the quietest ones are the most dangerous."
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