Chapter 569: Suspicion
Lily frowned, hesitation flickering across her face. Then, as if remembering something urgent, she straightened abruptly.
"Ah... I just remembered something important. I’ll send you the remaining details by mail later. You should... try to understand it yourself first."
Aurora chuckled softly, though her eyes remained sharp. ’So she’s backing off now... interesting.’
In truth, Lily had just suggested something absurd... Aurora is pretending to be the rich man’s daughter more.
The idea itself was ridiculous. Lily had even hinted that doing so might grant Aurora privileges... free visas from other rich people; generous gifts; perhaps even properties or shares.
When Aurora first heard it, she almost laughed outright. ’Does she think I’m that naive?’
But she held herself back, her expression unreadable.
After Lily left, her steps light and cheerful, Aurora watched her go with a faint smile. ’She’s in a good mood... too good.’
Soon after, Lily returned to the Brown family mansion. The grand halls echoed faintly with her footsteps as she made her way to Shay’s residence.
Inside, the room was quiet except for the soft click of chess pieces. Shay sat alone, playing against herself, her posture relaxed yet precise.
Lily entered, her face glowing with excitement, but Shay did not even glance at her.
She continued playing, her fingers moving with deliberate calm.
Only after finishing her move did she lift her head and smile faintly. "What happened? You seem unusually cheerful today. Did something good happen?"
Lily nodded eagerly, her voice bright. "Yes! Something really good."
Without hesitation, she recounted everything... Aurora’s interest, her questions, her curiosity about the rich man’s daughter.
When she finished, Shay leaned back slightly, her eyes narrowing. A subtle tension filled the room. "Don’t you find that... suspicious?"
Lily blinked, confused. "Suspicious? About what?"
Shay tapped a chess piece lightly, the sound sharp in the silence.
"Aurora has always been indifferent. And now, suddenly, she wants to know about the rich man’s daughter and even consider pretending to be her? Does that sound like something she would do?"
Lily hesitated, glancing around as if searching for an answer.
"Maybe... she’s been resisting the temptation all along. Maybe she was just waiting for the right opportunity. And now that I’ve opened the door... she wants to try again."
Shay fell silent for a moment, then slowly shook her head.
"No. From everything you’ve told me about her... Aurora is not that kind of person. She’s far more... dangerous. She wouldn’t do something so obvious."
After a long pause, she looked back at Lily, her voice quieter. "You may leave now."
Lily’s expression wilted slightly, like a flower losing its bloom. Disappointment flickered in her eyes, but she quickly masked it with a small laugh.
Shay stood up, walked over, and gently kissed Lily’s cheek, her tone softening. "Alright, you should go now. I’ll have your reward ready by tonight."
Lily’s face lit up instantly, her mood shifting like a child’s. "Really? Thank you!"
She left happily, her footsteps light and careless.
If anyone had been watching closely, they would have noticed something unsettling... Lily’s behavior wasn’t entirely normal. Around certain people, her thoughts seemed... distorted, almost as if she weren’t fully herself.
Once Lily was gone, Shay’s expression changed instantly. The warmth vanished, replaced by cold calculation. She picked up her phone, her fingers moving swiftly as she dialed a number.
The call connected.
"Third Brother," she spoke softly.
On the other end, Jim chuckled warmly. "What is it? Do you need something from me?"
Shay smiled faintly, her tone laced with meaning. "You really do know me best. I’ve come across something... suspicious recently."
She explained everything in detail, her voice steady.
After listening, Jim chuckled again, unconcerned. "There’s nothing to worry about. You’ve been protecting us all this time, making sure the Brown family continues to thrive."
His voice softened slightly. "After all... you are everyone’s princess."
’How could they possibly let anything happen to her?’ He thought grimly.
The divinator’s words still echoed faintly in memory... cold, absolute, and impossible to ignore.
Shay needed a shadow, someone who would ensure her life flowed smoothly, someone who would silently confront dangers in her place.
She would also have to face an imposter... it would guarantee that she would never fall sick again, that fortune would cling to her like an unbreakable blessing.
Because of that prophecy, they had been holding back all this time. Otherwise, they would have uncovered the imposter long ago... and they would not have shown mercy.
A faint smile curved across Shay’s lips as she tilted her head slightly, her voice warm yet calculated. "Jim, you really do know how to make someone feel at ease."
Her tone softened, but her eyes remained sharp. "Since you are overseeing this matter... I trust you won’t act recklessly."
On the other end, Jim chuckled, a low, confident sound. "You know me well enough."
Before she could respond further, the line went dead.
The moment the call disconnected, Jim’s expression shifted. The warmth vanished, replaced by a cold, focused intensity.
His fingers moved swiftly across his keyboard, the faint glow of the screen reflecting in his narrowed eyes as he began hacking Aurora’s phone.
...........
Just outside the room, Abby stood still, her back pressed lightly against the wall.
’They’re getting suspicious of Aurora... this is bad.’
Her brows furrowed, tension creeping into her chest. ’I need to inform her immediately. ’
Just as she was about to leave, Lily stepped out, her movements light but her gaze sharp. The moment her eyes landed on Abby, she paused.
A faint frown formed on her lips.
’This girl again... why does she feel so familiar?’
Lily stepped closer, her heels clicking softly against the floor. "What’s your name?"
Abby met her gaze, masking the flicker of irritation in her eyes with practiced ease. "Kate."
Lily nodded slowly, her eyes scanning her face. "How long have you been working here?"
Abby forced a small smile. "Almost a year."
Lily’s expression didn’t soften. Instead, her voice dropped slightly, carrying a quiet threat. "Do you know what happens if you keep eavesdropping on conversations that don’t concern you?"
A chill ran down Abby’s spine, but she quickly waved her hands, her voice hurried and nervous. "No, no, I wasn’t eavesdropping! I swear... I was just cleaning."
Lily’s gaze sharpened. She pointed toward the exact spot Abby had been standing. "That area has already been cleaned five or six times. Yet you’re still here."
Her tone turned colder. "What exactly are you trying to do?"
Abby’s heart pounded against her ribs. ’If I don’t handle this properly... I’m done for.’
For a brief moment, silence stretched between them, thick and suffocating.
Then suddenly, an idea flashed through her mind.
She lowered her head, her fingers fidgeting slightly, her voice trembling as if weighed down by embarrassment. "I... I don’t know how to say this ..."
Lily frowned, impatience flickering across her face. "Say what?"
Abby hesitated, then nodded shyly, her cheeks flushing as she forced the words out. "I’ve... liked you for a long time."
The air froze.
For a split second, Lily’s expression turned dark, her fists clenching instinctively. But then she paused, her eyes narrowing as she studied Abby more closely.
Abby continued, her voice soft and vulnerable. "I didn’t dare to say anything before... but I’ve seen you... I know ..."
She swallowed, then added carefully, "You’re into women... aren’t you?"
She even took a small step forward, hesitantly extending her hand.
Lily’s reaction was immediate. "Disgusting! Stay away from me!"
She stepped back sharply, her face filled with clear revulsion as she glared at Abby.
For a moment, anger flickered in her eyes. Initially, she had suspected Abby to be a spy. But now... looking at her flustered, love-struck expression, that suspicion wavered.
’So she’s just... foolish.’
Letting out a quiet breath, Lily shook her head slightly. ’I’m becoming too paranoid.’
She turned and began to walk away. Abby, determined to erase any remaining suspicion, quickly followed behind her.
Lily stopped abruptly, irritation flaring again. She turned back sharply. "Do you need to follow me? Just stay where you are!"
Without waiting for a response, she left, her pace quickening as if worried Abby might continue trailing her.
The moment Lily disappeared from sight, Abby’s entire demeanor changed.
The nervousness vanished instantly.
Her eyes turned sharp as she pulled out her phone and quickly sent a message to Aurora.
Once done, she paused, then opened her camera. A faint smile appeared on her lips as she clicked a photo, Lily walking away.
Abby stared at it for a moment before setting it as her wallpaper. ’Got you.’
...........
Meanwhile, Jim leaned back slightly, his brows knitting together.
"A firewall?" he muttered under his breath.
Aurora’s phone wasn’t easy to breach. The layers of protection were intricate, far beyond what an average system could handle.
’If I weren’t skilled enough... I’d never get through this.’
After several attempts, his fingers moving faster with each passing second, the final barrier gave way.