Chapter 169: Chapter 169

In the West Wing, Brad woke up with a start. He looked around frantically, panting. He had no idea what time it was, and he did not care. This was because, for the past weeks, he had never had the will to let the sun and daylight stream through his windows.

The days and nights felt the same to him. The constant feeling of always being watched and taunted had drained him both physically and emotionally. He had an extreme mental fatigue that most would think that he had shrunk into a depressed state of a sort. His curtains were and had fully been drawn throughout that time.

In fact, Brad did not even want his mind to think about the name, Shelby or sister-in-law.

The experience had left him with a bitter taste. Within a few weeks, he had shrunk to almost half his size! Brad had lost a lot of weight. He could not exercise to keep up his body like he usually did; he could not eat, he could drink, hang out with his friends or even play with his favourite toys!

The most distressing was that he did not dare even think of sex! Such thoughts had landed him in his predicament. What would he have to think about that?

Brad felt that he had almost entered the door of something dire or death if he dared believe it.

The confident Brad, whom many looked up to, had learnt a life lesson in a way that he never thought of.

After many days had passed, he kept asking himself, ’Why did I even think of targeting my sister-in-law? Was it because Ian was not around? I must have been stupid!’

He thought and waited for that annoying voice to talk back to him as it had been doing, but all he heard was silence!

His brow went up in surprise, but he did not dare smirk or say anything rude. Experience had taught him better. Still, Brad could not help but mutter to himself.

"That’s new! The annoying voice is no more?"

Brad felt another thing that made him frown. There was a nagging feeling at the back of his mind, wondering what was different, but he could not pinpoint the issue.

He got up from the bed and then walked up to his bathroom, splashing water on his face.

Brad looked at his reflection in the mirror and let out a sigh, appreciating the rare quiet time when he did not feel like he was being watched. He had only dozed off for a few hours, but Brad felt so much himself and refreshed! His head was clearer than it had ever been since that dreadful day he had nearly committed that unforgivable act.

He kept the water running under his hands absentmindedly, wondering what was different about him that day, and then it hit him!

"I feel ... ’normal!’"

Brad looked at his hands, turning them over as if he were seeing himself for the first time in a while.

He sagged onto the floor as if a huge burden had been lifted off of him.

’OMG! I feel okay! I feel free!’

It was almost as if he had had a long, deep sleep in which he had no control of himself. It was almost like being in a dream that he could not get out of. It had only briefly happened once but then after half an hour, he still felt ’normal’.

’I might as well enjoy it while it lasts!’

It looked like he was all over the experience, but he was thinking furiously about how to make amends for his past actions, which may have been part of the reason he was left alone, but no one knew.

A little later, and outside Brad’s room, the few workers who were around heard something that they had not heard in a while. The soothing sounds of music! Brad was back with his ’babies’: his musical instruments.

The sound of the guitar was heard for a long time that day. In retrospect, that made most of the workers sigh in relief. When Brad played his guitar, it spoke volumes about his mood. In as much as the few weeks had been tiring and depressing for Brad, it had been pressurizing for the workers who had to walk on eggshells to be around him.

Much surprising to them was the fact that late that night, Brad walked out of his room, smiling and whistling like his usual self. He drove his new baby... his Lambo, out, looking for his friends that he missed. It was more like he searched for them to show off!

A figure stood not far away and watched every single gesture Brad made. Satisfied, he turned around and left.

’Hopefully, he learnt his lesson this time!’ He said before he disappeared from there.

Elsewhere, tempers were rising high. The two cloaked figures who had initially attacked Shelby in the park were having a heated argument.

"Leave it be! It’s already done! They have taken the last step! There is absolutely nothing you can do now! We missed the window!"

"How do you know! We can still get rid of her! If she is gone, everything will go back to its place!"

"At this juncture, there is nothing you or I can do! How many times do you want me to say this!?"

"What do you mean by that? Aren’t you an invincible person or something? Even you had something you could not do?"

The first person looked at the second one and not bothering with the person, turned around and left.

The other, who was left behind, fumed with anger.

"It is not too late! I can do it!"

A thought began to form, and the person relaxed.

Thornston Estate, South-West Wing...

"What is wrong with you? Why would you treat the guest like that? Have you forgotten your role?" Katie snapped. Her already stern face was even sterner and more critical. Her forehead looked so severe that the person she was reprimanding, Suzie, dared not say anything.

They were in the workers’ lounge. Some of the other workers peeked around and enjoyed the show. It had been a very fulfilling day for them from Brianna’s visit, and subsequent treatment. At that moment, most of them did not agree with Katie, but no one dared to talk back, except for one person.

"No matter what she did, she was our guest! Is this what you learnt at the ’Maid and Butler Services Institute?’" Katie berated.

"I should re-examine your position as her principal maid then! You will need to be pu-"

Suzie itched to talk, but she knew that she was in the wrong! She also knew that many wanted her position. She started to regret her actions but bit her lips, standing her ground.

"I’m sorry to counter your words, Miss Katie, but are you saying that we should have watched for her to bully Shelby?"

"Listen here, Ava! You may be the young Mistress’s friend, but at this moment, you serve under me! You-"

"Don’t tell me that you did not see what happened. Did the almighty Miss Katie, not see what I saw?"

Katie turned, narrowing her eyes at the interruption. However, those who really knew Katie could see her cheeks tinge slightly red. Years of proper facial and expression control made sure that she did not give out that much, though, in terms of expression.

Ava continued, after all, what did she have to lose?

"Are you saying that Suzie’s defence of her primary Mistress was wrong, and she should have catered to the other person’s whims just because the other person was a guest?"

"I think you should be commending Suzie if you actually saw what she saw...."

Most of the other workers exchanged glances, wondering what it was that the three of them had seen.

"There should still be order!"

"I agree, Miss Katie, but I think that if the same happened to Madam Geneva, you wouldn’t sit still... would you?"

That was enough for Katie to still.

"She makes a good argument."

They all turned, including Katie, as they bowed quickly.

"Did you need something, Geneva? I would have gotten it for you...." Katie hastened up to Geneva, who had appeared at the lounge.

"I’m not sure what it is that you saw, but that girl is a spoilt brat, and I do not want to be anywhere here. No matter how much impulsive Suzie was, she was right. She did need to ’clean out that trash’."

A few snickers went around while Katie remained passive. Or so it looked; the slight downward movement of her mouth showed her dissatisfaction, but she understood hierarchy more than anything, so she just listened but couldn’t help it by saying,

".... But Geneva...."

"It’s okay, Katie, don’t be too uptight about this. Suzie defended her mistress in the correct way."

Geneva brushed Katie aside. Of course, Geneva knew exactly how Katie worked as they had been together for longer than she cared to think of. Katie had served Geneva since she came to get married, and she had never had any conjugal or any relationship. The fact that Katie had blushed lightly was enough for Geneva to deduce what may have happened. Turning to the workers,

"From now on, your only mistress is Shelby. I am giving you the right to make any decision that would protect her as Suzie and Ava did today! My grandchild must be protected by all means. For that to happen, Shelby needs to be in good health, and most importantly, her emotional state needs to be catered to. You know what you need to do!"

Katie remained passive.

They all smiled and agreed.

Geneva nodded and then added,

"Now, since Ava and Suzie have done commendable work, they need to be rewarded."

Suzie straightened and puffed up her chest. Serving Shelby had given her so many benefits that she was starting to get overwhelmed.

"Both of you will get a 10% salary raise and a big monetary bonus as well!"

Thank you so much to all for your votes and comments! I hope we can keep it up ^_^

Support the author by reading only on NovelHub :) ~Uploaded only on NovelHub by Loctovia ~