Unreturned When the Fog Cleared Chapter 05

Unreturned When the Fog Cleared Chapter 05: Left to Drown
Yara Rhodes froze for a moment, then clapped her hands in delight. “You’re the one who said it! Don’t come crying back to my brother later, full of regret!”
Thera Sutherland rose to her feet. “I won’t,” she said coolly, then turned and headed for the stairs.
The moment she stepped onto the first stair, a hand suddenly seized her wrist.
“Thera, do you have any idea what you’re saying?”
“Wasn’t it Yara’s idea?”
Thera looked at the slightly agitated Julian. “If you two want to go through with it, then go through with it.”
“That was just to appease Yara!”
Julian rushed to explain. “It’s just for show. If I refused, she’d definitely cause a scene again. I…”
“Mm, which is why I have no objections.”
Thera gave a slight nod, offering no argument.
For some reason, her placid expression only made Julian’s heart race with panic.
He still hadn’t let go. After a few seconds of silence, his tone softened, carrying a promise. “Thera, just wait a little longer. Once Yara is in a better mood, we’ll go get remarried, okay?”
Thera smiled. “Okay.”
Julian finally breathed a sigh of relief, giving her hand a subconscious squeeze.
But Thera gently pulled her hand free and turned toward the guest room.
Julian slowly lowered his hand, an indefinable unease coiling around his heart like a vine.
Still, he forced it down.
Julian left for the office after they ate.
Near noon, Thera came out to get some water.
Yara Rhodes was curled up on the sofa scrolling through her phone, with Sylvia Chevalier sitting nearby.
Seeing Thera come downstairs, Yara didn’t even raise her head. “Thera, go make me an Iced Americano, and cut up some watermelon for me.”
In the past, Thera would have always done as she was told.
But today, Thera didn’t respond.
Yara’s face fell instantly. “Didn’t you hear me?”
Sylvia quickly jumped in to smooth things over. “Yara, don’t be angry. I’ll get it.”
She went into the kitchen and made a cup of instant coffee.
Thera recalled the past two years, how she had always used freshly ground beans, yet was always criticized for not being thoughtful enough.
But Yara accepted the cup with a smile. “Sylvia is the one who really knows how I like it.”
Just as Thera was about to return to her room, Yara stopped her again. “I’m going for a walk in the garden. Fetch my parasol, and clean the white sneakers from yesterday.”
“You like Miss Chevalier. Let her do it for you,” Thera said tonelessly.
Yara was about to erupt, but Sylvia held her back. “I’ll get the parasol. Don’t let it spoil your mood.”
Yara glared at Thera, her tone unyielding. “You’re coming with us, too! Don’t think you can just hide in your room and slack off.”
Thera wanted to refuse, but seeing the look on Yara’s face that promised a tantrum if she didn’t comply, she finally just nodded.
The three of them went outside, Sylvia holding the parasol over Yara as they walked, with Thera following behind.
As they reached the garden’s arched bridge, Sylvia suddenly slipped, stumbling toward Yara.
Thera instinctively lunged forward, grabbing Yara’s arm to pull her to safety.
But Yara whipped around and shoved her violently. “Are you blind? Trying to take me down with you?”
Thera lost her balance entirely, toppling over the railing of the arched bridge and into the river with a SPLASH.
Thera couldn’t swim. She thrashed in panic, swallowing mouthfuls of river water.
She desperately kept her head above water, only to see Yara and Sylvia standing on the bridge, making no move to help. comentario
As her consciousness faded, she saw the two of them smile, turn, and walk away, a cheerful bounce in their steps.