ondering for a moment, Regina pulled the file of the person in question and decided to onfront Imogen directly.
ley, look whoâs back! Regina, sweetie, did you grab a bite already? Howâs the job treating >u these days?â
very time Regina came home, Imogen would ask her these questions as if reciting a cript. Reginaâs ears could practically form calluses from hearing them so often. Besides, wasnât like Imogen truly wanted to know the answers. Once she asked these questions ithin earshot of the servants, she could check off her âdutyâ as complete.
mogen t to head back to her own room. Regina was keen on avoiding her, and she asnât exactly itching to mingle with Regina either.â
Wait.
o her surprise, Regina blocked her path.
What is it now, Miss? I havenât crossed you lately, have I?â
Before shipping this thorn in her side off to wedlock, Imogen had resolved to take it easy or a while.
The farther from her, the better. Who knew what kind of trap the little viper was laying for them?
âFeeling guilty, are we?â Regina crossed her arms and eyed Imogen, who was decked out in jewels from head to toe, looking every bit the nouveau riche. Maybe she was just one of those people who flaunt what they lack the most.
Imogenâs face soured; she, too, remembered the last time Regina had turned the table her, and Francisâs scolding words seemed to echo in her ears.
âWhat kind of joke is this? I pride myself on fulfilling my duties as a stepmother. Iâve nothing to be guilty about. On the other hand, you should start thinking about toning down your antics and planning your own future properly.â
Regina rolled her eyes. âIâm not like you; I donât need a man to lean on.â
âYou! What are you trying to say?â Imogen was livid. This insolent brat always managed stoke her anger with just a few words.
âWhoâs Domingo Skinner?â
As Regina mentioned the name, she kept an eye on Imogenâs expression.
Shock filled Imogenâs eyes, her hands clutching the railing so tightly her knuckles turned white, her body tensing like a hedgehog. âWho?â
âDomingo. You must be quite familiar with himâ
09:17 ipter 2776 ogenâs complexion turned ghastly; she reflexively denied any knowledge. âIâm not sure ho that is. I donât know the man. Where⦠Where did you hear about him?â
h, just a name I happened to come across. I thought since you both share the Skinner ame, you might know him. After all, it sounded so familia ou both share the Skinner s that s so?â Imogen forced a stiff smile. âMaybe you heard his name somewhere else. I onât know him. If I knew everyone with the last name Skinner, Iâd know a ton of people, aha.â
er joke fell flat, and she couldnât even bring herself to look Regina in the eye. She urriedly excused herself to join Francis for lunch and scurried up the stairs, even tumbling in her rush.
Thereâs definitely a skeleton in the closet; her reaction gives her away.â
eginaâs spirits lifted. Following this lead might at least clear up who was involved.
Ther Once Imogen reached the sanctuary of her bedroom with Francis, her chest heaved with eavy breaths.
She had no idea how Regina had learned about Domingo nor why sheâd suddenly asked about him.
Her brows furrowed with worry. If that wretched girl kept digging into Domingoâs past, the scandal from years ago could resurface!
âShe must never find out!â
She pulled out her phone, scrolled to the very bottom of her contacts to a number with no name, hesitated for a moment, but then made the call.