Upon hearing this, Sally stared at Lucinda in disbelief.
âLucinda, is this some kind of joke? How would Mekhi lock up our mother and inject some drug into her? You might be mistaken.
My mother has a difficult temperament.
She avoids going out and only attends important events for Mekhiâs sake.
Sheâs indifferent towards us.
In any case, sheâs cold to everyone except Mekhi.
She unquestionably listens to him.
â
Lucinda sighed, offering an explanation, âYour mother only listens to Mekhi.
Doesnât that strike you as strange?â
âWellâ¦â Sally looked at her, puzzled.
Lucinda went on, âNoelle and Cyrus have been together for over a year and they are deeply in love.
But, at the Shaw family banquet, she publicly agreed to get engaged to another man.
She no longer recognized me and Cyrus and only followed Mekhiâs instructions.
Sound familiar?â
Sally pondered the revelation.
Each time Kaitlin attended a formal event, she truly did exactly as Mekhi instructed.
Sallyâs complexion turned ashen.
She knew Mekhi could be ruthless but she couldnât fathom he would do such a thing.
Shock gripped her entirely.
Lucinda grasped Sallyâs hand, attempting to persuade her.
âSally, heâs going against the law and should be convicted.
Help me once more, for your mother and for the Shaw family.
â
The news unsettled Sally deeply and she struggled to come to terms with it.
âHow⦠How can I help you?â
âFind a way to the top floor and look for the drug Mekhi injected into your mother.
Then bring
it to me.
â
Sally withdrew her hand and shook her head decisively.
âNo, I canât go there.
He keeps a close watch on the top floor.
Thereâs no chance for me to get in.
Heâs now the family head, short-tempered, and very prone to tantrums.
If I get caught, heâll surely punish me.
I canât take the risk.
â
Lucinda did her best to assure Sally of her safety.
âDonât fret.
Iâll assist you and ensure no harm befalls you.
Can you bear to leave your mother to continue to endure his control and torment?â
âI⦠I donât knowâ¦â
Tears filled Sallyâs eyes, and she felt overwhelmed.
She never felt maternal love.
Kaitlin had never cared for her.
Since birth, only her father and brothers looked after her.
She had no profound love for Kaitlin, which made doing the daunting task for this woman an impossibility.
The mere thought paralyzed her.
âNo, I absolutely cannot,â she exclaimed, burying her head in her hands.
In distress, she continued, âNoelle managed to get to the top floor effortlessly before, but I canât.
The iron gate is my only entry, and the keys are guarded by Mekhi and the butler.
They are locked away securely, and thereâs no way I can get them.
I apologize, Lucinda, but I canât help.
Iâm terrified, and I canât do what youâre asking of me.
â
Lucinda dropped her head and sighed.
âItâs alright.
I wonât make you do it.
â