The Heiress's Comeback
Chapter 42: [Volume 1] - 42- who are you.

Chapter 42: [Volume 1] Chapter 42- who are you.

"Come in."

The door opened slowly, revealing the second aunt of the Arun brothers. Her entrance was graceful yet held an unspoken tension. Dressed in an elegant, traditional gown, her eyes held a sharpness despite her age. She stepped forward, her presence both familiar and commanding.

"You called for me, daughter-in-law?" the aunt asked with a soft, almost deceptive gentleness in her voice.

Esme placed her pen down carefully, her gaze finally meeting the older woman’s. But her smile, though polite, did not reach her eyes. She gestured to the chair opposite her, indicating for the aunt to sit.

"Yes, Aunt. I did call for you." Esme paused, her tone still sweet but with an underlying edge. "Can you tell me why and how you managed to get the authorities to suspend my personal secretary and appoint someone new without my permission?"

The question hung in the air, sharp and deliberate, cutting through the aunt’s seemingly calm demeanor. For a moment, the older woman’s face remained composed, but there was a slight shift—just enough to show she hadn’t expected Esme to be so direct.

The second aunt, maintaining her poise, lowered herself into the chair, folding her hands in her lap. Her smile never wavered, though her eyes hardened just a little. "Ah, so you’ve heard about that."

Esme tilted her head slightly, her gaze unwavering. "Of course I’ve heard. What I don’t understand, Aunt, is how something like this could happen without my approval in my own company." Her words were laced with a quiet authority, as if daring the aunt to explain.

The second aunt took a measured breath, clearly choosing her next words with care. "I thought it was in your best interest, Rose. Certain... rumors have surfaced regarding your secretary’s loyalty. Given the circumstances, I felt it necessary to act quickly. Surely you understand that sometimes swift decisions must be made."

Esme’s eyes narrowed ever so slightly. "Without consulting me? I don’t recall giving anyone, including you, the authority to make such decisions on my behalf."

There was a long pause as the two women faced each other, the air in the room thick with unspoken tension. The second aunt’s smile faltered, just for a moment, before she regained her composure.

"I only did what I thought was best for the family’s reputation," the aunt said, her tone softening, though there was an undercurrent of defensiveness. "Sometimes, daughter-in-law, we must take steps others may not immediately understand."

Esme leaned back in her chair, her eyes still locked on the older woman. "I appreciate your concern, Aunt. But from now on, any decisions involving my staff will go through me. Is that clear?"

The second aunt met Esme’s gaze with a slight nod, though her eyes held a flicker of something unreadable. "Crystal clear."

After marrying into the Aaron family, Esme had made it her mission to understand every person in the intricate web of relationships and power dynamics. Each one had their own influence, their own role to play, but among them all, it was this second aunt who stood out the most. Not because of her accomplishments or stature, but because of the dangerous undercurrent she carried—hidden beneath her unassuming and non-confrontational exterior. In Esme’s eyes, this aunt was the most dangerous kind of person: quiet, seemingly harmless, yet always present and watching.

This woman had no real achievements to speak of, no significant contributions to the family’s wealth or standing. And yet, coincidentally—or perhaps deliberately—no elder, no family member ever seemed to have a problem with her. She floated through the Aaron family’s affairs without causing ripples, staying just beneath the surface. If not for Aaron Brothers inheriting the family’s wealth and influence, this second aunt could have easily positioned herself as the sole heir. It was a reality Esme had calculated early on, and one she kept a watchful eye over.

The truth of the matter was that Esme’s mother-in-law, Madam Aaron, had been the fourth daughter of the family—unexpected and initially overlooked. Logic dictated that the eldest daughter should have inherited the family’s fortune, but fate had other plans. The first daughter had suffered a tragic accident, leaving her crippled, and in a twist that defied expectations, the mantle of heir had fallen to the fourth daughter. Madam Aaron’s rise to power was a shock to many, and it was met with resistance and outcry from nearly everyone. Nearly everyone—except this second aunt.

Not a word of protest had come from her lips. Instead, she had offered her congratulations, smiling sweetly as her younger sister took everything that should have been hers. It was almost too easy, too seamless. The others had fought, bickered, and contested the decision, but the second aunt remained quiet, calm, even content.

’even after everything was stolen from her still so calm!,’ Esme thought, her mind piecing together the puzzle with chilling clarity. This woman had allowed herself to be overlooked, had congratulated her sister with a smile—but for what? To bide her time, to remain in the shadows until the moment was right? Quite nice, huh?

There was something about her willingness to let things go so easily that unsettled Esme. It wasn’t selflessness or loyalty to the family. It was patience.

The second aunt stood in front of Esme, her lips curling into a subtle, almost mocking smirk as she looked down at Esme from her place near the door. "Is there anything else to attend to now?" she asked, her tone light but laced with hidden intent.

Esme, who had been watching the interaction unfold with a detached calm, matched the older woman’s smirk with one of her own. "Of course, Madam, you’re free to go," Esme said smoothly, her voice carrying an edge that mirrored the unspoken tension between them. "And, by the way, you chose a very nice secretary."

The second aunt’s smile faltered, just for a fraction of a second, as if caught off guard by Esme’s words. But then she regained her composure, nodding slowly as she turned away. "Yes," she said, almost thoughtfully. "He is a good child."

With that, she palmed the door open and left, her departure as quiet and subtle as her schemes.