Chapter 5: Hide and Seek

Stacey let out a cold chuckle. Delaney Green was definitely up to something. Before she arrived in Zephyria, she had done her research. Delaney and Conor had indeed grown up together. Moreover, Delaney Green harbored a deep crush on Conor, bordering on obsession. But Conor was like an age-old block of ice, untouched by warmth. So, despite all her efforts, Delaney had failed to ignite any spark in him. When rumors of Conor's curse, the Green family became even more determined to stop their daughter from tying the knot with him, making their union all the more improbable. Yet, against all odds, Delaney had never thrown in the towel. And that's why she held a grudge against Stacey. This latent hostility left Stacey with little liking for Delaney Green. It wasn't Stacey's fault she'd married Conor, but Delaney Green had painted her as a thorn in her side. But Stacey didn't care. If Delaney Green dared to lay a finger on her, she was prepared to give Delaney a lesson she would never forget. After all, Delaney Green had no idea who she was. "Alright, let's go have some fun with Laney," Stacey clapped her hands. Delaney Green took her by the hand, "Let's go." Once gone, never to return! With that, Stacey left with Delaney. Elodie watched Madam Burton, concern etched on her face, "Madam, this..." Madam Burton waved her off, "Don't worry, let Delaney Green handle it." "Yes." Elodie agreed, though she felt uneasy. After all, Stacey was naive. Leaving her in the hands of Delaney Green, who harbored hostility towards her, seemed like a risky move. "My dear, I know you think I'm being harsh," Madam Burton started, her voice reverberating. "But the fact is, Conor can't afford a wife who's both silly and not pretty. It would be a scandal." "True," Elodie admitted. "Don't worry, I won't put Stacey in danger," Madam Burton promised. "If he can't bring himself to let her go, Delaney Green can do it. I'll make sure Stacey is quietly sent back to the countryside. He won't search for her, and I can talk to Brysen with that." Elodie nodded softly, listening to Madam Burton's plan. "It's Brysen's fault, tricking the Burton family for money. You're being kind, Madam." Madam Burton's eyes, hardened by age, glinted with a fierce determination. "Exactly, he can't be let off easily." Once Delaney escorted Stacey from the Burton villa, she directed the driver to head south. The Burton villa lay to the east, so heading south would ensure Stacey couldn't find her way back. Stacey rode in the car, peering out of the window. She was well aware of Delaney's ulterior motive. Soon, they arrived at their destination. The driver stopped the car. They had reached a hillside. Delaney led Stacey up the hill. Seeing her in high heels, Stacey took Delaney's hand and began to run. "Stop running!" Delaney couldn't keep pace. High heels might be fashionable, but they were not made for running. "But Stace loves to run," Stacey said with childlike innocence. "Laney, why are we here?" "We're going to play hide-and-seek," Delaney responded, trying to catch her breath. "You hide, and I'll seek. Okay?" "Awesome. I love hide-and-seek," Stacey clapped her hands in excitement. "Laney. I'm going to hide now." "Hold on," Delaney handed her a lollipop. Stacey took the lollipop, unwrapped it, and popped it into her mouth. "Don't hide too far. Otherwise, Laney won't be able to find you," Delaney said, watching Stacey with satisfaction. "Okay, I'll hide under that big rock over there," Stacey pointed to a nearby boulder. "Perfect," Delaney smirked, thinking, 'What a simpleton! She's just given away her hiding spot.' "Go hide then, and I'll start counting," said Delaney. "Absolutely!" Stacey enthusiastically agreed before spinning on her heels and making a beeline for the large rock, quickly ducking behind it. Once out of sight, she chucked her lollipop and popped a white pill from her pocket into her mouth, preparing herself for a lengthy wait. Seeing that Stacey was hidden, Delaney moved down the hill towards the waiting car. The driver was engaged in conversation with a pair of ragged scavengers. Approaching with crossed arms, she asked, "Everything settled?" The driver confidently nodded, "No worries. Miss, I've explained everything to them." "Yeah, Miss, don't worry," one of the older scavenger men chuckled cryptically. "We're both in our fifties. Never married. We won't say no if a clueless woman comes our way." Fed up with their stinky smell, Delaney Green commanded, "Enough. Get on with it. She's behind that boulder up there. Move." With that, she climbed into the car. The driver pulled out twenty thousand dollars from his pocket, "Ten grand each. Take it and get going." The sight of the dough made the scavengers' eyes light up. They each stuffed their share in their pockets and headed towards the boulder. Safely back in the car, the driver reassured, "Everything's set, Miss." "Let's go then," Delaney replied icily. "Yes, Miss," the driver responded, and they drove off. As the evening came, the rain started to trickle down. Conor got home. He asked Madam Burton, "Where's Stacey?" "Delaney took her out for the day and said she'd be home before supper," Madam Burton answered cryptically. "You let Delaney Green take Stacey out?" Conor asked. Would Stacey even get back home safe? With that, he headed for the door. Just as he was about to leave, he saw Delaney rushing out of the car. She faced Conor, tears streaming down her face, "It's horrible, Stacey's gone missing!" "Where did you lose her?" Conor asked coldly, a chilling aura surrounding him. Delaney Green stepped back slightly, "At the mall. I took her shopping for clothes. I turned my back for a second. She was gone. I searched the whole place. But I couldn't find her. " Conor quickly turned around, set on finding Stacey himself. "Conor, come back! Send someone else. Think about your health!" Madam Burton pleaded. But Conor wasn't listening. Getting to his car, he suddenly felt like something was off. He walked over to Delaney's car, yanked the door open, and pulled the driver onto the street. Startled, the driver stammered, " Mr. Burton, what's going on?!" "Where did you take Stacey?!" Conor snapped, grabbing the driver's collar with one hand, his eyes blazing with fury. His handsome, pale face looked eerie and ominous, like some ghostly water creature. Scared out of his wits, the driver trembled, "I don't know... Ah!" Before he could finish his sentence, he let out a terrified shriek. Conor slammed him against the car door with a swift, ruthless move, instantly breaking the man's arm. "I'll ask you ONE MORE TIME: Where is Stacey?!"