Chapter 20: In A Pickle

Aurelia stirred the chia seeds into the yoghurt and took a tentative taste of the concoction before humming with satisfaction. She had spent the majority of the last day tinkering with her new piano. She took a break from her toil and headed to the kitchen for some food.

Who would have known that she would stumble across a conversation that she shouldn’t have? She leaned against the pantry rack as the loud vents buzzed in her ear. Wafting through the same vents were unexpected conversations.

A musician’s ears were far more sensitive than a normal person's, so no one had realized that a conversation taking place on the rooftop on the other wing of the house could be heard through the ventilation system. Whoever made this didn’t check thoroughly.

“I can’t stand how she is flaunting her wealth in front of me, Mom!” Sarah whined, her voice muffled. “She has been rubbing it in my face ever since she got it, and now she doesn’t even care that she is bugging people with the constant noise.”

There was a moment of silence which followed. “Ronald is here, shut up!” Sharon hissed. She cleared her throat, and Aurelia presumed this was the moment Ronald came into earshot.

She couldn’t hear what they were saying for a moment, or Ronald never said anything, but after a moment, she heard Sharon mention something that caught her attention.

“Your recent lot of gifts is in transit, is it?” Sharon asked sharply.

“You should know better than to speak of it. Do you want the Patriarch and the Masters to know our deal?” Ronald gruffly questioned.

Aurelia furrowed her brow in confusion.

“You haven’t taken too much, have you?” she asked. “And both the masters have left the city already. Last time I checked, Luther was back at Fort Rex while the other one was traveling abroad for a business meeting.”

Aurelia could imagine Sharon rolling her eyes at the mention of Casper.

“You should thank the gods he left without suspecting anything. I was sure he was here to investigate, but he left the moment Luther did,” Ronald countered thoughtfully. “So far, they have not realized that the items are missing.”

Sharon hummed. “Don’t you think it’s too conspicuous if you sell them underground?”

Ronald chuckled. “You wish to help me launder them?” he questioned, knowing exactly where the conversation was headed.

“Sarah has been unstable lately, and I don’t know how to control her. That girl keeps provoking her, and I don’t know what Sarah will do next,” Sharon sighed. “The piano was the final straw for her… If Luther really is backing her, that girl will definitely take revenge on us for treating her poorly for so long.”

Another beat of silence. “You should have known this before you acted. You shouldn’t have bullied the legal wife before she was fully finished. Now you are in a pickle and want me to step in?” he sarcastically called out. “You’re asking for too much.”

Sharon thought about her response for a bit. “She’ll not go against us alone. She knows you are backing us and still acts up. Don’t you think she is challenging you? After she is done provoking us, she will get to your business next.”

Ronald laughed heartily. “She’s not capable enough to handle me yet. But I understand what you mean. Snuffing her courage out before she goes rogue is not a bad idea.”

Aurelia heard the chair scraping and perked up.

“It’s decided then. Take care of Sarah and wait. The money you lost, I will compensate tenfold.”

The conversation died down, and Aurelia pushed herself off the rack and walked out of the pantry. As she washed her bowl, she analyzed what she had just heard. Ronald and Sharon were colluding in some capacity to siphon parts of Beckett shipments and sell them underground to line their pockets.

But with the younger generation slowly taking control, it was becoming increasingly difficult to do so. So, they had to find better ways. Aurelia had come at the right time, and Sharon had taken her money and tried to use it, but somehow couldn’t manage to use the funds Aurelia had because she had systematically invested every penny she had ever made. Now, even the cards and documents had been returned to Aurelia, and she had no excess money.

Ronald was now planning on recycling the goods and investing the kickback money into buying wedding gifts for Sarah. It would not only calm her down but also send a warning to Aurelia not to grow too bold.

Ronald wanted her to know that he was the final boss and that without his consent, Aurelia couldn’t step forward even if Luther had grown fond of her.

Aurelia smirked. She had to thank them for their thoughtfulness. Indeed, she had grown too cocky after her rebirth. Maybe her golden finger was knowing the basic future and she could plan accordingly, but second chances didn’t come without their repercussions. She would now have to fight a bloody battle with these chess pieces to get what she wanted.

“Mrs. Beckett, why are you washing the dishes yourself?” a kitchen staff gasped as she rushed forward.

Aurelia wiped the wet bowl with a towel before drying her hands. She glanced at the woman and shrugged. “It was never an issue before.”

Her voice was calm, but it held accusation. Yes, they had treated her like air until the piano arrived. Now, they couldn’t allow Aurelia to do her chores and fend for herself. She had been delivered her meals and treated politely for the past day.

She wasn’t used to it.

Now, she couldn’t even move around without someone greeting her. What a pain in the ass.

“Mrs. Beckett, we have been asked to take care of you. Please let us know if you need something in the future. Dirtying your hands like this—”

Aurelia looked down at her hands keenly and nodded. “Indeed, my hands are meant for greater things.” She smiled sweetly. “Thank you for reminding me.”

The woman’s expression stiffened, but she could do nothing but smile. “A pleasure, Mrs. Beckett.”

Aurelia clasped her hands behind her back and made her way back to the piano. She was practicing a tune and making changes in the music sheets when she heard the sound of the rolling suitcase. She looked at the spiral staircase and found Ronald making his way down with a staff member helping him with his luggage.

“Leaving so soon?” she asked nonchalantly.

“Duty calls, unfortunately,” Ronald answered with a curt nod. “It was lovely hearing you play the piano again. A shame I have to return so early, but I will relay the good news to the Patriarch. He often gloats about how accomplished his granddaughter-in-law is.”

It was meant to be flattery, but the meaning hidden between the lines was clear: no matter how much you practice, you can only play in this house and never in front of Gerald Beckett. And if he doesn’t see you, he will never make an effort to retrieve you. So, enjoy the peace while you can, because you will soon be forgotten and left to our devices.

Aurelia tapped her finger over the key. “Isn’t his birthday coming up in a couple of months?” she pretended to remember. “I know exactly what my gift will be, then.” She pressed her lips together, knowing her side of the conversation was over.

Ronald nodded. “Then, Mrs. Beckett, I will leave you to… practice.” He bowed, his posture oozing disdain, before he was gone.

Without his prying eyes, Aurelia knew for certain she could now carry out her plans.