After washing up, Iris Dalton left the voice chat. The cacophony of voices vanished, and her ears were finally blessed with silence.
She went downstairs, grabbed a bottle of orange juice from the fridge, and took two large gulps. It felt as if every pore in her body was waking up.
It was nearly eleven o'clock, and the living room was silent.
The butler emerged from a room and immediately spotted Iris Dalton on the sofa.
The girl sat sideways, a bottle of orange juice in her hand. The cool air from the air conditioner rustled her waist-length hair, and the brilliant sunlight shining on her delicate face coated it in a soft glow. She looked like a breathtakingly beautiful painting, both romantic and elegant.
The butler froze for a moment, a dazed look on his face.
For a split second, it was as if he was looking at a young Mrs. Sherwood.
The resemblance was uncanny!
Hearing the faint footsteps, Iris Dalton snapped out of her reverie and turned to look.
Her eyes were bright and clear, a shimmering light dancing in their depths.
The butler was holding a shopping bag. When he saw her turn her head, he forced a polite smile. "Third Miss, this is the formal dress for the Second Miss's show recording. It was delivered last night, but I saw you were resting, so I didn't want to disturb you by coming upstairs. I need to hang it in the second-floor walk-in closet now."
Serena Sherwood was on a variety show called Idol Brother and Sister, which was funded by Vincent Thorne's company, Elysian World.
Serena Sherwood and Shaun Adler were permanent cast members, and they planned to play up a romance on the show, even coordinating their outfits to look like a couple.
Iris Dalton leaned back against the sofa, watching the butler in silence, a faint indifference in her eyes.
She didn't say a word, but her refusal was obvious.
'Why should someone else's clothes be hung in my room?'
'No way!'
The butler's smile vanished. He said flatly, "The Second Miss's dress is very expensive; it can't be hung in the small wardrobe downstairs. The Second Miss would rather stay in a hotel than make you move out of the room, so surely you can let her use the walk-in closet."
Seeing Iris Dalton's silence, the butler's expression soured, and his tone grew even colder. "Must you fight the Second Miss over everything? Yes, you're the Third Miss now, but you should remember what you were before. Don't get arrogant just because you're favored now and deliberately bully the Second Miss!"
Watching the butler's flustered and angry expression, Iris Dalton smiled. The corners of her eyes tilted up, and her posture was languid. "So, my not wanting to stay in a guest room counts as bullying Serena Sherwood?"
"Hmph." The butler waved his hand impatiently. "That's enough. I don't want to argue with you. Can't you just behave yourself and be the proper Third Miss of the Sherwood Family? Must you always stir up trouble?"
At his words, a glint appeared in Iris Dalton's eyes, and she laughed instead of getting angry.
"It seems you don't understand. You all invited me to the Sherwood Family home. We signed a contract, in black and white. I put my life on the line for the Sherwood Family, and in return, the Sherwood Family provides for my needs. It's a fair transaction. I don't owe any of you a thing."
Seeing the butler about to speak, she added lightly, "Since you're so unhappy with me, perhaps I'll just stop being the Sherwood Family's Third Miss. It's not like I particularly want the title, anyway."
The butler was rendered speechless.
'I can't believe she'd say something like that.'
"Wh-what do you mean?" he stammered, a sudden sense of panic rising within him.
Iris Dalton took a sip of her orange juice, pursed her lips, and replied at a leisurely pace, "I mean exactly what I said. I'll go tell Simon Sherwood that I'm cutting ties with the Sherwood Family and leaving today. Once I'm gone, Serena Sherwood won't have to live in a hotel. She can go back to being the Sherwood Family's precious little princess, and you won't have to worry about me taking her things."
The color drained from the butler's face.
'Is she insane? How dare she say she'll give up being the Sherwood's Third Miss!'
'This was getting out of hand.' This wasn't a decision he had the authority to make.
His grip on the garment bag tightened. After a tense moment, an apologetic expression spread across his face. "Third Miss, you've misunderstood. I didn't mean to drive you away. The Second Miss never said she wanted her room back, only that she wanted to hang her dress in the walk-in closet temporarily."
"Aren't the Sherwoods supposed to be a prestigious family? You don't even have a place to hang a dress?"
Iris Dalton put on a helpless expression. "Butler, don't put yourself in a difficult position. If Serena Sherwood is so insistent on using my walk-in closet, then just let her. I'll go out today and find a bigger house for myself. That way I won't have to be all crammed in here with such a large family."
The butler was speechless once again.
'He was furious. She was clearly provoking him on purpose!'
'Her words were so nasty. When she went after someone, she showed no mercy whatsoever.'
His irritation churned within him. The butler's expression darkened, but he managed to force down his anger.
'How utterly clueless.'
'Acting so arrogant and domineering will only make The Sherwoods dislike her more.'
A dark glint flashed in the butler's eyes. He decided to tolerate it for now. "The Second Miss said she'll be back tomorrow to move her things. Fine. I'll just wait for her and let her handle the dress. I won't disturb you any longer, Third Miss."
'Iris Dalton was completely unyielding, impervious to both threats and pleas.'
'Stubborn, stinking brat.'
He had no choice but to back down.
"See? If you had been this reasonable from the start, we could have avoided all this trouble, couldn't we?" Iris Dalton's smile was sweet and demure, making her look completely harmless.
The butler was silent.
'As if she's actually demure!'
Just then, Iris Dalton's phone suddenly rang.
It was an unknown number.
The butler, who had been about to leave, froze when he heard her phone ring. Like a wary animal, he pricked up his ears.
A man's voice came through the phone, and he exchanged a few words with her.
The butler strained to listen and vaguely caught two words: "Young Master." His pupils contracted sharply, and his gaze on Iris Dalton flickered with uncertainty and deep confusion.
*
As noon approached, the ground was baked hot by the intense sun, and heat radiated up from the pavement in shimmering waves.
A young woman walked out of the villa. She wore a simple white dress, and her long, raven-black hair was left to hang loose.
As she walked, the ends of her hair swayed gently at her waist.
When she was still five meters from the main gate, she raised her wrist. Through the bars of the wrought-iron gate, a silent stream of Dark Force shot out.
With a soft CLICK, the lock disengaged, and the two massive iron gates slid open.
The entire sequence took only a few seconds. The young woman stood elegantly before the open gate, her breathing perfectly even.
The two men outside the gate were stunned.
Kyle Crawford stared in disbelief, thinking his eyes were playing tricks on him.
Rhys Crawford slowly narrowed his eyes. A light danced in their charming, almond shape as he looked at the young woman, his smile bright with anticipation.
"Were you looking for me?" Iris Dalton asked, stopping in the gateway, completely unconcerned by their stares.
The man standing closer to her was powerfully built and ramrod straight. Dressed in a black suit and white gloves, he looked immaculate from head to toe, like a professional chauffeur and bodyguard.
"Miss Iris, my name is Kyle Crawford. The Young Master sent me. From now on, I will be handling your daily affairs." The man's voice was deep and rich, adding to his image of steadfast reliability.
Iris Dalton's eyes flickered to the thermos in his hand. She immediately looked down and discreetly hid the half-empty bottle of iced orange juice behind her back.
'She hadn't been drinking anything cold.'
'The person who just took two huge gulps definitely wasn't her!'
Then, feigning innocence, she flashed a sincere and well-behaved smile. "Hello, Ken. I'll be in your care from now on."
She released her spiritual power, probing the man before her.
'Kyle Crawford was tall and powerfully built. His limbs were agile. An expert fighter.'
Just then, the other man stepped forward. He politely extended a hand, eagerly introducing himself. "Hello, Iris. I'm Rhys Crawford."
Iris Dalton didn't move, merely sizing him up with her clear, bright eyes.
He was handsome, with fair skin. He wore a pink silk shirt and a diamond watch worth millions. The casual way he stood exuded the relaxed, elegant air of a wealthy young scion. His charm was especially apparent when he smiled, his dazzling, almond-shaped eyes making it impossible for anyone not to be drawn to him.
'A natural-born lady-killer. And a top-tier master, to boot!'
'Top-tier in martial arts, that is.'
'Too bad he rushed his training. It's left his inner breath in disarray and caused toxins to build up in his blood vessels.'
'This guy's body is a wreck!'