Volume 1: The Night When the Iris Withered
Late at night, the Rockefeller Manor was like a sleeping giant beast, lying in the darkness under the cover of night. Irene tiptoed along the garden path. The damp and cold air carried a mixed smell of soil and decaying flower petals, making her shiver involuntarily. Tonight, the moon was hiding behind the thick clouds, and the entire manor was enveloped in an uneasy shadow.
That figure was still there.
He was hiding behind a cluster of blooming white rosebushes, his figure thin and agile. Irene's heart almost jumped out of her throat. She tried hard to control her breathing so as not to startle him.
"Who is it?" She lowered her voice and asked with a hint of a trembling accusation. Her voice sounded particularly abrupt in the silent night.
The figure remained motionless, as if turned to stone. Gathering her courage, Irene took a few more steps forward. By the faint moonlight, she finally made out the outline of the person.
It was Sean.
He was wearing a black dressing gown, with the collar slightly open, revealing his bronzed skin. His hair was messily scattered over his forehead, and his eyes were as gloomy as the dark clouds before a storm. In his hand, he held a pair of gardening shears that glinted with a cold light in the moonlight.
Irene was stunned. She never would have imagined that the person lurking in the garden late at night would be Sean. What was he doing here?
"Sean? You... Why are you here?" She asked in confusion, trying hard to hide the shock in her heart.
Sean didn't answer. He just stared at her in silence, his eyes like a sharp knife, as if he wanted to pierce through her.
"I should be asking you, Olivia. What are you doing here?" His voice was low and hoarse, carrying a chilling sense of unease.
Irene took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. She knew that she absolutely couldn't give herself away now, or all her efforts would be in vain.
"I... I just couldn't fall asleep and came out for a walk." She forced a smile, trying to muddle through.
The corner of Sean's mouth curled into a sneer, and his eyes became even sharper.
"Couldn't fall asleep? Is that so? I thought the young lady should be having sweet dreams in her warm and comfortable bedroom, instead of wandering around the garden like a ghost."
His words were full of sarcasm, making Irene feel uncomfortable. She knew that Sean didn't believe her and that he was still suspicious of her identity.
"I just..." She tried to explain but found that she had no way to justify herself.
Sean slowly walked towards her. His steps were steady and powerful, and each step seemed to land on her heart.
"You're afraid, Olivia." He stood in front of her, looking down at her, his eyes full of perception.
Irene's heart rate increased, and she tried hard to hide the fear in her heart.
"I'm not afraid. I just..."
Before she could finish her words, Sean interrupted her.
"You're afraid of me, you're afraid of the Rockefeller Manor, and you're afraid of... the truth." He said each word slowly, his tone full of threat.
Irene's body trembled slightly. She felt as if she had been seen through. She knew that she had to leave here as soon as possible, or she was very likely to expose her identity.
"I'm tired. I'm going back now." She turned to leave, but Sean grabbed her arm.
His palm was cold and strong, clasping her wrist tightly so that she couldn't break free.
"Don't leave in a hurry, Olivia. We still have a lot to talk about." His voice was low and dangerous, like a snake hissing.
Irene struggled to shake off his hand but to no avail. His strength was too great, and she couldn't resist.
"Let go of me, Sean! You're hurting me!" She exclaimed in horror.
A trace of pain flashed in Sean's eyes. He loosened his grip slightly but still didn't let her go.
"I don't want to hurt you, Olivia. But I have to know the truth." His voice was low and hoarse, with a hint of vulnerability.
Irene was stunned. She didn't expect Sean to show such a vulnerable side. She had always thought of him as a cold-blooded, violent, and cruel man, but now it seemed that he also hid unspeakable pain.
She suddenly remembered the sad look in Sean's eyes when he stared at the irises in the dining room during the day. Could it be that his violence was just a disguise to hide his vulnerability?
"Truth? What truth?" She asked in confusion, her tone tinged with a hint of sympathy.
Sean didn't answer. He just looked at her in silence, his eyes full of complex emotions.
"What... What do you want to do?" Irene asked, her voice trembling slightly.
Sean suddenly reached out his hand and gently stroked her cheek. His fingers were cold and dry. When they touched her skin, she felt a shiver run through her.
"I want to know if you're really Olivia." He said in a low voice, his voice full of longing and doubt.
Irene's heart almost stopped. She didn't know how to answer. She knew that if she said the wrong word, she would expose her identity.
She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and tried to calm herself down.
"I'm Olivia, Sean. I'm your fiancée." She said softly, her tone with a hint of firmness.
Sean's fingers trembled slightly. It seemed that he was hesitating about something.
"I don't believe it." He said in a low voice, his voice full of pain.
Suddenly, he pulled Irene into his arms and held her tightly, as if he wanted to merge her into his own body.
His embrace was cold and stiff, making her feel breathless.
"I don't know what to do, Olivia. I don't know who to believe." He murmured to himself, his voice full of despair.
Irene's heart softened. She knew that Sean was also suffering great pain. She had originally just wanted to use him for revenge, but now, she began to feel a trace of sympathy for him.
She gently hugged Sean back, trying to comfort him.
"I believe in you, Sean. I believe you'll find the truth." She said softly, her tone with a hint of tenderness.
Sean's body trembled slightly. He buried his head in the crook of her neck and greedily breathed in her scent.
"Thank you, Olivia." He said in a low voice, his voice full of gratitude.
At this moment, a strange feeling welled up in Irene's heart. She had originally just wanted to use Sean for revenge, but now, she began to develop an indescribable feeling for him.
She didn't know if this was love, but she knew that she could no longer regard him as just a simple target for revenge as before.
She suddenly realized that she had fallen into a dangerous game, and she was gradually losing herself.
Sean slowly raised his head, his eyes full of complex emotions.
"Olivia, promise me that no matter what happens, you'll believe in me." He said seriously, his voice full of pleading.
Irene looked into his eyes and saw the fear and vulnerability in them. She knew that Sean was also afraid of something.
"I promise you, Sean." She said softly, her voice with a hint of tenderness.
The corner of Sean's mouth curled into a smile. He gently kissed her forehead.
"Thank you, Olivia." He said in a low voice, his voice full of gratitude.
He released Irene and turned to leave the garden.
Irene stood there, looking at his receding back, her heart full of contradictions and struggles. She didn't know what to do. She only knew that she couldn't turn back now.
She took a deep breath and turned to walk back to the Rockefeller Manor.
Tonight, the moon was still hiding behind the thick clouds, and the entire manor was enveloped in an uneasy shadow.
And Irene was gradually being drawn into an even greater conspiracy.