The door opened.
A clear, melodious female voice rang out, tinged with a hint of laziness.
“Do we have guests?
I was just at the door and heard someone talking bad about me!”
Everyone in the living room: “???”
The atmosphere grew stiff and exceptionally awkward.
“Iris?” Leona Vaughn turned, stunned for a moment.
She hadn’t expected Iris to return just then.
The young woman changed her shoes at the door.
As her waist turned, her long, jet-black hair swayed with the movement, elegant and graceful.
It framed a fair, delicate face—bright and lovely, with a cool, pure air.
She was as captivating as a sprite.
Her aunt, Fiona Goldsmith, was momentarily taken aback.
The smile on her face was a bit forced, but she still offered a greeting.
“You must be Iris.
Truly the daughter of the Sherwood Family, you’re so beautiful.”
James Vaughn clutched the teacup in his hand, his grip tightening as his dark, unreadable eyes sized up the young woman.
‘Just as I thought, Sherwood blood.
She looks exactly like one of the Sherwoods!’
For some reason, he found himself disliking her, even feeling a sense of disgust.
“This is a conversation for elders.
Juniors have no place to interrupt.” James Vaughn averted his gaze and looked at Leona Vaughn.
“Now, where were we?
Ah, yes, about your daughter getting into the advanced class…”
From the moment he first saw Iris Dalton, he had disliked this niece of his.
He didn’t even want to say her name.
When Leona Vaughn saw the look of disdain on his face, she felt a pang of discomfort.
‘No matter what, Iris is a daughter publicly acknowledged by the Sherwood Family.’
‘And she calls me Mother!’
‘With his current attitude, isn’t James just trying to embarrass me on purpose?’
“Uncle, please have a proper talk with my mother,” Serena Sherwood said, tactfully reminding him when she noticed Leona Vaughn was upset.
She glanced at Iris Dalton and feigned exhaustion.
“I’m moving out tomorrow and I haven’t finished packing.
I have to keep organizing my things tonight…”
“Moving out?
For her?!” Her words completely enraged James Vaughn.
The teacup in his hand slammed onto the table.
James Vaughn barked, “Whose rule is this?
That the daughter who came back later gets to take over Serena’s room!”
“Leona, you’re being ridiculous.
They’re both your daughters.
You have to treat them equally.
You can’t be so biased.”
Scolded by her brother, Leona Vaughn felt terribly stifled but couldn’t find a way to retort.
It was true that Iris Dalton had taken Serena Sherwood’s room, but she couldn’t bring herself to explain the hidden reason why.
She couldn’t just announce in front of everyone that Iris was a stand-in, could she?
‘Iris is going to her death for the Sherwood Family.
Am I not even supposed to give her a room?’
But James Vaughn had latched onto this point and wouldn’t let it go, scolding her relentlessly.
Leona Vaughn felt a headache coming on.
She shot a dissatisfied glance at Serena Sherwood, thinking for the first time that she was being far too dramatic.
‘So pretentious and troublesome!’
「In the second-floor study.」
Simon Sherwood was busy in a video conference with the main family in Valerium.
The Family Head and elders of the Sherwood Clan were all present.
He gave a brief report on the business situation of the Stellan Sherwood Group, then changed the subject to the matter of his youngest daughter’s return to the Sherwood Family.
“Family Head, Elders, Iris was lost for eighteen years and has finally been found.
This is a joyous occasion.
I plan to host a banquet for her to let her get acquainted with the prominent families here in Stellan.”
“There’s no rush with the formalities of changing her surname.
The girl is a bit stubborn.
We can bring it up again once she’s had time to adjust.”
Simon Sherwood sent photos and videos of Iris Dalton for the Sherwoods in Valerium to see.
Iris Dalton’s looks were outstanding; she would surely satisfy the Family Head and the elders.
He also subtly mentioned that Iris Dalton knew Young Master Crawford, suggesting she might be a way to connect with the Crawford Clan, one of Valerium’s Noble Clans.
Tristan Sherwood was currently vying for a spot as a candidate for Young Master, and perhaps Iris Dalton could lend him a hand.
Most of the participants in the video conference were Sherwoods from Valerium, and their evaluation of Iris Dalton was lukewarm.
Her looks were good, very much like one of the Sherwoods.
But she lacked substance, not even a tenth of Claire Sherwood’s caliber.
At best, she’s a pretty face.
What great use could she be?
Just then, someone who had seen it on social media reminded Simon Sherwood to check the trending topics.
“Simon, your two daughters are tearing each other apart online.
What on earth is going on?
Countless netizens are watching, and the Sherwood Family’s reputation is in tatters!” The Great Elder’s brow furrowed into a knot.
Simon Sherwood was completely baffled, having no idea what had happened.
He hurriedly opened his phone and glanced at the trending topics.
Instantly, his head started buzzing and his face turned grim.
「Downstairs in the living room.」
Iris Dalton was fiddling with her phone, her expression completely placid, as if her mood hadn’t been affected in the slightest.
This dismissive attitude of hers only made James Vaughn angrier.
“Your uncle and aunt are here, and you don’t even greet them?
Have you no manners?” He suppressed the rage in his heart, but the arrogance and contempt on his face were unconcealed.
The young woman stopped, her gaze slowly sweeping over to him.
Her voice was soft and even.
“Mr.
Vaughn, I know you loathe me.
As it happens, I find you repulsive as well.
I have no desire to eat with someone like you.
My apologies.”
With that, she turned and walked away.
James Vaughn: “!!!”
Everyone else in the room: “…”
James Vaughn was so angry he was practically fuming, his face as black as the bottom of a sooty pot.
He had no desire to deal with this ill-mannered brat, much less acknowledge her as his niece.
As far as the world was concerned, he only had two nieces.
One was a top student at Lumin-Umbra University and the number one socialite in Stellan, currently studying abroad with her advisor.
The other was a huge star in the entertainment industry with tens of millions of fans.
‘This country bumpkin Iris Dalton, who came from the mountains, this useless piece of trash, is unworthy of being my niece, and even less worthy of wasting my precious time and energy!’
“Iris,” Leona Vaughn said, her face flushing then paling as she forced herself to speak.
“That’s your uncle…”
Fiona Goldsmith cut her off with a cold laugh.
“Leona, if a child is young and ignorant, they need to be taught properly.
My Mervin has been polite and well-mannered since he was little, praised by everyone he meets.
This daughter of yours…
there are no words…”
“Iris suffered for eighteen years.
She just got back and isn’t used to things…”
“She suffered outside, so now the whole family has to coddle her?
What kind of logic is that?” A vein pulsed on James Vaughn’s forehead.
“No manners!”
‘I disliked this girl on sight.
Just as I thought, she’s a hedgehog covered in spines.’
Iris Dalton turned by the stairs, twirling a long strand of hair around her finger.
A half-smile played on her small face, which held a look of utter disdain.
“Calling me ill-mannered?
You’ve got some nerve.”
“You…” James Vaughn was about to go mad with anger.
「On the living room terrace.」
Tristan Sherwood and Vivian Morton were arguing in low voices.
With the living room already fraught with tension, no one noticed the couple’s quarrel.
Vivian Morton was emotional, her hands pressed to her chest.
Her eyes were unfocused as she stared at Tristan Sherwood, looking as if she might break down at any moment.
“Honey, Ray is your brother-in-law!
You can’t just watch him die and do nothing!” Vivian Morton began to sob pitifully.
Ray Morgan had accidentally offended a big shot in the underworld.
The other party demanded that the Sherwood Family’s famous superstar daughter apologize by drinking with him, and only then would they agree to spare Ray Morgan.
Otherwise, they would take both his legs tonight!
The other party was powerful and had a mysterious background.
Calling the police wouldn’t solve the problem and would only get Ray Morgan killed.
Vivian Morton, heartbroken for her brother, could only humbly plead with Tristan Sherwood, asking him to get Serena Sherwood to step in and help save her brother tonight.
“It’s just a couple of drinks.
Serena is the daughter of a prominent family; they wouldn’t dare do anything to her.
Serena won’t suffer any real loss…”
“Shut up!”
Tristan Sherwood looked up at Vivian Morton, a flash of anger in his eyes.
A bone-deep, sinister chill that couldn’t be concealed emanated from him, stabbing into her heart like a sharp, cold blade.
Vivian Morton froze, shivering involuntarily.
“Honey…”
“You want to throw my sister under the bus, and I will never allow it!” Tristan Sherwood’s voice was cold and devoid of any emotion.
He already loathed Ray Morgan and usually refused to even mention his brother-in-law.
This time, Ray Morgan had gotten himself into huge trouble, and now he wanted a daughter of the Sherwood Family to take the fall for him.
It was despicable, shameless, and utterly unforgivable!
Sacrifice Serena Sherwood to save that good-for-nothing?
He would never, ever do it!