Se connecterIRIS"It has to be here. I—I didn't put it anywhere else," I murmured to myself for what seem like the hundreth time in an hour. The anatomy textbook Liam gave me was suddenly missing from its hiding spot beneath my mattress.I dropped to my knees on the cold floor of my small servant’s quarters, my hands quickly sweeping through the dark, dusty space under the bed frame. Nothing. My pulse spiked into an overdrive, jumping against throat like it wanted out. Cold sweat broke out across the back of my neck as I tore through my thin blankets, pulled back the flat pillows, and checked the small bedside drawer where I kept small items. The leather-bound book was gone.I sat back on my heels, my chest heaving as panic took hold of me. That textbook wasn't just a book—it was a secret bridge between me and Liam. He had given it to me quietly weeks ago, encouraging me to learn, patiently explaining complex medical diagrams during stolen moments in the library. It was a private connection th
IRIS I stood near the grand sideboard with my hands folded tightly over my white apron, my knees still trembling from the disturbing look I had caught on Eliana’s face in the hallway. Beside me, Agatha stood rigid, holding a water pitcher with a practiced, stone-faced professionalism.At the head of the long table sat Eli, looking like a dark, unreadable monument carved out of stone. His storm-grey eyes were fixed on his plate, his strong jaw tight, but the power of his presence dominated the entire room. Savannah sat to his right, her posture stiff and her smile painted on with brittle elegance, though her dark eyes darted nervously between her daughter and her husband. Madam Paisley sat at the opposite end, her sharp, wrinkled face fixed in its usual cold, judgmental scowl.And then there was Liam.He sat next to his sister, looking impeccably handsome in his crisp white dress shirt. While the rest of the family focused on the head of the table, Liam’s dark eyes kept drifting towar
IRIS I woke up early the next morning, my muscles aching and my mind exhausted, but I thanked the heavens for surviving the nightmare of last night. I hadn't managed to see Eli or hand him that cup of black coffee like I had originally planned, but getting away from Savannah and her crazy daughter with my life intact felt like a major victory. Still, as I pulled on my blue uniform, a cold knot settled in my stomach. I was thoroughly dreading face-to-face encounters with either woman today. Savannah's terrifying threat in the kitchen was still ringing in my ears, and Eliana’s hysterical breakdown had left me shaken to the bone. I couldn't help but wonder what the rest of the family—especially Eli and Liam—would think if they knew just how deeply broken Eliana had become.At 6:00 AM, I pushed open the grand parlor doors, carrying my broom and dustpan to begin my morning routine.My heart instantly plummeted into my throat.Sitting perfectly straight on the edge of the sofa in the cente
IRIS The silver soup bowl flew through the air, shattering against the dining room wall just inches from my face.Hot, fragrant chicken broth splashed across the dark wooden paneling, dripping down in ugly streams onto the plush centre rug as porcelain shards rained onto the floor. I gasped, flinching hard against the archway with both hands flying up to shield my face. My heart dropped into the pit of my stomach, knocking every drop of air straight out of my lungs.I was already unnerved from Savannah’s terrifying, vicious threat in the kitchen. My throat felt as dry as dust, and my palm slipped against the doorframe, slick with cold, nervous sweat. I had carried that tray into the grand parlor with the care, stepping as softly as possible, keeping my chin tucked low and trying to make myself invisible. Eliana was sitting curled up on the edge of the big sofa, wrapped tightly in an oversized silk robe, her wild, bloodshot eyes staring blankly into the cold, unlit stone fireplace.Th
IRIS My hands were shaking so badly I could barely keep my grip on the metal handles. "Faster, Iris, faster... come on, keep it together," I whispered quietly to myself under my breath, my heart fluttering in my chest.A sickening lump of paralyzing terror was wedged firmly in my throat. I dragged a stainless-steel pot onto the burner and turned the gas knob with a wet, slippery hand. The sudden blue flare of the flame hissed sharply to life, casting harsh, jumping shadows across the dark countertops and illuminating the tears welling up in my eyes.I was utterly terrified.Out of everyone in this estate, Savannah was the single person who made my blood run cold with dread. Eliana was kind of cold, dismissive, and doesn't care about my existence as along as I'm out of her way, and Madam Paisley was commanding, strict, and full of power, but Savannah was pure, unpredictable malice. She hated me with a bitter, simmering passion, constantly looking at me like I was something filthy she
IRIS My hands paused in the preparation of Eli’s midnight coffee, freezing on the stainless-steel pot as two soft, uneven shadows moved down the grand staircase in the dim light.I grind my teeth harder, my heart beating so hard and fast I was certain the sound would echo through the empty room. I shrank backward, burying my body deep into the thick, coal-black shadows near the wide archway that connected the commercial kitchen to the formal parlor. I barely dared to draw a single breath, holding my air tight in my lungs until my chest began to ache. The entire mansion was wrapped in a suffocating, pitch-black silence, turning every tiny rustle of fabric or shift of my feet into a thunderclap in the dark.I carefully peered around the edge of the tall pillar, my eyes widening in the darkness. The faint, pale silver moonlight pouring through the high stained-glass windows of the grand foyer illuminated the two figures slowly descending the marble steps.It was Savannah and Eliana.I s
IRISA loud, aggressive banging on the door jarred me out of sleep. I groaned, dragging myself up to sit as Agatha’s sharp voice cut straight through the wood."Get up! Come out here right now, Iris!"My mind scrambled for a second before reality hit me. I wasn't at the orphanage anymore. I jumped
IRISThe engine roared, cutting off whatever sound I thought I heard behind me. I watched the car speed down the driveway and turn onto the private narrow road.My heart sank. Eli was gone, and I hadn't even got to look at his face.What is wrong with you? I mentally scolded myself, my face heating
ELII swore under my breath as the new girl practically fled the dining room. I had to shift my weight in my chair, trying to adjust myself for the second time that morning without my mother or wife noticing. It was pathetic. I was Eli Hawthorne. I didn't get flustered, and I certainly didn't lose
IRISI try so hard to blink my facial features to normal as an elegant woman walked into the parlor. She wore a tailored, expensive emerald dress that hugged her curves perfectly, her diamond jewelry catching the light. Her beautiful face twisted into immediate disgust the moment her eyes landed on







