Volume 3: The End of the Lies and the Rebirth of the Iris
Irene watched as the elder Rockefeller walked away, a chill running down her spine. His final warning was like the forked tongue of a snake, cold and menacing. She knew she was standing on the edge of a cliff, and one false step could send her plummeting into the abyss of no return.
Back in the banquet hall, the air was thick with the cloying sweetness of champagne and the scent of expensive perfume, but Irene felt suffocated. She needed fresh air, a place where she could temporarily escape this game of lies.
Using her discomfort as an excuse, she left the noisy banquet hall and went to an empty lounge. The room was decorated with heavy velvet curtains and Baroque-style furniture. Several landscape oil paintings hung on the walls, exuding a sense of oppressive grandeur.
Irene walked to the window, drew the curtains aside, and let the cool night wind brush against her cheeks. The city in the distance was ablaze with lights, like countless twinkling stars, while she was trapped in this gilded cage.
As she was deep in thought, there came a knock on the door.
"Come in," Irene said.
The door slowly opened, and Carl Howard appeared in the doorway. He was wearing a dark suit, the collar slightly open, revealing his sexy collarbone. His eyes were deep and gentle, as if he could see through Irene's thoughts.
"I saw you leave the banquet hall and got a bit worried," Carl said as he entered the room, his tone filled with concern.
"Thanks. I'm just not feeling well," Irene replied indifferently, a hint of wariness in her eyes. Sean's warning from last night still echoed in her ears, and she couldn't fully trust this mysterious gallery owner.
"The air in the Rockefeller Manor really isn't suitable for you," Carl said as he walked up to her and stopped at a distance. His gaze lingered on her, as if she were a precious work of art.
"Carl, who exactly are you? What's your real purpose for getting close to the Rockefeller family?" Irene asked bluntly, no longer wanting to beat around the bush.
A mysterious smile played on Carl's lips. "My purpose? Of course, it's for art. The Rockefeller family has a collection of many precious paintings, and I've always been eager to lay my eyes on them."
"Do you think I'd believe such nonsense?" Irene sneered. "Your father was an enemy of the Rockefeller family. You're here for revenge, aren't you?"
Carl's expression changed slightly, but he quickly regained his composure. "Revenge? That's such a waste of time. I prefer to pursue beauty, those things that can exist eternally."
"Beauty?" Irene said disdainfully. "Is the 'beauty' you talk about built on other people's suffering?"
Carl's eyes sharpened. "Suffering is also a kind of beauty, a more profound and captivating one. Just like the blood-red iris, it symbolizes desperate love and twisted desires, yet it also has an irresistible charm."
He took a step forward, getting closer to Irene. She could smell the faint scent of his cologne, which carried a hint of dangerous allure.
"What about you, Irene?" Carl asked in a low voice. "What do you seek? Revenge, or something else?"
Irene's resolve wavered. Her original goal was revenge, to destroy the Rockefeller family and avenge her sister. But now, she found herself in a more complicated situation. There was an indescribable bond between her and Sean, while Carl, like an enigma, kept drawing her in.
"I..." Irene hesitated, not knowing how to answer.
Carl reached out and gently caressed her cheek. His fingertips were cold and soft, sending a jolt of electricity through her body.
"Irene, don't hide your desires. I can see the fire in your eyes. You crave power, love, and everything you want," Carl said in a low, magnetic voice, full of seduction.
Irene's heart raced, and she felt as if she was about to suffocate. She wanted to push him away, but her body trembled uncontrollably and refused to move.
"I can give you everything," Carl continued, his voice getting closer. "Power, love, and the thrill of revenge. As long as you're willing..."
He slowly lowered his head, approaching her lips. Irene closed her eyes, waiting for that moment.
Just as their lips were about to meet, Irene suddenly came to her senses. She pushed Carl away forcefully, took a few steps back, and put some distance between them.
"Don't touch me!" she snapped, her voice trembling.
Carl was slightly taken aback, a flash of disappointment in his eyes. But he quickly regained his calm, and a self-deprecating smile played on his lips.
"I guess I was too hasty," he said, a hint of regret in his tone. "But it doesn't matter. I believe one day you'll understand my feelings."
He turned and walked towards the door. Before leaving, he stopped and looked back at Irene.
"Remember, Irene," he said. "Lies will eventually be exposed, and the truth is often more brutal than you can imagine."
With that, he opened the door and left the room.
Irene stood there, staring at the direction Carl had disappeared, filled with confusion and fear. She didn't know what Carl's intentions were, nor whom she could trust.
She walked up to the mirror and looked at herself. The girl in the mirror had empty, lost eyes, as if she had lost her soul.
"What on earth am I doing?" Irene murmured to herself.
She took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down. She couldn't be swayed by Carl's temptation or deceived by the Rockefeller family's lies. She had to stick to her goal, find the truth, and avenge her sister.
She needed to become stronger, calmer, and more decisive. She wanted to take control of her own destiny instead of being manipulated by others.
She would make those who had deceived and hurt her pay the price.
Just then, a waiter knocked on the door.
"Mr. Rockefeller requests your presence in the study," the waiter said respectfully.
Irene's heart skipped a beat. The elder Rockefeller wanted to see her? What did he have in mind?
She took a deep breath and said calmly, "I see. I'll go right away."
Irene straightened her clothes, took a deep breath, and walked out of the lounge. She knew that what awaited her was an even more dangerous game.
On the way to the study, Irene's heart was heavy. She had a hunch that the elder Rockefeller had already sensed something was off about her, and whatever he was going to do next might completely change her destiny.
She clenched her fists, her eyes filled with determination. No matter what happened next, she wouldn't back down. She would stick to her goal until the very end.
When she reached the door of the study, she stopped, took a deep breath, and pushed it open.
Inside the study, the elder Rockefeller sat behind the large desk. His face was expressionless, and his eyes were deep and sharp, like two sharp blades.
"Olivia, you're here," the elder Rockefeller said in a low, husky voice that sent a chill down her spine.
"Father, you wanted to see me?" Irene said calmly, her eyes showing no trace of fear.
"Have a seat," the elder Rockefeller said, pointing to the chair in front of the desk.
Irene walked over and gracefully sat down. She looked up, stared straight into the elder Rockefeller's eyes, and waited for his challenge.
The study was deathly silent, except for the crackling sound of the firewood burning in the fireplace.
The elder Rockefeller was silent for a moment and then slowly said, "Olivia, you've been performing very well lately. I'm quite satisfied."
Irene was a bit surprised. She had expected the elder Rockefeller to confront her directly, but instead, he had praised her first.
"Thank you, Father," Irene said politely.
"You're smart and beautiful," the elder Rockefeller continued. "You'll make the perfect mistress of the Rockefeller family."
A wave of disgust welled up in Irene's heart. She knew that the so-called "mistress" in the elder Rockefeller's eyes was nothing more than a puppet, a tool to maintain the family's interests.
"I will do my best to safeguard the interests of the Rockefeller family," Irene said, her tone calm and firm.
The elder Rockefeller nodded in satisfaction. "I believe you. However, there are some things you'd better not know. Some secrets you'd better keep forever."
His words were full of warning, and Irene felt a chill.
"Father, I don't understand what you mean," Irene pretended to be confused.
"You don't need to understand," the elder Rockefeller said. "Just remember that you're a member of the Rockefeller family, and your destiny is closely tied to it."
He paused, then took out an exquisite box from the drawer and handed it to Irene.
"This is a gift for you," he said.
Irene took the box and opened it. Inside was a necklace adorned with a blood-red iris. The iris on the necklace looked so lifelike, as if it were dyed with blood, exuding a strange and alluring glow.
"Do you like it?" the elder Rockefeller asked.
Irene felt a sense of dread. She knew that this necklace was more than just an ornament; it was a symbol, a curse.
"Thank you, Father. I love it," Irene lied, putting the necklace back in the box.
"Put it on," the elder Rockefeller ordered.
Irene hesitated for a moment, then took out the necklace and put it around her neck.
The cold touch of the metal made her uncomfortable. She looked up at the elder Rockefeller, whose eyes were filled with satisfaction and calculation.
"Good," the elder Rockefeller said. "Remember, Olivia, you'll always be a part of the Rockefeller family."
Irene nodded, her heart filled with despair. She knew she had fallen deep into this quagmire of lies, and what awaited her was an even darker and more brutal fate.
She turned and left the study, walking out of this gilded cage.
On the way back to her room, Irene felt dizzy. She leaned against the wall, trying to stay conscious.
Suddenly, she felt a burning pain from the necklace around her neck. She reached up and touched it, only to find that the blood-red iris on the necklace was glowing red.
She realized that this wasn't just a necklace; it was a means of control, a curse. The elder Rockefeller wanted to use this necklace to control her and make her a permanent puppet of the Rockefeller family.
Irene was consumed by anger and despair. She tried to take off the necklace, but she found that she couldn't move.
She felt a powerful force taking control of her body, leaving her unable to resist.
She knew she had to break free from the control of this necklace as soon as possible, or she would lose herself completely and become a walking corpse.
She would fight back. She would seek revenge. She would destroy the Rockefeller family.
She would make those who had hurt her pay.
As she struggled, a voice whispered in her ear, "Irene, need some help?"
Irene looked up sharply and saw Carl Howard standing in front of her, a meaningful smile on his face.
He reached out his hand and slowly approached her.
Irene's heart raced. She didn't know whether to trust him or if he would really help her.
But she knew that she was now at the end of her rope and had no choice but to believe in him.
"Help me," Irene said weakly, her voice filled with pleading.
A mysterious smile curved Carl's lips. He took Irene's hand and led her into the darkness...