"Mm-hmm." The young girl pursed her lips, unable to suppress the joy tugging at the corners of her mouth. A vibrant gleam flashed in her eyes. "Ryan, you said you'd be back before the end of next month. Don't break your promise."
"I won't."
The man suddenly changed the subject, his tone nonchalant. "You promised me no spicy food and no iced drinks."
After a brief pause, he added calmly, "You've been up to no good behind my back, haven't you, little girl?"
"No, I haven't!" Iris Dalton looked around guiltily. Clutching the can of iced beverage in her hand, she shook her head with righteous indignation. "I didn't do anything bad! Don't worry, I'm not that kind of person. I always keep my word."
The man let out a soft chuckle. Instead of exposing her lie, his voice softened, as if coaxing a bristling kitten. "What do you want for a present?"
Iris breathed a secret sigh of relief, tilting her head as she pondered. "I want the stars in the sky and the seashells at the bottom of the ocean. Can I?"
In front of him, she always wanted to act a little willfully and capriciously. It was as if doing so would earn her his exclusive protection and affection.
"Alright," the man agreed immediately, without a shred of hesitation.
The girl's eyes sparkled, concealing a deep, sweet, and contented smile.
The two exchanged a few more sentences, chatting about lighthearted topics.
Suddenly, Iris's gaze trembled. As if catching wind of something concerning, her expression darkened.
"Ryan, let's leave it at that for now. I'll call you again when I'm free." She hung up the phone, a vigilant gleam surfacing in her eyes.
Her formidable spiritual power instantly coalesced into a single point, piercing through space to probe in the direction of the private room.
Inside the private room, several people were talking. None of them realized that a gaze was currently monitoring them.
Old Mr. Sherwood rolled the jade balls in his hand, speaking with deep concern. "Young Master Crawford's status is indeed noble, but our Rosalind is no slouch either. By all rights, she should be able to make this connection. Simon, keep an eye on Young Master Crawford's itinerary. Have Rosalind return to the country as soon as possible so she can at least meet him once."
Simon Sherwood nodded, then shifted the topic to Iris, appearing slightly nervous. "The news of the acknowledgment has already been spread. The circle will soon know that Iris is a daughter of the Sherwood Family. The main branch over in Valerium won't find any issues, will they?"
Leona Vaughn placed a hand over his, consoling him. "Don't worry, the Monahan Family has already been notified. They agreed to let Iris get engaged to Milo Monahan. We'll arrange it once school starts. With this marriage alliance, the main branch in Valerium definitely won't suspect a thing. Iris is beautiful; she might actually catch Young Master Monahan's eye, so we should prepare in advance."
Since she was now living as a daughter of the Sherwood Family, the resources she possessed could not be wasted. The Sherwood Family was a prominent household that never engaged in losing ventures. Getting Iris Dalton to secure as many benefits as possible for them over the next two years was the only way to ensure the family didn't take a loss.
The butler furrowed his brow. Holding a very dim view of Iris, he could not help but warn, "She came out of the backwoods and hasn't even been to school. She's uncouth and ignorant, completely unlike the eldest and second young misses who are well-read and properly educated."
He stole a glance at the Sherwoods. "If she turns out to be stubborn and unruly, and ends up offending Young Master Monahan, I'm afraid she will bring a massive disaster upon the Sherwood Family."
Having worked for the Sherwood Family for over thirty years, the butler was a trusted confidant of the Sherwoods. Fiercely loyal to the family, he could not help but feel worried. Young Master Monahan was from the Monahan family of Valerium. Would he really be happy having Iris Dalton as his fiancée?
"COUGH COUGH!" Tristan Sherwood had just taken a drag from his cigarette and choked on the smoke, coughing twice.
He loosened his tie slightly, revealing his Adam's apple. A wisp of smoke curled from between his slender fingers, making him appear both arrogant and aloof. At twenty-six years old, as the heir to the Sherwood Family, he had already developed the authoritative and ruthless aura of someone in power.
"Dad, Mom, isn't this going a bit too far?" Whenever Tristan thought of Iris's face, he felt an incomparable surge of irritation.
He always felt some sort of hidden bond that left him feeling both frustrated and somewhat sympathetic.
She was an orphan who had lived for eighteen years without anyone to rely on. The Sherwood Family was raising her as a daughter, only to send her to her death while wringing benefits out of her along the way. You simply couldn't fleece someone like that! Furthermore, that Young Master Monahan had bipolar disorder and a penchant for physical violence...
"Tristan, do not forget that she is a substitute for Rosalind. Do you want something bad to happen to your own sister?" Old Mr. Sherwood said with a darkened expression.
His biological granddaughter, Claire Sherwood, was twenty-two years old this year. Not only was she the number one socialite in Stellan, but she was also an outstanding graduate of Lumin-Umbra University. Favored by the renowned Mentor Miles, she had been exceptionally admitted into the top-tier rare materials laboratory. She had followed her mentor abroad as a visiting scholar, making her the youngest assistant researcher there.
The rare materials laboratory was one of the three major labs at Lumin-Umbra University. Every single person who managed to enter that lab was a talent with an illustrious reputation! With that, one could throw their weight around in the circles of The Noble Clans. So many people envied the Sherwood Family for raising such an exceptionally brilliant daughter!
Such a dazzling Claire Sherwood was the pride of the Sherwood Family and completely irreplaceable. Yet, the family's crisis required the blood of a direct-line daughter to be resolved. They would absolutely never let her make that sacrifice! That was precisely why they had found a substitute.
Tristan opened his mouth but ultimately failed to utter a single word.
It was true. Claire Sherwood was his biological sister, and he couldn't bear to send her to her death. There was also his second sister, Serena Sherwood, who was equally treasured by the Sherwoods. Fortunately, her blood type didn't meet the requirements, so there was no need to worry about her being dragged into this.
"You should be thankful that with Iris acting as a substitute, your real sister can escape this disaster." Simon patiently lectured his son. "The Young Master Sherwood candidate assessment is fast approaching. We must establish connections in Valerium ahead of time. Iris has outstanding looks; she might just be able to pave the way for you."
"That's right, Tristan. Listen to your father. The Young Master Sherwood candidate assessment is the most important thing. So many people over at the main branch are eyeing that position. You need to prepare diligently," Leona Vaughn chimed in to persuade him.
They did not feel that the Sherwood Family had done anything wrong. Iris Dalton had taken the Sherwood Family's money and borrowed their reputation. Having gained quite a lot, she ought to exert herself for the family's sake.
"But..." Tristan still felt a restless agitation. "Grandpa, that plot of land is an ancestral property. It's not appropriate to transfer it into an outsider's name, is it?"
He couldn't shake the feeling that something was off, though he didn't know what he had overlooked.
"What outsider? From now on, Iris is your biological sister. Whether in public or in private, you must treat her as family!" Old Mr. Sherwood glared at him in exasperation, disappointed in his lack of resolve. "No one else can know about the substitute. You must keep it a secret even from your grandmother and your wife. If this secret gets out, our entire family will suffer the consequences."
If those people were to notice anything amiss, all their plans would go up in smoke!
Seeing Tristan get reprimanded, the butler hurriedly tried to smooth things over. "Young Master Tristan, don't overthink it. Iris Dalton only looks like a member of the Sherwood Family because of plastic surgery."
According to the contract's requirements, Iris had undergone blood transfusions and facial reconstruction from a young age, all to make her look more and more like a Sherwood. For this scheme, the Sherwood Family had spent tens of millions.
Because of this, the butler harbored a strong dislike for Iris. The little girl was deeply manipulative, aiming to worm her way into a wealthy family ever since she was a child. She had been willing to endure immense suffering, casting all dignity aside. There were so many children at the experimental base, yet she was the only one who had successfully assimilated the Sherwood Family's blood and assumed a Sherwood face. Standing out among eighty children, she had ultimately been chosen. What ordinary little girl would possess such cunning and ruthlessness? And yet they said she hadn't been scheming all along!
"Young Master Tristan, don't worry. The ancestral property has been transferred to her name, but there is a stipulation that she cannot sell or gift it to anyone else. She can only keep it for herself. In two years... the ancestral property will return to the Sherwood Family," the butler explained cryptically.
Leaving that plot of land in Iris Dalton's hands would have no impact whatsoever. Because in two years, she would be dead. As a daughter of the Sherwood Family, the assets in her name would simply be inherited back by the family.
Tristan froze for a moment, an oppressive heaviness settling in his chest, though he couldn't articulate why.
Pressing down with his fingers, he snuffed out his half-smoked cigarette. "I'm sorry. I didn't think this through. It won't happen again."
Simon and Leona Vaughn exchanged a glance, finally feeling reassured by Tristan's response.
While finding a substitute wasn't exactly moral, it was the best possible solution. After all, they loved their own children and could not allow their biological daughter to be put in danger.
As for Iris Dalton, she had lived a bitter life for eighteen years. Entering a wealthy family and happily squandering money for two years was already a blessing that ordinary people wouldn't get to enjoy in several lifetimes. Furthermore, they would try their best to treat her well and compensate her with extra things. They owed her nothing.