The Sherwood Family estate in Stellan.
Located in the city center's premium villa district where every inch of land was worth its weight in gold, the estate boasted an exceptional position. It featured a front garden and backed onto Swan Lake, separated by only a single wall from the grandest, most magnificent mansion in the neighborhood.
Inside the luxurious living room, a young girl wore a limited-edition, custom-made beige dress, its long hem adorned with gorgeous fringed lace. Serena Sherwood sat with her back ramrod straight, currently directing the servants as they worked. Her demeanor was noble and reserved, like a proud princess.
"The gowns can't be exposed to the sun. Hang them in the closet. They're custom pieces worth over five million; we can't let the sun ruin them.
"Put the scripts in the safe and lock it. The director said everything must remain confidential before filming starts. Not a single word can be leaked.
"Take that pair of earrings to the boutique to be cleaned... Actually, never mind. I've already worn them twice. Mindy, you can have them."
The maid named Mindy jumped up in pleasant surprise. "Thank you, Second Miss!"
Iris Dalton completely ignored the bustling activity in the living room. She sat cross-legged on a small sofa, playing on her phone with one hand. Her other arm hugged a rabbit throw pillow, giving her a completely lethargic appearance.
Serena's eyes shifted slightly as she looked at Iris on the sofa. A trace of irritation was hidden beneath her gentle and demure expression.
"Mom, my sister just got back. She must not be used to living in a villa." Serena lifted her long skirt and sat down, linking her arm through Leona Vaughn's. Glancing at Iris, she smiled and said, "Why don't we buy a small apartment for her? I heard that in the countryside, three generations of a family cram into a house that's only a few dozen square meters. Goodness, that's not even as big as my bathroom!"
She deliberately pretended she couldn't hold it in, covering her mouth as she burst into loud laughter. She looked naive and innocent, but her eyes were brimming with malice. The moment she had first laid eyes on Iris's face, she had felt an overwhelming sense of disgust.
It was only her first day back at the Sherwood Family, and Iris was already trying to steal their parents' affection. She thought Iris was dreaming if she believed she could succeed. She would never let her get away with it!
Hearing Serena's contemptuous laughter, Iris raised the corners of her eyes. As if disturbed by something repulsive, a look of pure disgust appeared on her small face. Her delicate features looked as if they had been meticulously painted with fine ink. Her casual glance carried a hint of unruliness. "Oh, you like big bathrooms? Then the middle of nowhere suits you perfectly. It's breezy on all four sides, and it'll keep your butt cool."
Saying that, she also put on a deliberate act, covering her mouth and giggling. She pinched her fingers together daintily and lightly shielded her lips, looking even more pretentious and contrived than Serena.
Serena was speechless. The frozen smile on her face twisted. She dug her fingers in so hard she nearly tore the leather sofa to shreds. She was absolutely furious!
As a celebrity, Serena was best at playing the role of a gentle, kind, and innocent sweetheart. She quickly concealed her anger, replacing it with a look of heartbreak and disappointment.
"Does my sister not like me? When I suggested buying a small apartment just now, I was only thinking of you. Why do you have such deep hostility toward me?" Serena lowered her head slightly, looking so pathetic and harmless that it seemed she was on the verge of shedding sorrowful tears.
In truth, she understood the situation perfectly well. She was pampered by the whole family. Even Old Mrs. Sherwood, who heavily favored boys over girls, had a soft spot for her. Even with Iris back, her status wouldn't be affected. But she simply couldn't stand the fact that Iris was so pretty and looked much more like a member of the Sherwoods than she did. Therefore, putting on this delicate and pitiful act was nothing more than a ploy to make her parents and brother feel more sympathy for her.
Iris thought this acting was a bit fake. She pursed her lips, the look in her eyes shifting from keen interest to docile innocence, and her voice dripped with grievance. "You were the one who said you liked big bathrooms. I was just following your topic and making a special recommendation for you, but now you're blaming me... Being misunderstood by my own family makes me so sad and hurt."
Her learning ability was incredibly strong, and she was excellent at mimicking others. In fact, the student had surpassed the master.
Serena was left at a loss for words. Damn it, she wanted to sew the girl's mouth shut!
Leona Vaughn furrowed her brows. Seeing Serena turn green with anger, a ball of fire flared up in her own chest. Yet, there was absolutely nothing she could do about it. It was incredibly suffocating!
Her upbringing as a noblewoman kept her from lashing out on the spot. Instead, she simply hugged Serena with heartache. "Serena, even though your sister has returned home, you will always be the apple of our eye."
After all, she was the daughter she had raised for so many years. She couldn't bear to let Serena suffer even the slightest grievance. The Sherwood Family was a top-tier wealthy family in Stellan. All three of their children were outstanding and had brought a lot of honor to the family within their social circle. Their eldest daughter, Claire Sherwood, had gone abroad to study at a very young age and wasn't particularly close to her parents. But Serena had been raised right by their side, so everyone in the Sherwood Family, from top to bottom, loved her more.
"Mom, I'm fine. My heart just aches for my sister, having been stranded out there all these years without a family's care. It's truly pitiful. In comparison, I've been so much luckier." Serena gritted her teeth, forcing her anger back down. There would be plenty of time in the future; there was no need to fight over a momentary disadvantage.
She was only twenty this year, studying in the acting department at Stellan University, and had even played the second female lead in a web drama. With the powerful backing of the Sherwood Family, she had enjoyed a constant stream of resources from the moment of her debut. She had quickly risen to become a third-tier rising starlet with over ten million fans. Compared to her dazzling achievements, Iris was just a country bumpkin from the mountains. She would never measure up to her in this lifetime!
"I'm older than Iris, so I'll take good care of her from now on. Don't worry, Mom." Serena's face was beaming with smiles, but her eyes looked at Iris provocatively, carrying an imperceptible trace of disdain.
Iris caught the look and tutted inwardly. She mused that the Sherwoods really didn't have high IQs. Serena was particularly lacking. Her acting skills were subpar, and she was just plain stupid!
"Serena is such a good girl." Leona Vaughn felt that her sweet daughter was incredibly sensible. Suddenly gaining another daughter meant she had to force smiles and coax the girl, leaving her physically and mentally exhausted. Fortunately, Serena was so understanding, which gave her immense comfort.
YAWN. Iris stretched lazily and asked, "Where is my room?"
She had expended her spiritual power today and felt a bit tired. Moreover, this mother-daughter duo's affectionate performance was so terribly dull that watching it was putting her to sleep. She wanted to go to bed.
"I've had someone tidy up the guest room on the first floor. You can stay there for now," Leona responded, revealing a gentle and thoughtful smile.
Iris cast a casual glance toward the guest room. Her spiritual power pierced through the walls, taking stock of the furnishings inside. A bed, a desk, and a small wardrobe. The room wasn't large, and the furniture was very ordinary—clearly just thrown together for temporary use.
She then raised her eyes toward the second floor. Serena's suite was a full two hundred square meters. It featured a luxurious bedroom with an en-suite bathroom, as well as a spacious, brightly lit walk-in closet and dressing room. There was also a large balcony perfect for sunbathing.
Iris retracted her gaze. Her confused eyes held a touch of naive expectation. "I'm also Mom and Dad's daughter. Why does Serena get to live in a grand suite while I have to stay in a guest room?"
Leona was speechless. Her expression froze, the smile stiffening on her face. She thought to herself that it was because this Third Miss Sherwood was a fake daughter! But she couldn't say that out loud.
Leona was extremely bewildered. Iris had just arrived at the Sherwood Family estate and hadn't been upstairs yet. How did she know Serena lived in a grand suite? It was baffling.
Just then, Simon Sherwood and Tristan Sherwood finished their private discussion in the study. The father and son were walking down the stairs and happened to overhear Iris's words.
"Butler, go to the second floor and prepare a suite for Iris." The worry between Simon's brows flashed past, and his tone turned cold and stern.
Leona's arrangement made him very dissatisfied. Making Iris stay in a guest room—wasn't that obviously handing people a weakness to exploit? If guests came over and saw it, how would they explain?
Leona spoke up in a panic. "Actually, Iris..."
Simon shot a sweeping glare at her, signaling her to shut her mouth. Leona looked a bit embarrassed and awkwardly fell silent.
"Um..." The butler looked troubled as he stammered, "The only thing left on the second floor is a ten-square-meter storage room. There are no other rooms. Isn't staying in the downstairs guest room perfectly fine?"
As he spoke, he cast a glance at Iris, his face full of impatience. She was just a little girl from a mountain village, utterly unpresentable. Yet, upon arriving at the Sherwood family, she dared to be picky. She exuded a petty, low-class vibe from head to toe. Did she really think she was a Miss Sherwood? Who was she trying to impress with this pretentious act?
The butler knew the ins and outs of the whole body double situation, which made looking at Iris even more of an eyesore for him. On one hand, he had to help conceal the truth; on the other hand, he genuinely looked down on her. He felt like he was going to develop schizophrenia!
"I want to stay in her room. Can I?" A longing smile surfaced in Iris's eyes as she slowly raised her hand and pointed directly at Serena. "I'm Mom and Dad's biological daughter, and I'm the youngest child in the family. Shouldn't you guys pamper me? I can't endure hardship, nor can I suffer even a little bit of grievance."
Her little mouth rattled on and on, presenting the perfect picture of an unruly, impolite, and willful brat.
Serena's expression changed, her fists clenching tightly. How dare she try to steal her room! It was utterly despicable!
Suppressing her anger, she forced on the facade of a good older sister. She reasoned patiently in a soft, gentle voice, "The Sherwood Family is different from people in the countryside. We value etiquette and rules. You can't be so willful, my dear sister. Snatching your older sister's room is very impolite."
Iris's unreasonable behavior served perfectly to highlight her own tolerance and magnanimity, letting the whole family see exactly who the considerate and sensible daughter truly was.
"Is that so?" Iris's eyes flickered twice. Beneath her ignorant and naive expression lay a devilish cunning.
She was used to being arrogant and overbearing; she would never let anyone walk all over her. When a petty clown provoked her, she took great interest in counterattacking on the spot. Furthermore, whatever she wanted, she made sure to get!
In the next second, the young girl curled her lips mockingly, her eyes revealing a perverse, aggressive glint. "Just now you said you were older than me and would take good care of me, but you were lying! Hmph, you're a celebrity, yet you're so stingy you won't even give up your room for me!"
"You b—" Serena almost lost her composure and cursed, wanting nothing more than to slap her face to a pulp.