Chapter 3 You Believe Those Rumors?
921 Words
Suddenly, Eve stood up, visibly nervous.
"Oh! Your eyes!"
Just a moment ago, she thought she saw Yellen's pupils shifting, his gaze piercing through her like sharp swords.
Those eyes were like a wolf's eyes!
Yellen quickly glanced away, avoiding her gaze for a few seconds. When their eyes met again, his were back to normal.
"What's wrong with my eyes?" he asked softly.
By now, Eve had regained her composure, staring at Yellen's striking blue eyes, wondering if she had imagined it all.
What was happening to her?
Since their first meeting, she found herself losing her cool around Yellen.
She didn't expect him to hold her in high regard, but she certainly didn't want to embarrass herself either.
Seeing Eve's discomfort, Fury intervened at the right moment.
"Mrs. Andrew, if you're feeling fatigued, I can have the maids bring fresh rose petals to your room. A relaxing bath might lift your spirits."
"Ah, thank you." Eve replied with a grateful smile.
Despite their somewhat distant relationship, the butler had been her main support over the past three years, making him the person she was most familiar with.
The talk about Yellen's eyes was easily sidestepped, and soon Eve forgot about the incident.
To her, Yellen's feigned illness remained a perplexing puzzle. If White and Elizard were to uncover this secret, their regret might drive them to madness.
Dealing with them, a selfish father and his scheming daughter, had caused her endless trouble.
While she felt indebted for saving her life, the threat to seize all her personal belongings was a step too far.
To recover her lost memories, she needed substantial clues, but the items that could provide those clues were all hidden away by White.
Offending them could ruin her chances of unlocking her past. Thus, she had to ensure that her status as a stand-in bride remained hidden.
The Andrew family wanted White's daughter, but she wasn't that daughter.
What troubled her even more was a vague figure in her fragmented memories that sparked her deep concern.
Perhaps it was a former lover, a relative, or someone even more significant.
Now, to keep her cover intact, Eve had to rely entirely on White, hoping he hadn't left any obvious loopholes in her false identity.
"Do you remember what I just said?"
Yellen's tone demanded an answer from Eve.
It felt like a test of her obedience, no exceptions granted, even if she had been placed there intentionally by the Norman family.
Oh no!
Eve had been too preoccupied with worrying about her false identity to recall what Yellen had mentioned earlier.
"Answer me!"
Yellen's demand grew sharper, misinterpreting Eve's hesitant response as defiance.
"I remember!" Eve asserted firmly, determined not to misstep in her response.
Fury felt a headache coming on. Spending considerable time with Eve, he had a good grasp of her character.
He was almost certain that Eve had just agreed randomly, deliberately forgetting what Yellen had asked.
Well, as long as he didn't interfere too much, this would blow over.
"Now, any more questions?" Yellen prompted Eve, giving her a chance to engage.
After a moment's hesitation, Eve spoke up tentatively, "So, can I call you by your name?"
Yellen was momentarily taken aback by Eve's question.
He couldn't quite tell if she was testing his patience or genuinely curious about the form of address.
Suddenly, Eve recalled what Yellen had asked earlier.
"You just said you're the sole decision-maker here at the estate..."
"Call me whatever suits you," Yellen replied, his patience wearing thin, eager to move past this deadlock.
Hearing his response, Eve breathed a sigh of relief at his concession. Even if she slipped up later on his title, it wouldn't be catastrophic.
"Master, have you decided when you'll return to the Metropolis?" Fury interjected suddenly, his question holding a subtle reminder for Eve.
Upon hearing this question, Eve clenched nervously, understanding its underlying implication.
The Metropolis was renowned for its wealth and influence, a gathering place for nobles from all corners of the world and millions of residents.
If she accompanied Yellen to there, wouldn't that significantly increase the risk of her true identity being exposed?
"Glenn will arrive early the day after tomorrow. Make sure everything is in order before then," Yellen instructed.
Glenn Gomez, Yellen's personal bodyguard, was as trusted as Fury.
Yellen's decision to address Fury's question now was also a subtle test, a way to remind Eve and gauge her reaction.
"Should I join as well?" Eve asked, attempting to mask her unease with a forced smile.
But Yellen's next words shattered her facade completely.
"Regarding those rumors, I might let them slide for now. But once we're in the Metropolis, I expect you to maintain your reputation and not let your personal affairs get out of hand."
Yellen couldn't imagine the Norman family sending a woman with morals to carry out a seduction plan.
That was why, in his mind, Eve shouldn't have been able to endure the three-year void at the estate alone.
But who were her lovers? The gardener looking after the grounds? Or perhaps the delivery driver?
The thought made him snort involuntarily.
What was he even saying?
Eve's face paled instantly, her eyes betraying a growing sense of dismay that overshadowed her earlier panic.
"You believe those rumors?" Her voice quavered slightly, indicating her disbelief.
"Or what?" Yellen furrowed his brow, carefully enunciating each word, "Are you seriously expecting me to believe you haven't done anything questionable in these three years?"
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