Seeing Isabella accept it so easily, Irina was somewhat surprised.
"You don't mind?"
Isabella turned to smile at Irina, her voice soft and gentle:
"As you said just now, a person cannot hide anything from their own shadow. You are Master's shadow, and in a certain sense, you and Master are one and the same. Since that is the case, why should I mind?"
Irina opened her mouth, but couldn't bring herself to say a single word in reply.
Watching this scene unfold, the corners of Eros's mouth curled up in a subtle smile. Irina was still too young—she was simply no match for Isabella.
After washing up, the two returned to the bedroom to rest.
Watching the two sleeping in each other's arms over there, a trace of perplexity welled up in Angelica's heart.
She looked down at her own exquisitely enchanting body, somewhat unable to understand why Eros had spared her.
Her pretty face filled with doubt, she scrutinized herself. Could it be that she wasn't attractive? But she was clearly very attractive—many people had previously praised her as the most dazzling gem of Intil.
But why?
Her mind full of doubts, Angelica eventually let out a soft sigh when she couldn't figure out an answer. She got up, turned off the gas lamp, and went back to her own simple cot to go to sleep.
On the other side, stepping back in time earlier that night:
The moment Ayesha got off the carriage, she saw her mother leaning against the doorframe. Her small face instantly flushed red, and she walked up to Natalia with some embarrassment, calling out in a soft voice:
"Mom!"
Natalia gazed intently at her daughter before her, her tone impassive as she said:
"Why did you come back so late? Don't you know that nights in Intil are very dangerous right now?"
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"Even though those church people can't see through your disgu—what is this?"
Mid-sentence, Natalia's words abruptly paused, because she caught sight of something shiny around her daughter's fair neck.
Thus, she reached out to pick up the gleaming object.
"A necklace?" Natalia muttered in a low voice, her eyebrows furrowing slightly.
Moreover, this design seemed a bit familiar, as if she had seen it somewhere before.
Pondering carefully for a moment, she remembered where she had seen it—it seemed to be in a jewelry fashion magazine.
Although she couldn't afford it, looking at it to satisfy her eyes wasn't a crime. Natalia stared at the necklace before her, recalling the magazine's description of this piece.
Seeing her mother notice the necklace, a thought instantly popped into Ayesha's little head:
Oh no, I forgot to take the necklace off and hide it!
Natalia did not notice her daughter's flustered eyes. Staring at the necklace for a long while, she finally read aloud:
"Dazzling Starry Sky, meticulously designed and crafted by the famous master jewelry designer Alan Hallpeter. Limited to a single piece across the entire continent of Croatia, it is the Star of Brilliance, part of the Radiant Trilogy."
"Collected as a complete set by a mysterious buyer at the end of October this year for nine thousand pounds, with an estimated individual retail price of three thousand pounds."
Hearing her mother read this aloud, Ayesha's eyes widened in shock. She had expected it to be very expensive, but not this expensive.
Three thousand pounds!!!
One had to know that the annual salary given to Mom by the temple was only three hundred pounds. That meant Mom would have to save for ten years without eating or drinking just to buy an accessory like this!
Ayesha swallowed a small gulp of saliva, stealthily glancing at her mother, only to find her mother looking at her with faint, eerie eyes.
"Spill it! Where did this come from?" Natalia said expressionlessly.
Ayesha knew she couldn't hide it, so she whispered in a soft voice: "A gift from someone!"
"What?" Hearing this answer, Natalia was stunned for a long while. She had envisioned many answers—stealing it, robbing it—but never this one.
Who would be so prodigal as to give away something worth three thousand pounds as a gift?
Seeing that her mother was still somewhat puzzled, Ayesha pursed her lips, lowering her head as she explained softly:
"It was given by Eros Lenka North."
Hearing this name, Natalia glanced at her daughter with a hint of surprise:
"You went out tonight just to meet with him?"
"Mm!" Ayesha gave a soft, shy response.
Natalia looked at her daughter before her and fell into silence. Originally, she had wanted to tell her directly that it was impossible between them.
After all, she was a cultist hiding in the shadows, while he was a church member standing in the sunlight—not to mention she had a Night remnant for a stepfather.
Yet in the end, Natalia said nothing, merely letting out a soft sigh:
"Get some rest early!"
Saying this, she turned and walked through the doorway.
Ayesha watched her mother's graceful departing figure, blinking her eyes in thought.