Rebirth as The Vampire Lord's Wife
Chapter 39: Confused

Chapter 39: Confused

"Grandma Gray," Xavier’s tone was steady as he addressed Cassandra, "I promise to care and love your granddaughter eternally."

Iris was utterly taken aback by how serious he seemed. It left her in a state of uncertainty, unsure if Xavier, who held her hand firmly, was being genuine or not.

She shifted her gaze downwards, avoiding her grandmother’s curious gaze. She was worried that her eyes might inadvertently reveal their lies. The last thing she wanted was to disappoint her grandmother.

As their hands remained interlocked, a strange sensation swallowed her. Xavier’s hands felt oddly cold, like she was holding a piece of ice.

’Is he nervous too, making his hands freeze like this?’ Iris wondered, feeling curious.

She slowly lifted her head to meet his eyes, and once again, she was caught off guard. Despite the serious talk, his gaze held a warmth and tenderness that surprised her.

Iris was confused by the intensity of his gaze, as if he expected her to say something. ’Why did he look at me like that? Did I miss something?’

With her confusion growing, she didn’t want to risk blurting out something that might unravel their lie. So, she quickly averted her eyes to her grandmother.

"Grandma, I’m starving. Can we eat now?" she asked, shifting the attention.

Cassandra nodded, saying, "Just hold on for about ten minutes, my dear. I’m getting things ready..." With that, she returned to the kitchen.

Before continuing to prepare breakfast, she pauses and looks at Iris. "You’ve got some big packages at the end of the stairs. I couldn’t manage to bring them upstairs; they’re too heavy."

"Grandma, I’ll take them up," Iris said. She recognizes the boxes must be the clothes she buys from Daisy’s shop.

Cassandra also turned to Xavier, "Could you give her a hand? Those boxes might break her waist," she smiled warmly.

"Of course, Grandma," Xavier agreed, following Iris to assist her.

...

"Iris, let me handle those boxes. They look too heavy for you," Xavier said upon seeing the size of the box.

She stopped and turned to him, "I can manage, really..."

"No need," Xavier asserted, shaking his head. "You go ahead. Just show me the way to your room." Although he knew where her room was, he couldn’t admit it, right?

Despite her confidence, Iris could see the seriousness on Xavier’s face. So, she simply nodded and headed upstairs.

Waiting for him at the door, she directed him to place the boxes near her wardrobe. Seeing Xavier handle the last box made her feel oddly grateful.

This was beyond her expectations — Xavier, the man who had been so cold, like an icy glacier to her a few days ago, was now carrying her things.

"Thanks for the assist, Xavier," she expressed.

He glanced her way, saying in a casual tone, "Isn’t that what boyfriends do?"

Iris, "..."

’Gosh, this guy, why is he getting increasingly convinced of his role!?’ Iris became worried that she couldn’t discern that all of this was just an act.

"Well, Xavier, no need to keep up the act. It’s just us here," she chuckled, shaking her head. "Alright, let’s head downstairs. Grandma should be done with breakfast by now." She said,

He nodded.

As they were about to leave the room, Iris remembered something. "Oops, I almost forgot..." She playfully tapped her forehead. "Xavier, you go on ahead. I need to change real quick."

Xavier didn’t move, appearing lost in thought. And Iris noticed.

"You can wait for me in the living room. I’ll be swift with the outfit change," she suggested, sensing his reluctance to go downstairs alone.

"Hmm," Xavier nods, closing the door behind him. He then made his way to the large French window in the corner, taking in the view as he simultaneously made a call.

****

Iris stood before the mirror, staring at her reflection after the outfit change. She feels in a good mood after wearing her funeral outfit style. Clad in her recent purchase from Daisy’s shop — tight black jeans paired with a matching shirt, topped with a long black coat — she felt an undeniable boost of confidence.

With her hair neatly tied, she hurried out of the bathroom. Just as she was about to exit the room, her gaze landed on her charging cell phone on the table. Picking it up, she slipped it into her coat pocket.

Making her way to the door, her thoughts wandered back to her initial mission.

While eager to complete the assignment, she didn’t want to rush it and risk making errors. Delving deeper into her investigation of Alberto West was crucial to avoid repeating any missteps, like the one from yesterday. She wasn’t happy about what happened yesterday and didn’t want it to happen again.

Taking a deep breath, she swung the door open.

She was surprised when she saw Xavier standing right outside her bedroom. He looked calm, but as he spoke, his tone indicated otherwise.

"Ready?" he asked, his voice firm. "Grandma’s already called us!"

Iris nodded, a touch of regret on her expression. "Apologies for the wait, Xavier. I had to change my bandages," she explained, joining him near the door.

"You can manage that on your own?" Xavier is curious to hear that.

A faint smile curved her lips as she stole a glance at him. "It’s not as good as you, but I handle it," she replied casually.

In her previous life, Iris received special training to deal with various situations, including changing bandages. It was as easy as blinking for her.

Xavier remained silent, moving toward the dining table without uttering a word.

"Quick, before the food gets cold!" Cassandra called out from her seat as they entered. She encouraged them to begin their meal.

"Thanks for the meal, Granny Gray," Xavier politely expressed before diving into the food silently.

Iris joined in, however, her eating was briefly interrupted by her grandmother initiating a conversation about their morning plans — testing her driving skills, a plan that had been postponed.