Evil Iris

Chapter 17

Andre's Intrigue (unedited)

In the grand palace gardens, young Prince Andre walked with a mix of curiosity and nervousness.

The sun bathed everything in gold, and a gentle breeze carried the scent of flowers. But Andre's thoughts were consumed by the new concubine his late father had brought to the palace.

It had been almost five years yet he never met her.

Andre was familiar with the complicated world of the palace.

Being the second prince, he had experienced the cruel taunts and ridicule from the empress dowager, who seemed to enjoy to scorn his mother,as she was a lowly concubine.

But this new concubine, known as "Chloe" to the court, was different.

The empress dowager's emotions were stirred in a way Andre had never seen before.

For once, the usually indifferent woman displayed signs of jealousy, her eyes burning with a fire that was reserved only for Chloe.

As he walked deeper into the garden, Andre's mind buzzed with curiosity. This new concubine, Chloe, had left a profound impact on his father.

What made her so special that the emperor, who had never defended Andre's mother, cared about Chloe in a way that he had never cared about anyone else?

In his mind, Andre could still hear the hurtful taunts of the aristocratic children, their mocking words cutting deep like sharp blades.

They never missed a chance to remind him of his mother's lowly status, treating him as if he were somehow tainted by her background.

While he held no resentment towards his brother Noah, who was the crown prince, the empress dowager was a different story.

As he walked deeper into the garden, Andre's thoughts were interrupted by the sight of a young girl with long golden hair standing amidst a bed of vibrant flowers.

It was Iris, the daughter of the woman who had intrigued his father so.

Their eyes met, and for a fleeting moment, time seemed to stand still.

Andre felt an unexplainable pull towards her, a magnetic connection that left him captivated by her presence.

At fifteen, she possessed a poise and confidence that belied her young age, and he found himself wanting to know more about her.

As Iris spoke with a palace servant, her voice carried a gentle yet commanding tone, and Andre couldn't help but be drawn to her aura of independence.

But as quickly as their eyes met, Iris turned away, leaving Andre with unanswered questions.

He couldn't shake the feeling that she held secrets within her, and he wanted to uncover them.

In the following days, Andre found himself catching glimpses of Iris throughout the palace.

Each time, his heart skipped a beat, and he felt an inexplicable desire to know her better.

But whenever he tried to engage her in conversation, she kept him at arm's length, her responses polite but guarded.

The empress dowager's cruel words echoed in his mind, taunting him with his mother's status and the prejudices he faced.

But unlike his mother, Iris carried herself with an air of confidence and strength, as if she had built an unbreakable wall around her heart.

One day, as Andre walked through the palace halls, he overheard the empress dowager speaking to her ladies-in-waiting.

"Such a pity that Prince Andre is not favored like his brother," she sneered. "His mother's lowly status has left him tainted, and no matter how hard he tries, he can never escape that."

The laughter that followed only added to Andre's frustration. He knew he was different from his brother, but he couldn't understand why his was considered lowly.

As the days turned into weeks, Andre's intrigue for Iris only deepened.

But amidst the curiosity and admiration he held for Iris, a pang of jealousy tugged at his heart.

His brother Noah seemed to have already captured her attention, leaving Andre feeling like an outsider yet again.

But fate had other plans, as their paths crossed unexpectedly in the palace library.

Looking up from a dusty tome, Andre was taken aback to find Iris standing there, a small
polite smile tugging at her lips.

"Looking for something interesting, your highness?" she asked, her voice gentle and inviting.

"Perhaps I am. And please, just call me Andre." he replied as a excitement could be felt in his voice.

She raised an eyebrow playfully, amused by his request. "Andre it is, then," she said, her smile widening.

"I found this book, and I thought you might like it," she said, holding out a worn leather-bound novel.

"Thank you, " Andre replied gratefully.

Iris gracefully closed her book as she stood up to leave,a delicate scent lingered in the air.

It was like a gentle breeze carrying the fragrance of lilacs, sweet and intoxicating.

Andre couldn't help but feel his heart race with each passing second.

He stood there, the book she had given him clutched tightly in his hand, his mind consumed by thoughts of her.

"Iris, huh?" he mumbled softly to himself, the name rolling off his tongue like a melody. It was a name that held a mysterious charm, just like the girl who bore it.

The next day, after the grand kingdom ceremony, Andre spotted Iris in the palace gardens.

She was dressed in a way he hadn't seen before, and it caught his attention immediately. Her usual composed demeanor seemed slightly different today, and it intrigued him.

She was crouched down, feeding a stray cat that had wandered into the garden. Andre watched her from a distance, his curiosity piqued. He had never seen her engage with animals before, and he wondered if there was more to her than met the eye.

As Iris offered the cat a piece of food, a genuine smile lit up her face. It was a stark contrast to her usual polite smiles, and Andre found himself captivated by the sight.

It was as if a hidden part of her was coming to life, and he wanted to know more.

With a soft chuckle, Andre approached her, surprising her as she stood up suddenly, her eyes widening.

"You feed cats too?" he asked, genuinely curious about this side of her he had never seen.

She flushed slightly, looking both surprised and flustered, which only made Andre's laughter bubble up. He couldn't help but find her reaction adorable.

"Yes, I do," she replied, trying to regain her composure.

Drawing closer, he noticed a single leaf tangled in her golden hair. Without thinking, he reached out and gently plucked it away, causing her to look up at him with wide eyes.

"T-Thank you," she stammered, as she turned to leave, returning to her usual nonchalant expression.

In that moment, Andre's heart skipped a beat.

His ears turned red as he thought about how good she looked, how her genuine smile had captivated him.

Iris gracefully walked away, a soft breeze rustled the leaves around Andre, yet his focus remained on the leaf he held tightly in his hand.

After all,

"In the enigma of life, we find beauty in the mysterious and depth in the unknown."

Thank you all so much for reading <33 It's really heartwarming reading 18 year old Andre's backstory Please don't forget to vote as coming chapter will talk about Andre <3 Byeee you all (this is a chapter I have to updated since I was away for 2 months)