After finishing her lunch, Iris immediately headed upstairs to her bedroom. She needed to check her cell phone and computer, hoping to understand herself better.
However, before entering her bedroom, her attention was captivated by the scenery outside. Her gaze was drawn to the French window in the living area on the second floor.
"What a stunning view," she muttered, slowly walking towards the window and taking in the beautiful view.
The dense forest was cloaked in a pure white blanket of snow, extending as far as her eyes could see. Yet, amidst the beauty, she couldn't shake off a sense of lurking danger that made her heart tremble slightly and her head throb.
"What's happening to me?"
Iris pinched her glabella to numb the sudden pain. After a while, the pain gradually subsided.
When she opened her eyes again, Iris's gaze fell upon the last customer she served from the cafe—the handsome yet pale man. She observed him and his two friends walking toward a black SUV parked behind the building.
"Who are you? Do you know me?" Iris tried to summon memories of the man, but her efforts yielded no results. She took a deep breath and stared at his back until he reached his car. However, a moment later, a sense of shock engulfed her.
"Damn it!" she swiftly moved to hide behind a wall when the man turned in her direction. "Did he see me?"
Her curiosity appears. However, she chooses to remain hidden.
Frozen with nervousness, Iris remained rooted, afraid that the man might still be watching her. She stood there, waiting anxiously.
However, after a while, as Iris continued to stand, she felt the throbbing pain in her head return. This time, the pain grew stronger and got worse over time. She massaged her forehead to reduce the pain, but she could feel the world around her spun.
"How could I suddenly get vertigo?"
It was strange because she had never felt this pain before.
Struggling, Iris managed to make her way to her bedroom, dragging her feet while desperately grasping onto anything nearby to maintain her balance.
After several arduous minutes, she finally collapsed onto her bed, closing her eyes tightly. She couldn't bear to open them, as doing so only made her feel the world spinning even more.
"Oh God, please," Iris pleaded amidst her sobs, "I need you! Please take this pain away from me, God..." Her tears freely flowed as she cried out in desperation.
Gradually, she felt the pain begin to subside. However, something peculiar occurred. She began to hear a young man's voice echoing in her mind.
...
"Miss Iris Gray, you finally call me," an alluring voice of a young man resonated in her ears.
Startled, Iris jolted upright on her bed, her gaze darting around the room, assuming a defensive posture.
"W-Who are you?" Iris' eyes scanned every corner, finding no one else present besides herself. A chilling thought sent shivers down her spine—could a ghost speak to her in her room?
"Reveal yourself now!" Iris snapped as she rose from the bed, taking cautious steps toward the adjacent wall. She pressed her back against it, her eyes still searching for the source of the voice she heard earlier.
As Iris leaned against the wall, her stern expression gradually softened. At least she felt a sense of security, knowing that no one could approach her from behind.
Despite her capability to defend herself with her bare hands, the thought of having a weapon crossed her mind. She yearned for a gun or a knife, something she could wield to protect herself in such moments.
"Miss Gray, there's no need to be afraid," the voice sounded again, this time more distinct, almost as playful as if the person were mocking her.
'Damn it! Do I hear ghosts after being reborn?' Iris couldn't believe that her second chance at life would resemble a fantasy story—a strange and unbelievable reality.
"Haha, I'm not a ghost!" His laughter echoed in Iris's mind, causing her to realize that this person was communicating with her telepathically.
Instantly, Iris's body tensed up, frozen with disbelief.
'Someone is speaking directly into my mind? And this man can hear my thoughts as well?' Iris gasp.
'Was it all just a dream?' She questioned herself inwardly, hoping to find a rational explanation for the surreal situation unfolding before her.
Confusion enveloped Iris as she struggled to grasp the inexplicable circumstances.
Everything seems even more absurd and confusing.
****
At the same time,
A black SUV was speeding towards the private area of Lonely Forest.
Xavier fell silent, his gaze fixed on the passing scenery. Thoughts of Iris Gray occupied his mind, her recent peculiar behavior troubling him. She seemed completely different compared to the Iris Gray he knew.
Curiosity gnawed at Xavier, tormenting him. He attempted to delve into her thoughts numerous times, but his efforts proved futile. Unlike before, he couldn't effortlessly manipulate her mind, and the once vulnerable Iris Gray would no longer comply with his every command. Today, he had failed!
His last attempt to probe her mind had backfired, causing throbbing pain in his head. A rising fear gripped him; such a phenomenon hadn't occurred in the thousands of years he had wandered this world.
'What is happening to me? Or is it simply that I cannot hear her thoughts?' Xavier pondered. As the car passed by a pedestrian, he attempted to listen to their thoughts and succeeded. 'This is interesting! How can I suddenly not hear that girl's thoughts after her accident?'
While Xavier was still trapped in his thoughts trying to figure out the changes that had happened to Iris, at the same time, Justin also felt confused.
Justin sat silently beside Niles, the driver. Although he sat silently, Justin's mind was chaotic. He reels back when Cassandra asks them not to come to the Gray Cafe. After a while, he mustered the courage to speak to Xavier.
"Milord, why is Granny Gray acting so weird? She has never treated us like that before. She has always shown us respect..." Justin asks, perplexed.
Xavier turned his gaze towards Justin, but no words escaped his lips. He simply shook his head.
Dissatisfied with Xavier's reaction, Justin asked again, "Milord, did you try to read Iris's mind? What happened? Why did that girl attempt to give up on you after a year of pursuing you?"
"I cannot read her mind," Xavier finally spoke.
Justin and Niles were left in shock upon hearing that.
"My Lord, y-you've lost the ability to read people's minds?" Justin gasped, stunned by the news.
"Milord, are you feeling unwell?" Niles expressed his concern even though he was driving. He was genuinely worried, and it appeared in his gaze as he glanced at Xavier through the rearview mirror.
Observing Xavier's somber expression, Niles swiftly redirected his attention back to the road, tightening his grip on the steering wheel and accelerating their speed. They needed to reach their destination promptly to evaluate Xavier's condition.