California
Shawn walked up the stone steps to the hall, black boots landing silently. What he feared these days had finally arrived. Today he would see his fiancee Rebecca for the first time since his twelfth birthday. Although her family farm is connected to the "Northern Paradise", Shawn has never met Rebecca because she returned to Spain with her mother when she was a child. But he knew her father well. Now, at last, they were going to meet again.
And soon to be married. Shawn was not particularly keen on such a marriage. What if his bride was ugly? Or worse, boring? But the Spanish tradition runs deep in Shawn 's blood. He may not like the wife who rules the house for him, but he will marry her. His grandfather had taught him from an early age that the Shawn must act according to their status and the expectations of society.
Walking to the door of his grandfather's study, Shawn heard his grandfather apologizing to the guests because his daughter-in-law and granddaughter had gone to a distant church and would not be back until later in the day. 'If they had known you were coming today, they would stayed home,' Longso said.
Shawn sighed silently, wishing he had gone with his mother and sister. He opened the door and the first thing he saw was his grandfather. Longso was seventy years old and in poor health, but his eyes were still sharp and bright.
There were four other people in the room, two of whom he knew were the Cui family, and he greeted them politely first. Cui and his wife were both plain-looking and although they were rich people, they did not have any decency. When they saw Shawn standing in front of them like a God, they were three points shorter in manner, and they talked hesitantly as if they were Shawn's servants.
Shawn sighed secretly again, hoping that their daughter would not be so unfashionable. He turned his head just in time to meet a pair of eyes that were also looking at him. They belonged to a tall girl, very beautiful, with the kind of eyes that would turn everyone upside down at a ball. Shawn put down a stone in his heart first, that his fiancee was not ugly, and he smiled at her after the first count.
Standing next to that girl was another girl. Shawn knew at a glance that she couldn't be Rebecca. She was too small. She was barely at her sister's shoulder height, small and pale, and looked more like her mother. The little girl, however, had soft eyes that were quite different from her sister's. He saw a deep sadness in her eyes and suddenly felt sorry for her. The two sisters wore the same clothes, which made the older one more talented and the younger one less. He did not find it is funny at all, only irritating.
Longso saw his grandson, leaning on his cane. He stood up trembling. "Come here, Shawn. I want you to meet someone you've been thinking about for a long time. Miss Rebecca, your fiancee."
Shawn stepped forward, took Rebecca's hand, and saluted graciously. He felt her squeeze his hand, her eyes fixed on him once more unscrupulously. She might be pretty, but her watery eyes were uneasy as if they were about to seduce.
Rebecca smiled and wished Shawn would take her in his arms right now. How lucky she was! She had been a little reluctant about the marriage, for fear that her fiance would be too ugly. Had it not been for the fact that Shawn's family is the richest man in the region, she would have forced her parents to call off the marriage.
Who knew she was so lucky!Shawn was the most handsome man she had ever seen, proud, honorable, and with a smile that would win the heart of every young girl. When his dark eyes swept over her, she even got goose bumps.
"We meet at last, Miss Rebecca," said Shawn politely.
Rebecca lowered her eyes and pretended to be bashful. "Yes, we meet at last,"she said softly. "My father writes about you so often that everyone in Spain knows your name."
Shawn nodded but said nothing. The net was down, and there was no escape. The thought of spending the rest of his life with Rebecca suddenly gave him a feeling of disgust. Why disgust, he wondered? She was beautiful, well-behaved, and matched for him. What more could he ask for? Why did the look in her eyes make him shudder, why did the thought of touching her make his skin tighten all over him as if she were a snake?
Longso cleared his throat and smiled kindly to Cui's little daughter. "Shawn, meet the second miss of the Cui family, Ena."
Shawn took her hand sincerely and smiled warmly. "It's a pleasure to meet you, miss." This time he meant what he said. The little girl had sad eyes that touched his heart, and he felt a brotherly desire to protect her.
When the others started talking, Shawn's mind wandered somewhere. It wasn't until he noticed his grandfather's reproachful eyes that Shawn realized he had lost his touch. "Rebecca asked if you'd like to show her the garden, Shawn." Longso reminded him disapprovingly.
"It would be my pleasure, Miss Rebecca." He could only reply politely.
Rebecca folded up her fan and hit her sister on the head. 'Ena must go with us,' she said shyly. There were strict rules in large families. A young girl was never to be alone with a boy, not even her fiancee, as Shawn knew.
"Of course, please come with me," Shawn said. Shawn opened the door and motioned for the ladies to follow him. He was quite glad to have Ena's company. It was much more interesting than being alone with Rebecca.
The garden of "Northern Paradise" is full of exotic flowers, and flowers in four seasons, and the garden design style is elegant. Amid the flowers, everyone will feel relaxed and happy.
"What a beautiful garden! "cried Rebecca, turning round in a circle on the wide grass. This was especially for Shawn, who was not as interested in vegetation as she was in Shawn.
Ena, however, sat quietly in the marble armchair, for she was so small that her feet could not touch the ground, and she swayed in the air, and Shawn looked at her with sympathy.
Ena looked on coldly as her sister tried again to charm her fiance. Ena had seen her sister play too many times, and each time she had the man she wanted spellbound. In Spain, Rebecca is known as a beautiful woman, who has fallen under the spell of many men.
I wonder if Shawn will be charmed by her, thought Ena, glancing towards him and meeting his gentle gaze upon her. Then he did a very strange thing. He picked a violet and gave it to her.
"A beautiful flower fades easily, but a beautiful heart never dies." Said Shawn.
Ena stared at him, not knowing what to say. He had just read two of her favorite lines. In addition, to being strangely handsome, the man had a different personality. The men who had courted her sister had never given her the slightest thought, but Shawn was so considerate that she did not want him to fall into Rebecca's trap.
Rebecca swept up her fan. 'People thought you were going to marry my sister, Shawn.' 'she said coldly. 'Perhaps you think my sister is prettier than me?' 'she said viciously.
Shawn couldn't hide his surprise and looked at her as if she were a monster. He could not imagine why Rebecca had been so cruel to her sister. Was Ena not pitiful enough? Ena reminded him of his sister Eea, whom the whole family had held in their hands and cherished since childhood. The pale little girl was so unlucky by comparison that he smiled at her and raised her little hand to kiss her. "I find your sister more attractive in her inner beauty, Miss Rebecca, and I am glad to be her friend."
When Rebecca saw her sister smiling, she was even more furious. But she remembered that she was a guest and should not be too arrogant, so she just smiled and let the matter go. 'Are we going to live here when we get married? 'she asked sweetly, pretending to be ashamed.
''Of course, the west wing of the house belongs to the eldest grandson. Next time you come, I'll show you around. Perhaps you'd like to redecorate it. "
"Why don't we live in the main house?" asked Rebecca.
"Because my grandfather is the head of the family, he lives in the main house."
Shawn was polite and to the point, but Rebecca sensed that he was not as attracted to her as the other men. "I'm sure the west wing is beautiful," she said,giving him an unintentional look. "Does this garden lead to our side room, too? "she put a particular emphasis on us.
"Yes, from here to the right, above that fountain is the balcony of the master bedroom, which has a stepped garden."
"Can't we just go and see it now? "said Rebecca coquely. She wanted to spend more time with her fiance and make him fall in love with her. For some reason, she had the feeling that Shawn didn't like her. She had had many affairs in Spain, but she believed Shawn couldn't have known. But there was no guarantee. If he heard anything about it, he would be in trouble.
Shawn felt that his patience had run out, and he just wanted to get rid of Rebecca early. Knowing that his grandfather would scold him later for being rude, it was better than being with Rebecca. "I'm very sorry, Miss Rebecca, but I must go now. I promised my mother I'd come to church and fetch her. "
"You're going away? "She pouts.
"I'm sorry,I can't . It must be dark by the time my mother and sister get home, and I can't leave them alone. "
"Is there any danger on the road? "Rebecca did not want to give up.
"Probably, this morning, a servant reported that he had spotted the tracks of a bear."
Shawn's grand words were, in fact, excuses. He had promised his mother, but he didn't have to go so early.
Rebecca saw that he did not move, and his face collapsed. We just met, me?
'I have so much to ask you! You would rather be with your mother than with her.'
Shawn shrugged unfazed. 'I'm sorry. Shall I accompany you back to the house now? "
"No, I want to stay in the garden,"said Miss Rebecca in a temper. "You like my sister better, so send her in alone."
Shawn laughed unfazed and winked at Ena. "You'll stay for dinner, won't you? I'll see you then! " He nodded and went off dribbling.
Rebecca was terrified on the spot and had a cavity complaint nowhere to vent. Turning around, she saw a hateful smile on Ena's lips, clearly mocking her failure. Furious, Eebecca snatched the flower from Ena's hand, broke it in half, threw it on the floor, and stepped on it again.
"Do you think that just because he gives you a flower, it means he is in love with you? You are an ugly duckling!" "She said acidly. "I don't look at myself in the mirror. He only feels sorry for you, don't get me wrong, you ugly creature! "
Ena, accustomed to being scolded, was not particularly sad but felt a strange sense of triumph. "No! I mean no wrong thing. " She said quietly, looking at the petals on the ground where her sister had trampled them, and added to herself, "I know he sympathizes with me, but his sympathy is not malicious. I think he looks at me with his heart, just as he looks at you with his heart. One day, he will see through you. Don't get me wrong it should be you, sister."