Celine Becky
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I opened my mouth to defend Irina, wanting to explain to Ezra that maybe—just maybe—people can change. But before I could speak, I heard the soft crunch of boots on the gravel path. I looked up to see Noah coming toward us, his eyes narrowing slightly as he glanced between Ezra and me.
"What are you doing in the garden?" Noah asked, his tone calm but curious, his blue eyes locked on me.
Ezra didn't answer, and I quickly stepped toward Noah, trying to create more distance between Ezra and me. The last thing I wanted was for this situation to escalate into something awkward. "I... I was just helping in the garden," I said quickly, my voice soft. "I wanted to see if you needed anything." As a maid, it was my duty to serve, after all.
Ezra stood there, watching the exchange with his usual cold detachment. He didn't look jealous—he never did. That was something I knew well about him. But his presence still made me uneasy, especially when I thought about what he had just said about Irina. I was starting to feel overwhelmed, my thoughts running wild.
As I walked alongside Noah, I found myself blurting out, "Noah... what do you think about Irina?"
Noah raised an eyebrow at my question, his expression darkening almost instantly. "Irina?" he repeated, his tone laced with disdain. "She's manipulative, obsessed with herself, and a danger to everyone around her. She's never been anything but a twisted, crazy girl." His words were sharp, like knives cutting through the air. "She's obsessed with me, and she always will be. She's your torture, Celine. And she'll never stop being that."
Hate flickered in his eyes as he spoke about her. I could tell he meant every word. Noah had never hidden his dislike for Irina—he made it known to anyone who would listen. My heart sank a little as I listened, but I couldn't help but ask, "Why do you hate her so much?"
Noah glanced down at me, his frown deepening. "Why are you suddenly asking about her?" he asked, his voice sharp with suspicion.
I hesitated for a moment, unsure how to explain. "It's just... she's been acting different lately. She's not the same as before," I said, trying to find the right words. "She's... better. Kinder."
Noah scoffed, a bitter smile curling on his lips. "She's fooling everyone. Don't fall for it, Celine. She's playing a game, just like she always has. That's what Irina does—she manipulates."
I wanted to believe Noah. I really did. But something inside me couldn't shake the feeling that Irina had genuinely changed. She hadn't lashed out at me in days, and even though I knew her history, I couldn't help but wonder if this new version of her was real.
Noah was right, though—I'd be foolish to let my guard down. And yet... a part of me still wanted to believe in the possibility of change. I couldn't explain it, but Irina didn't seem like the monster she once was. Not anymore. Maybe people could change, even people like her.
But that didn't mean I could ignore what Noah and Ezra had said. I had to be careful.
"Irina Helgrave..." I paused, catching myself, "No, Irina Everhart... even though she was once my enemy, I still believe she can be better." My voice was barely above a whisper now. I didn't want Noah to hear the doubt in my tone.
The truth was, even though Irina had treated me cruelly in the past, I couldn't bring myself to completely shut her out. Maybe it was foolish—maybe I was just naive—but something told me that she wasn't the same person she used to be. Even if it had to do with her relationship with Ezra, even if Irina had once been jealous and spiteful, there was a part of me that wanted to believe she could change.
But there was another truth, one I didn't like to admit. Irina wasn't just jealous of me. Her hatred seemed to deepen when I got close to Noah. I had never realized it before, but I could see it now. That was when things between us started to spiral out of control. It was when she started treating me even worse.
Irina hated me because of Noah.
And I hated how that truth made everything more complicated.