"Hey, Ella. Can I ask you something, if you don't mind?"

Iris asked, in a soft voice. She and Ella had shopped the rest of the evening. They had bought their heels and all that was left was Ella's earrings.

"Sure. Although I think we are way past the point of having such formality that you need permission to ask something."

Ella gave a slight chuckle, showing Iris a pair of pearl earrings at which Iris shakes her head, making Ella look for something else.

"Lucy....and even Luke....."

Iris hesitated, she was figuring out how to talk to her about something that had bothered her. They both were nice...but with the way they smiled at her, it made her feel as if they're hiding something from her or that they're too excited. Even if they are excited, just what are they so merry about?

"What about them?"

Ella showed Iris another pair of earring, this one being light with little pink flower hanging from the loop.

"I think they're hiding something. They both give me this weird aura that I can't seem to shake. I know dad told me to trust Lucy....but people can change right? Dad, has been gone for a long time now and anything could have happened in between. Most of the people who dad knew turned against him when he found the USB, just to save their own reputations. Also, this George guy, even though Logan said I could trust George if I trust him, which I do because Logan does not act weird like Lucy. Believe me, I really do but I need to know, to have some proof that I can trust that old man. As for Lucy and Luke, I really want to trust them as well because they're the only people I have that can help me....."

Iris blurted out, taking a sharp deep breath after expressing all her concerns

"Oh, Iris. I know how you feel and why you feel that way. I also felt the same when I was offered to join. I joined because of you, and I wanted to make sure if these people were really protecting you or not. And I have been with them for six months now, and I have never felt a single doubt. Trust me, after spending a little more time with them you will find out how good they are, and it will all feel like home to you. Don't worry, I am with you at every step on the way."

Ella gave an assuring smile, and then pulled out two pairs of earring,

"Which one?"

"That one, it matches well with your dress."

Iris pointed to the left one

"I know right! Be right back. And don't worry. If you feel Lucy and Luke are hiding something, then I felt it too. Although I think they're planning a surprise welcome party for you."

Ella left towards the cashier to pay for her earrings

"A surprise welcome party?......I don't really need one though....but is that really it? Speaking of which, I never said they were not good, I just said I was a bit suspicious..."

Iris muttered to herself out loud. But she decided not to dwell too much upon it because tomorrow is her only sister's wedding in the afternoon and she should enjoy it to the fullest. Although she still has to go for her two-hour training class in the morning. Their teacher Sir Nate, does not allow anyone to be late. Which is what he made clear the very first day by punishing the guy who came late, making him squat for the two hours straight, while holding weights. The guy's legs had started shaking after a while. Poor him.

The Next Day

"What in the-"

Iris's mouth was full open when she saw the people whom Ava, her sister introduced to her as her husband's sister.

"Hi."

Lucy stood with the widest grin, knowing full well that Iris did not know that she was Liam's sister.

A few hours ago

"Hey, Ava! You ready?"

Ava heard her little sister's voice from the other side of the door. She was all dressed up in her white wedding gown that reached the floor, with a tiny tail. Her veil was of medium length, reaching her back, just about her hips.

She tells her sister to come in when her eyes fell on the flower at one corner. It was a single white tulip with a card attached to it. On the card, it was imprinted CONGRATULATIONS. Ava's eyes went round at this even though it was a wedding and there were tons of flowers given to her and given the fact that white tulips were her favourite it must be no surprise to see that flower here. But that specific flower, reminded her of her father. When he was still alive, they both had planted white tulips in their backyard together and he would give her a single white tulip each year on her birthday as per her request. After her father died, she stopped receiving anymore white tulips. Even though her husband to be knows about them being her favourite, he never bought them for her because she told him not to. When her father left them, she was filled with anger and hurt, Ava did not want to see or hear anything even remotely related to her now deceased dad. His death made her even more cold towards the topic.

"Woah, you look beautiful."

Iris complimented the bride making her come back into reality.

"....thank you...."

She muttered a small monotone reply without looking at her. Her eyes were fixated on that one flower. Who put it there? How did it even got here? Her gaze then averted towards her bridesmaid. Her light pink short gown, with net design on top, made her sister look beautiful like a doll. It couldn't be, could it? Ava pondered, narrowing her eyes at Iris.

"What's wrong?"

Iris looked at her troubled sister whose expressions changed into anger suddenly.

"What's wrong? I should ask you that. What is the meaning of this? Are you trying to play a prank on me? You know full well how much I hate this!"

Ava throws the flower at the surprised Iris who bends down to pick it up.

"Ava....I didn't send this..."

Iris tried to calm her sister down

"Stop lying. Just throw it away, now. I haven't got time for this."

Ava turns around to check her makeup once again in the mirror

Iris clutches the stem of the flower tightly. She knew how much Ava loved these and her dad would always buy them for her. She never understood why Ava started hating their father so suddenly and would overreact about it. If only she knew that he was still alive and he left to protect us. Maybe Liam got it for her, she looked down at the pretty pitiful flower in the dustbin which she regretted throwing away. No, Liam wouldn't write congratulations on it...who else could it? She thought and then it hit her. It must be Mom! She is the only one left who knows about it and maybe it was her way of telling Ava that dad's watching over her.

"Iris! Where are you? It's time for the ceremony."

Iris heard Ella call out to her. She took a last glance at Ava who was facing the other side and mumbled softly,

"Just so you know, it wasn't me."

She then went outside. Since she was a bridesmaid she had to walk down the aisle first. Iris looked happily over her mother sitting among the guests and she moved her gaze around. But her eyes went round when she saw familiar faces sitting at the groom's side, smiling and grinning at her.

"You have got to me kidding me...."

She muttered out loud. The guy next to her asked,

"Excuse me?"

"Ah sorry, its nothing."

She gave a half-smile, her gaze still fixated on those people. Why didn't this occur to me first? Liam's last name is Hill. Of course they would be relatives. When she heard the name Hill, she figured there would be tons of families out there, sharing the same last name but she never in a million years expected this to happen. Do they all know that it's her sister's wedding? Maybe they don't because otherwise they would've mentioned it before, right? Now she really wished she should've gone to those family gatherings instead of skipping them because then she wouldn't be so shocked now.

After the ceremony, Ava introduced Iris to her husband's family. The sister being Lucy and the nephew being Luke.

Iris had turned into a stone cold statue.

"Iris, what's wrong?"

"Umm.....I have to go...do....something....it was nice to meet you."

She spoke the last words with speed and ran away with Ella and Luke following after her.

"What's wrong with her, I wonder?"

Ava looked at her confused sister walking away.

"Iris wait!"

Ella called out to her, making her stop and turn around

"Did you know about this?"

Ella shook her head. Iris then glares at Luke, waiting for his response who nods in return.

"Lucy and I did know and she told me to keep quiet because she thought it would be fun...."

Luke explained grinning shyly

"That explains why you both have acted weirdly....oh! Is Liam also part of The Mercurial? Is he really just a university professor?"

Iris questioned, worrying about whether her sister knows about them or not

"Well....Uncle Liam did used to part of us. He was head of the tech team but he quit to teach at the university a few years ago."

Luke shrugged

"So does my sister know about him? And about you and Lucy?"

"I don't know....you have to ask her that although what I do know is that she doesn't know about you being a part of us."

Luke was becoming nervous due to Iris's constant glaring

"Damnit....."

Iris muttered and gritted her teeth

"Hey....us being part of The Mercurial and even if Uncle Liam were to be a part of it....is it really such a bad thing?"

Luke inquired. He didn't like how Iris acted like it was such a big deal. They weren't bad people like the other's at the organisation and Iris knew that well enough.

"It isn't....I'm sorry about acting like this but it really is such a surprise to me...you guys should've told me this before....I am gonna go find my mom. See you guys later."

Iris went off to find her mother because she wanted to know if they knew about them. And if they were okay with all of this considering how she tried to keep them away for so many years.

"Mom! There you are. I've been looking all over for you."

Iris walked up to her mom who was sitting and talking to a middle-aged woman in a wheelchair. That woman gave off such an elegant vibe, she truly was full of grace. Next to her was a man, her husband, who had a stern look on his face contrasting with his wife's gentle smile.

"Iris, what's wrong?"

Victoria looked up to her daughter who went quiet at seeing the guests. Perhaps she wanted to talk alone.

"I just wanted to talk to you about something.."

She replied in a low tone

"Sure. But first meet Mr. and Mrs. Wilson. You remember them, right? They're both very good friends of me and your father."

"Yes, I do remember them a bit. Nice to meet you two."

Iris gave a gentle soft smile, which was met with that same sweetness by the couple of infront of her. When she first heard the world Wilson, Logan whose last name was also Wilson, came to her mind. But she pushed that thought away on the basis that having a same last must be a coincidence.

"Nice to meet you too, dear. You look rather lovely today. Doesn't she?"

The woman turned to her husband, Mr. Wilson, who smiled softly and nodded,

"Yes, she does. She has grown up so much. Last I saw her she was a little girl in pigtail running around and talking endlessly."

Iris smiled politely in return. They both were very close with her parents and would often hangout even thought she met them rarely. She was more focused on talking to her mother who noticed her eagerness and excused herself for a moment.

"What is it?"

She inquired

Iris told her everything and asked whether they or Ava knew about it or not.

Victoria lowered her gaze and replied

"....we do....we both do know about this."