Iris sat on the edge of her seat, her attention divided between Paul's animated storytelling and the door leading to the adjacent room. Paul was recounting tales of his adventures abroad.As Paul spoke passionately about his travels, Iris found herself unable to fully immerse herself in his stories. Her eyes kept darting towards the connecting door, her mind consumed by thoughts of what could be happening on the other side."Iris, are you listening?" Paul's voice broke through her thoughts, pulling her back to the present moment."Sorry, Paul," Iris replied, offering him a sheepish smile. "I'm just a bit distracted. Your stories are fascinating, though."Paul chuckled, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "Well, I'm glad you think so. But is something on your mind?" Iris shook her head, trying to shake off the lingering thoughts.Iris hesitated, unsure whether to voice her concerns. But the longer she remained silent, the more her worry gnawed at her. "It's just... I can't help but wond
IRIS"Well, here goes nothing."I took a deep breath, shut my eyes and hit the plastic piggy bank sharply with a small hammer. I opened one eye, then the other."Holy crow!" I cried as I spread out the bills on the kitchen counter.There was money here. Lots of it. How had I ever managed to save so much money in just under a year? I glanced at the clock. It was still hours before Ollie was due home, but what was that saying again?Time flies when you're having fun.And I was going to have a lot of fun buying my husband the best, most expensive wedding anniversary gift I had ever given him. I spent the next fifteen minutes straightening out the bills and counting them. As soon as I finished, I changed and headed straight for the most renowned jewellery store in the city. From the store's window, one could see the pieces they had on display, sitting on soft velvet cushions. I had window-shopped here more times than I could count. Now I actually had enough money to buy something.Getting
CARTER"Carter? Are you still there?"My grandmother's high-toned, querulous voice came floating over the phone."Yes, Grandma," I said. "I'm here."I had gone over to the little calendar kept on my desk. I ran my fingers along the dates twice to be sure. I wasn't mistaken. Today was a Friday. Every Friday evening, without fail, my grandmother went out with several of her friends to play bingo. Grandma was a creature of habit. So, what on earth had changed her routine? Why was she demanding to see me on a Friday? What was so important and urgent enough to disrupt her routine? And most importantly, what did I have to do with it?"I'm here," I said again."Then you heard what I said?""I did.""Good. Remember, this evening.""You're feeling well?" I asked.It had just occurred to me that perhaps something was wrong with her health, although her voice was as strong as ever."Of course I am. What else do I pay those overpriced doctors for? Don't keep me waiting, Carter."She rang off. I w
IRISWith a scowl, I shifted on the barstool and resumed contemplating my drink. Was I on the tenth or twelfth glass now? I couldn't remember. I didn't care either. I just wanted to get drunk enough to forget why I had come here in the first place. I threw back my head, gulped the drink, shuddered as it hit the spot and poured another.I stared right into the depths of the amber liquid in my glass and wished that I could somehow drown myself in it. Thoughts of ending it have been creeping up on me lately. Oblivion had to be better than this gut-wrenching pain I had to live with daily, right?"Hi, baby. Can I buy you a drink?" said a voice beside me.I squinted at the stranger as I tried to bring him into focus. He was tall, dark and wearing a peaked cap that obscured most of his features."No thanks," I said.He sat beside me and draped his arms around the back of my chair."Okay then. So what's a pretty woman like you doing alone at a club?"I shrugged. "I'm just having a night out."
CARTER"I have done what you asked," I said.Grandma Martha raised a brow. She took a bite of toast before she asked, "And what is that?""Getting a wife, of course. I have finally found the woman I intend to settle down with. I'm getting married to her in four days."She choked on her cup of coffee, spluttered and had a protracted coughing fit."Easy now," I murmured.The maid who had just served her tea immediately darted forward. She poured my grandmother a glass of water, dropped it in front of her and hovered uncertainty, her hands fluttering helplessly over Grandma Martha, who eventually twisted her fingers impatiently in her direction and shooed her away."You- what did you just say?" she said in a voice made hoarse by the coughing.I glanced at the glass of water at her elbow. "Maybe you should take that first before-""I'm fine. I'm fine. Did you just say you're getting married?""Yes.""In four days?""Yes."We sat in silence for a second, two, three. The corners of her mout
Iris could feel the cold stare from Ollie across the table. She instantly got cold feet about the whole idea, making her question the decision to marry Carter. What if Grandma Martha wouldn’t bless their union? Would she think of her as a whore instead? "Was it a wise decision?" A voice in her head questioned.Her mind raced with thousands of questions and unsettling thoughts about what people would say about her, a woman who had divorced her ex-husband and was now marrying his cousin.Feeling her unease, Carter softly ran his fingers over her arms, still within his grasp. Placing his hands on the small of her back, he guided her towards the dinner table with a reassuring touch.“Iris darling come sit beside me," Grandma Martha called for her in a sweet voice. Iris immediately felt intimidated by Grandma Martha and the wealth around her as she took the seat next to her. She was dressed in an expensive lace garment that fit perfectly. Her tennis bracelet twinkled under the grand cha
Iris couldn't still believe that she would marry Carter only after some days of meeting him. It felt surreal, like something out of a fairytale. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, savouring the moment before the whirlwind of the day ahead. "Don't worry, I’ll personally take care of every detail of the wedding," Carter reassured her. Those were indeed some piece of nerve soothing words to hear."Seriously?" She had whispered, unsure if he meant those words, her pupils dilating in genuine appreciation. Carter's eyes softened as he reached out to gently cup Iris's hand in his own, his touch a comforting anchor amidst the storm of uncertainty swirling around her."Absolutely," he replied, his voice filled with sincerity and determination. "I meant every word”.Iris's heart fluttered at the genuine warmth in Carter's words, a flicker of hope igniting within her. She searched his eyes, seeking reassurance in their depths, and found nothing but unwavering sincerity staring back a
Carter cleared his throat, his expression serious as he laid out the terms of their contract marriage."Alright, Iris, let's go over the ground rules," he began, his tone businesslike."First and foremost, no emotional attachments. This is strictly a business arrangement." "And if you break that rule, the consequences will be severe." Carter's eyes bore into hers, emphasising the seriousness of his warning. "We both have too much at stake to let feelings get in the way.""And remember, emotions have no place in this partnership."Iris couldn't help but chuckle at the irony of it all, knowing that their emotions were already tangled up in this mess."No emotional attachments? That's rich," she remarked, a wry smile playing on her lips as she met Carter's gaze."Considering we're about to pretend to be a married couple."Carter raised an eyebrow, his lip twitching in amusement. "Yes, well, we can't let our personal feelings get in the way of our professional agreement," he replied, h