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2024-11-13 21:34:57
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Let Me Go, Ex Husband!ย ย ย 13
Iris.The hairs on my skin stood still as her ever irritating voice scarred the walls of my eardrum. I could immediately feel bile rising to my throat, sucking all the air from my throat.My eyes darted to Macy and she stared back, shaking apologetically. Showing that she had no idea Tiffany was coming.So this was a set up? I thought to myself. Wonderful.โHello, Tiffany,โ I turned around to meet her gaze, offering her a wide smile. She, and perhaps everyone else in the room could tell it was fake, but I didnโt care. โWhy donโt you join us,โ I gestured to a seat at the corner of the room.โNo, thank you.โ She batted her fake eyelashes, โIโd rather sit beside you.โThe reason as to why she was invited remained uncertain, but those days I let her walk over me like I was some carpet at an ancient temple, was long gone.โOf course.โ I replied. โSisters should stick to each other, shouldnโt they?โ I turned to the other women, and they each gave their nod of approval. Even the one who wou
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2024-11-14Let Me Go, Ex Husband!ย ย ย 14
OrchardI need a fucking drink, I thought to myself as I rubbed my eyes, trying to clear the slight fuzziness. For hours now, I had been in what was my equivalent of a situation room.If I had known this was going to be my situation at the office, I would have stayed in bed longer, drowning myself in the scent of Iris and allowing her soft hair sprawl across my face .Instead, I was stuck with these people who kept repeating the same thing over again, while seeking for my approval.After that meeting ended, I attended a couple of others, with the same process, until I attended the one that finally mattered.My lawyer, head of finance, and other important people in the administration of the hotel had been non-stop pouring over files, muttering to themselves regarding a solution to what was not yet a crisis.At least, that was a bright side, I thought to myself. I pulled Richard aside, tapping on the table and gesturing for him to wheel his chair over to me."The financial problems asid
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2024-11-14Let Me Go, Ex Husband!ย ย ย 15
OrchardI had just finished my last meeting for the day and returned to my office, when I realized I hadnโt spoken to Iris all day, and she hadnโt called me either. Perhaps she had a very busy day as well.I pulled out my phone and called her. At least her voice would serve as some form of respite, an anchor of some sort. She didnโt pick up on the first few rings, causing me to call her again, and then again. It was only then that she finally answered.She didnโt say anything, simply breathing heavily into the phone."Are you okay?" I took the initiative to ask, breaking the tense block of ice that had formed between us through the radio waves.โNo,โ she said in a clipped tone. โFar from it. I woke up this morning to find a message inviting me to lunch. Silly old me thought it was going to be all peaches and cream, all bubblegum and niceness. Instead, here I am, subject to high-school-level bullying from the popular crowd. And guess who showed up?โI couldnโt help myself; curiosity bu
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2024-11-14Let Me Go, Ex Husband!ย ย ย 16
IrisI was nervous. So nervous, in fact, that my vision became blurry, and my heart began to thunder in my chest. Was he going to leave me too? Was he going to ask me for a divorce? What was he going to do?He sucked in a breath as though he was about to say something of seismic proportions, disturbing the balance of the galaxy within me. The butterflies in my belly fluttered so much that I barely felt grounded. Ohhh Orchard, why do you do this to me? I asked myself, my eyes widening so much that my eyebrows nearly merged with my hairline."Dinner," he said. "Would you like to join me for dinner with my family?"I blinked once, then twice, then three times, and just like that, my nerves shattered. The tension broke apart like Humpty Dumpty."Oh," I said in a rather anticlimactic fashion, chuckling nervously. "I donโt know why I got so worked up," I mumbled under my breath, turning my face away from him."Tomorrow evening?" he said, a small smile playing across his lips, almost as if
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2024-11-14Let Me Go, Ex Husband!ย ย ย 17
Iris.โOโOrchardโ I gasped as my gaze met his. โWhat are you doing here?โOrchard stood in the doorway, with only a towel wrapped around his waist. His hair was slightly messy and the hairs on his chest sprawled as his chest heaved.I gasped, unable to stop myself from staring. Orchard looked like a god that had decided to grace the human race with his perfectly sculptured body.I felt my face grow warm, realizing I was staring a bit too long, but I couldnโt seem to stop.A small smirk spread across his face as he leaned against the doorway, watching me with a playful look. โYouโre the one who told me to come join you, Iris,โ he said with a grin and a hint of teasing in it his voice.I opened my mouth to reply but realized I didnโt have a single good excuse. My mind was haywire, and I felt so flustered. My heart was pounding, then I suddenly remembered that I was completely naked. Heat rushed to my cheeks as I quickly crossed my arms over my chest, trying to cover myself up as best as
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2024-11-14Let Me Go, Ex Husband!ย ย ย 18
IrisThe air was so thick I bet I could slice it with a saw, and it would still be hard. Her eyes bored holes into me with a burning intensity that almost made me squirm, but only just a little bit. I wouldnโt give her that satisfaction."I know they come from you," I said. "The rumors. As in, from you practically, and now I'm certain enough to know that you've spoken to reporters." I caught sight of her eyebrow twitching. She suddenly placed the cup of scotch on the table and stood to her feet, towering over me thanks to the obnoxiously high heels she was wearing."And what proof do you have?" she smiled. "If this was a legal thing, then youโd have proof. Except you donโt. Besides, thereโs nothing stopping me from going to a reporter to talk, too."I pulled out my phone at that moment, scrolled through the list of Century News reporters, and found the one I was looking for. Once I clicked on her name and the article linked to her, I turned the phone around and showed it to her."You
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2024-11-15Let Me Go, Ex Husband!ย ย ย 19
IrisI didnโt care that my dad was standing there, I was more focused on how my words affected Tiffany, and briefly glancing at her, I found her face completely pink.Oh, it was a perfect sight, I thought to myself: Tiffanyโs face, utterly embarrassed. Even if I was practically calling a bluff, it was a good bluff nonetheless.By the time I was leaving the building, I simply couldn't help the giddy smile on my face, even to the point where the receptionist I'd encountered before cocked her head at me. It felt good to be on the winning side at least once in a while, I thought as I pushed the door open.Just as I was stepping out onto the street to find my chivalrous driver, I thought to myself that I couldnโt have a worse fate than the one I had nowโright as a red Ferrari pulled up in front of the building, and none other than my ex slid out of the door as if he were the main character of some romantic comedy.Surely he knew exactly what he was doing, I thought, rolling my eyes at the
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2024-11-15Let Me Go, Ex Husband!ย ย ย 20
Iris"Oh God," I mumbled out loud, stopping dead in my tracks, as I took in the sight before me."You good?" Orchard bent to look at me, his worried eyes filling my line of sight. "Youโre going to be fine," he said. "Besides, we've got some things now, don't we?" I wanted to say "yeah," but I knew my father. I knew he wouldn't understand things like this, but still, Iโd give him the benefit of the doubt. I followed as Orchard led me into Tiffany's office. Tiffany initially began to smirk, but as soon as her eyes landed on Orchard behind me, her smirk fell just as quickly as it had appeared. My father turned with surprise on his face. My stepmotherโs reaction was quite comical, too; it was truly a day of comical moments. In their defense, I was surprised as well, I totally hadnโt expected Orchard to show up out of the blue, beat Dave up and request for a family meeting. There had been a crazy turn of events and I still wasnโt sure what the meeting was about."What are you doing here
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2024-11-15
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Let Me Go, Ex Husband!ย ย ย 168
OrchardIris made the most adorable pregnant woman ever. Maybe it was just my sentimentโI would always believe that. Maybe it was still my sentiment to want her to have another baby just because she made the most adorable pregnant woman ever. And perhaps those sentiments couldnโt be shared with her. But when it always came down to the delivery room, I found myself pacing. "Itโs a normal reaction," the nurses said. "Itโs normal," they said eventually. "Why donโt you come hold her hand?" the half-face-covered nurse stretched out a hand. "Are you okay?" I whispered in her ear. "Oh yeah, Iโm amazing," she mumbled. "But sure, if we want to make this mountain out of a molehill, we can. Besides, I already requested an epidural," she rolled her eyes at me. "Maybe youโre just being dramatic," she waved me off. Maybe I was. Maybe I was just shy. After all, it wasnโt every day a man got to witness this perfect being born. "Okay, I feel something," she gripped my hand. The secon
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Orchard Nothing, except the mild silence of the humidifier beside my bed, the steady beeping of the heart monitor, and, of course, the gentle hum of the air conditioner, filled the room. Aside from having to convince my wifeโwell, I wasnโt sure what we were now, but we surely were somethingโconvincing her to go home, take a shower, get dressed, and look prettier the day after was more than enough. The same could apply to Mom. Partly, it was because of the text message I had received from Dad. โIs it all right if I come see you?โ he had texted earlier. โMe telling you no isnโt going to change your mind, so why bother?โ I texted back. And, as they say, speak of the devil, and he shall appear. An hour later, Dad walked into my hospital room as though he owned the placeโwhich was mildly accurate. He was one of those with the largest holdings in the hospital. Or, well, he had some of the largest holdings in the hospital. While he didnโt own it specifically, neither did I, but he d
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IrisHarold couldnโt be fast enough. Or maybe it was the fact that the speed limit was simply too slow, and Harold was dancing just at the edge. Either way, I kept pounding my heel against the floor of the car while biting my lips, and it seemed the buildings were moving apart too slowly. โIโm going as fast as I can, Mrs. Hector,โ Harold said, and turned towards the rearview mirror, his eyes darting towards me. โIโm driving as fast as I can,โ he said again, his eyes meeting mine this time. โWeโll be there soon.โ His eyes crinkled at the edges, smiling at me. He offered little comfort, I thought to myself, as my face strangely cracked into a small smile. โThank you,โ I said, letting out a huff of air and pulling my fingers together, trying to calm them from the shaking earlier. Whoโd have thought talking to the stepmother who effectively bullied you your whole life would cause some form of shakiness? Eventually, we reached the hospital in one pieceโmostly. I bolted straight u
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IrisPerhaps it was not just me but the entire court, but everyone seemed to let out a breath of relief. I caught sight of Karen sitting somewhere at the back of the room.Simply, I got sight of her because I was jittery, my eyes darting all over the place.Perhaps I was so eager to keep my eyes off Dave that I simply couldnโt look at the personโthe wicked personโhe had become. He was so unrecognizable.He was not the man I had known all my life; he was not the man I had fallen in love with. No. Buried far from those things were the sweet smiles he had given me when I was younger and the messages of conviction. *"Youโre the only woman I could ever marry,"* he had said. Well, perhaps that part was true. I was the only one he marriedโbut probably not the only one he could love. No. His love went to other places; his love had a knack for doing that, going to various places. But none of that mattered for the children. At least that chapter was closed. I raised my eyes to the prose
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Irisโ Pov I got the call from the police station. They told me Dave wanted to see me. I didnโt want to go. After everything heโd done, why would I? But then, Orchardโs mum, Halle, said sheโd come with me. I needed her support, so I agreed.When we got to the station, my hands were shaking. Halle held my arm gently, and we walked in together. They led us to the room where Dave was sitting. โIris,โ he said, โyou came.โI didnโt sit down. I just looked at him, feeling all the anger rise inside me. โYou better pray Orchard wakes up,โ I said, โif she doesnโt, youโll regret ever knowing me.โDave smirked. โI donโt care what happens to me. If Orchard dies, Iโm justified.โI couldnโt believe what I was hearing. Justified? For what? Before I could say anything else, Halle held me.โThereโs no use talking to a man like him,โ heโs lost his mind. Letโs go, Iris.โJust as we turned to leave, a cop walked into the room. He had a file in his hand and a serious look on his face.โWe found new evide
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Irisโ PovI sat in the cold, hard chair outside the operating room, my breaths were shallow and uneven. It felt like I had been holding my breath the entire time.Orchard was in there, fighting for his life. The doctors had rushed him in as soon as we arrived at the hospital, I wanted to believe he would make it, but the blood, there had been so much blood. I couldnโt stop seeing it.My hands wouldnโt stop shaking. I joined them together, pressing them tightly against my lap, trying to steady them, but it didnโt work. My clothes still smelled like blood and sweat, and I hated it.โIris,โ a soft voice said beside me.I looked up to see Orchardโs mother. I had called her as soon as I arrived. She placed a hand on my shoulder.โHeโs strong,โ she said, though her voice cracked. โHeโs going to make it.โI nodded, but I couldnโt speak. I couldnโt find any words.The hallway was too quiet, the kind of silence that only made things worse. Every time the doors to the operating room swung open,
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Daveโs Pov The sound of the gunshot still rang in my ears as I stumbled back, my breath coming in short, ragged gasps. The scene before me felt surreal, like something out of a nightmare I couldnโt wake up from. Orchard was on the floor, blood spreading around him like a dark, growing shadow. Iris knelt beside him, screaming his name, her hands pressed desperately against his chest as if she could stop the life from slipping out of him. โOrchard! Stay with me! Please!โ she sobbed, tears streaming down her face. Her voice was filled with panic, raw and heart-wrenching. And I just stood there, frozen. My hand was still gripping the gun, my knuckles white. I couldnโt move, couldnโt think. All I could do was stare at the chaos I had caused. What have I done? The question repeated over and over in my mind, but I couldnโt find an answer. I hadnโt planned for this to happen, not like this. I just wanted to scare them, to make them pay attention, to make her listen to me. But nowโฆ
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Irisโ Pov The gun pressed against my head was a constant reminder of how close I was to disaster. I could see the anger in Daveโs eyes, the wild, unpredictable rage that told me he wasnโt bluffing. He was mad enough to do anything. The memory of the day he shot my stepsister, suddenly hit me. The look on his face then was the same as now. No hesitation, no regret. Just pure fury.I knew better than to argue with him. If I made one wrong move, one wrong word, this could end horribly. I forced myself to take a shaky breath, trying to calm the panic that threatened to overwhelm me.โDave,โplease, letโs not do this. Name your price. Whatever you want, weโll do it. Justโฆ just let us go.โFor a moment, he didnโt say anything. He just stared at me, his grip on the gun tightening and loosening, like he was considering his options.Then he laughed, a bitter, hollow sound that made my stomach twist. โName my price?โ he said mockingly. โItโs too late for that, Iris. Donโt you get it? Thereโs n
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Irisโ Pov My body stirred, waking me from a restless dream. At first, I didnโt understand why I woke up, but then I felt a familiar discomfort in my stomach.I sighed quietly and got out of bed, careful not to wake Orchard. The room was dark, lit only by the faint light of the moon that filtered through the curtains. I paused for a moment, listening to his steady breathing, and then padded softly toward the bathroom.The bathroom tiles were cold under my bare feet, and I shivered slightly as I finished and washed my hands. I thought I would just crawl back into bed and try to sleep again, but as I stepped out of the bathroom, I realized how dry my throat felt. My mouth felt like sandpaper, and my lips were cracked.โI need some water,โ I murmured to myself, my voice barely above a whisper.The thought of going downstairs in the middle of the night wasnโt appealing, but I knew I wouldnโt be able to sleep if I didnโt quench my thirst. So, I turned toward the stairs, walking as quietly
