IrisI felt like a fool. I felt like I had no idea how these things worked. It was my first day, and I had successfully made a fool of myself, made myself look like a slacker, and most importantly, I did not have their respect. I stood to my feet, walked over to the head of the table, and slammed my hand down. At least, I did in my mind. Instead, I settled on walking outside the conference room and going over to the front desk where Sophie sat undisturbed. "Sophie," I called as I placed a hand on her desk. "I can fire you," I said. "Yes, this is my first day, but so far, you have done nothing but infuriate me and completely lose all form of communication with me. We seem not to understand a dynamic here. You’re my PA," I said. "Mine." I placed the hand from the desk onto my chest. "You’re going to open my email, you’re going to send me the password, I’m going to log in, and then you’re going to go in front of the heads of the departments and apologize to them for wasting their t
Iris"They’ll tender the apologies in person," I said. "Very good. I have to finish this. You can go." "Oh, and when you’re coming back later on, get me some lunch. Pasta, something creamy, something with a fuck-ton of meat. And, I don’t know—" I shrugged. "Water, I guess." All the while, I kept my eyes focused on the screen. Eventually, when Sophie came back, I found myself hungry enough to appreciate the meal she brought. After a quick lunch break, I went back to work, and sooner rather than later, three o’clock came. "I’m sure it was the nerves," Macy said once I had taken my seat. "I normally would never talk like that to anybody ahead of me, and perhaps I was just thinking you were a nepo baby.""Even if I am," I said, drumming my fingers on the table and noticing just how still and quiet the room had become, almost as though it was holding its breath. "Even if I am, it does not give you cause to talk to me like that, Macy. Believe it or not, I’m your new boss. Even if yo
Iris’ Pov "How dare you!" Tiffany pulled my arm backward. "You can’t keep me out," she said. “I’m the CEO of T.M corp, you can’t treat me like I’m some random stranger, trespassing.”"Oh, but I can." I stepped away from her, feeling suddenly suffocated by her strong perfume. "I can do that. It’s my building; it’s my office. You’re not welcome here. Get out," I said. “Who the hell do you think you are, Iris ? Telling me what I can and can’t do. Or have you forgotten, the reason why you’re with Orchard in the first place is because I made it possible.” My hand immediately collided with her face. At least, in my thoughts they did. I couldn’t believe she just admitted she was a back stabbing bitch and had no shame in doing so. “Look, Tiffany, I’m only being patient because of dad. Respect yourself and leave.”“Why don’t you make me?” She snickered. "You know what? Don’t make a fool of yourself any longer. And if you want to stay for a couple of minutes, you can. Go ahead, look aro
Dave I woke up that morning to the sound of movement. My eyes opened slowly, adjusting to the faint light that seeped through the curtains. The air felt heavy, and the room was still except for the quiet rustling near the closet.My eyes darted across the room, until they landed on Tiffany. She stood with her back to me, sliding her arms into a jacket. Her dark hair fell across her shoulders, but her stiff posture spoke louder than any words. It was clear she didn’t want to be here any longer than necessary.I sat up, running a hand over my face to shake off the sleep. My voice was groggy, but I asked, “Where are you going?”She didn’t answer. She grabbed her bag, moving like I wasn’t even in the room. That was Tiffany for you. She becomes a completely different person when she’s mad.“Did you hear me?” I tried again, louder this time.She stopped then turned to face me as her hand hovered over the door handle. Without turning fully, she said, “Mind your own business, Dave.” Her voic
Dave The car hummed quietly as I drove, my grip on the steering wheel tight enough to make my knuckles pale. My palms were slick with sweat, but I didn’t dare ease my grip. The road stretched ahead, the streets were empty and dull under the gray sky. A cold knot of dread sat in my stomach, twisting tighter with every mile I drove. The closer I got to his mansion, the more I dreaded going there.Whenever my father summoned me like this, it was never good news. Not once. And with everything that had been happening lately, I couldn’t help but feel uneasy. My thoughts ran in circles, trying to guess what this meeting might be about.The towering gates of my father’s mansion soon came into view. I slowed the car as the gates opened automatically, making no sound.Even though I’d been here countless times, the place never felt like home. It was a fortress, my father’s domain, not mine.Parking the car, I stepped out, the crunch of gravel under my shoes echoed as I made my way to the house
Iris I was sprawled across the couch, a warm blanket over my legs, a pack of popcorn in my lap, and my favorite romantic movie playing on the TV. The soft glow from the screen filled the room as I sank deeper into the cushions, feeling perfectly cozy.I decided there would be no calls, no interruptions. I had even turned off my cellphone, leaving only the house phone on in case Orchard needed to reach me. He was the only exception to my “no disturbances” rule.As the movie started, I tossed a handful of popcorn into my mouth and smiled at the opening scene. It was cheesy, predictable, and overly dramatic—exactly what I needed. The lead characters met by chance in a bustling city, bumping into each other on a rainy day. I had seen it at least a dozen times before, but it never got old.I laughed softly at a particularly over-the-top line from the male lead. “I would cross oceans for you,” he said with such intensity that I couldn’t help but roll my eyes. Yet, a part of me secretly lo
OrchardThe stack of papers on my desk was enough to bury me alive. Each document demanded my full attention—contracts to sign, reports to review, and decisions to make. The office was eerily quiet except for the faint hum of the air conditioning and the occasional rustling of papers. Sunlight streamed through the large windows behind me, casting golden streaks on the floor, but I barely noticed. My entire focus was on my work.I leaned forward, flipping through yet another contract, but my mind wandered. Lately, life had been a blur of meetings, deadlines, and long nights in the office. Even Iris and I had been swept up in the chaos, barely finding time for each other. It hadn’t been intentional, of course, but it gnawed at me. The thought of her bright smile, the way her eyes lit up when she talked about something she loved, it felt like it had been ages since I’d seen those little moments.The buzz of my phone pulled me back to the present. I glanced at the screen and saw a messa
IrisI stood there, watching Orchard as he lowered himself onto one knee, the faint light catching the edges of the small velvet box in his hand.My heart skipped a beat. “Orchard… what are you doing?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.For a moment, I couldn’t breathe. My thoughts were a tangled mess. We were already married. Why was he doing this? But as I looked at his face, his soft smile and hopeful eyes, I realized I couldn’t say anything that would ruin this moment for him.“Yes,” I said gently, a warm smile spreading across my face.Relief washed over his features, and his hands shook slightly as he slipped the ring onto my finger. Once it was on, he exhaled and stood up, taking my hand in his.“Thank you,” he said, a crooked smile playing on his lips. “Thanks for not making this awkward.”I let out a soft laugh, the tension melting away. “I understand,” I said.I looked down at the ring again, tilting my hand to see how it caught the light. It was breathtaking. The dia
OrchardIris made the most adorable pregnant woman ever. Maybe it was just my sentiment—I 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 couldn’t be shared with her. But when it always came down to the delivery room, I found myself pacing. "It’s a normal reaction," the nurses said. "It’s normal," they said eventually. "Why don’t you come hold her hand?" the half-face-covered nurse stretched out a hand. "Are you okay?" I whispered in her ear. "Oh yeah, I’m 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 you’re just being dramatic," she waved me off. Maybe I was. Maybe I was just shy. After all, it wasn’t every day a man got to witness this perfect being born. "Okay, I feel something," she gripped my hand. The secon
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 wife—well, I wasn’t sure what we were now, but we surely were something—convincing 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. “Is it all right if I come see you?” he had texted earlier. “Me telling you no isn’t going to change your mind, so why bother?” 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 place—which 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 didn’t own it specifically, neither did I, but he d
IrisHarold couldn’t 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. “I’m going as fast as I can, Mrs. Hector,” Harold said, and turned towards the rearview mirror, his eyes darting towards me. “I’m driving as fast as I can,” he said again, his eyes meeting mine this time. “We’ll be there soon.” 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. “Thank you,” I said, letting out a huff of air and pulling my fingers together, trying to calm them from the shaking earlier. Who’d 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 piece—mostly. I bolted straight u
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 couldn’t look at the person—the wicked person—he 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. *"You’re the only woman I could ever marry,"* he had said. Well, perhaps that part was true. I was the only one he married—but 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
Iris’ Pov I got the call from the police station. They told me Dave wanted to see me. I didn’t want to go. After everything he’d done, why would I? But then, Orchard’s mum, Halle, said she’d 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. “Iris,” he said, “you came.”I didn’t sit down. I just looked at him, feeling all the anger rise inside me. “You better pray Orchard wakes up,” I said, “if she doesn’t, you’ll regret ever knowing me.”Dave smirked. “I don’t care what happens to me. If Orchard dies, I’m justified.”I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Justified? For what? Before I could say anything else, Halle held me.“There’s no use talking to a man like him,” he’s lost his mind. Let’s go, Iris.”Just 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.“We found new evide
Iris’ 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 couldn’t stop seeing it.My hands wouldn’t stop shaking. I joined them together, pressing them tightly against my lap, trying to steady them, but it didn’t work. My clothes still smelled like blood and sweat, and I hated it.“Iris,” a soft voice said beside me.I looked up to see Orchard’s mother. I had called her as soon as I arrived. She placed a hand on my shoulder.“He’s strong,” she said, though her voice cracked. “He’s going to make it.”I nodded, but I couldn’t speak. I couldn’t 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,
Dave’s PovThe 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 couldn’t 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.“Orchard! Stay with me! Please!” 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 couldn’t move, couldn’t 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 couldn’t find an answer. I hadn’t 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 now… now it was
Iris’ Pov The gun pressed against my head was a constant reminder of how close I was to disaster. I could see the anger in Dave’s eyes, the wild, unpredictable rage that told me he wasn’t 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.“Dave,”please, let’s not do this. Name your price. Whatever you want, we’ll do it. Just… just let us go.”For a moment, he didn’t 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. “Name my price?” he said mockingly. “It’s too late for that, Iris. Don’t you get it? There’s n
Iris’ Pov My body stirred, waking me from a restless dream. At first, I didn’t 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.“I need some water,” I murmured to myself, my voice barely above a whisper.The thought of going downstairs in the middle of the night wasn’t appealing, but I knew I wouldn’t be able to sleep if I didn’t quench my thirst. So, I turned toward the stairs, walking as quietly