DaveThroughout work, I simply couldn’t think straight. Reasoning had become a chore, and I didn’t want to partake in it in any way, shape, or form. I couldn’t get Bella out of my head. No matter what I did, she was always there—in my thoughts, in my mind, in every damn breath I took.It didn’t matter that I had Tiffany. Tiffany was my girlfriend, the one everyone saw me with, the one I was supposed to care about. But Bella? Bella was different. She knew about Tiffany. She knew everything. And yet, she still chose to be with me. For years, we shared something that I couldn’t explain. Something that felt secret, electric, and so damn alive.But now? Now she was done. She wanted out. Just like that.I began replaying her words over and over. “Dave, I can’t do this anymore. We shouldn’t do this, you have Tiffany.” That was all she said. No explanation. No fight. Just those words.The worst part? She said them after we spent the best night of our lives together and the morning after. It
Tiffany Have you ever wondered what it was like to be dipped in a vat of boiling acid and then wrung out to dry, specifically being squeezed of every ounce of life, allowing the acid to, in some ways, do more damage to your skin than ever before? That was me. That was me, I thought to myself again. She had done this. My sister. Except—kidding? We weren’t even related by blood. The only ties we held together were water, and just like it was said, blood was thicker than water. So why did it matter so much? It all started with the announcement of the gala, and then it was the fire. Dave had so stupidly brought her out himself, leaving me alone, and then finally it was the guts she had to use to look me in the eye and call me nothing but an intruder. Me. I was an intruder? Me? I asked out loud again, laughing to myself, finding it nearly comical. This was coming from someone who would look me in the eye and say certain things, yet suddenly she was bold? Suddenly, I was to b
Orchard’s PovThe drive to my father’s house was quiet, the kind of silence that wasn’t uncomfortable but made me unnerved. The city lights flickered past as I kept one hand on the steering wheel, the other resting in Iris’s grasp. She squeezed my hand gently, a small act of reassurance that somehow made my nerves calmer.Her touch grounded me, but it also reminded me of what was waiting for me at the end of this drive, my father and whatever drama he’d stirred up this time.“Are you okay?” Iris’s voice broke through my thoughts, concern laced in her tone.I glanced at her briefly before turning my eyes back to the road. “I will be. It’s just… him.”She gave me a small smile. “Whatever it is, we’ll deal with it.”I nodded, gripping the wheel tighter as the towering iron gates of my father’s estate came into view. The guards recognized the car immediately and opened the gates without hesitation. They didn’t need to ask questions; they knew me too well.The driveway was perfectly maint
Iris The evening had started so beautifully, but the phone call from Orchard’s father changed everything. I was still processing the shift in the atmosphere as Orchard ended the call and ran a hand through his hair, his jaw tightening. He looked calm on the outside, but I knew him well enough to recognize the storm brewing beneath the surface.“Is everything okay?” I asked cautiously, sitting up straighter in my seat.He hesitated for a moment, his fingers tapping rhythmically against the table. “My father wants me to come over.”I nodded, though his words unsettled me. Orchard rarely talked about his father. I knew their relationship was rocky at best, filled with unresolved tension and bitterness.“Do you want me to come with you?” I offered gently.He gave me a small, grateful smile. “Of course. I’d rather not go there alone.”That was all I needed to hear. Whatever was going on, I wanted to be there for him, even if I didn’t fully understand the weight of their history.The drive
OrchardEarlier That DayIt didn't seem like I could find a time to be alone with her long enough for me to make anything count. Iris herself simply looked overly attractive, dressed up every day and going out the door for work. We both had to be up early, so there were no late-night shenanigans for either of us. "Did I have to force it?" I asked myself as I turned around from the walk-in closet, searching for Iris. "Hey," I said, calling out just as she was about to put a hand on the door handle. "I want to see you," I said. "I'll pop by your office later. Don’t go anywhere." I pointed a finger at her face. She gave me a small smile. "Okay," she said. In many ways, that smile did too much. It brightened up the flight of my morning, and I felt a special way after the fire ruined Mom's event. Speaking of Mom, I thought to myself as I stepped back into the walk-in closet and got ready for the day. I needed to see her. Whether it was because of the smoke or her allergies, she h
DaveEight Hours PriorI had no reason to go, save to simply see things myself. But Tiffany's complaints were enough. Just confront her a little bit, I thought, especially after Tiffany had been giving me the cold shoulder over the past few days. It irked me, I thought. And after one evening at the bar, sipping on whiskey, I had come to a simple conclusion after a little talk with Tom. "Do something," he had said. "The best way to get your woman's attention off you momentarily is to make it about her. Give her something, shower her with as many goodies as possible. Heck, confront her bully, get her something pretty," he had said. "This shit ain't so hard. The reason why she's pissed is because she thinks you only care about yourself. But don’t you know that the best way to keep your woman’s eyes off you is to make yourself a selfless, responsible, ‘we’re trying, please, hardly possible,’ and you know it’s always ‘every man for himself’ lately. But I’m guessing you get what I mean,
IrisI was giddy like a child on Christmas. It was like presents had been laid out in front of me, or at least it was like Mom had told me to go downstairs and I would meet the Christmas tree with gifts stuffed underneath. Except that instead of that, I was going to have another honey. We’d had one before, but it was awkward. Just as awkward as an arranged marriage couple not exactly knowing what to do with each other the first time they met—level awkward. I was so giddy to the point my feet started dancing on their own. "You’re cute, you know that, right?" I turned away from my vanity and found Orchard walking toward me with a towel around his waist. His packs were dripping water, dropping down from his neck all the way down over his muscular chest, his abs, and then going to play around with the towel. All excited like that, he raised a hand and wiggled his fingers. "It’s cute." He plopped down beside me, forcing me to scoot over to the edge of the stool in front of the vani
IrisWhat is this about? I slowly marched into my office, feeling as though it was a foreign space and I, an alien. "Your father wishes to have a conversation about his will," Father's lawyer spoke in a curt tone. Michael, I believe his name was. If I remembered correctly, I used to have a crush on him when I was a kid, but now it had faded, and all that was left was simply disgust—especially when I caught him kissing my mom. And by mom, I mean stepmother. Yes, Karen was cheating on Dad, but I wouldn’t be the one to let him find out. "I’m sure my dad can talk for himself," I said, slowly walking around the desk toward my seat and lowering myself into it. "Well?" I met my father’s eyes. "Is there something you need, Father? Something you’d rather come to talk to me about? Or at least you could have sent a letter," I said, rolling my eyes. "If you didn’t want to write one, you could have simply sent an email. You can do that now, online. You don’t even have to come." Father cleare
Iris’ POVI found him with my dad, they were standing by the fireplace in the lounge, deep in discussion. Orchard’s brow was furrowed in concentration as my father gestured animatedly, his voice rising and falling as he made his points. They both looked up when I entered the room, and I decided to break the tension with a little humor.“Dad, don’t scare him off,” I said with a grin as I walked over.My father chuckled, his serious demeanor softening. “Iris, you underestimate Orchard. He’s a sharp young man. He can handle me just fine.”Orchard glanced at me and smiled, the tension in his shoulders easing. “Your dad’s a great storyteller. I think I’m enjoying this more than he is.”I laughed, shaking my head. “Well, just remember he’s not above pulling out embarrassing stories about me if he runs out of other things to talk about.”My father gave me a sly smile. “Don’t tempt me.”We all laughed together, the moment feeling light and easy for the first time that evening. Just as I thoug
Iris’ POVWhen I first saw the invitation from my father, I felt nervous, but at the same time, a little spark of curiosity lit up inside me. It wasn’t just about making peace with my father, I realized this could also be a chance to learn more about Tiffany. She had always been a shadow in my life, maybe tonight, I’d find some answers.The night of the dinner, I spent extra time getting ready. I chose a simple black dress, one that was elegant but not too flashy. As I stood in front of the mirror, I smoothed the fabric and tried to steady my breathing. This was it, my chance to reconnect with my father and, hopefully, uncover something about Tiffany.“Iris,” Orchard’s voice called from the living room. “Are you ready?”I took one last look at myself in the mirror, then grabbed my purse and headed out to meet him. Orchard was dressed in a dark blazer that made him look effortlessly handsome. His presence had a way of grounding me, even when my thoughts were spinning.“You look beaut
Iris’ POVHow was your day?, I was thinking m..” Orchard didn't let me finish my words as he took over my lips in a hot steamy kiss. Even though I was first taken aback by his actions, it didn't take long for me to be completely lost under his charms. My lips melted in his, in an explosion of ecstasy.Within seconds we were both hurrying to take off our clothes, he helped me unzip my dress and peeled it off my body. Every inch of me, he unraveled, had me wanting more. I wanted him to see more. The room was cold but the moment our skin were pressed against each other, the room started to feel warmer right away, almost like the lustful desires in our hearts were burning right through our bodies into the air of the room.Our lips connected, he began sucking on my tongue while slowly guiding me to the bed, and once we were close enough, he turned around and went over me and pushed me into the bed while he slowly peeled his half-buttoned shirt from his body. I could see in his eyes how
Tiffany’s POVI sat in my car for a long time, staring out the windshield. My hands were still trembling from everything that had happened. My mind replayed the scene with Lisa, the tears in her eyes, her shaking voice, the way I had slapped her. The memory made me feel… strange. At first, I thought it was satisfaction. But it wasn’t. It was shame.What was I doing?Lisa wasn’t the one I should have been angry at. Sure, she had been with Dave, but it wasn’t like she forced him into anything. No, Dave was the one who betrayed me. He was the one who lied to my face and broke my trust. And yet, I had let my anger spill over onto someone else.I took a deep breath, gripping the steering wheel tightly. Crying wasn’t going to fix anything. Yelling, slapping, and chasing after Lisa wouldn’t bring back the love I thought I had with Dave. It was clear now, he didn’t love me. He probably never did.There was no point holding onto someone who didn’t care about me. And there was no point in makin
Tiffany’s POVI decided to spend my afternoon at the mall, hoping to treat myself after a long and stressful week. Shopping always helped to clear my head. The hustle and bustle of the stores, the colorful displays, the feeling of new things in my hands, it always brought me joy.As I wandered through the aisles, my eyes landed on something stunning: a beautiful, leather designer handbag. I couldn’t stop staring at it. Just as I was about to pick it up, I realized someone else had beaten me to it.A woman, probably around my age, held the bag in her hands. She examined it, running her fingers over the material. I couldn’t help but feel a pang of jealousy. That bag had my name written all over it.But instead of walking away, I decided to strike up a conversation. Maybe she’d put it down, and I could swoop in.“That’s such a gorgeous bag,” I said with a smile, stepping closer to her.The woman looked up at me, her expression polite but distant. “It really is,” she replied.“I was just
Tiffany I watched Dave. Not because I was beginning to quite enjoy stalking, but just watching him, and I knew that he was hiding something. They say every woman knows when a man is doing something like that, and I was no stranger to this. After all, I had been on the receiving end. "Let’s just try one more time," I told myself as I crawled into bed beside him and reached him. "Not right now," he said, confirming my suspicions. Until now, he was practically hanging off the edge. I wanted to spite him just a little bit. I felt like it, and he would deserve it in some ways. But somehow, even as I watched him shift within me, I told myself to just let it go. I hugged myself into a ball. It was a strange thing, I thought. Admitting it was even stranger. But my sister didn’t even really get the nicest things, men included. If not for me, Dave would still be with her. And probably, if you thought about it really deeply, if not for me, in the next few months, Orchard would still be
Iris My dad placed a hand on my leg, squeezing—a strange kind of contact, I decided. When was the last time he ever touched me? When was the last time I felt the warmth of his hand or the worry in his voice? "I'll be fine," I said. "You know what? Just… let's drop it," I added, using the opportunity to wiggle myself out of his grasp. At that instance, my phone buzzed. Reacting to the activity, my hand dove into my bag, and I pulled it out. It was my mother-in-law. "Iris," she wrote. "I found this really funny article online, and a few of my friends were talking about it the other day, you know, about your mother. I believe Chameleia was her name or something like that? Yeah, they mentioned how she was quite popular... I know this might sound weird—I mean, she was your mom—but they say your mom was sort of like a prostitute. I just wanted to confirm and tell them off, you know, tell them that it wasn’t true. But I already did! I already told them it was impossible, someone like
Iris "You see, your grandfather on your mother’s side died young, but not before making my marriage to your mother a pain every step of the way. When we started the company, he didn’t see us as those who cared much. In fact, he didn’t. She begged him for support, but he gave nothing, so we had to look for money on our own to start. "She would be the one talking to people because, Lord knows, I was bad at that. But she was pleasant, you know. You have the same smile," he said suddenly, catching me off guard. "She could convince anyone to do anything, and so she was the one mostly going out, looking for investors. We made quite a team," he said. "Until, you know, the decline started, and everything seemed as though it was all rubbish." He stayed silent suddenly, breathing in and out heavily. This is my moment, I thought. I needed to tell him about Dave. "Dad," I said, calling him what I used to way back when I was younger and when our relationship was less rocky. "Dave," I said
IrisThis was the last place I wanted to be, especially after the events of the past few days, but I needed to pay my respect. Being normal of a graveyard, there wasn’t much activity. But I found a familiar car just as he reached the parking lot. Then again, it could also just be my mind playing tricks on me, but I waved it off. The closer I got to Mom’s grave, the more I felt a rather impending feeling, something strange was going to happen. As if the thing with Dave wasn’t bad enough, whatever fate was about to throw at me again, I didn’t think I was much ready for it. I reached Mom’s grave and nearly screamed out loud. Of course, I mean, everything wasn’t fine. It wasn’t just the flowers, though. The entire place had been unearthed, looked on, touched. In fact, the only problem had arrived in the person in front of it. It was the hunched figure of my own father. “What are you doing here?” I asked, too angry to hide my disdain. He stood, glaring. “I wouldn’t see you in