Yvonne crossed her arms. Ted knew very well which room they were staying in because he was the one who booked the room. Their room was right next to his.And she had no choice but to play along."8802," Iris said.Ted feigned surprise. "I’m in 8803."Yvonne rolled her eyes.Iris was surprised. "What are the chances?"Yvonne quipped, snorting lightly, "Right? What are the chances? Who would have thought?" Ted lowered his eyelids, looking a bit guilty.Iris wondered why Yvonne was being so sarcastic. She gently tugged Yvonne's sleeve and said, "Why are we chatting here? Let's go in."Ted offered his assistance, "I'll carry your luggage for you."Iris said, "No, it's okay...""Let me do it; men are stronger," he insisted, eagerly grabbing Iris' bag. It wasn't heavy; she didn’t pack much since she would only be staying overnight.Yvonne tossed her bag into Ted's arms. "Only hers? What about mine?"Without Yvonne's help, he wouldn't have "run into them" today, so he willingly
Yvonne turned her head away from Iris. "Yeah, I don't feel like it."Ted quickly intervened, "It's okay, Iris. We'll cycle. Let's go. It's a long journey, so if we don't hurry, it'll already be midday when we arrive."Iris shrugged. "Alright."The sightseeing bike was a side-by-side tandem bicycle, so Ted was sitting very close to Iris. He could hear her breathing and catch a faint scent from her, causing his heart to race uncontrollably. At his age, feeling his heart flutter just from being near a woman seemed somewhat pathetic. He thought he should be more composed, not acting like a young man experiencing his first crush. Even he couldn't help looking down on himself.Yet, he couldn't control his feelings. Perhaps this was the charm of love—even the most powerful people could not control it. It could make a person behave unnaturally.Ted's emotions were probably amplified because his unrequited love had suddenly seen a ray of hope. The long-suppressed feelings surged forth li
Ted glared at Yvonne.Yvonne raised her chin, her expression challenging, as if to say, "What are you looking at? Serves you right for threatening me."Ted still needed Yvonne's help to get closer to Iris, so he did not dare to offend her. He conceded and said, "Yvonne's right."Yvonne finally smiled.Iris looked back and forth between Ted and Yvonne. "Is something going on?"It felt like there was a silent showdown between the two.Ted hurriedly denied it. "No, of course not! You know how Yvonne is."Indeed, Yvonne had a fiery personality.Iris smiled, letting the matter rest.Ted found some more topics to talk about. Although Iris didn't really connect with him, it was still a pleasant chat.Upon arriving at the hot spring area, a staff member greeted them and led them to the changing rooms. The provided attire was uniform but allowed for size selection.Ted entered the men's changing room, while Iris and Yvonne went to the women's. In order to preserve the hot spring's
Yvonne raised her eyebrows at the sight of Stanley. Her annoyance with Ted diminished—after all, there was now someone more annoying present.Iris leaned against the edge of the hot spring, her expression neutral, as if the escalating tension had nothing to do with her.Ted felt a twinge of guilt. Everything he said was true, but he was talking bad about Stanley behind his back, which was a shady thing to do. However, as a man, he couldn’t show any weakness in front of Iris or she would look down on him.Standing up, Ted stepped out of the hot spring as if nothing had happened and asked casually, "What are you doing here?"Stanley glared at Ted, his face twisted with fury and his chest heaving with emotion. "If I weren’t here, I wouldn't have heard your comments about me behind my back!"Ted, undeterred, shot back, "Did I lie? If I didn't, why are you so angry?"At a loss for a response, Stanley’s anger boiled over. He kicked Ted in the stomach, sending him crashing back into the
He spoke in anger without thinking.Yvonne seethed at his words. "Go to hell, you scumbag."Iris cast him a cold look before climbing out of the hot spring and walking away barefoot.Yvonne turned to Ted. "If you beat him up, I’ll help you pursue Iris!"Ted's morale instantly soared.Stanley was stunned, realizing he had crossed a line. Taking advantage of that, Ted punched him in the face.Stanley was not about to back down; he instantly retaliated. The two fought, and water splashed everywhere, as if there were two large fish thrashing in the pool.The commotion attracted the resort manager's attention, who rushed over to break up the scuffle. However, this fight was different from the last time the two men fought. Both men had bloodshot eyes, unwilling to yield. Ultimately, the manager had to call the police, and the cops came to arrest them.The fight was deemed a mutual combat. Both men were injured. The police contacted their families.Renee was the first to arrive. She
Iris pursed her lips. Her throat felt dry. She was with Stanley for seven years and spent four years in the Stein family. During that time, she had devoted herself to her role as a wife and a daughter-in-law. She took care of her husband and respected her elders, enduring the harsh treatment from Renee without complaint, all because Renee was Stanley's mother and she didn't want to put Stanley in a difficult position.But what had it all amounted to? More slander and humiliation. Even after she had divorced Stanley, Renee continued to regard her with contempt, looking down on her family and belittling her as a person.Iris fixed her gaze on Stanley, attempting to steady her hoarse voice. "You know, Stanley? The biggest mistake of my life, the biggest regret of my life, is marrying you."Droplets of water streamed down from Stanley's eyes, mingling with the water that dripped from his hair, making it difficult to tell if they were tears or just water.Renee perked up at her words.
Stanley did not feel like replying. His gaze remained locked on Iris.He had come to Seine Mountain because Professor Aston had informed him about an academic conference in the area. He had no desire to attend at first, but upon hearing that Yvonne would be here, he reconsidered. Knowing that Iris and Yvonne were close, he thought maybe Iris would be here too. This prompted him to make the trip.Upon arrival, he discovered that Ted was also here. The reason Stanley had made his way to the hot spring was because he knew Iris and Ted were both there. He did not expect to overhear Ted bad-mouth him as soon as he arrived."Stanley, Fiora told me that you’ve been drinking a lot lately, and you often drink until you pass out. That's not good for your health. Also, I've checked with the fortune teller; January 20th is a good day for engagement, so I'm thinking of holding your engagement ceremony with Fiora on that day. What do you think?""Can you stop speaking for a second?" Stanley snap
Stanley stood watching the departing car in a daze, his mind swirling with Renee's words. Yes, he agreed to the divorce; he had signed the papers willingly. So why would he regret it now? Why did life seem bland and tasteless without Iris? It was as if he missed a familiar meal that he had gotten tired of because he could no longer have it. He had grown tired of the boring, monotonous married life, so why would he want it back now that he had become free? Why had the home that was once relaxing and comforting transformed into a place he now dreaded returning to?Just then, a police car pulled up nearby, and an officer escorted a thief out. "You little thief, I can't believe I caught you stealing again only a few days after you're released. Are you treating the jail as your second home?"Stanley turned to watch.Were habits really that hard to change? Did all his unhappiness stem from his habit of living with Iris? He had grown accustomed to going home and seeing her there. He
Iris settled at the empty dining table. She had a healthy appetite because she was in a good mood. She ordered a steak and a bowl of minestrone soup. She finished everything, savoring each bite. After enjoying her meal a bit too much, she felt pleasantly full.When she headed back downstairs, she encountered the pregnant woman again. The woman had chestnut-colored wavy hair, fair skin, and wore a long dress that accentuated her protruding belly. Iris noted that she looked quite young, much younger than Renee. It made her wonder if all men preferred younger women.Wendy was young too."Hi," Iris greeted with a smile.The pregnant woman looked around, puzzled. "Are you talking to me?"Iris nodded. "I'm a lawyer from the Golden Path Law Firm; my last name is Glover. If you have any property disputes in the future, feel free to come to me. I can be your lawyer."The woman sized Iris up, thinking, She seems normal enough, but her words are so strange. Is she crazy?Iris maintained he
Concerned that Iris' words would negatively impact Stanley's image in Fiora's mind, Renee yelled angrily, "You're not fit to say that. You're just the woman my son dumped. Shame on you, you uncultured swine."Fiora glanced at Iris, muttering, "Rude," before briskly walking towards the exit.Following Fiora's lead, Renee echoed, "Rude." As she walked past Iris, she couldn't resist a parting jab, "You couldn't get pregnant even after four years of marriage. There's definitely something wrong with your body. A secondhand woman who can't even bear a child – what future do you have? You'll end up with a broke man or an ugly old man."Iris laughed, unfazed. "I may not have a child, but the Stein bloodline will definitely continue. Someone will bear a child for you."Renee was confused. "Are you stupid? Who's going to bear a child for me?" She thought Iris' words were nonsensical; she expected someone to bear a grandchild for her, not a child.Iris merely smiled, choosing silence over ex
The fragrance in the mall was quite pleasant, helping to relax Iris' mind.She spotted the pregnant woman making her way into a Channel store. The woman appeared to be a big spender. Most women who were willing to be with old men were in it for the money. Wendy probably genuinely liked Stanley, but Iris wouldn't be surprised if part of the reason she had an affair with him was because of his wealthy background. In contrast, Fiora seemed to genuinely loved Stanley. She didn't appear to be interested in his money, but rather in him as a person.Iris turned away, heading in another direction. She planned to buy some herbal tonics for her parents. Her parents lived frugally, often reluctant to spend money on themselves. They often worked late into the night, which would surely take a toll on their health.She entered a high-end gift shop, filled with various health products. She purchased a few expensive tonics.With her purchases in hand, she passed a storefront displaying a beaut
"I'm very willing to help," Jason added, glancing sideways at her. Iris fixed her gaze straight ahead. "I'm already immensely grateful that you would give me opportunities to gain experience as a favor for Professor Sandler. I can't keep troubling you with my private affairs."She understood the importance of boundaries. You can't keep taking advantage of someone else's goodwill. She knew when to draw the line.If Jason could hear her inner thoughts, he would definitely say, "I wish you would keep 'taking advantage' of me."He gripped the steering wheel tight. Not going overboard was supposed to be a good thing, but it wasn't in her case. He sighed softly."Mr. Just, you can just drop me off at that intersection up ahead," Iris pointed. That intersection led to a large mall. Even if Jason hadn't mentioned it, she was going to buy something. However, she had no intention of letting Jason pay for it. He was helping her, so it wouldn't be right to make him spend money.As they re
It was so sudden. It caught Iris off guard.He said with smiling eyes, his voice low and sexy, "Your ex-husband is watching."Iris placed her hands on his chest. At such close distance, his unique scent enveloped her, stirring her senses. She moved her head to the side slightly. "H-How do you think I did today?" she asked.She was referring to her performance in court.Jason tightened his hold, leaning in close to whisper in her ear. "You did very well."The warmth of his breath on her ear and neck sent a shiver down her spine, prompting her to shift slightly. "Um, Mr. Just..."Even if they were acting, there was no need to be this intimate.The height difference made his belt buckle press against her lower abdomen. It felt uncomfortable because it was rock hard.As a mature woman who had already been through a divorce, she tried not to overthink it, but the intimacy of their position was undeniable. She didn't dare to move her lower body at all. She could only push him gen
Iris looked back at Stanley emotionlessly.Her clean, neat, and professional attire, paired with her short hair, projected an air of coldness that made her seem unapproachable.For the first time, Stanley felt a 'distance' between them. It felt like she was very far away from him.She was like a completely different person to the Iris he knew.While her face remained the same, her entire aura had changed; she was no longer the gentle, understanding woman in his memory. Instead, she had transformed into a strikingly cold beauty."You promised me we would reconcile," he said, looking into her eyes.Iris raised an eyebrow, a smile playing on her lips as she asked, "Did I say that?""During the break. Have you forgotten? We...""Do you have evidence?" She cut him off coolly. She was careful not to say anything that could be used against her. She had only hinted at reconciliation.Stanley's eyes narrowed. "You tricked me?"Iris' smile brightened. "You must have misunderstood
Because Iris had experienced betrayal from a spouse herself, she could understand her client's feelings, so she spoke the words with conviction. Her client looked at her with teary eyes. She was grateful to Iris for voicing her inner thoughts."Thank you, Ms. Glover, for saying what I want to say."Meanwhile, Stanley's expression grew stiff. He felt like Iris was talking about him. He was ashamed of what he did with Wendy, feeling for the first time that he might have gone too far.The ball-less man's face twisted with frustration. It seemed like the more they argued, the less he sounded like a human.His terrible behavior towards the end of the trial directly impacted the judge's perception of him, leading to a more favorable outcome for Iris' client.Iris' client still had to go to prison; after all, she had indeed committed a crime. However, the sentence was only six months. Given the circumstances, it could already be considered quite lenient.She was also required to c
Iris' client glared at her fuming husband. "You cheated on me, so you're not innocent either!""Stop pointing at my client. This is a courtroom. Do you always lose your temper this easily?" Iris said, nudging her client lightly as she spoke.The client was confused at first, but quickly understood Iris' intent. "You always yell at me at home, but we're not at home anymore. How can you act this way in court too? Do you have no respect for the judge?"The ball-less man was bewildered. "You... you..." His anger flared. "Did your lawyer tell you to say that?""How would she know that you would lose your temper in court? Could she foresee the future and tell me in advance?" the client shot back.Iris gave her a thumbs up. It was a well-spoken retort.The client smiled. She was only able to perform so admirably because she was influenced by Iris' energy."You're all in cahoots, aren't you? Including you! You're all working together to set a trap for me!" the ball-less man accused, poi
"My client deeply regrets her actions. She's mired in self-blame," Iris continued passionately. "But my client has also developed depression due to the hurt from her husband's infidelity. Isn't that a form of trauma too? We all know that severe depression can lead to severe consequences, even suicide. In a way, my client has been hurt even more than the victim has. Your Honor, I implore you to take my client's situation into consideration."Iris' defensive tactic was to paint her client as a victim of the marriage.She concluded, "Your Honor, while the victim's trauma is physical, my client's trauma is emotional. Mental illnesses are hard to recover from. Therefore, I urge you to consider the implications this case may have for women everywhere, so that they may not fear marriage and childbirth."Her final statement resonated with the current societal landscape, where more individuals are choosing not to marry or have children. Meanwhile, divorce rates keep rising, and the populatio