Iris was speechless.How could someone just approach and ask for her age like that? A woman's age was supposed to be her biggest secret. But she had to admit that at 21, Brad was really young.With a hint of humor, she replied, "I'm a lot older than you.""Well then, please take care of me," Brad said casually. He continued, "I'm the youngest intern in the law firm. When I came here, my older sister told me to get along well with everyone. Can you tell me more about the firm?"Brad's friendliness made it hard for Iris to refuse.Because it was lunch break, they settled in the lounge area outside the pantry, sipping coffee and talking about various aspects of the law firm.Despite being a recent graduate, Brad was talkative, cheerful, and articulate, and he was also a fellow intern, so Iris found it easy to engage with him."You went to the National University of Law too?! Should I address you as my senior?" he joked.Iris smiled. "You can call me whatever you feel comfortable
Upon reading the last sentence, Iris was so scared that the letter slipped from her fingers.He's crazy!He was already going to prison, but he still wished to bother her after he came out?The thought of it gave her goosebumps. It was terrifying.A shiver ran down her spine. Rubbing her arms for comfort, she bent down to retrieve the letter and, without a second thought, crumpled it into a ball and tossed it into the trash can.She hoped that by the time Ted was released, he would have come to his senses. To her, a healthy love was about acceptance; possession was a toxic love. It was clear that Ted's feelings fell into the latter category.Suddenly, Jason opened the office door. "Miss... What's wrong? Are you okay?"He did not finish what he initially wanted to say because he had noticed Iris' pale face. Her shocked expression suggested she had just seen something terrible."Huh?" Iris quickly nodded her head. "Oh, yeah, yeah, I just..."She rubbed her cheeks vigorously, try
The female owner had excellent taste, as reflected in the pastry shop's exquisite packaging. Iris stood in front of the counter. When she spotted the chestnut cake she hadn't had in ages, she felt a wave of nostalgia wash over her. The cake looked really tempting."What would you like?" the male owner asked as he approached her.Iris smiled and said, "Some chestnut cake, please.""Oh, aren't you...?" The male owner recognized her but struggled to recall her name."Iris," she reminded him with a friendly smile."Yes, yes, yes! You used to come here very often. I haven't seen you much since you graduated," he said warmly. "What brings you here today?""Well, I was craving the taste of your chestnut cake," she said, her smile widening.The male owner then introduced her to a few new pastries, "These two are newly developed flavors; they taste really good. Would you like to try them?""Sure," she replied. He offered her a taste, and she found them delicious.She decided to buy a
It was Mr. Gafford, a lawyer at the firm. There was someone with him, presumably a client.Mr. Gafford immediately noticed Iris' flustered demeanor.'Why is she so flustered?' he thought. Then, he recalled the rumors circulating within the firm about Iris' relationship with Jason. A spark of curiosity ignited in his eyes.Could the rumors be true?"What's wrong, Miss Glover?" Mr. Gafford asked probingly.Iris quickly adjusted her expression, trying to appear composed.Jason, in his usual cold and indifferent demeanor, asked, "How can I help you, Mr. Gafford?"Mr. Gafford turned to Jason. Upon seeing his icy expression, the gossip fire in his eyes was instantly doused."I have something to discuss with you," he quickly explained."Come in, then," Jason instructed, walking over to the couch and taking a seat. He cast a fleeting glance at Mr. Gafford, a look that seemed to exert an invisible pressure. His mere presence felt oppressive, like a mountain quietly asserting its domina
"Where to?""The Floral Market."Iris remembered Professor Sandler had asked Yvonne to buy him a potted plant. Now that he was retired and staying at home, she thought he must be quite bored. She decided to buy some plants for him to take care of.Upon arriving at the Floral Market, she was greeted by a vibrant scene filled with neatly arranged stalls selling an array of flowers, plants, and even pets like parrots, cats, dogs, and goldfish.Her gaze landed on two pearlscale goldfish with round bodies and large, expressive eyes. They were incredibly cute, and she couldn't help stopping to admire them."Are these fish easy to raise?" Iris asked the shopkeeper."Yes, they are," the shopkeeper replied.After a moment of consideration, she decided, "I'll take two, please. I want this yellow one and this red one. Also, I need an aquarium and fish food.""Which aquarium would you like?" the shopkeeper asked."This one," she pointed to a fish bowl."Alright." The shopkeeper filled th
Noticing Iris coming back in, Professor Sandler pretended to observe the fish."Shall I make dinner, Prof?" she asked. Professor Sandler lived alone. His family wanted to hire a maid for him, but he refused because he did not like having a stranger in the house. Therefore, he usually cooked for himself. His specialty dish was spaghetti."No, no, let's eat out. Dinner's on me," Professor Sandler replied. "I usually eat late, so we'll go later. Oh, I almost forgot, I need to grab something from the small shop downstairs."With that, he left, but not before instructing Iris, "You guys can eat the chestnut cakes.""I'll go get it for you, Prof," she offered.Professor Sandler waved his hand dismissively. "You don't know what it is. Just stay here and wait for me. Oh, and keep Jason company. He's usually busy so he doesn't visit often. Please entertain him for me."Iris couldn't refuse Professor Sandler's request, so she nodded and said, "Okay."After he closed the door, Iris pondere
Professor Sandler must touch the photo often, as the edges of the photo frame had become smooth – they were traces that had accumulated over time.A hint of envy flickered in Iris' eyes.This must be what true love looked like.Not everyone was lucky enough to find true love. Some people, like herself, found scumbags instead.Jason noticed the emotions swirling in Iris' eyes and pursed his lips. "Do you still believe in love?" he asked.Iris decisively shook her head. "No."Iris thought love was not a suitable topic for discussion with Jason, so she changed the subject with a smile. "I can't believe you came to see Prof today too. What a coincidence.""Yes, what a coincidence," Jason agreed, holding onto his glass of water.Just then, the door opened, and Professor Sandler came in empty-handed.Iris asked, "Prof, where's the thing you went downstairs to get?"Professor Sandler seemed to have forgotten about his excuse for going out, so he had returned empty-handed.However,
Speaking of work, Iris stood up to express her gratitude. "Professor Sandler, I know Mr. Just only took me under his wing because of you. I'd like to offer you a toast as a token of my respect, even though it's not wine." She toasted Professor Sandler, then emptied her glass in one go.Professor Sandler waved his hand with a smile. "No need to thank me. You should thank Jason instead. He never mentors people, but he's willing to mentor you because he sees your potential. Just make sure you work hard and don't let him down, or me for that matter." He emphasized the last part.Iris turned to Jason, but still evaded his eyes. "Thank you, Mr. Just. I'll raise a toast to you as well." She refilled her glass and held it up with both hands.However, Jason stopped her from drinking. "Don't worry about it. If you drink so much water, your stomach will be too full for dinner."Professor Sandler laughed heartily, his deep voice filling the room. He turned to Jason. "She's quite clever, isn't
Iris' heart tightened, feeling both sweet and bitter, "I did it willingly. You were only in danger because you tried to help me. You went to great lengths to help me save my cousin. I'm immensely grateful."She paused, then slowly raised her head to look at him, "I can't let you die because of me. If someone has to die, I'd rather it be me, not you.""Why can't it be me?" His tone was light, but there was a subtle hint of excitement in his voice.She must loved him very much to have the courage to rush in front of him in the face of danger.Death, what a fearful word.Yet she shielded him from the gun with no hesitation."You were there to help me save someone. Therefore, you can't die," Iris answered.That was what she genuinely thought at the time.In the quiet room, the sounds of their breathing could be clearly heard. Jason gazed at her, his eyes filled with a complex emotion, "You rushed over to shield me from that gun because I helped you save your cousin? It's because yo
She asked in panic, "Who is it?""It's me."It was Jason's voice. She breathed a sigh of relief.People always felt the most insecure when they're naked."You're done eating already?"Jason wasn't very hungry because he just woke up, so he only had a bowl of soup. That's why he came back up so quickly."Yeah. What are you doing? The doctor said your wound shouldn't get wet.""I'll be careful." Iris said.Jason frowned. "Are you taking a shower?""...Yeah," Iris answered softly."I'll wash you." Jason tried to open the door, but it was locked from the inside.He raised his eyebrows. "Iris...""I can wash myself." Iris hugged herself, thinking, how embarrassing would it be if he washed her?She didn't want that.Although they had already seen each other naked, her current appearance was not pleasing, and there was a gruesome wound on her body.She didn't want him to see her in this ugly state.Yes, he had already seen her ugly side, but... she couldn't just not care.She
Perhaps the sensation was a bit itchy, as Jason stirred. Iris quickly withdrew her hand, but Jason had already woken up."What's wrong? Does the wound hurt?" Having just woken up, his voice was hoarse.Iris shook her head, "I'm fine."She felt bad. "I'm sorry I woke you up. Go back to sleep."Jason raised his head and said, "Give me your arm."She smiled and extended her arm. Jason laid his head on her arm and said, "Hug me."Iris thought he was childish.She gently patted his back like she was soothing a child.Jason closed his eyes. Smelling her scent, he soon fell asleep again. He slept for a long time, only waking up at night.Iris had also fallen asleep, but she woke up a lot earlier due to hunger. However, seeing Jason sleeping soundly, she didn't want to disturb him. Her arm was numb but she didn't dare to pull it out, afraid of waking him up."Are you awake?" Iris asked.Jason looked at her groggily, reached for his phone, and saw that it was already past two in the
Since they would be staying here for a while, someone had to handle the household chores.It was clear that neither of them nor the two bodyguards were up for the task.Donahue had always been the one responsible for hiring cleaners to clean the place, so Jason asked Lewis to contact Donahue and inquire about the cleaning staff he usually hired.Lewis immediately made the call. Donahue said he usually hired temporary housekeepers who would clean and then leave. He provided Lewis with a contact to arrange for their services.Lewis personally selected two middle-aged women. The manager said they were very experienced and proficient in cooking and household chores.He brought the two housekeepers back to the island and settled them in. After that, Lewis went upstairs to inform Jason that the housekeepers had started work and dinner was taken care of.Jason's bedroom door was slightly ajar. From the gap, Lewis saw Jason sitting on the bed talking to Iris. It didn't seem like a good
Jason's condition was that Kaden must ensure he and his people left the country safely.After discussions with the other two families, Kaden agreed to Jason's condition. With the three families working together, it wouldn't be hard to ensure the safe departure of Jason and his people.Holding Luna hostage gave them leverage over the Morris family. This deal was mutually beneficial. Jason made the deal to allow Iris to leave the country as soon as possible. After agreeing on a departure time, he left the rest to Kaden and Lewis to figure out.Jason stayed by Iris' side.Two days later, they boarded a plane to Fiji. The earliest direct flight home from Northern Burrma was the day after tomorrow, but staying in that country for another day meant another day of danger, so Jason and Iris decided to go to Fiji first. She would recover from her injury there.Iris didn't want her parents to worry, so she thought it would be a good idea to stay in Fiji for a while. She needed time to rec
When he withdrew his hand from under her, it was stained with blood.Anxious and flustered, his heart felt like it had stopped beating."Iris..." His voice was hoarse and unsteady.Iris' wound was not life-threatening. The bullet had hit her lower back.Luna did not intend to kill Iris. She just wanted to keep Iris from escaping.Iris could feel the pain now. Her body trembled uncontrollably. She felt incredibly cold despite the warm weather."I... I'm fine..." she spoke weakly, her pale lips quivering.Jason held her hand tightly, "Don't worry, Lewis will be here with a doctor soon.""Are you... okay?" she asked hoarsely."I'm fine," Jason assured her.Iris' tense heart finally relaxed a little.She had never experienced such a nerve-racking ordeal before.It all felt like a dream.Scenarios seen only on TV had become reality. She was scared out of her wits earlier, but she tried to put on a brave face. She didn't want to be a burden to them.But in the end, as a powerle
When Iris looked up, she saw Luna standing behind Jason with a gun aimed at him.Her eyes widened, pupils shaking."Look out!"She rushed forward.Luna could have pulled the trigger as she had a clear shot at Jason, but when Iris shouted that warning, she saw through Iris' intention.In that split second when Jason turned with the gun, Iris hugged him and shielded him from Luna's gun.Luna's father had told her that Jason was off-limits. Harming him could lead to endless complications and may even result in the eradication of the Morris family!However, according to their investigation, Iris had no background, so they could use whatever means necessary to capture her. Even if she got injured, it didn't matter. Therefore, the instant Iris shielded Jason from the gun, Luna aimed at her back and fired a shot.At the moment of being hit, Iris felt no pain. Her whole body was paralyzed, unable to move.She slumped in Jason's arms.Jason held her falling body. "Iris!"He fiercely
"Let go!" Frustrated that she missed him with her attack, Luna grabbed a chair leg and swung it at Jason.Jason caught the chair leg and disarmed her, then flung her away with his other hand.Luna staggered several steps back and her waist hit a sharp object. She grimaced in pain.Blood seeped through her thin outer garment.Enraged, she exclaimed, "Catch Jason Just's woman! A reward of ten thousand for whoever catches that woman!"Her men, who were starting to be suppressed, began to fiercely resist again, reigniting the intense conflict!Gunfire rang out. The sound of objects being pierced mixed with screams created a battlefield-like atmosphere!Lewis rushed out of the hotel with Iris and headed for the car. Jason followed closely behind them after getting rid of Luna.However, due to Luna's words, her men rushed at them desperately.These people were desperados. They weren't afraid to die for money.The fight for profit among the families had always been fierce!Kaden's
"The back door is blocked," Lewis informed Jason. He was outnumbered. Facing the rain of bullets outside, he couldn't break through.Although Luna was a woman, she had years of experience. She wasn't a fool. She had already stationed guards at the back door.Holding a machine gun, she said, "If you surrender, I might let you live!"Jason and Iris were trapped in a hallway, with no way out!Clearly, it would be difficult to escape from the back door. Kaden's men were at the front entrance, so if they rushed out from the front, there might be a chance to escape amidst the chaos.Jason instructed Lewis to protect Iris. Seizing the opportunity, he fired several shots at Luna.Luna had to dodge."I'll draw their attention. Lewis, when you see the chance, escape with Iris," Jason said."Got it!" Lewis responded.He still had to be wary of the shots coming from the back.It was actually very difficult to rush out.Two bodyguards suddenly rushed in, attracting the fire of Luna and h