Fiora looked up at him. "Your body smells really good."Stanley frowned. "Are you a pervert?"Fiora playfully punched his chest with her tiny fist, saying coquettishly, "It's because I like you."...Ding dong...The elevator came to a stop.Stanley pushed Fiora away and stepped out.Fiora stomped her foot in frustration. But as she looked down at the height below, her face paled, and she walked out in a hurry.In truth, she was genuinely scared. Being 2600 ft. above the ground was intimidating.Stanley took a window seat. He scanned the area for Iris but did not see her. His expression darkened.Fiora sat across from him. She complained, ignoring his foul mood, "You could have waited for me."Losing patience with her, Stanley massaged the top of his nose bridge. "Do you want to eat or not? If not, then let's leave.""I want to eat." Fiora bit her lip. "What do you want to eat...""Anything."He interrupted her before she could finish, clearly annoyed.Fiora held back te
Iris' mocking gaze bruised Stanley's ego."How dare you look at me like that?!" His words dripped with anger, each one aimed like a burning bomb at Iris."Now that you have a man backing you up, you think you can look down on me?" He suddenly grabbed her chin. "Have you forgotten how you used to be madly in love with me, how much you loved having sex with me? And now you give me the cold shoulder?"Iris clenched her hand into a fist and pushed his hand away, inadvertently striking his injured arm.Although the cast had been removed, his arm was not fully healed yet and was still wrapped in bandages. He had taken off the cast early because it was uncomfortable and inconvenient.He winced in pain from the blow.Furious, Iris slapped him across the face. "Can you be any more disgusting?"She slapped him so hard that her palm was numb; she shook it at her side.Stanley was stunned. Then, he glared at her, rage boiling in his bloodshot eyes.A man's face represented his dignity!I
Fiora glared at Iris with malice in her eyes.She wished she could kill Iris! Iris raised her eyebrows, finding it amusing that Fiora would turn on her own kind over a scumbag."Step aside," Iris said coldly.Fiora clenched her hands into fists. "You're gonna pay for this!""Quite the temper you have there, Miss Just," Brad commented as he walked over and pushed Fiora aside.Fiora frowned, indignant. "This has nothing to do with you! Mind your own business!""It has nothing to do with you either," Brad sneered. "You should mind your own business too.""This bitch is shamelessly seducing my man. Of course it has something to do with me," Fiora shot back, her tone filled with venom. "You'd better watch out, Brad Vassell. Even your father has to show my brother some respect. Crossing me won't end well for you."Her words carried a threatening undertone, but Brad was unfazed. He always made his father mad anyway.Who does she think she is?Just because she had money and power,
Iris smiled, thinking, it would be nice if they could truly disappear from her sight forever. Out of sight, out of mind."Come, Iris, try this. It's delicious," Brad said, offering her a piece of roasted goose liver with black truffle."Thank you," Iris replied with a smile.Brad rested his chin on his hand, unable to resist the urge to gossip. "Did you divorce your ex-husband because he cheated on you with Fiora?"The smile on Iris' face turned stiff."I'm just curious," Brad added, blinking innocently.Iris sighed. "No.""Oh, I thought Fiora was the homewrecker," he said, feeling disappointed for some reason. He believed it wasn't beneath Fiora to do something like that."Then why did you divorce?" he asked.Looking at Brad's curious face, Iris smiled helplessly. "You really like to dig deep, don't you?" She put down her utensils. "We divorced because he cheated on me with a woman named Wendy, who is now in prison. You must be wondering why she's in prison, right? It's bec
Stanley's lips curled into a complicated smile.Iris had once loved him too, but she had left him decisively, ignoring his plea to reconcile."Really? You'll never leave me?" he asked. When he turned his head, his lips brushed against Fiora's face.It made Fiora's petite body tremble in his arms. Her cheeks blushed.She snuggled closer and replied, "I'll never leave you. I'll love you forever."A lifetime is so long; how can something like that be decided so hastily? Little did she know, things were about to change very soon.She asked timidly, "Can we not break up? I want to marry you."Stanley nodded. "Okay."Fiora immediately beamed with joy. "I'll take you to the hospital," she offered, supporting him.Stanley draped his arm around her shoulder, pulling her close. Fiora's heart raced with excitement as she tiptoed and planted a kiss on his cheek. Stanley's lips twitched, forming a smile that wasn't quite a smile....Fiora took Stanley to the hospital.After t
Fiora's eyes widened as she absorbed the revelation. "Stanley tried to send his ex-wife to prison?"Until now, she had only known that they were divorced. She assumed it was due to a lack of love.So Stanley wanted to send his ex-wife to prison?Then he must not love her anymore!Hahaha...Fiora actually had a strong dislike for Iris, especially after witnessing her interaction with Stanley earlier. She had even considered hiring people to teach Iris a lesson, but now, after hearing what Jason said, she found that she did not hate Iris that much anymore.She even felt a bit of sympathy for Iris.After four years of marriage, her husband wanted to send her to prison? Tsk tsk..."You didn't know that?" Jason frowned. It made her think that his sister was a fool. "Luckily, it's not too late to break up with him.""I don't want to," Fiora replied, biting her lip. "Jason, you know what it feels like to love someone but not being able to have them. So, please don’t stop me. So what
Fiora followed Jason down the stairs. "Jason, you're not young anymore. It's normal for Mom to be anxious." They were the main branch of the Just family, and Jason was the only son; it was understandable for their family to be anxious."Mind your own business," Jason replied curtly.Fiora rolled her eyes and watched her brother get into the car before taking out her phone to call Samuel. The call was quickly answered. "Can you come over?" she asked."Yes," he responded.…At the Golden Path Law Firm, Iris met with the client.The situation was actually more complicated than what was written on the case files."The woman my husband had an affair with—her husband is a soldier, and now they want to sue him for destroying a soldier's marriage," the client said, her eyes hollow, dark circles betraying her exhaustion. She must not have been sleeping well.Iris raised an eyebrow, thinking the man deserved to be sued."They're suing him; it doesn't concern you," Iris stated matter-o
Iris waited patiently for the client to make her choice. She knew the decision between freedom and money was not an easy one.For many people, freedom and money were the primary pursuits in life. The client had a tough choice to make, so it was understandable that she needed time to contemplate. If it were Iris, she would prioritize freedom because she believed that with time, she could create value no matter what, so she would not be left with nothing.On the contrary, she couldn't regain lost time.After a ten-minute mental struggle, the client ultimately chose freedom. Iris assured her, "I will fight to get as much assets for you as possible."The client nodded hard and said, "Thank you, Ms. Glover." Lawyers from the Golden Path Law Firm were held in high regard, so the client trusted Iris unconditionally. Iris was committed to securing the best outcome for her client too.…Iris diligently worked on the case over the next few days. Her efforts were not in vain. She mana
Vince smiled, "I am."Iris said, "You've married a good woman."Kendra said while holding her grandson, "What about you, Iris? I heard from your mother that you broke up with your boyfriend. Why? Men like him are rare. I can't believe you actually broke up with him. Let me tell you, if you miss out on him, you won't find anyone as good in the future. I used to think Stanley was handsome, but Jason's even better-looking. Don't be stupid. Since you met someone good, you should hold onto him tightly and never let go. Don't break up with him so easily." The smile on Iris' face instantly faded.Vince noticed her change in demeanor and immediately spoke sternly to his mother, "Mom, she's an adult; she knows what she's doing. There's no need for you to interfere.""I'm just worried about Iris," Kendra replied, "You've met him before, right? Tell me, do you think Iris can find someone better than him?"Vince fell silent. Even he recognized Jason's qualities were impressive.Although Ja
However, she wasn't hungry. The only thing she felt was uneasy."Don't tell me you haven't had dinner yet?" Jason asked."I have," she lied, trying to keep her tone casual. After some hesitation, she asked, "Are things going well on your end?""I'll personally send Fiora there. The flight's tomorrow," he replied."How many days will you be gone for?""Three or four days."There was a moment of silence before Iris asked, "Is it okay if I don't see you off?"If she did, she would inevitably meet Fiora.Fiora was still unaware of her relationship with Jason. If she found out, it would surely complicate matters.It wasn't the right time to let her know."Of course.""Is there anything else?" she asked."...No. Good night.""You too, good night."After hanging up, Iris curled up on the couch, feeling vulnerable. Her eyes kept darting towards the door, fearing an unexpected intrusion. She didn't think she could fall asleep.Determined to take precautions, she ordered a surveil
When she bent down to move it aside, she saw a folder inside with her name written on it, which puzzled her.She became wary. Someone had placed this box at the door knowing this was where she lived. This was no mere coincidence. Who could it be?After ensuring there was nothing dangerous inside the box, she retrieved the folder and set the cardboard box aside. Entering her house with the folder in hand, she dropped her car keys and bag before quickly opening it. There was a stack of photos inside, all pictures of her — when she left the house for work in the morning, when she reached the law firm, when she went out for lunch, and when she walked to her car in the underground parking lot after work.Panic set in as she realized these photos were secretly taken by someone who was following her. Her heart raced. Someone had been tracking her and documenting her movements. What was the intention of leaving these photos at her doorstep? Was it a threat? An intimidation tactic? She
Iris turned to her, surprised."You don't seem too happy," she teased. "Rather than getting married, it looks more like you're going to attend a funeral.""Is marriage something to be happy about? Aren't you a cautionary tale?" Yvonne shot back.Iris was speechless.She was indeed a textbook cautionary tale.Yvonne poured herself another glass. "Marriage isn't something to be happy about. I'm just fulfilling my parents' wishes."In the past, she just wanted to have fun and didn't want to get married. When her parents urged her to get married, her grandfather defended her.Now that her grandfather had fallen ill and was not in good health, he also wanted to see her get married.She could ignore her parents, but for her grandfather's sake, she had to get married.Iris sighed. "I'm sorry for being a bad example. You're not me. Most marriages don't end like mine. Most people do well."Yvonne smiled. "Are you trying to comfort me?""Kind of," Iris admitted."I'm very rational. I
She only realized that when she checked her phone at the end of the workday. Brad had called multiple times, but she merely glanced at the notifications without replying. There were also missed calls from Yvonne, who asked to meet up that evening.Iris messaged back, asking: [What time? Where?][Star Coast.][Got it.]Iris went to the underground parking lot. She took the stairs as the elevator was under maintenance. The maintenance was scheduled to be performed after work hours when there were fewer people.Her footsteps echoed in the dimly lit stairway, clattering loudly as emergency lights flickered on.A person in a black windbreaker, baseball cap, and face mask entered the stairway. Their head was bowed low, with half their face scrunched up inside their collar, obscuring their expression.Iris found her car, opened the door, and got in. Unbeknownst to her, a pair of eyes watched her intently from the shadows.The person's tightly clenched hands and the bulging veins o
Iris kept quiet and didn't say anything. She felt a pang of regret over the waste since those things cost money. He could have just given them away instead of throwing them away. However, she couldn't help but find his jealousy endearing. She couldn't believe a successful man like him would get so jealous."Let me help you," she offered. She closed the fridge and moved into the kitchen to help him serve the breakfast that Samuel bought."What time did you wake up?" she asked."Before seven," he answered.Iris glanced at the time; it was already past eight.Just then, her phone in the bedroom rang.She got up to answer it and saw it was Brad calling. She hesitated before answering."What time are you coming to visit me, Iris?" Brad asked, sounding forlorn."I have to go to the law firm. I haven't been there for two days. I can't put the case off anymore," she explained, politely declining.Though it was true she had to deal with the case, she could actually spare a couple of ho
Jason simply smiled without saying a word, leaving Iris feeling as though she had been unwittingly tricked. He seemed like an easy-going person, but there was an innate confidence and control about him that set him apart from others."You have a hidden agenda, don't you?" she asked."Once you finish the case in Southerland, I'd like to transfer you overseas," he replied.As for Brad Vassell, he would continue to stay at the law firm.The two would naturally be separated.Iris sat up straight, alarmed. "What did you say?"She was not going to sacrifice her career for a man! Their relationship wasn't at a stage where such sacrifices were warranted. Actually, no matter how much she ended up loving him, she would not sacrifice her career for him. She had already learned her lesson."With your skills, limiting yourself to marriage cases is a waste. Don't you want to tackle international cases?" He spoke casually, but his words were full of temptation.Iris was aware that Jason had
"I'll explain to her." Jason bent down, lifted Iris up and carried her to the bedroom.Iris, feeling sad, buried her face in his neck. "I'm sorry," she mumbled."It's not your fault. You didn't know she would be there." When Jason opened the bedroom door, the light passed over his face, illuminating the fleeting hint of danger in his eyes. "When you went to the Vassell family mansion, what did they say to you?""They just thanked me for mentoring Brad..." At that moment, Iris felt something was off. A family like the Vassells wouldn't need to invite her to their house for something so trivial. But if it wasn't to express their gratitude, why would they invite her? She wasn't close to them, and their statuses were vastly different."What was their intention?" she asked, looking up at him.All she saw was his firm jaw.Jason answered, "They had their reasons."He didn't blame Iris for easily accepting Brad's invitation; she wasn't part of their circle and naturally didn't know the
Iris was unbothered by Yvonne's antics; she would be more surprised if Yvonne didn't say something inappropriate.Yvonne closed the door with a smile. To be honest, she was genuinely happy for Iris, pleased to see her stepping out of her shell. She didn't care if Iris got together with Brad or Jason. She was happy as long as Iris could emerge from the shadows of her failed marriage without losing her confidence in men and still being open to love. After all, they say once bitten, twice shy. Yvonne feared that Iris might lose her ability to love someone after experiencing Stanley's betrayal.Iris approached the dining table, eyeing the fried chicken and beer. "We have dinner now.""Junk food," Jason remarked, glancing at it before pulling out his phone to make a call.Iris interjected, "Don't. It's fine to have junk food once in a while; it's not like we eat this every day. It would be a waste to throw it away."She opened the paper bag, retrieved the fried chicken, and set out gla