Iris let out a mocking snort."I've never thought of getting back together with you, but I have thought about revenge. Just yesterday, I had a dream that you died. It was a grotesque, painful death – limbs broken, internal organs shattered. I was so happy that I laughed out loud. When I woke up and realized it was just a dream, do you know how disappointed I was?"Stanley's expression shifted from pale to blue, his mouth twitching in disbelief. "If insulting me makes you feel better, then go ahead. I can take it."He still seemed to believe that he could win her back as long as he apologized sincerely.Iris was so angry that she couldn't help laughing. "What are you laughing at? I know you were heartbroken after our divorce. You've felt hurt, shed tears – don't try to deny it, I've seen it with my own eyes. Let's stop tormenting each other."Iris admitted, "After the divorce, I was indeed heartbroken, but not for the reasons you think. I was sad about why I ever fell for you. I
Stanley could no longer hold himself back. He couldn't stand the intimate display between Jason and Iris. "Should you really be speaking such vulgar words, Mr. Just? You sound like a crook," he said sharply.He then turned towards Iris. "Iris, come back to me." He attempted to reignite the love they once shared.Iris met his eyes with indifference.Her coldness made Stanley's heart skip a beat. "I'm sorry," he murmured, the words slipping out unconsciously. Deep down, he knew he was the one at fault.Unmoved, Iris withdrew her gaze and grasped Jason's arm, looking up at Jason with eyes that shimmered with emotion. Once, she had put on an act with Jason to escape from Stanley, but now, she was no longer acting. She said sincerely, without a trace of pretense, "My dear, I'm so glad to have you in my life."Jason had guided her to slowly become a true lawyer, providing support and mentorship along the way."Let's go," she said, tightening her grip on Jason's arm.Stanley felt sha
Before Jason could reply, Iris continued, "I'm the only child in my family. My family is quite ordinary; my parents are common folks, and my relatives are just regular people.""My family is... comfortable. I have a younger sister, and my parents are alive and well," Jason replied succinctly.Iris nodded. She had finally gained a preliminary understanding of his background. Suddenly, there was a commotion outside. The police seemed to have arrived.As Iris moved to open the door, Jason grabbed her arm. "You stay inside the house," he instructed firmly, then went to answer the door instead.The cops asked who had called the police. Jason explained, "My girlfriend called the police. This guy is harassing my girlfriend, banging on the door and attempting to trespass. His actions have severely affected her normal life."Stanley, hearing Jason repeatedly refer to Iris as his "girlfriend," felt a painful buzz in his head. He sneered, his face twisted in anger. "Your girlfriend? She's
His arms were strong, and his broad and sturdy frame created a comforting embrace.The weather had turned warm, so they were wearing thin clothes. Iris could feel the heat radiating from his body, almost burning through the fabric.She lowered her gaze slightly and shifted her body. "Stop fooling around," she said.Leaning closer, Jason whispered near her ear, "What are you thinking about?""I'm not thinking of anything," Iris replied, though she quickly realized what he really meant to ask. When she turned her head, their lips brushed, and a flush crept across her face. Trying to maintain her composure, she added, "You want to know if I still have feelings for him, right? Wasn't my attitude just now firm enough?"Jason studied her slightly offended expression. "Are you angry?""I don't like being tested. You know about my past, so you should brace yourself.""Brace myself for what?" he asked, a hint of a smile playing on his lips."Brace yourself to be harassed by my ex-husban
Jason examined his palm and said, "It's already healed."Iris served him some food, cautioning, "You can't be too careful."The wound was really deep, so it's best to see a doctor to make sure.After they finished their meal, Iris cleaned the dishes and tidied up before they left for the hospital together.The doctor assessed Jason's hand, which had healed well. He removed the stitches and prescribed medication for scar removal, instructing him to apply it to the wound every morning and evening for optimal healing. He assured Jason that it would heal well since it was a new scar.As they left the hospital, Jason's phone rang. It was Fiora calling, prompting him to step aside to take the call."Jason, when are you bringing your girlfriend over for dinner? Mom said you're already living together, so don't even think about lying to me," Fiora said.Jason glanced at Iris. "If you have so much free time, why don't you check on your fiancé? Ask him what he's been up to lately.""Why
Iris fastened her seatbelt and said, "I left the medicine inside, so I went back to retrieve it. On the way back out, I ran into my former father-in-law and exchanged a few words with him."Jason responded with a silent stare.What a small world. She had just been harassed by her ex-husband, and now she ran into her former father-in-law."He brought his mistress here for a prenatal check-up. Looks like my ex-husband is about to have a sibling," Iris continued.Jason was speechless."Does infidelity run in their family or something?" he asked, a hint of mockery in his voice.Iris paused, then laughed. "Probably."As they drove off, Jason's eyes reflected his disdain.Iris tilted her head and remarked, "You seem unhappy."Jason kept quiet.With Fiora marrying a Stein, he could see potential troubles ahead.The Just family had always maintained a low profile, avoiding scandals. But in the future...Iris did not continue the conversation. She sat quietly."I'll take you home.
"She only wrote that it's been happening since she was a child. Because she was so young back then, she only has vague memories of someone touching her and holding her down," the woman explained.Iris asked, "Did you just find out about these incidents?""Yes. After my parents divorced, I lived with my mother. I then went abroad at a young age. I only came back because of this," the woman replied.Iris nodded. "Do they all live in the same house?""Yes, and my sister has her own room. Supposedly, when her mother was away, my father entered her room and did inappropriate things to her... My stepsister has always been a bit introverted. Her mother has a foul temper, so she's always been a bit scared of her family. The suicide note stated that from childhood through 10th grade, my father has molested her multiple times. In 10th grade, he raped her for the first time – the first time she was aware of it, at least.""So, she had an impression of these incidents as a child but wasn't en
It would be hard not to develop an introverted personality growing up in that kind of family environment, thought Iris."On the day of the suicide attempt or the day before, did she experience any direct triggers? What date was the suicide note written?" she asked."She had the note prepared well in advance, revising it multiple times. The police report indicates that the last revision was made on the 25th of last month," the woman explained."So it's a digital document?""Yes, it's a notepad document. She also wrote one by hand, but that's a much simpler version."Iris pressed further, "During the period leading up to her suicide attempt, did she encounter any specific triggers?""I'm not sure; I just got back from abroad," the woman replied."What stage is the case currently in?""It's in the investigation phase.""How long has the investigation been ongoing?""About a week.""Has your father met with a lawyer?""No, he has been released on bail.""What is your father's
Jessica's grace and friendliness made Iris feel somewhat awkward. Visiting someone else's house in pajamas felt rather impolite. She had never imagined visiting Jason's family under such circumstances. Fortunately, she didn't run into many people, thus avoiding further embarrassment.Despite her grievances towards Jason, she respected his mother. "Jessica, I apologize for the intrusion," Iris said politely."I'm happy that you're here," Jessica replied warmly. "I'll tell Felicia to prepare some food. You two can mind your own business." She went to the kitchen.Jason led Iris upstairs, bringing her to his bedroom. "Wait for me here," he instructed.Iris immediately asked, "How long do I have to wait?"This was an unfamiliar environment for her, and she didn't want to stay any longer than was necessary."It'll only take a moment," Jason assured her before closing the door.Iris took a quick glance around the room. It was spacious, well-furnished, clean, luxurious, and bright. She
Iris could hardly believe her ears. Her hands grabbed the seatbelt tightly, her expression filled with disbelief. She tried to keep her voice low. "Are you out of your mind? Why did you bring me to your family home? I'm still in my pajamas! I can't get out of the car. Take me back."Jason stood in front of the car door with no intention of moving. "The evidence is here. If I don't bring you here, how can I prove it to you?""Are you kidding me?" Iris rejected the idea of meeting his parents in pajamas, finding it absurd. "If you have any evidence, just tell me directly. Why so mysterious?" She was upset with Jason but didn't want to raise her voice lest she disturbed the occupants of the mansion.Jason stared at her for several seconds. "If I tell you, will you believe me?""I..." she hesitated.His tone softened. "Get down from the car."Iris stared at him, conflicted. "Have you ever thought about how this would make me look? If your parents see me dressed like this, won't the
Seeing Iris stepping back as well as her guarded expression, Jason's feelings were complicated.Suppressing his emotions, he said, "Go change; I'll wait for you."Iris asked, "Wait for me for what?""If I told you the woman of my dreams has always been you, you might not believe me, so I'll show you the evidence," Jason replied, his tone softening. "Go get changed."Iris hesitated, not moving. Jason was a renowned lawyer, so he knew how to fabricate evidence if he wanted to.She shook her head firmly. "I won't believe any so-called evidence that comes from you. I only believe in myself. From now on, our relationship will be strictly professional. If you don't want me to stay at Golden Path, feel free to dismiss me. I won't complain."With nearly a year of experience at a law firm like Golden Path, finding another job wouldn't be difficult.Jason frowned, displeasure and disappointment etched on his face. "Just like that, you've already formed conclusions about me?"Iris turne
Iris was stunned for two seconds before regaining her composure. "Mr. Just, you're back?" she asked.Jason stared at her, scrutinizing her for a minute. After the long pause, he asked, "Why didn't you answer my calls?"Recalling the missed call, Iris replied honestly, "I was taking a shower."Jason thought back to the timing of the missed calls. They weren't that far apart. She was showering? That brat was in her house when she was showering?"Is that so?" he said, uncertainty creeping into his voice. The situation had never slipped out of his control like this before, which made him feel uneasy.Iris firmly affirmed, "Yes.""Why did you move away?" His deep voice was tinged with suppressed frustration.Iris explained, "The apartment was only a temporary residence. This is my house, so I had to move here sooner or later. It just happened to be during your business trip. Come in."Talking at the doorway wasn't ideal. She stepped aside to make room for him.Jason walked in. He h
Before he left the country, he could sense that something was off with Iris. And now, she's not answering his calls. Also, why were she and that young man together at such a late hour?Just as Iris was about to take a shower and go to bed, the doorbell rang. Opening the door, she found Brad standing outside."Why are you..."Before she could finish, Brad handed her the phone. "You left this in the car."Iris received it with a smile. "I didn't even notice."Brad did not mention Jason's calls at all. He smiled and said, "Good night."Iris nodded. "Good night."After Brad left, she closed the door and tossed her phone onto the bed before heading to the bathroom. The sound of the shower filled the room.Her phone on the bed once again vibrated. It persisted for a whole minute before the call automatically ended. Jason heard the message, "The person you're trying to reach is currently unavailable. Please try again later..."Half an hour later, Iris emerged from the bathroom in
Sensing from Stanley's tone that something was wrong, Henry glanced at Stanley through the rearview mirror and was taken aback by his dejected expression.This was the once proud and arrogant Stanley, now at a low point in his life.There were some things that Henry could see clearly as an outsider, but couldn't tell Stanley.Iris had changed. Henry did not think there was any hope of reconciliation.Pointing that out would only hurt Stanley's feelings. However, if he remained silent, Stanley would continue to deceive himself. After a moment of hesitation, Henry finally broke the silence. "You know, Stanley, there are many other good women out there. Why not find someone new? Fiora is a great choice. She loves you. Spending your life with someone who loves you isn't a bad idea...""When did you start becoming so concerned with my love life?" Stanley interrupted impatiently, cutting Henry off before he could finish.Henry pursed his lips in frustration. He was just trying to hel
Iris approached Brad and asked, "Are you okay?"Seeing Stanley leaning against the wall, clearly in pain, Brad couldn't help but smile. "I'm fine," he answered.The ex-husband clearly took a worse hit than he did."Good. Let's go then," Iris said, turning to leave.Yvonne caught up and said, "I'll leave with you guys."Iris gave her silent agreement, while Henry tagged along, insisting, "And me.""Get lost!" Yvonne snapped."Don't be so heartless," Henry persisted.Yvonne blocked his path and told Iris, "Iris, you go ahead."Iris, weary of the situation, acknowledged her with a nod and walked away.She and Brad went to Brad's car. They had both been drinking, so they could only call a buddy driver service.Yvonne looked at Stanley, then back at Henry. With a smirk, she presented Henry with a difficult choice, "I'll give you a choice: either we end it here or you completely cut ties with Stanley Stein. Pick one."Henry asked in disbelief, "Do you really need to be so mercile
Brad sneered, "Iris is an independent woman, so of course I have no right to interfere in her business. And you, as her ex-husband, have no right either."Stanley's gaze darkened. He noticed Brad holding Iris' hand. A cold smile curled his lips. "Let go of her.""Nope!" Brad replied defiantly, tilting his head back.Stanley narrowed his eyes, and the two stood at the brink of conflict, tension thick in the air.Iris patted Brad's shoulder and said, "Don't waste time talking to him; let's go."Turning to face Iris, Brad immediately changed his attitude. He replied with a huge smile, "Okay."He pushed past Stanley, who was blocking the way.Frustration boiled within Stanley. He was fed up with Brad's constant interference and provocation. He felt humiliated.He couldn't stand it anymore!Without a second thought, he turned and kicked Brad.Caught off guard, Brad staggered forward but managed to stay on his feet.Iris was appalled. She did not expect Stanley to attack a kid lik
Henry frequented nightlife venues, so his capacity for alcohol was nothing to be trifled with. He filled Brad's glass with a smile."Cheers." He draped an arm over Brad's shoulder, holding a glass of wine in his other hand.Brad raised his glass, "Cheers."They clinked their glasses and downed the drinks in one go.Henry refilled their glasses, and they drank again.The pouring and drinking continued...Iris sensed something was off by the fourth drink. "Enough, you two, stop drinking." She took the glass from Brad's hand. "That's enough wine for tonight."But Henry hadn't achieved his goal yet. He smiled at Iris and said,. "But Iris, we're having a good time.""No more drinking," Iris said firmly. She knew Henry's limits with alcohol and knew that Brad was probably no match for him. If Brad continued drinking, he would end up drunk, and she could tell that Henry was trying to get him drunk.It was their first meeting, so Iris couldn't understand why Henry was messing with B