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
"I hope, through your conversations with your father, you can discover part of the truth."What does your father mean by 'becoming closer'? How did he attempt to do that? What was your sister's reaction? How many times did this behavior occur, and under what circumstances? "Finding out these things will help you gain a clearer understanding of the truth. From there, you can assess how serious your father's actions might be – whether they constitute indecent behavior or rape. Once you've had a good grasp of the situation, you can thoughtfully consider whether to support your sister or your father."As it stands, the reason your father was allowed to be released on bail is due to a lack of evidence at this point in time, but that doesn't mean he'll definitely be fine."From our conversation, you seem to be conflicted, but lean towards supporting your father. Your stepmother was aware of the situation before the suicide happened. With all the witnesses, alongside the victim's testimo
As a lawyer, despite her limited experience handling cases, Iris understood the importance of maintaining a clear, objective perspective. She recognized that allowing emotions to cloud her judgment could compromise her ability to provide effective representation.Her refusal to take on the woman's case stemmed from a desire to avoid digging deeper into the potentially painful truth. She could analyze the case objectively, but deep down, she was still apprehensive about facing the darker aspects of human nature and the emotional turmoil experienced by the victim which led to her taking her own life.The woman's face sank. "Oh, I see."Iris nodded."Okay, I'll think about it," the woman said as she stood up.Iris followed suit and opened the door for her."Thank you for your advice," the woman said politely."You're welcome," Iris replied, watching the woman leave."Wait."Suddenly, Iris called out to her.The woman turned back, and Iris approached her."Take my phone number.
The woman was surprised by Iris' refusal."Don't you regret getting divorced?" she asked, genuinely puzzled. In her view, marrying into the Stein family was a significant achievement for Iris. There were many beautiful women in the world, but not all of them could marry wealthy men. She thought Iris was incredibly lucky.If she were the one who married Stanley, she would never divorce him no matter what. She would be fine with Stanley cheating on her as long as he gave her money. There used to be a popular discussion on the internet. The question was: if your husband is never home, but you get $20,000 every month, are you okay with that?She would be more than okay with that.It would be great if she had money and her husband was never home.She genuinely could not understand Iris' decision.Instead of answering, Iris said, "Illegitimate children also have inheritance rights nowadays. As long as you give birth safely, you will get what you want. I already gave you my contact, a
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