Ted's silence all but confirmed it. Stanley felt his mood lift. He smirked. "Let me buy you a drink.""Not interested," Ted rejected the invitation.Stanley continued, "If you want to pursue her, go ahead. We're divorced, so you have every right to try. I don't know if you'll succeed though." His last words dripped with confidence, as he believed Iris had rejected Ted because she still loved him.All his frustration had faded away. "I may have gone too far that day," he admitted, his tone softening. Ted was not an unreasonable person. They had been close friends for years."You're the one who said I could pursue her. Don't you regret it," Ted said.It was indeed inappropriate for him to be in love with someone else's wife before this. He could overlook what happened that day, but he wanted to gauge Stanley's current stance."Go ahead," Stanley reiterated.Satisfied, Ted responded, "We'll put what happened that day behind us. Let's go." He opened the car door and climbed in.T
"What did he say?" Henry asked. He thought he caught the name Iris.Lester shook his head. "I can’t tell. Let’s go."Henry nodded.In the middle of the night, Stanley threw up, filling the room with a foul stench.His mouth was parched. He felt like a stranded fish, nearly drowning in thirst. "Water, water..." he mumbled.In the past, whenever he got drunk, Iris would stay by his side the whole night. She would pour him water when he was thirsty and comfort him if he felt unwell.He had never felt this terrible before. He felt like he was dying.In the morning, the maid arrived to clean the house. Since Iris wasn’t around, he had hired a maid to handle the chores. Half-asleep, he opened his eyes to see the maid mopping the floor. Frowning, he recalled the way the stale smell in the room had nearly made him pass out the night before. He couldn’t believe he had spent the night in such an environment."Open the windows for some fresh air," he croaked, his throat dry and hoar
He found it really childish. He couldn’t recall ever fastening a seatbelt for Iris; she had never asked him to do it for her either. Iris had a gentle and innocent face that invited fantasy, but she was actually very bold.He shook his head, frustrated that he kept thinking of her."Let's go to the Pedestrian Walk," Fiora suggested. She had planned the outing after doing research online. Besides shops, the Pedestrian Walk was also lined with maple trees. Even in winter, with the leaves fallen, the snow adorning the branches lent a unique charm to the scenery.Stanley merely grunted in agreement. When they arrived at the destination, Fiora exited the car first while he searched for a parking spot. Just then, his phone rang.He answered via Bluetooth, and his mother's voice came through. "How are you getting along with the Just girl? Remember, she's raised in luxury, unlike Iris, so don’t you go treating her like..."Before she could finish, Stanley hung up. He parked the car an
"It's not for me; it's for you," Iris said with a smile.Cassie's eyes widened in shock. "For me?"Dennis chimed in, "She's bought things for you before. Why are you so surprised?""Well, I made her angry not too long ago..." Cassie trailed off."This time, it's different," Iris interrupted with a smile. "Everything I bought for you in the past, I bought with Stanley's money. This time... I’m using the money I earned myself.""You got a job?" Cassie asked, surprised.Iris nodded affirmatively.There was a hint of melancholy in Cassie's expression. "Well, that's good." She was worried if her daughter could adapt to the working world, given that she had never held a job before.Iris sensed her mother’s concern and assured her, "Mom, relying on myself is better than relying on others. My skills are the only things that are truly mine."Cassie nodded hard. "You're right."Iris then picked a 20-gram gold bracelet for her mother. It wasn’t large, but she had only earned $3000, so s
She feared her daughter would get upset if she saw Stanley with the woman.Dennis' Adam's apple bobbed emotionally as he muttered, "I feel like beating him up."Cassie was worried that her husband might actually try to hit Stanley. He might have been strong enough when he was younger, but he's old now. He could get beaten up instead.Iris soon emerged from the coffee shop. Cassie quickly walked up to her and tried to drag her away. "Let's go to the restaurant. I'm so hungry."Iris agreed, but when she noticed her father's red eyes, she asked with a frown, "Did you give Dad a hard time again while I was gone?""No, why would I do that?" Cassie retorted, her voice rising defensively. She had taken Iris' words to heart and had become much gentler with her husband. Without her mother-in-law's nagging, she found it easier to stay calm and was less irritable than before.But seeing Dennis' eyes that were still red, Cassie instantly became deflated. "I couldn't control my temper. I won'
Fiora was startled. "Oh my god, are you blind? Watch where you're going! You spilled coffee all over my boyfriend!"Iris took a step back, her gaze only stopping briefly on Stanley before flickering towards the girl who was furious that Iris had spilled coffee on him.The girl was strikingly beautiful, with a smooth, round face and deep, expressive eyes. Dressed in a white down jacket, she exuded an air of purity and elegance, reminiscent of a blooming lotus – exactly the type that Stanley liked."My boyfriend's clothes are very expensive..." the girl continued indignantly."Those expensive clothes can't cover up his filthy body," Iris remarked as she walked past Stanley."You're so rude!" Fiora shot back, glaring at Iris. "Can you believe how rude she is?"Stanley brushed off the coffee stain from his suit jacket and glanced back at Iris, a cold scoff tugging at his lips. "Some people simply have no manners. Ignore her."His voice, neither loud nor soft, echoed clearly in the u
Stanley's stomach had not been feeling that well for the past few days, and the spicy food only exacerbated his discomfort. He furrowed his brow without saying anything, giving his silent consent to leave. They settled the bill and exited the restaurant. The cold weather kept the streets relatively empty, with only a few pairs of pedestrians braving the chill while sticking close to each other for warmth."It's so cold," Fiora shivered, glancing up at Stanley, hoping he would wrap her in an embrace. However, he walked straight to the car as if he didn't hear her, leaving her pouting in disappointment. Once inside the car, she asked, "Can I go to your place, Stanley?""Sure," he replied casually. Fiora's disappointment faded, replaced by a bright smile as they drove to his home.Upon entering, Fiora noticed a maid preparing tortellini. Curiosity piqued, she approached and asked, "Why are you making so much tortellini?"The maid explained, "Mr. Stein wants it for breakfast, but
Stanley looked up to find Fiora's eyes filled with anticipation, reminiscent of how Iris used to gaze at him.However, that spark had faded from Iris' eyes long ago."Thank you," he said, acknowledging her effort.Fiora shook her head vigorously. "It's nothing. I'm willing to do anything for you."Seemingly nostalgic for the taste of tortellini, he spooned up a piece and sampled it. It was not the flavor that he was familiar with, lacking the usual chewy texture. The skin was overcooked and melted in his mouth. It tasted like salty noodle soup and did not go down smoothly. He furrowed his brow.This was not how tortellini should taste at all.It's completely different from the tortellini he remembered."Is it delicious?" Fiora asked, her eyes sparkling with hope."I'm not that hungry," he replied.Disappointment flashed across her face. "Does it taste bad?""No, I'm just not hungry," he reiterated, "It's getting late; you should go home."Fiora stared right at him and as
"Okay. Good night, Mr. Just," Iris said."See you tomorrow," he said."See you tomorrow."…Iris was jolted awake the next morning by her phone ringing. Groggy, she reached for it. "Hello...""My husband changed his mind. He refuses to settle or drop the case now."The client's voice sounded anxious.Iris was instantly wide awake.Why would he change his mind overnight? She was going to handle all the procedures today to avoid further complications too."What happened?" Iris sat up, rubbing her eyes. "Take your time and explain in detail.""I don't know either. He just messaged me saying he regrets signing the settlement agreement and he won't drop the case. But he already signed the agreement. He can't change his mind anymore, right?" The client still held a glimmer of hope.Iris replied, "He can still change his mind."Under normal circumstances, changing one's mind after signing would be difficult. However, since she had half-tricked him into signing the agreement, if
Iris nodded helplessly. "You shouldn't have answered the phone." She felt a headache coming.She wasn't blaming Jason; it's just impossible to explain to her mother now.Since Jason answered her phone this late at night, her mother naturally assumed that Jason had been with her all evening.That was indeed the case today, but it wasn't in the way her parents thought."I can go meet your parents with you," Jason offered.Iris was surprised. Huh?Does he even know what he's saying?"Do you know who my mom thinks you are?" she asked.How could he suggest that without knowing anything?"She thinks I'm your boyfriend, right?" Jason smirked mischievously. "If you don't take me to see them, they'll definitely ask you even more questions. Wouldn't that be troublesome for you?""Besides," he added, "We worked so well together earlier. We're very in sync, right?"Iris was speechless."Actually, all I have to do is explain to them...""What if they set you up on a blind date?" Jaso
After hanging up, as Jason was about to leave the car, he heard a phone ringing. He traced the sound to Iris' phone lying on the passenger seat. She had left her phone in his car.Picking it up, he noticed "Mother" displayed on the screen and smiled, recalling the enthusiastic woman he had met the other day. It seemed he had a reason to look for Iris now.He exited the car and took the elevator to the ground floor, then headed to the building across the street.While waiting for the elevator in Iris' building, Iris' phone rang again. Jason wondered if he should answer. Iris' mother was calling repeatedly in the middle of the night, so there might be an emergency. After some hesitation, he decided to answer.Before he could speak, Cassie's voice came through the line. "Iris, happy birthday! Your dad and I are so busy today that I only have time to call you now. When are you free to visit us for dinner? Call me before you come; we'll skip work that day and stay home to spend the
Stanley was furious. He felt as if all the blood in his body was flowing to his head. If he had held onto any hope before, it was gone now. He realized that Iris was genuinely leaving him and had no intention of returning to his side.No!He could not accept that!Inside the car, Iris fastened her seatbelt, unfazed by Stanley's roar. Jason glanced at her, noticing her calm demeanor, and a slight smile tugged at the corners of his lips.He started the engine, and the car roared to life. He turned the steering wheel and pressed the gas pedal, and they drove away .Once they had left Riverside Pier, Iris said, "Thank you for acting with me."Jason's grip on the steering wheel tightened. "Don't you think we have great chemistry?"Iris considered this for a moment. "Indeed. I always thought you were a very serious person. I didn't expect you to...""To what?" he asked, glancing at her.Iris brushed her hair. "Just now, when you called me 'babe', I got goosebumps. I can't believ
"I'll take you home," Jason offered.Iris nodded. Stanley couldn't stand it any more. Disregarding how bad it made him look, he rushed forward and grabbed Iris' wrist. "Iris..."Iris turned around, her expression cold. "Can I help you, Mr. Stein?"Her tone was icy, causing a pang in Stanley's chest. "H-happy birthday." His voice was hoarse. "Iris, I made a mistake. Let's get back together..."Jason instinctively tightened his grip on Iris' shoulder.Iris sneered, tilting her head with eyes full of coldness. "Since you wished me a happy birthday, let me make a wish: I hope you never appear before me again. I hope my wish will come true.""Iris," Stanley's voice cracked with emotion.Iris raised her eyebrows and said fiercely, "Let go of my hand!"Instead of releasing her, Stanley tightened his grip, the veins in his hand bulging.That hurt Iris' arm."Mr. Stein," Jason interjected, prying Stanley's hand away. "Stop bothering her. This is unbecoming of you.""She's my wife
On the shore, Yvonne urged Iris to leave.The other yacht was drawing closer to the dock, and if Iris lingered any longer, she would inevitably run into Stanley. It had truly been an unlucky day for Yvonne. Nothing was going smoothly. First came Jason, an unexpected guest, and now came Stanley, a harbinger of bad luck."Iris, why is the day of your birth so unlucky?" Yvonne complained. Iris looked perplexed. Right then, the other yacht docked. Henry was the first to jump off. He hurried over to Yvonne. "Hey! You're here too? Why didn’t you call me to join you? We could have come together."Yvonne glanced at the three women who followed him down from the yacht. All of them were flaunting their legs, their skirts barely covering their bottoms, and their cleavages were on full display with their low necklines. Yvonne scoffed, "Come together? That would have ruined your fun.""C'mon, I'm not serious with them," Henry replied. He approached Yvonne and reached for her sleeve. "
Actually, it wasn't that the parents absolutely couldn't afford to raise her, it was more because they wanted a son, but with the family planning policy, they couldn't afford the payment to give birth to one more child, so they left the girl to be raised by the grandparents.The little girl passed away without ever having been registered in the household registration; she was considered undocumented. Getting her registered would require money the family simply didn't have. Or, perhaps, they felt that it wasn't necessary since she was just a girl.The girl's aunt – her uncle's wife, who also lived with the girl's grandparents – was unhappy because there was suddenly an extra mouth to feed. The aunt treated the girl very poorly. According to neighbors, the girl was often beaten and denied food. The grandparents didn't dare speak up, fearing they would upset their daughter-in-law.According to the villagers, the aunt had attacked the girl that day because the girl had stolen some bread
Jason remarked, "In this world, there is no such thing as absolute fairness."He thought Iris' view was still overly idealistic. There was a large gap between the things taught in law school and the cases that happened in the real world. Sometimes, bending the rules was necessary to achieve certain objectives, not just for the sake of making things fairer. The world has never been fair, no matter in which country.Iris fell silent. She knew that the world had never truly been fair. Many individuals were constrained by circumstances from the moment they were born. Some emerged from impoverished rural areas, needing relentless perseverance to change their fates, while others were born into wealth and luxury, their starting point already an unattainable goal for many. How could this not be seen as unfair? Fairness was absent from the moment of one's birth.Yet, wasn't her initial aspiration to study law rooted in the pursuit of fairness? If not, what was the point of law?"Mr. Just,
His now wide open collar revealed his sexy, slender neck. His Adam's apple moved as he spoke, his voice slightly hoarse, "Are you really okay?"Iris nodded, avoiding his gaze; she didn't dare meet his eyes directly. His gaze felt too affectionate. Earlier, he mentioned that she resembled the love of his life. Maybe he saw her as a substitute for his unrequited love?Yes, it must be so; otherwise, he wouldn't have looked at her with that kind of expression.Phew~She assured herself that Jason couldn't possibly have feelings for someone like her. It was fortunate she had realized this in time, avoiding any presumptuous thoughts. She felt relieved that she hadn't embarrassed herself in front of him."Um..." Just then, Denise approached, intending to inform them that Yvonne wanted to leave. Upon reaching the sun deck, she immediately spotted Jason hugging Iris.She realized she was intruding.Quietly, she turned to leave.However, Iris had seen her. "Denise," Iris called out