"I'm fine," Iris replied, lowering her head.A firefighter asked, "Do you guys need to go to the hospital?"Iris shook her head."No, we're fine. Thank you for rescuing us," Jason said."Just doing our job," the firefighter assured them before leaving after confirming they were safe. The property management team quickly called the elevator repairman to address the malfunction.Iris and Jason took the stairs back to Iris' apartment. They were rescued on the first floor, so they had to climb from the first floor to the sixth. Iris felt weak and struggled with each step, gripping the handrail tightly for support. Jason walked beside her.The cool air outside the elevator gradually dried the sweat on their bodies, and Iris' face was no longer as flushed. By the time they reached the sixth floor, Iris was exhausted.Jason, however, showed no signs of fatigue. Iris glanced at him in surprise. She was out of breath, while he wasn't even breathing heavily. "Mr. Just, aren't you ti
Iris had actually wanted to make better food since she was inviting someone over for dinner, but the meal ended up being a bit simple."Next time, I’ll prepare in advance, so bear with me this time. You must be hungry, right, Mr. Just?""I'm okay," Jason replied.After dinner, Jason took his leave. Iris walked him to the staircase since the elevator was still out of order. She watched him descend before returning to her apartment.Once inside, she tidied up the dining table and went to bed.The next day, she noticed over ten missed calls on her phone but decided against calling back because she had a lawsuit to file that day. Denise had finished gathering evidence of her husband's asset transfers. Following Iris' advice, Denise acted like she was hesitant to end the marriage, but she was secretly collecting proof of the asset transfers. Her husband was the one at fault to begin with, and he also tried to transfer away marital assets. Iris felt confident about their chances in
They sat facing each other, chatting.Iris stared at them in disbelief. She wondered why they were here together. After all, they were not particularly close.Denise asked, "Do you know them?""That's my friend. Excuse me for a moment," Iris said."No problem, go ahead," Denise said with a smile.Iris approached, and it was Henry who noticed her first. He greeted her with a warm smile. "Iris, what are you doing here?"Iris smiled back. "I came with a friend."Yvonne, glancing behind Iris, asked, "A friend? A man or a woman? I didn’t know you had other friends besides me."Ignoring her teasing, Iris simply said, "Can I talk to you for a minute?"Yvonne stayed put. "We can talk here."Henry chimed in, "Yeah, it's not like we don't know each other. Whatever you want to say, you can say it in front of me." He added half-jokingly, "You're not gonna talk bad about me behind my back, are you?"Iris didn't know what to say. She was indeed going to tell Yvonne that Henry was an irres
Yvonne started her playful teasing again. "Is your client a man or a woman? Is he handsome?"Iris was speechless."What on earth is going on in your head?" she said, bemused."Ms. Glover," Denise had been waiting for her."Denise, my friend is a bit drunk..." Iris began, but Yvonne quickly straightened up and interjected, "I'm not drunk. I'm perfectly fine.""If you're Ms. Glover's friend, then you're my friend too. Care to join us?" Denise suggested.Without waiting for Iris' consent, Yvonne replied, "Sure!"Iris looked at Yvonne with a mix of helplessness and amusement on her face. The private room that had once belonged to Denise's ex-husband was now hers. Denise declared generously, "Let's have a good time! It's all on me!"Yvonne, who was familiar with the place, took the lead.This place wasn't only a paradise for men. It was a paradise for women too."Let’s start with ‘Paradise on Earth.’"Iris and Denise exchanged puzzled glances. What's "Paradise on Earth"? Alth
Iris had been busy with the lawsuit lately. She barely had time for anything else."I saw your missed calls, but I was too busy to reply," she explained. She genuinely did not mean to ignore Ted on purpose.Ted decided to let the matter rest. "I'm just glad you’re okay.""I'm fine," she assured him.Stanley seemed to want to say something to Iris but could not bring himself to say it in front of the group. When he spoke, his words were mocking. "How busy could an assistant be?"Iris didn’t want to argue with him so she just kept quiet.Lester, who was beside Stanley, felt the tension and tried to lighten the mood. "Why don't you join us, Iris?""No, I came here with friends. You guys have fun," Iris replied.Henry knew that Yvonne was with Iris. If he could enter their room, he would be able to see Yvonne again, so he said, "We’re all friends; let’s have fun together!"Iris said, "I don't think that's a good idea." She did not like that idea at all."Oh, c'mon. we’re friend
"Alright," Denise agreed, sensing the tension in the air. A fight might break out at any moment, so it would be wise to leave. After all, they were three women facing a group of men."I'll give you a ride, Yvonne," Henry quickly offered.Yvonne replied irritably, "You're a scum too. Birds of a feather flock together."Henry was taken aback. He hadn't done anything wrong. Why did he get yelled at?"I'll go with you guys," Ted said, leaving with them.Lester took a cautious glance at Stanley. Stanley's expression was dark, the simmering anger ready to erupt.No one dared to speak.Stanley turned, rushed into the crowd, grabbed Iris' wrist and pulled her away.When Yvonne and Ted realized what was happening, they tried to give chase, but they were blocked by Henry and Lester. "Let them talk," Henry said.Yvonne was about to curse him out again, but Lester cut her off, "They were married for four years and were together for seven years. Stanley just wants to talk to her. He's no
Iris did not panic or lose her composure. She asked calmly, "What are you doing?""What? You used to love it when I did this to you. We've never done it in an environment like this before..." Stanley pressed her down against a pile of boards and greedily tore at her clothes.He was attempting to stir her memories by doing this.Iris simply looked at him coldly. "Stanley, this will only make me think even less of you.""I don't care. I just want you back," he mumbled, burying his face in her chest, his voice muffled. "Don't you remember? You lost your virginity to me here in this house. You cried a lot that night..."He was so scared of hurting her that he didn't dare to use much force.Iris closed her eyes, unwilling to relive those memories or look at his face.Stanley removed her sweater and lifted her waist. She wriggled in protest. "Ugh..." Something pricked her, and the sharp pain made her groan. "What's wrong?" Stanley asked. He immediately noticed that a nail had pier
Iris smiled.[When will you be back?] she asked, almost as if she couldn't help herself, and immediately regretted it. It wasn't her place to ask her boss' schedule, so the question was a little rude, but it was too late to take it back.She felt embarrassed. Just as she was about to put her phone down, a voice message came through. She listened to the deep, husky voice in the message, sounding groggy as if he were half-asleep or slightly intoxicated: "I'll be back tomorrow.""Should I pick you up at the airport?" she replied.The response was simple: "Okay."As she was about to set her phone down, it rang again. This time, it was Ted. "Are you okay? Did Stanley do anything to you?""No," she replied."Where are you? I'll come see you."Iris, feeling drained, said, "I'm already home. I'm tired, I don't feel like going out.""Can I see you tomorrow?" Ted asked eagerly."I'm busy tomorrow," Iris replied."How about the day after tomorrow?" Ted persisted.Iris felt tired. "Ted
Brad arrived at Iris' house precisely at ten past seven. Holding the lunchbox, he rang the doorbell. Iris had just woken up, still in her pajamas, and wondered who could possibly be at the door this early. Sometimes, if she weren't driving, Brad would pick her up at around ten to eight. He wouldn't come this early.When she opened the door, she found him dressed in smart casual attire — a suit jacket, trousers, and white sneakers. In the past, he would wear cool attires like casual pants with a hoodie or a leather jacket, but after accompanying Iris to court on formal occasions, he had adapted his wardrobe considerably. Although he still felt uncomfortable in formal wear, he looked much more mature than before."You're here so early?" Iris asked, surprised."When you're busy, you never eat properly," Brad replied, entering without hesitation. He knew the passcode to her house anyway, so he made himself at home. He walked directly to the dining table. "Go freshen up and change yo
"Are you really going to take on that case, by the way?" Brad asked Iris.Iris asked him back, "Why shouldn't I?""This kind of case could go viral online and attract public scrutiny. I'm worried you'll face backlash. Many people these days lack critical thinking and just follow the crowd," Brad expressed.Iris responded firmly, "I'm a lawyer. I just need to fulfill my duties and do my job well. If I have to weigh the pros and cons before taking on every case..." she turned to him, adding, "What would be the point of doing this job?"Brad fell silent for a moment, then conceded, "Yes, you're right. Don't worry, I'll be at your side."Iris poured cold water on his enthusiasm. "I don't need you to be at my side. You need to go independent.""I don't want to," Brad said, sticking close to her, as if afraid of being left behind."What? Are you just going to cling to me?" she asked."Yes, I am," he chuckled."By the way, I need some fruits but I don't have time to go to the superma
Brad was right, Fiora knew that now. Yet her personality made it difficult for her to apologize and admit her mistakes. When Brad tried to take a sip of water, she snatched the glass from him.Brad looked at her, speechless. Fiora lifted her chin defiantly. "Whether he cares about me or not is none of your business."Brad wanted to ask her if her head had been kicked by a donkey. Instead, he said, "Alright, think what you want. I'm not your brother; I'm not gonna worry about you."Unintentionally, his words elicited a silent reaction from Iris, who lowered her gaze."My brother is overseas dealing with his heartbreak; he doesn't have time to worry about me," Fiora lamented. "I wonder if all the luck in our family has gone to the financial side. Is that why we're so unlucky in everything else? Half a year ago, my brother announced that he had a girlfriend. My mom had even met her and apparently really liked her, but then it all fell apart. My love life is rocky, and my brother's is
Iris said, "Just shut up and order."Brad obediently picked up the menu.Fiora watched the exchange, somewhat shocked at how readily Brad complied with Iris' command.Before this, she and Brad had looked down on each other, and their mutual disdain was evident. She had always thought Brad was too wild and could not be easily controlled, yet here he was, completely under Iris' command. She wondered how Iris had managed to subdue such a wilful young man, especially given Brad's less-than-ideal character.Having spent considerable time with Iris, Brad knew her preferences in food. He ordered the dishes he knew she liked, along with some of his own favorites, before turning to Fiora. "What would you like?""Anything," Fiora replied, prompting Brad to place a random order for her.While they waited for the food, Fiora broached the topic that lingered between them. "About what happened before...""Let's not dwell on the past," Iris interjected. To her, an apology from Fiora held littl
Iris didn't stop. She felt that they weren't acquainted so there was nothing to talk about.Fiora chased after her, tugging on Brad's arm as she ran past him. "Help me out."Brad thus followed behind her, saying, "If she doesn't want to talk to you, don't force her..."Fiora shot him an annoyed glare. Brad was speechless. Why did she glare at him? She was still the same spoiled brat."Wait, I'm not here to be your enemy," Fiora called as she caught up with Iris.Iris had to cross the street, but the continuous flow of traffic forced her to stop, giving Fiora a chance to catch up to her."I just want to apologize," Fiora said.Iris turned back in surprise. Those unexpected words caught her off guard. She did not expect it from Fiora at all.Why would Fiora suddenly apologize to her?"I know Stanley's married now. He married that evil woman," Fiora continued.Learning that Stanley had married Wendy had changed Fiora's opinion of Iris, but it wasn't until last night that she t
When Iris opened the door, she was shocked to see that it was Samuel. "What are you doing here?" she asked, puzzled.Samuel replied, "Mr. Just is not in the country. He asked me to check on you. Do you need anything?"Jason had seen Iris' message, but she had deleted it before he could listen to it. Concerned about her, had sent Samuel to check if everything was alright since he was abroad.Iris tightened her grip on the doorknob. Something stirred in the bottom of her heart. She tried to sound calm as she said, "I'm fine.""I'll be in the country all month. If you need anything, feel free to call me," Samuel said, handing her his business card. "Here's my contact."Iris hesitated for a moment before taking it."Are you sure you're fine?" Samuel asked, noticing her pale complexion.Though Iris had forgotten about her stomach pain because she was preoccupied with her thoughts, her complexion gave away her condition. She forced a nod. "I'm fine. Really."Samuel studied her for a
Iris walked out of the shop with the cake in hand. When she spotted Renee, she ignored her.Renee finally recognized the qualities Iris possessed when she compared Iris to Wendy — Iris was cultured, well-mannered, polite and respected her elders."Iris," Renee called out involuntarily.Iris merely looked back for a second before getting into her car.Renee stood frozen in a daze. If Iris were still her daughter-in-law, she mused, she wouldn't have to endure this humiliation. A shiver ran down her spine at the thought of Wendy. She perceived Wendy as a devil. Wendy was the most evil person she had ever seen! She couldn't imagine how a person could be that evil.Yet, Renee never considered her own flaws while judging others.Renee's unexpected appearance did not make Iris feel anything. She entered a restaurant's private room with the cake. The private room was filled with Brad's friends. They were playfully teasing him, saying, "You don't race with us anymore. You barely even ha
Wendy stood up and gestured to the various luxury items she had purchased, sprawled across the couch. "Bring them up for me," she commanded, treating Renee like a servant."In your dreams!" Renee yelled back defiantly.Wendy leaned casually against the staircase railing, her expression filled with contempt. Cold and calculating, she resembled a predator, no trace of weakness remaining."Don't waste your breath with empty threats. You can't do anything to me. If anything happens to me, that video of you murdering someone will land in the police's hands. That boy will also receive a copy. When he learns who killed his mother after he grows up, there's no way he'll spare you. He'll send the Stein family into chaos. The video will also be leaked to the media, exposing your crime to the world. It'll become a scandal for the Stein family, and the family business' stocks will plummet as a result. And your dear husband, the person you care about the most? When he finds out that his lover di
Iris was in no mood to talk. Yvonne shook her gently, asking, "Do you want me to take you out to relax?""Not interested," Iris replied, looking visibly exhausted.When the takeout arrived, she only picked at her food, taking just a few bites before losing interest.It wasn't that the food wasn't tasty; she simply had no appetite.Yvonne received a phone call. She asked Iris if she wanted to join her. Iris declined."Then I'll see you next time," Yvonne said while getting up."Mmh," Iris responded absentmindedly.After Yvonne left, Iris packed up the food and decided to go to bed early.The day of the trial arrived as scheduled. Despite her best efforts, the trial proved challenging, and the outcome was not what she had hoped for. The client commented, "Honestly, it's better than what I expected. There's a big difference between five years and ten years. I'll reform well, show good behavior, and try to get released early."Iris remained silent. The outcome wasn't satisfactor