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
"Where is he? Where is he?" Denise exclaimed excitedly, scanning the room as if expecting to find a man hidden somewhere. "Is he in the closet? He's not naked, is he?" she joked, her eyes sparkling with mischief.Iris was speechless.Yvonne narrowed her eyes at Iris, demanding, "Spill it.""I'm not hiding a man," Iris replied honestly. "The coat belongs to my boss; he left it here.""Jason Just?" Yvonne asked, her interest piqued.Iris nodded, "Yes, who else could it be? You know he's my boss."Denise, slightly disappointed that there was no man to find, said, "There's only a coat here?"She then asked, raising an eyebrow, "Is he that tall, good-looking man I saw with you last time? The one I encouraged you to pursue?"Iris confirmed, "That's right."Yvonne pressed on, "How did his coat end up at your place? Was he here?"As Iris thought back to the time they were stuck in the elevator, hugging each other, and a flush of guilt washed over her. Avoiding eye contact, she explai
Yvonne declared, "It's too late to go home; I'm staying over."Iris saw through her. "Are you scared?""Of course not. It's all fake. What's there to be scared of..." Yvonne insisted.Before she could finish, Denise leaned in close and gave her a fright. Yvonne jumped in shock, prompting laughter from the other two women.Swallowing hard, Yvonne said, "You could have given me a heart attack.""I thought you're not scared?" Iris teased, "You're the one who insisted on watching this movie.""I thought if we all watch it together, there's nothing to worry about. I didn't know both of you are scaredy-cats."After finishing several bottles of beer, the dining table was a chaotic mess."Since Yvonne is staying over, can I stay over too?" Denise asked. She was still scared."I only have one bed..." Iris said."It's fine; I don't mind squeezing in," Denise replied.With that, Iris couldn't refuse. "Alright, let's squeeze in."The three women lay on the bed, transitioning from chatt
[I'll arrive at three.]Iris replied, [Got it.]Because Jason was away, Iris had little to do. She spent the morning reading, and during her noon break, she returned home to tidy up the place. She had rushed to work that morning, so the cleaning was less than thorough.As she bent down to throw away the trash, she strained the injury on her waist. Afterwards, she went to the bathroom to inspect the wound in the mirror and apply some iodine. Wounds tended to heal slowly in winter. She cleaned the house until it was spotless and even washed the bed sheets. After that, she headed straight to the airport from home.She arrived half an hour early. The flight was delayed, and she only saw Jason an hour later. Jason wasn’t in a suit; he wore a black sweater over a white shirt, black casual pants that accentuated his long legs, and a trench coat draped over his arm, with a suitcase in his left hand."Mr. Just!" Iris waved.He spotted her waving both hands at the arrival hall and smil
He knew Iris well; she often brushed off minor injuries. He recalled a time when she accidentally cut her finger while chopping vegetables. It bled profusely, but she simply applied a band-aid on the wound. The wound took a long time to heal."I did," Iris lied. She wanted to avoid further conversation with him. Stanley didn’t buy her words."I know you didn't. I have some medicine for you. These are to be consumed orally, to prevent tetanus and inflammation since the wound might be deep. And this one is for external application. Remember to keep the wound dry...""Why are you doing this?" Iris asked. He had never been a caring person. In the past, if she had a minor injury, he would just ask, "Why didn’t you go to the hospital?" He had never bought medicine for her or shown concern for her well-being. She remembered accidentally cutting her finger once. She still had to cook for him afterwards. He didn't even ask if she was okay. And now, after their divorce, he had suddenly
Fiora was too overwhelmed by her emotions to think properly. She was dazzled by the sudden passion, her focus solely on the sexy and domineering man before her. Her voice was soft and gentle, almost as if it was made of water, as she said, "You don't have to take responsibility."Stanley picked her up, and they fell onto the bed. In an instant, his kisses enveloped her like a storm. His kisses and his hands that tore her clothes off were rough and devoid of tenderness. It was as if he were venting his fury on her, as if he were doing to her what he wished to do to another person.Fiora was swept away by the intensity of the moment. She found herself falling for this man even more, relishing the feeling of being taken forcefully. Caught in this whirlwind of emotions, she let herself be manipulated by Stanley, her body and mind in a heightened state of excitement.It wasn't until they had crossed the threshold of intimacy and their two bodies had merged into one that Stanley finally r
Jason saw that from the other side of the car. "Did you hurt your waist?""Huh?" Iris looked up. "Oh, yes.""How did you get hurt?"Closing the car door, Iris avoided eye contact. "I was pricked by a nail."Jason didn’t press further; as a skilled lawyer, he was adept at reading between the lines. Although he didn’t know how exactly she got injured, he sensed it was related to her ex-husband."Do you still have feelings for him?" he asked, gazing intently at her."If I did, I wouldn't have gotten divorced," Iris replied with a smile. "I'm not someone who drags things out." She didn't file for divorce when she found out about Wendy. She only made the decisive choice to leave Stanley after she had completely given up on him.Jason looked like he wanted to say something, but ultimately held his tongue.Iris walked ahead, leading the way. "The restaurant's not that far; it's just over there." She pointed to a restaurant bustling with people at the entrance. Despite the chilly wea
At first, Dennis doubted his eyes, but upon closer inspection, he confirmed it was indeed his daughter. Instead of approaching her and intruding upon their meal, he returned to Cassie and asked, "Do you think our Iris is in a relationship again?"Cassie replied nonchalantly, "She just got divorced. It seems too soon for that."Cassie knew how much their daughter loved Stanley. Even though they're divorced now, she thought Iris wouldn't move on and enter a new relationship so quickly. Moreover, finding the right person was challenging. Cassie had been keeping an eye out, but had yet to find anyone suitable for Iris."But I just saw her at a barbecue restaurant with a man," Dennis stated.Cassie's interest piqued, "Really?"He affirmed, "I saw it with my own eyes.""Is the man good-looking?" she inquired."I didn't see what he looked like," he replied."Let's go take a look," Cassie suggested.Dennis hesitated, "We can't leave our stall unattended...""It's fine, we're just ste
Iris' heart tightened, feeling both sweet and bitter, "I did it willingly. You were only in danger because you tried to help me. You went to great lengths to help me save my cousin. I'm immensely grateful."She paused, then slowly raised her head to look at him, "I can't let you die because of me. If someone has to die, I'd rather it be me, not you.""Why can't it be me?" His tone was light, but there was a subtle hint of excitement in his voice.She must loved him very much to have the courage to rush in front of him in the face of danger.Death, what a fearful word.Yet she shielded him from the gun with no hesitation."You were there to help me save someone. Therefore, you can't die," Iris answered.That was what she genuinely thought at the time.In the quiet room, the sounds of their breathing could be clearly heard. Jason gazed at her, his eyes filled with a complex emotion, "You rushed over to shield me from that gun because I helped you save your cousin? It's because yo
She asked in panic, "Who is it?""It's me."It was Jason's voice. She breathed a sigh of relief.People always felt the most insecure when they're naked."You're done eating already?"Jason wasn't very hungry because he just woke up, so he only had a bowl of soup. That's why he came back up so quickly."Yeah. What are you doing? The doctor said your wound shouldn't get wet.""I'll be careful." Iris said.Jason frowned. "Are you taking a shower?""...Yeah," Iris answered softly."I'll wash you." Jason tried to open the door, but it was locked from the inside.He raised his eyebrows. "Iris...""I can wash myself." Iris hugged herself, thinking, how embarrassing would it be if he washed her?She didn't want that.Although they had already seen each other naked, her current appearance was not pleasing, and there was a gruesome wound on her body.She didn't want him to see her in this ugly state.Yes, he had already seen her ugly side, but... she couldn't just not care.She
Perhaps the sensation was a bit itchy, as Jason stirred. Iris quickly withdrew her hand, but Jason had already woken up."What's wrong? Does the wound hurt?" Having just woken up, his voice was hoarse.Iris shook her head, "I'm fine."She felt bad. "I'm sorry I woke you up. Go back to sleep."Jason raised his head and said, "Give me your arm."She smiled and extended her arm. Jason laid his head on her arm and said, "Hug me."Iris thought he was childish.She gently patted his back like she was soothing a child.Jason closed his eyes. Smelling her scent, he soon fell asleep again. He slept for a long time, only waking up at night.Iris had also fallen asleep, but she woke up a lot earlier due to hunger. However, seeing Jason sleeping soundly, she didn't want to disturb him. Her arm was numb but she didn't dare to pull it out, afraid of waking him up."Are you awake?" Iris asked.Jason looked at her groggily, reached for his phone, and saw that it was already past two in the
Since they would be staying here for a while, someone had to handle the household chores.It was clear that neither of them nor the two bodyguards were up for the task.Donahue had always been the one responsible for hiring cleaners to clean the place, so Jason asked Lewis to contact Donahue and inquire about the cleaning staff he usually hired.Lewis immediately made the call. Donahue said he usually hired temporary housekeepers who would clean and then leave. He provided Lewis with a contact to arrange for their services.Lewis personally selected two middle-aged women. The manager said they were very experienced and proficient in cooking and household chores.He brought the two housekeepers back to the island and settled them in. After that, Lewis went upstairs to inform Jason that the housekeepers had started work and dinner was taken care of.Jason's bedroom door was slightly ajar. From the gap, Lewis saw Jason sitting on the bed talking to Iris. It didn't seem like a good
Jason's condition was that Kaden must ensure he and his people left the country safely.After discussions with the other two families, Kaden agreed to Jason's condition. With the three families working together, it wouldn't be hard to ensure the safe departure of Jason and his people.Holding Luna hostage gave them leverage over the Morris family. This deal was mutually beneficial. Jason made the deal to allow Iris to leave the country as soon as possible. After agreeing on a departure time, he left the rest to Kaden and Lewis to figure out.Jason stayed by Iris' side.Two days later, they boarded a plane to Fiji. The earliest direct flight home from Northern Burrma was the day after tomorrow, but staying in that country for another day meant another day of danger, so Jason and Iris decided to go to Fiji first. She would recover from her injury there.Iris didn't want her parents to worry, so she thought it would be a good idea to stay in Fiji for a while. She needed time to rec
When he withdrew his hand from under her, it was stained with blood.Anxious and flustered, his heart felt like it had stopped beating."Iris..." His voice was hoarse and unsteady.Iris' wound was not life-threatening. The bullet had hit her lower back.Luna did not intend to kill Iris. She just wanted to keep Iris from escaping.Iris could feel the pain now. Her body trembled uncontrollably. She felt incredibly cold despite the warm weather."I... I'm fine..." she spoke weakly, her pale lips quivering.Jason held her hand tightly, "Don't worry, Lewis will be here with a doctor soon.""Are you... okay?" she asked hoarsely."I'm fine," Jason assured her.Iris' tense heart finally relaxed a little.She had never experienced such a nerve-racking ordeal before.It all felt like a dream.Scenarios seen only on TV had become reality. She was scared out of her wits earlier, but she tried to put on a brave face. She didn't want to be a burden to them.But in the end, as a powerle
When Iris looked up, she saw Luna standing behind Jason with a gun aimed at him.Her eyes widened, pupils shaking."Look out!"She rushed forward.Luna could have pulled the trigger as she had a clear shot at Jason, but when Iris shouted that warning, she saw through Iris' intention.In that split second when Jason turned with the gun, Iris hugged him and shielded him from Luna's gun.Luna's father had told her that Jason was off-limits. Harming him could lead to endless complications and may even result in the eradication of the Morris family!However, according to their investigation, Iris had no background, so they could use whatever means necessary to capture her. Even if she got injured, it didn't matter. Therefore, the instant Iris shielded Jason from the gun, Luna aimed at her back and fired a shot.At the moment of being hit, Iris felt no pain. Her whole body was paralyzed, unable to move.She slumped in Jason's arms.Jason held her falling body. "Iris!"He fiercely
"Let go!" Frustrated that she missed him with her attack, Luna grabbed a chair leg and swung it at Jason.Jason caught the chair leg and disarmed her, then flung her away with his other hand.Luna staggered several steps back and her waist hit a sharp object. She grimaced in pain.Blood seeped through her thin outer garment.Enraged, she exclaimed, "Catch Jason Just's woman! A reward of ten thousand for whoever catches that woman!"Her men, who were starting to be suppressed, began to fiercely resist again, reigniting the intense conflict!Gunfire rang out. The sound of objects being pierced mixed with screams created a battlefield-like atmosphere!Lewis rushed out of the hotel with Iris and headed for the car. Jason followed closely behind them after getting rid of Luna.However, due to Luna's words, her men rushed at them desperately.These people were desperados. They weren't afraid to die for money.The fight for profit among the families had always been fierce!Kaden's
"The back door is blocked," Lewis informed Jason. He was outnumbered. Facing the rain of bullets outside, he couldn't break through.Although Luna was a woman, she had years of experience. She wasn't a fool. She had already stationed guards at the back door.Holding a machine gun, she said, "If you surrender, I might let you live!"Jason and Iris were trapped in a hallway, with no way out!Clearly, it would be difficult to escape from the back door. Kaden's men were at the front entrance, so if they rushed out from the front, there might be a chance to escape amidst the chaos.Jason instructed Lewis to protect Iris. Seizing the opportunity, he fired several shots at Luna.Luna had to dodge."I'll draw their attention. Lewis, when you see the chance, escape with Iris," Jason said."Got it!" Lewis responded.He still had to be wary of the shots coming from the back.It was actually very difficult to rush out.Two bodyguards suddenly rushed in, attracting the fire of Luna and h