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
She exuded a profound stillness, a sense of broken calmness enveloping her. When the light turned green, the car moved forward. Upon reaching their apartment complex, they parted ways to their respective homes.Iris entered her apartment and lay down on her bed – not out of fatigue, but simply because she wanted to. Turning her head, she noticed Jason's coat hanging on the rack. Should she return it to him?Just then, a knock on the door interrupted her thoughts. It was likely Yvonne, probably coming to complain about her failed blind date. She opened the door and started, "The blind date…"To her surprise, it was Jason standing outside."M-Mr. Just, what are you doing here?" she stammered.He extended his hand, offering her some medicine. "For you."Iris looked down to see it was tetanus and anti-inflammatory medication.“Superiors should care for their subordinates; it’s part of the job,” he stated as if it was the most natural thing in the world.She could only accept it.
Jason asked, "Do you think I would lie?"Iris shook her head vigorously. "You're a man of your word."Jason chuckled, then got up to retrieve a document folder from his study, handing it to her. "The case is quite complicated, so take your time to study it."Iris nodded. "Thank you, Mr. Just...""No need to thank me." He looked at her with a meaningful gaze. "Don't forget that you agreed to put off all the thank you gifts for now, accumulate them, and give me one big gift in the future."For some reason, Iris smelled a trap. She asked, concerned, "What if, when the time comes, I can't afford what you want?"Jason leaned back in his chair. "You can offer yourself instead; I'll accept that.""What?!""Just kidding," he said. "Don't worry; what I want, you can afford," he added mysteriously.Iris brushed off the uneasy feeling. After all, she believed Jason didn't have any interest in her. She was a divorced woman, and he was like a deity in their field; surely, he would only be
Ted looked hurt, unable to comprehend Iris' exasperation. Was she upset about the flowers, or was she upset with him?Iris didn't mean to hurt him. "Yvonne's probably joking, but you took it seriously. I'm here to work, and I'm not even an official lawyer yet. People will laugh at me...""No one would dare because I'm here with a business deal with your law firm," Ted said earnestly. "I've dismissed my company's legal department and plan to hire your firm to be in charge of my company's legal counsel."Iris couldn't believe her ears.Ted continued, his expression serious. "Iris, I know I may not be your type, but I really, really like you. That's why I want to do something for you. I know that you just started your legal career and there's an internship period. If you bring in a big client for your firm, it'll help you become a full-fledged lawyer."His intentions were genuine. He was just very dense in romantic matters. If not, he wouldn't have thought that it was okay to do some
This job was crucial for Iris, especially as she was on the verge of being confirmed for a permanent position. With Ted creating such a scene, she risked upsetting her boss and losing that opportunity. A heaviness settled in her heart."Iris, go write the resignation letter..." Ted said."Ted!" Iris snapped, frustration evident in her voice. "Professor Sandler recommended this job to me. I value it highly and I'm working hard to prove myself. I can't let him down again, especially after what I did for Stanley. If I disappoint him once more, I'll never be able to face him."Ted's mouth silently opened and closed. He was just unhappy with the way Jason treated Iris; he never intended to jeopardize her job."I'm sorry, I didn't mean to do that," he admitted, guilt washing over him."It's okay," Iris replied, her eyes stinging with emotion. "You should leave. I have to work.""Do you want me to apologize to your boss? That way, he won’t hold it against you because of me," Ted offered
Therefore, when Yvonne came to see him, he proposed, "If you can help me find out if Jason has any interest in Iris, I’ll convince your parents not to arrange any blind dates for you for a year."Yvonne immediately agreed.She then encouraged Ted to confess to Iris in a high-profile manner to provoke a reaction from Jason. If Jason liked Iris, he would surely be angry; if not, he wouldn’t care at all. Earlier, Ted said that Jason was angry. That indicated Jason had feelings for Iris.“Okay; I’ll give your parents a call,” the old man said, sitting comfortably in his rocking chair, swaying leisurely despite having just lost a chess match.Yvonne sensed there was more to it than her grandfather let on. Crouching beside the rocking chair like a curious gossip, she asked, “Grandpa, what made you suspect Jason might have feelings for Iris?”Professor Sandler looked at her and chuckled softly. “You know nothing.”The reason he had shown Jason a photo of Iris and tried to match them u
"Mr. Just, are you... are you running a fever?" Iris asked, puzzled. She still could not comprehend why he was so angry.If it wasn’t a fever causing him to act irrationally, why would he say something so weird? It almost sounded like he was upset about other men pursuing her."What are you talking about?" Jason asked, baffled.Iris was trying not to get fired, so she said humbly, "N-nothing. I'm just concerned about your health."Jason's gaze was intense and inscrutable. "For Professor Sandler's sake, I'll give you another chance," he gave a grand excuse even though he clearly knew he wouldn’t fire her.Grateful, Iris quickly nodded. "I’ll do a good job. I promise it won't happen again.""Go back to work," he said, waving her off.As she turned to leave, Jason called out, "Wait."Iris paused with her hand on the doorknob. She turned back with a smile, eager to please. "What can I do for you, Mr. Just?""Do you like the man who gave you flowers today?"Iris was caught off gua
The woman had provided a video and audio recording. Based on the video and audio, it appeared that he did force himself on her."Please describe in detail what happened that day," Iris urged. She couldn't find any breakthroughs from the case file, so she was hoping to do so from the man's testimony.After organizing his thoughts, the man began recounting the events of that day carefully. Iris listened intently and noted that his account closely matched the details in the case file."Is this friend of yours very close to you?" Iris asked.The man nodded, saying, "We've been friends for over a decade."He then added, "Our families also know each other; he wouldn't set me up. Please, you must help me. I don't want anyone to know about this, and I can't afford to go to prison."Iris scrutinized him. He was dressed in a designer suit. Stanley also had suits of this brand, so Iris knew that it was worth at least thirty thousand, and his watch was likely worth over a hundred thousand. H
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