Iris called her friend, Chelsea Green, before leaving the villa.
"My battery is dying, so I'm sending my location and a selfie of how I'm dressed. Just come and get me," she said.
She quickly sent her location and selfie, hoping Chelsea would recognize her disguise.However, her phone started buzzing with calls and messages, and she wasn't sure if Chelsea saw or received the information.
Fortunately, Iris managed to escape from the villa without being seen by the maids.However, she couldn't avoid the security men at the gate. Luckily, they simply stared at her without stopping her.
After a short walk, Iris spotted her car approaching from a distance. Chelsea stepped out and embraced her tightly."I'm so sorry, Iris. We searched for you, I swear," Chelsea said, patting her on the back for comfort.
Chelsea was one of Iris's best friends, along with her sister. They also lived across the street from Iris's house in the Poconos."It wasn't your fault, and you didn't leave without me," Iris forced a smile when she noticed Chelsea's questioning gaze after they pulled away.Leading her to her car, Chelsea opened the back door for her due to the oversized shirt she wore over her dress."We had no intention of leaving without you. I simply allowed Gianna to go ahead and inform our parents that we were safe.”“After that, I patiently waited for you at the bar's car park, hoping that you would respond to our calls. Luckily, it's only a short ten-minute drive from here."
"Thanks, but where is June?" Iris asked worriedly since she had left June at the club. In spite of all that happened to her, the well-being of her friends mattered to her a lot.Iris removed the linen she used to cover her head as a hijab from before, and Chelsea panicked, asking,"What happened to you? Did he hurt you or something?" The hickeys were terrifying.
As a pool of tears fell from Iris's eyes, Chelsea felt guilty for not handling the situation wisely. She sat beside Iris on the back seat and consoled her."It's alright. There is always a first time for everyone."Iris shook her head and spoke through tears, "He called me a prostitute, threw money at me, and forced emergency pills down my throat."She had never met any man as heartless as the one who owned this villa.Chelsea froze and pulled away, her gaze filled with anger.
"What the hell! Who does he think he is?" She quickly stepped out of the car and headed towards the gate where Iris was standing before."He's not here. He already left," Iris shouted after her, but Chelsea continued towards the security guard and inquired,"Who is the owner of this house?"The security guard glared at her, as if she was playing with fire."Mr. Garvin Berret, but he's not home at the moment."
The only reason he answered her question was because he had seen his boss drive Iris into the villa the previous night, and they had witnessed Chelsea picking her up.He had no idea about the relationship between their boss and that woman, as their boss had never brought any woman home before. He thought it best to be cautious.Chelsea froze upon hearing that name. Both she and Iris had connections to their parents' companies in New York City, so they were familiar with most of the CEOs.However, Garvin Berret was the only CEO that seemed to have no information available in the media.
Apart from his name and company, nothing else was known about him, including his family or friends. The mystery surrounding this man sent a shiver down Chelsea's spine, and she couldn't help but wonder how Iris ended up with him.Feeling helpless, Chelsea fought back tears. She knew better than to go against Garvin Barret, the one CEO even her father wouldn't dare to cross.With clenched teeth, she hurried back to her car, afraid of even crossing paths with him. She quickly took a seat and tried to compose herself."I just went to get drinks and use the restroom. Why didn't you tell me you were leaving?" She hit the steering wheel and asked, surprising Iris.Chelsea had always been wild, but Iris didn't expect such a reaction from her given the circumstances.
“Honestly, Chelsea, I can't remember how I ended up in this house," Iris admitted, sensing Chelsea's anger intensify. However, this time, her anger was directed towards their friend, June.
"I think that bitch must have drugged you. I had my suspicions. It has to be June. I swear, I'll confront her," Chelsea threatened, her tone serious. Iris felt lost and unsure of what to do."Chelsea, we don't have any proof. I think I just had too much to drink. Let's just go home. I despise this neighborhood as much as I despise the owner of that house," Iris said bitterly, the memories still fresh in her mind.Chelsea started the car and pressed on the accelerator, but her anger still lingered as she spoke while driving.“The owner of that house is Garvin Barret. How did you come across him, Iris? Maybe we should have stayed at the party," Chelsea said, her voice filled with regret.Iris's body tensed as memories of the previous night flooded her mind, causing fresh tears to stream down her face. It seemed as though both last night and today were plagued with misfortune.Although she had heard of Garvin Barret before, she had never known what he looked like. There were no pictures nor information about him online.However, after their encounter, she understood why even the media hesitated to cross him and why he accused her of spying on him.
Nevertheless, his ruthless actions could never be justified."It's already happened, and it's over now. Let's just forget about it. But you still haven't told me where June is," Iris asked once again, worried that their friend might be in a similar predicament.
“She left, and that's why I'm convinced she drugged you. She's scared to face you," Chelsea said angrily, determined to teach her a lesson.
However, Iris didn't believe that June was responsible for her troubles, sadly rebuking, "Chelsea, you don't have any proof."Chelsea acknowledged that Iris had a valid point, as all she had were suspicions."You're right, but I'm sorry. I should have been there for you. I shouldn't have gone to the washroom with Gianna. We should have taken turns.”
“I'm so sorry this happened to you while I was supposed to be watching out for you," she sincerely apologized, feeling saddened by her inability to help.
Iris shook her head, not blaming anyone but herself. She was angry at herself for being attracted to the mysterious man's good looks."Please, Chelsea, let's just forget about it. The man is heartless, and I never want to see him again in my life," she said bitterly.
The rest of the journey was silent, and fortunately, they arrived at Iris's home, where security personnel and investigators were present.Chelsea remembered the numerous times Iris's mother had called, promising to inform her as soon as she found Iris, but she had completely forgotten about it.
She was also certain that her sister Gianna hadn't informed them; otherwise, these people wouldn't be here.Guilt consumed her as she remembered the distress in Iris's mother's voice on the phone. Everything had happened so quickly the night before, and Iris had disappeared before her mother could reach her.
"Iris, I think your dad is going to confront us today," Chelsea bit her lip, trying to hold back from saying more, as she watched a group of men approaching the car.Anger surged through Iris as she responded,"Thanks, Chelsea, but I think you should go home. This is between my dad and me, and I don't want you to get involved in this mess." Iris forced a smile and spoke.
She was still furious with her father for treating her like a commodity to be sold.However, as Chelsea recalled the events of the previous night, she felt compelled to stand by her best friend."No, we stand together," Chelsea insisted, stepping out of the car and walking towards the men, but Iris quickly caught up and grabbed her, urging her to stay put."Please, your parents must be worried sick too," Iris said with concern, which resonated with Chelsea.None of the girls had ever spent a night away from the safety of their homes, even though they were adults, so this situation felt significant.
Yeah, we'll fill you in on what happened after you left later," Chelsea said, embracing her once more.
"Yeah, let's talk later," Iris agreed, her expression filled with sadness.After graduating from Harvard University with first-class honors two years ago, they dedicated themselves to helping their family's businesses, utilizing the knowledge they had gained.Getting involved with men was the furthest thing from their minds, but going to Club 112 was June's idea."Gotcha," Chelsea said, taking a few steps before stopping. "Car keys," she said, tossing them to Iris, who caught them effortlessly.Iris dismissed the few investigators and hurried to her room to change before meeting her father.She succeeded, but as soon as she turned on the light, she discovered a man sleeping on her couch, who was abruptly awakened by the sudden brightness.Her anger flared as she glared at the middle-aged man with short, curly blonde hair. He snarled,"Care to explain where you disappeared to last night?"A surge of rage coursed through him as he fretted over his daughter's recent encounter with a mysterious man. He had painstakingly handpicked the most suitable suitors for her, only to have her spend the night with some unknown scoundrel. To make matters worse, she shamelessly wore the man's shirt, causing immense embarrassment for Mr. Austin Parker, who had always taken pride in boasting about Iris' accomplishments and impeccable behavior to his friends and colleagues."Dad, I'm fine, and isn't that all that matters?" Iris averted her gaze from her father's disappointed stare, feeling a surge of anger towards herself."Who is that man?" Austin rose from the couch and approached her, but Iris headed towards the medicine cabinet to grab some pills. The journey had taken a toll on her, leaving her stomach in knots and a lingering hangover. She pondered whether she should disclose the truth to her father regarding Garvin Baret. However, considering the men he had chosen to potentially
"Congratulations, Miss Parker, you are one month pregnant," the doctor revealed with a smile, causing Iris's face to drain of color.Her mother, equally caught off guard since Iris claimed to have been forced to take the pills, felt restless.Iris had always been a good girl. Jacqueline's friends called her lucky for raising such a responsible daughter.What would they say now? And what about her husband's political career? His opponents would surely use this against him.Her daughter couldn't lose everything after just one night. Something was wrong, and they needed to find a solution."Doctor, is it possible that the result is incorrect? I mean, my daughter isn't interested in men, and she confirmed taking emergency pills," she asked, hoping for a different answer.The doctor's eyes widened, but he smiled understandingly and patiently explained, "Oh, Mrs. Parker, this result is accurate. Your daughter may not have a boyfriend, but having unprotected sex even once, for any reason, ca
Attached to the note, Garvin found another paper containing a list of items he would need for the baby, along with the child's date of birth, the time of the last feeding, and the time for the next feeding. At the end of the note, it stated, ‘I named him Cooper.’"Cooper Barrett it is," Garvin whispered to himself, his gaze fixed on the peacefully sleeping baby with a blue pacifier in his mouth. He stared at him for a long time, gently caressing his soft cheek, careful not to wake him. In that moment, it felt as if time stood still, and Garvin couldn't help but smile at his mini-self."Sir, she has already left," the security man's words abruptly interrupted Garvin's blissful moment. Anger surged within him."Then go and find her, and don't return until you do," Garvin snapped, his frustration evident.The security man froze, unsure of how to respond. He wanted to inform his boss that they had been unable to locate the woman, but it was clear that Garvin was in no mood to hear any ne
Jake and Mark shook their heads sadly, and Garvin felt his heart drop."What is going on?" he asked."Meet Detective Hayes," Mark said, gesturing towards a casually dressed man who looked like he was carrying a handkerchief. He was a private detective that Mark had hired on Garvin's behalf.Luna reached out and took the baby from Garvin inside the villa while Garvin spoke to the detective."Yes, Mr. Hayes, did you find her? And just to let you know, she hasn't committed any crime. She has just been avoiding me, and I want to know why."Garvin didn't want to disclose the private details of the matter. Mark had already shared some information with the detective, despite Garvin's request not to."I'm sorry, Mr. Berret, but the cameras did not capture her, and we don't have a name or a picture to work with," Detective Hayes explained.Garvin was losing his patience. He couldn't understand her reason for being so vengeful. He knew he was at fault, but she could have informed him about the
On his way to the office, Garvin decided to call Luna and ask her to arrange a meeting with Cooper's babysitter. He realized it was about time to meet the woman his son and Luna were absolutely infatuated with, solely for the sake of finding some peace of mind. "Luna, please set up a meeting with Cooper's babysitter," Garvin requested over the phone.Luna, filled with excitement, responded, "Finally, Garvin! You've agreed to meet Iris. I'm certain you'll love her."Garvin, annoyed by Luna's assumption, quickly clarified, "I'm only doing this for Cooper's sake.""It doesn't matter. Once you meet Iris, you'll see how amazing she is," Luna insisted.Before Luna could continue, Garvin abruptly ended the call. Despite his irritation, he couldn't stay mad at Luna, who had always been like a mother to him.Garvin prided himself on treating women as men, never succumbing to their charms. He believed that meeting Cooper's babysitter would not change his perspective on this matter.As Garvin
Willow was taken aback by his response. She had heard rumors about Garvin's insistence on only marrying his child's biological mother, but no one had ever seen this mysterious woman or knew what had happened between them.Over the years, Willow had tried to gather information about her, but had come up empty-handed. She began to wonder if this woman even existed. Cooper was such a handsome and lovable boy, any woman would be proud to be his mother. So where could his real mother be all this time? There was only one logical conclusion."What if she passed away? Wouldn't you move on?" Willow asked, her gaze fixed on Garvin's attractive profile. He was undeniably good-looking, what most people would consider 'hot.'Her question seemed to disturb Garvin, as if he had pondered the same thought, even in the face of the worst possible circumstances.Admitting that the idea scared him, Garvin had already made up his mind. "No. I already have a son, what more do I need?" His eyes remained f
"Iris, you should send Curtis to school this morning," her father suggested.Iris, who had just kissed Curtis goodbye, turned around to face her father. "Is there a problem, Dad?""It seems like you're not going to take the offer," her father replied calmly, referringto Iris's plan to send Curtis to his father.Ever since they agreed to Iris's plan, her father had secretly hoped that Garvin would reject Cooper after hearing Iris's description of him. However, they soon discovered how possessive Garvin was of his son. They even hired someone to take secret pictures, which revealed Garvin proudly carrying Cooper everywhere since infancy.Iris had been missing her son and had been trying to find a way back into his life. Four years ago, she managed to become his babysitter by pulling some strings.Yesterday, she informed her parents about Garvin's request to meet her, unaware that it was actually the other way around. Her father encouraged her to attend the meeting and tell Garvin abou
"So, you're also my son's nanny?" Garvin asked, his gray eyes meeting her amber ones. She couldn't help but see a resemblance between him and her own sons, making her feel uneasy. It was hard to decipher Garvin's emotions from his gaze, and she quickly snapped out of her daze, frowning as she replied,"Excuse me, but are you mistaking me for someone else?" Memories of that night were slowly resurfacing, but she couldn't understand why she felt guilty. Maybe it had something to do with Curtis, but she knew she still had unfinished business with Garvin.Garvin was certain of the recognition. He had this face etched in his mind for over five years, and even if she had been hiding, he would have found her.As he held onto the detective's words, believing that a mother wouldn't just abandon her child and would eventually come back to claim custody, he had just discovered the truth.Iris had been missing Cooper all this time and had become his nanny right under Garvin's nose, while he ha
Garvin had a small smile on his face. Cooper and Gerald might be wise, but Garvin was still more experienced. “Your method would not have been the best.” “I would have sent them to jail,” Gerald said. He hated that Yvette and Nathaniel were walking around freely, so what if they were impoverished? “They would have served a few terms and then be walking free. They would also come back to enjoy their family’s wealth as if nothing happened. It’s the reason why I took this action,” Garvin explained. It made sense to Cooper and Gerald that though their plan would punish those two well, it would have also been for a short term, but Garvin’s method was a long-term one. “Fine, but next time, you should discuss with us first,” Cooper insisted, but Garvin refused and explained, “Ivory is also my daughter.” Thus, he didn’t need anyone’s permission to protect his daughter. The three men all loved Ivory in different ways, and they were ready to avenge her. Since there was no way around Garvin
Ivory may be resilient and resourceful, but this time, she felt the security of being with her family. Gerald was already there for her, but so were her brothers and parents.Nathaniel was not only humiliated but also afraid. With all these powerful men threatening him, he couldn’t find any means of support and was afraid of his father’s deteriorating health.To find a way to get out of this mess, he decided to expose the brain behind it.“It was all Yvette’s idea. She masterminded everything. Please Gerald, I’m very sorry.” Nathaniel looked remorseful, but the damage caused was too much to let go.Ivory had to constantly look over her shoulder because of the enemies she was exposed to.“Why are you blaming me? If I suggested it, did I tell you to go ahead with it?” Yvette was equally trying to find a way to get out of the mess.“So you agree that you suggested it,” Gerald glared at her. She realized she had made a mistake with her words.“Please Gerald, it won’t happen again.”Gerald
Chaos broke out as the guests began to murmur in confusion. Gerald’s expression darkened instantly, but no one else knew what was going on. Ivory didn’t have her hacking tools with her to stop whoever was trying to sabotage her so openly because it was a joyous event. The first name that came to mind was Dean Arlo, but he was being processed for court and wouldn’t dare. Gerald already got the best lawyers to handle his case. The robotic voice continued to speak as images were shown on the screen. “Two years ago, three company servers were destroyed by Ice Panther. Those companies are now closed down with their employees jobless.” The crowd was already feeling pity for the company shown on the screen, but Ivory was boiling with rage. She was trying to figure out who was behind it since it was not hard for her to defend herself. For that reason, she decided to wait a little, hoping to be able to detect the human behind the robot. “A year ago, Ice Panther hacked into a government s
Rosie felt terrible for the hairstylist. She had put in so much effort to put in the extensions and they looked good on Rosie.“I’m sorry, but you have to take everything off,” Rosie said politely, but her voice was stern. The hairstylist did not want to, feeling that if Cooper saw Rosie, he would reconsider.“That will take time. You will be late for your wedding.”“Let it be so, but Cooper’s happiness matters to me. After all, I’m doing all this for him, so what is the essence if he doesn’t like it?” Rosie stood her ground.She would rather be late and appear the way Cooper wanted than to appear on time with a look that would make him upset.Ivory smiled at Rosie’s resolve. She would have done the same for Gerald. It was just as Gerald wanted her to wear that wedding dress, and Ivory couldn’t refuse.“She’s right. You should make the necessary changes. We shall wait for her and everyone else,” Ivory added her voice.The hairstylist sighed frustratedly. “Alright. Please remove the we
Three weeks later, excitement brewed in the air as another joint wedding was announced among the Berets after so many years.A journalist was reporting the news on live TV. “I’m Lola, a reporter from Channel Z. Decades ago, the Parker-Berets and their best friends hosted a mass luxurious wedding.”“The trend is repeating itself as the twins, Cooper and Curtis Parker-Beret, are getting married to the sisters, Rosie and Rosalind. What makes it more interesting is that the last born of the Berets, Ivory, is also getting married to Gerald Scott, the hot CEO of Scotts Automobiles and Cambridge Incorporated.”“I am here to give you every information you need about this mega wedding so stay tuned,” the reporter ended.There was a lot of excitement going on. Curtis’s relationship with Rosalind was well known to the populace so the shocking ones were that of Cooper and Gerald.Most people knew that Gerald was engaged to Yvette, not knowing how he was getting married to Ivory.The news sparked
“Admit it. I won,” Ivory smiled and gave in to sleep. She still had no regrets at all. Gerald smiled and shook his head.His little Pumpkin was growing smarter and smarter by the day, she was even outsmarting him now.It wasn’t long before he fell asleep. The next day, Ivory woke up feeling sore. Her movement woke Gerald.“Pumpkin, are you alright?” He asked worriedly. Pain registered on Ivory’s face. How could something so sweet give her so much pain and ache in the morning?“I feel sore. Is this how you wanted our honeymoon to be? It’s as if I have a knife stuck in there,” Ivory exaggerated the pain.Gerald was worried and said, “Don’t move. I will be right back.” He went out and called his dad on the phone, speaking hastily,“Dad, I had my first time with Ivory and she’s complaining of pain. What should I do?” Gerald could manage two companies flawlessly but with Ivory, he was as helpless as a teenager.His father chuckled at the end of the line. “I see you finally became a man.”G
“Ivory’s cycle falls on our wedding day,” Gerald revealed. The twins understood the weight of the problem as Curtis eagerly suggested,“Dude, you should take your pound of flesh before then.”Gerald chuckled. “I’m still thinking about it but I can’t believe she’s your sister. You are giving me bad advice,” he accused Curtis. He laughed and retorted,“She’s a woman after all. So, what happens to the companies if we all get married on the same day?” He asked.Cooper already had that planned out and asked them, “Isn’t that the reason why we have parents who pioneered the business?”As Gerald and Curtis were nodding their heads in agreement, Cooper added, “That reminds me. We should let them handle our wedding planning too.”“Perfect suggestion,” the three men clicked their wine glasses.That night, Cooper had a serious talk with Rosie. “When you get better, would you like to work in the company? I can train you,” he suggested. Rosie recalled what Ivory told her about Cooper and work.She
Cooper frowned suspiciously, but before he could refuse, Gerald cut in, saying, “I even want to speak to you and Curtis, Cooper.”Cooper glanced at Rosie, and as she smiled, his heart warmed. He said to her, “Excuse me, Rosie, I will be right back.”Rosie chuckled and quickly replied, “Take your time, Cooper, Ivory and Rosalind are here.”Cooper did not like it when other people got his woman’s attention. He was the last to fall in love among the three, and his behavior showed that he was trying to catch up on all the years he lost.“You prefer them better than me?” He asked with a slight jealousy in his tone. Rosie was amazed, smiling and asking him,“Are you jealous?”Cooper pursed his lips but did not immediately respond. “I…I will see you soon,” he said and walked out with the two men.Rosalind was glad that Ivory created this opportunity for them to have a girls' talk. She quickly asked her sister,“Rosie, you look happier and better than I ever saw you. What have you been doing?
"Is it the doctors? It’s not yet time for my routine check," Rosie said, equally at a loss. As the plane lowered, Cooper detected the person in it."No. It’s Gerald. That’s his family jet."The two of them walked towards the jet to meet the person in it. It was just as Cooper said. Gerald was the first to alight, his arm intertwined with that of Ivory.Cooper frowned a little at the intrusion and said, "I didn’t know you were coming."Rosie and Ivory had already hugged each other. "Rosie, you look stunning. What is on this Island that makes you look so good? I want to join you," Ivory said half-jokingly. Rosie blushed and looked at Cooper.She knew that not only her health but appearance had also greatly improved."We decided to surprise you but we have something very important to discuss," Gerald was saying to Cooper when another couple alighted from the jet.Cooper wanted more time with his woman and was not pleased with the intrusion, especially when they had not informed him."I s