Chapter 4 – He broke her

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 marry her, all of whom were nearly his age, Iris could envision the repercussions if he were to discover the identity of the individual responsible for her plight.

"I don't know his name, but he was just like the imbeciles you handpicked for me," Iris responded indifferently, further fueling her father's anger.

He watched as she swallowed the pill with a gulp of water and retreated towards the bathroom door.

Her hand rested on the knob, poised to turn it, but before she could make a move, her father forcefully grabbed her arm, flinging her onto the bed. She winced, feeling fresh tears welling up in her eyes.

Austin remained unmoved by her display of emotion. After all the effort he had put into providing her with the best, all she had done was bring shame upon him.

"Iris, I am deeply disappointed in you. Either of those men would have married you with honor, but instead, you chose to behave like a promiscuous woman, shamelessly parading yourself," her father spat, his eyes filled with disgust as he stared at her.

Iris's heart sank, but she couldn't help but wonder whose fault it truly was. Throughout her entire life, she had done everything in her power to please her father, only to be met with humiliation in return.

Summoning her courage, she rolled to the side and lifted herself from the bed, keeping a safe distance from her father.

"I understand, but what you seem to forget is that I have always lived my life solely to please you, and even that is not enough for you," she retorted, surprising her father with her newfound defiance.

His anger boiled within him, as Iris had now lost the chance to marry any of the esteemed men in New York City.

"You are 25 years old. It is time for you to find a husband. I married your mother when she was 22, and I fear you will never find a suitable suitor," Austin insinuated, provoking Iris once again.

However, this time, her face hardened, refusing to let his words affect her.

She had no desire to argue with her father again, not after what he had done the previous night.

Ending the uncomfortable conversation seemed like the best option. Austin's eyes were bloodshot, but Iris' were red and swollen. Neither of them looked well.

"Dad, please. Marriage shouldn't be forced. Just go to your room, please."

Austin sighed, hoping that his daughter would start paying attention to her social life as much as she did to the company.

For the past year, Iris had effortlessly managed all the affairs while he took a back seat, acting as a consultant and focusing on his political responsibilities.

"Iris, you know that everything I do is for your own good," he whispered, his tone pleading.

He had everything he could ask for, including a daughter he was proud of, except she exceeded his expectations and might not give him grandchildren.

"But I don't want you to keep pushing men onto me," Iris turned around and stated the obvious, which only made matters worse.

"Then find someone on your own. The business world can suck the life and happiness out of you. I don't want you to end up with regrets," he advised. Iris had lost count of how many times he had said this to her, starting a year ago. It was incredibly frustrating.

Sometimes, she contemplated the idea of moving out, but her desire to be with her mom always held her back.

During those moments, she would convince herself that she needed to maximize her time with her parents, as she might not have the opportunity once she got married.

However, her current mindset was causing her to reconsider.

"Marriage is not the sole path to a fulfilling life. It is possible to be single and still find happiness and fulfillment," she asserted.

"What about my grandchildren?" Austin frustratingly inquired, leaving Iris disheartened and unsure of how to respond.

She desperately searched for something to say in order to calm him down, but before she could speak, the door to her bedroom swung open.

Standing in the doorway was her mother, Jacqueline. Upon seeing her daughter, Jacqueline's heart sank, yet she also understood that this was a phase of life.

Iris had missed out on her youth due to maturing too early, thanks to Austin.

Jacqueline had argued with Austin numerous times about this, but here he was, repeating the same mistakes once again.

Austin, please leave the girl alone," Jacqueline pleaded.

Austin fell silent, realizing that his words would hold no weight in the presence of his wife.

Jacqueline gazed at her daughter with a tender expression, but before she could utter a word or close the door, Austin reentered the room and addressed Iris.

"You look disheveled, and I still need to know who did this to you," he said.

As soon as the door closed, Iris sought solace in her mother's comforting embrace, sobbing uncontrollably.

Jacqueline, a middle-aged blonde woman, offered her support by gently rubbing her back.

This was why Iris cherished her mother. She knew that her mother would not press for answers until she was ready to share.

When Iris finally pulled away, her mother glanced towards the bathroom door.

"Go wash up. I'll have the maids prepare some soup for you," she said.

Iris nodded and followed her mother's instructions. Closing the door behind her, she shed the oversized clothes and stepped into the jacuzzi, allowing all the pain and bitterness she had bottled up to be released once again.

She had felt a genuine attraction towards a man for the first time, only to have him shatter her before anything could develop between them. It was a heartbreaking experience.

One month had passed.

"She's not here, Garvin. It's already late. We should leave now," Jake suggested.

Ever since Garvin's encounter with the blonde, the three friends had been coming to the club every Friday night, hoping to see her again so she could take the pills.

But now, it was too late, and emergency pills wouldn't work anymore. Still, Garvin couldn't help but search for the blondie.

His impatience and frustration were starting to affect his relationship with his employees. They walked on eggshells, afraid to provoke his anger. Ever since that night, Garvin had become a tyrant.

The fact that he hadn't heard anything about the incident made him believe that she wasn't a spy or anything like that.

Realizing that they were both victims, he regretted his harsh words. However, he still didn't want her to show up with a child and claim it was his.

"What is she? A ghost? Even by accident, I should have seen her again, right?"

He downed another glass of vodka, losing count of how many he had already consumed. Vodka was his drink of choice, and he vowed never to try anything new like he did that night.

His two friends struggled to make sense of the situation.

Why do you even want to see her?" Mark asked, fully aware that Garvin couldn't possibly be in love with the girl in question.

Besides, if it was just about the pill, it was already too late. Each time they asked, he gave the same response, but they could sense that there was more to it.

"I just want to apologize for the things I did and said to her," Garvin replied.

He had never been fond of getting close to women, but it wasn't in his nature to treat them the way he had treated the blonde girl.

Garvin downed another glass of vodka, running his fingers through his hair.

He couldn't shake off the memory of those captivating amber eyes that seemed to plead with him, as if they were drowning.

Yet, he had turned his back on her after everything. If only she had taken the money, he wouldn't be feeling this way.

"Are you sure? You seem too agitated for someone who just wants to apologize. And what exactly are you apologizing for? You didn't force her, did you?" Mark asked again, growing annoyed since he was not about to any information on the girl.

It was clear that they had already gotten as much out of Garvin as they could. As expected, he refused to say anything more.

Jake and Mark exchanged glances before Garvin uttered those two words.

"Forget it."

****

Iris, what's wrong with you?" her mother asked, placing her fingers on Iris's forehead to check her temperature.

Iris had never fallen asleep on the job before, but now, after two years, she found herself doing just that.

When the secretary informed Jacqueline, she couldn't believe it and hurried to see for herself. Her heart was troubled, fearing that Iris might be sick.

"It's just fatigue," Iris mumbled, her eyes still heavy as if she hadn't slept at all.

Meanwhile, she had managed to sleep for a full eight hours, yet still felt exhausted. Jacqueline's worry deepened.

"Iris, you've never fallen asleep on the job before," she pointed out, and Iris felt a wave of nervousness.

She knew her mother was right; she should go to the hospital to get checked. This fatigue had been going on for a week and was only getting worse.

"I'm sorry, Mom. I'll get checked. Is there a problem? I have a meeting in an hour, but I could use a little more rest," Iris said, stifling a yawn.

Jacqueline feared the worst and asked, "Did you use any tampons last month?" Iris paled at the question, as her mother's suspicion hit her hard. She remembered how those pills had been forced upon her.

"No, Mom, but that heartless man forced morning-after pills down my throat. He wanted to ensure that I would never come back to claim I was carrying his child," Iris said bitterly, her words filled with anger.

Her mother was shocked. "Why didn't you tell us?" she asked.

"It wasn't necessary. Right now, I have a fever. I'll get checked at the hospital."