Arthur & IrisArthurI watch Iris storm out of the office, her yellow cardigan fluttering behind her like a shaft of sunlight. In a flash, she’s gone, leaving behind nothing but a single chestnut hair and a trace of the scent of oil paints. The frosted glass door slams shut behind her.For several l
Five hundred thousand Ordan dollars. Per year.And for what? To keep me under his thumb? To ensure that Miles feels obligated to him, so that he can groom him into being the Alpha heir he always wanted?Even if I accepted that absurd offer, which I would never, it likely wouldn’t change the fact tha
IrisI must look like a wreck as I stare at the three tickets in Arthur’s hand, my mouth hanging open and the front of my shirt splattered with pancake batter, but I don’t care. I’m trying to figure out what Arthur’s angle is.After everything that I said to him yesterday, why would he show up here?
I hate how the way he looks at me makes butterflies flutter around in my stomach.“This one of yours?” he asks, jerking his chin toward the painting. He finally pulls his gaze away from me, and I let out a breath I didn’t realize I was holding.“Yes,” I say, nodding. I step up beside him, looking up
IrisThe amusement park is a riot of color and noise, families milling about and the sounds of game machines whirring through the air.Miles is perched on top of Arthur’s shoulders high above the crowd, his face is split in the widest grin I’ve ever seen.I can’t help but smile.As we make our way t
He’s staring at me. Intensely.I almost tell him to stop staring, but I don’t—because there’s something in his gaze that gives me pause. Something soft and tender, similar to the look on his face when he was gazing at that painting earlier. Something that reminds me of the man I once loved.It makes
IrisBy dinnertime, Miles is bouncing with energy from his nap. We take our seats at the dinner table, digging into a saucy pasta dish with glistening chicken breast and vibrant vegetables. Miles happily twirls his pasta around on his fork, his tongue stuck out in concentration.For a few moments, w
The next morning, after a sleepless night of tossing and turning and mulling over what to do regarding Miles and Arthur, I get dressed to go to Marsiel Gallery. I have a meeting today to finally sign my patronage contract, which is a welcome distraction from everything else. Miles will be spending t
I dab at the mural, buying time to formulate a response. “Thank you, Giulia. But Arthur and I aren’t exactly a family. Not in the traditional sense.”“No? The way he looks at you says otherwise.”I shake my head, unable to explain the complicated mess that is my relationship with Arthur. How do I te
IrisArthur accepts the lemonade gratefully, and I can’t help but watch the way his throat moves as he swallows, a bead of sweat trailing down his neck and disappearing beneath his collar. I’ve never seen him like this before—dirty, sweaty, his hair mussed from work rather than styled for appearance
My throat bobs. That was… unexpected. But it’s touching, if I don’t let my mind wander into the darkness and assume he’s just doing it for brownie points. The genuine look in his eyes makes me believe he’s being serious, though.“Okay,” I say with a nod. “If anything comes up, I’ll do my best to exp
IrisArthur arrives at exactly nine o’clock the next morning, looking remarkably different from his usual polished self. Instead of his customary tailored suit, he’s wearing worn jeans, a simple gray t-shirt, and work boots. His hair isn’t perfectly styled—even that single curl is visible across his
I shake my head. “I shared this room with five other girls. We didn’t have much privacy, but we became like sisters.”“Do you still keep in touch with any of them?” Arthur asks.“No. We all scattered after aging out. Different cities, different lives.” I run my hand along the windowsill, noticing a
IrisThe Ordan Central Orphanage looks smaller than I remember, or maybe I’ve just grown since I was last here. The once-vibrant red bricks have faded to a dull rust color, and the front garden, which Headmistress Giulia used to maintain so meticulously, is now overgrown with weeds. Several of the w
His little face scrunches in thought. “Oh. That’s sad.”“It was, sometimes, but not always. But I’m thinking we could bring them some cookies and maybe some toys. Would you like to help me do that?”He nods eagerly. “Will we see your old room?”The question catches me off guard. I hadn’t thought abo
IrisI nearly choke on my coffee when the news segment begins the following morning.“Breaking news in the Willford family scandal,” announces the reporter, standing outside what looks like an enormous mansion. “DNA test results confirm that Selina Willford, the former fiancee of Alpha President Art
“Iris,” Arthur breathes, his eyes widening. “What are you doing here?”I hold up the flowers awkwardly. “I heard about Selina. I wanted to… I don’t know. Pay my respects? See if you were okay?”Caleb looks between Arthur and me, his expression darkening. “So this is the human,” he says, with a dismi