“Lack of media training?” I ask.She nods. “Yes, well, it’s not like you were born in a high-profile household like me, so it’s not really your fault that you didn’t receive the proper training in how to act in public.”“Are you calling me a rube?”“No, no!” Selina laughs flippantly, waving her hand
IrisFor a long moment, I just stare at the television, completely dumbfounded.“It appears that this new artist, who calls herself ‘Flora’, has a bone to pick with our lovely Luna-to-be,” the news anchor says, shaking her head with a sigh. “I mean, what could she possibly dislike about Selina?”The
I have to protect him. And I’ll do whatever is necessary to keep him safe.Suspiciously, Arthur doesn’t come home all day or evening, and I don’t hear from him once. By the time I’m putting Miles to bed and I still haven’t seen or heard from Arthur, I’m beginning to wonder if he’s with Selina.I kno
IrisArthur swings open the front door to reveal an older woman with graying hair standing in the hallway.“Mrs. White,” he says, stepping aside and gesturing for her to enter. “Please, come in.”The woman shuffles into the foyer, clutching a small duffle bag to her chest. She stops in the center of
Arthur’s eyes flash slightly at the mention of Selina, but his voice is calm as he replies, “Mrs. White is aware of the situation, and has promised the utmost discretion. Furthermore, I can pay her even more to split her time between our homes should you choose to move. But if it were up to me, you
IrisThe next morning, I’m holed up in my studio again, finishing up the static television painting. Miles is playing on the floor by my feet—he’s barely left my side all morning, too shy of the new nanny to be alone with her.Not that I can blame him, nor do I mind. It’s nice to hear him talking to
Sighing, I turn toward the studio again, not really in the mood to deal with her antics. But as she opens the door to Arthur’s room and steps inside, curiosity takes hold of me, and I can’t help but follow her. I pause in the doorway, finding her rifling through his closet.“What are you doing?” I a
ArthurI sit in my office, my brow furrowed, running my fingers across the stubble lining my jaw over and over again. I should have shaved this morning, but my mind was admittedly… elsewhere.“He’s on the spectrum,” Iris said last night.That information left me confused, to say the least. Of course
My blood runs cold. “Are you saying this wasn’t an accident?”Ezra’s expression hardens. “I’m saying it’s suspicious. Especially given the timing… with the custody battle just starting.”A murderous rage begins to build up inside of me. “Find out who did this,” I order, my voice dropping to a danger
Arthur & IrisArthurI check my watch for the third time in as many minutes as I sit in the conference room. The meeting was supposed to begin nearly twenty minutes ago, and Iris still isn’t here. Even her lawyer arrived before she did.Maybe she’s decided against this, a tiny voice in the back of m
“Iris! Iris, wait!”I don’t respond. I don’t look back. I don’t even look at his fading form in the rearview mirror.…The drive to our new apartment later that afternoon is silent. Miles sits in the backseat, his face pressed against the window. He hasn’t spoken to me in days—not since I told him w
IrisI can’t believe I’m doing this.Suing Arthur for custody feels wrong. Cruel, even—not just to him, but to myself and Miles as well. Each day since I took the lawyer’s offer, I feel as if I’ve made a grave mistake.And yet, at the same time, it feels like the only solution. The only way out from
Each accusation lands like a punch to the gut because they contain just enough truth to be damning. I look to Iris again, desperate for her to understand.“Iris, we can work this out. We don’t need lawyers. We can talk about this, just the two of us.”She shakes her head slightly. “There’s nothing t
ArthurThe email arrives while I’m getting ready for work.It’s from a law firm. Subject line: “Urgent Legal Matter: Your Presence Required.”My first thought is Selina. Perhaps she’s trying to sue me for breach of contract or public humiliation after I ended our engagement at the exhibition, not th
Is staying here, continuing this toxic dance with Arthur, really what’s best for Miles? Or am I just afraid of hurting him in the short term, even if leaving would be better for him in the long run?Biting my lip, I pull out my phone and send a text to Alice: “Can you come with me to look at an apar
IrisI’m staring at my phone in disbelief, reading the email for the third time to make sure I’m not hallucinating.“We are pleased to inform you that you have been selected for the Abbott Gallery residency. Your work demonstrated exceptional promise and artistic vision…”My fingers tremble as I scr
“As if it wasn’t bad enough that you thought I was a gold digger,” I say, shaking my head. “Did you think that from the beginning? When we were first dating, did you think I was just with you for your money?”Arthur’s silence is damning.“Answer me!” I demand, my voice rising.“I… thought you were h