After he parted ways with Iris, Brandon brought him to Adam’s office. “Do you know what Julianne and her family are up to these days? They surprisingly stay low,” Alex mused, and Brandon answered him while he rechecked their proposal and its supplementary document they brought to the meeting with Adam. “It looks like they plan something behind your back, and I know that your father is still persistently talking with the Ruthford, maybe still hoping the deal is sealed, with or without your involvement,” Brandon said. “Can you find out what they are brewing behind me?” Alex gave an inquiry to Brandon, and his assistant only nodded, a sign he heard Alex well and would proceed with the request. “You got it, Boss!” Brandon suddenly said random things to him. He raised his left eyebrow. “What do you mean?” he asked back. “I know you have a lot on your plates right now,” Brandon told him. “But I have faith that you can sort them out. I’ve seen how you worked, and even though I c
Adam nodded and held out his hand for them to shake hands. “Deal, I will support you. You can start by sending me the detailed version of this proposal and prepare to talk with my directors and legal team to sort out the agreement,” Adam said to Alex. “Thank you, Adam. Your support means a lot to me and the essentially needed for the survival of the employees and business of Browning Enterprise.” Alex shook Adam’s hand firmly. A symbolic gesture that they were joining forces. Adam dismissively received his compliment. “You talk business. Then we deal with this professionally,” Adam stated. Maybe he knew that, at first, Alex’s angle was something personal involving his bad history between Adam and Ruthford's family. But fortunately, he pivoted and chose to talk business purely. So here they were. Adam would be his potential business partner, and Alex was ready to execute his next plan to take over the company and let his father rot in jail. “I will do that. Expect Brandon or my o
IRISThey would be married soon. Now it felt as accurate as it could get. Iris’ hands felt clammy because she couldn’t contain her nervousness for the next moment. Even when she put on the dreamy wedding dress that she had chosen several days ago with the approval of her best friends–her heart stuttered, and she breathed choppily for several seconds. The silky smooth dress that flowed in elegance when she crossed the bathroom to the makeup station in this presidential suite hotel made Rose and Elena gasp in awe. “Oh, my God! You are so beautiful!” Rose looked at her with misty eyes. “Do I?” Iris felt anxious. When the makeup artist started doing her job, she told Iris, “Ms Denver, your face is like porcelain, clean and perfectly proportioned. I feel so happy having you as my client. You are effortlessly beautiful, and so easy for me to make you up. The base is already perfect!” said the makeup artist Megan. Pedro, the hair stylist, also complimented her curly auburn red hair. H
Iris waved her free hand to Alex shortly when he greeted her, and it made the officiant and the guests chuckle at her antics. Thankfully her silliness could lighten the mood. “Shall we start, the bride and the groom? Ladies and Gentlemen?” All the guests murmured okay, and it was the cue for the officiant to start the ceremony. The Priest started to talk, and he gave such a beautiful speech about marriage life and how love was such a miracle and a strong foundation for the couple who experienced them in their lives. The atmosphere was running solemnly until the priest led Alex to say his marriage vows. Alex talked confidently and repeated his vows while looking at Iris deeply. “I, Alexander Roman Browning, take you, Iris Patricia Denvier, to be my wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part.”Iris choked up when she heard his vows. And when it was her time t
ALEXANDER The wedding ceremony ran smoothly. He was legally Iris’ husband. They exchanged vows at ease. He made his vows solemnly and meant every word he said. A surge of feeling coursed through his body when the Priest pronounced them husband and wife in front of God. Now he led Iris in his hand into the garden for their private party reception. Their small guests already waited for them in their designated seats arranged by the wedding organizer led by his assistant—Sheila. She was a busybody that everyone needed. She made his wedding run without hassle, and he would gladly give her another annual bonus once he successfully took over his father’s position in the company. The garden party looked like a 100% Iris theme. Floral, sweet, feminine, yet still elegant. “How do you like the party?” Alex checked up on his wife once again. She looked like a dazed beautiful woman lost in a wonderland. “It is incredible! I couldn’t say thank you enough to Sheila, who made this come true
Alex gritted his teeth, seeing who crashed his small intimate wedding party. It was his father. “What are you doing here, father?” Alex hissed angrily. His father’s presence completely pissed him off. Especially with Iris here, completely blissful on their wedding day. The kidnapping situation schemed by his father also had not yet been resolved. Alex did not yet find a better punishment fit for his father. “Why? To congratulate you, of course!” His father’s mocking laughter boomed around the open garden. Alex saw Sebastian’s men already barricaded Iris, and she was hugged by her three best friends, who threw a sharp gaze at his father. They acted like a proper shield for his wife. “Bullshit! Just say what you want and get the fuck out of this place!” Alex threw a venomous order to his father. The arrival of his father was an oversight on his part. He should have anticipated that his father would come and ruin his wedding. His father shook his head in disappointment. He
IRISIris watched the drama between her now husband–Alex– with his father unfold in front of her eyes.Now she realized why Alex hated his father, rebelled with all his might, and refused to obey his father’s order.Bad blood was an understatement to describe their relationship.After Alex kicked out his father and the useless bodyguards because they failed to keep Alex’s father safe from Alex and Sebastian’s wrath, the atmosphere around her gradually relaxed.“I am deeply sorry for this disturbance, babe,” Alex, without hesitation, came across her and put her in his big warm h
She felt tired after they finally arrived at the hotel. Alexander patiently waited for her to stroll through the corridor after they exited the private lift to the presidential suite Alex had rented for their wedding night. He nibbled her ears and neck during their short journey in the lift. Soft compliments and hot promises were uttered in between, making her turn on and crave more. “I can’t believe you are finally becoming mine,” he said while caressing her body still wrapped in a wedding dress. When the lift door opened, her face was already beet red and Alex out of the blue took her body and carried her bridal style until they reached the foyer of the presidential suite. He opened the door and took her again until they reached the master bedroom already decorated in a theme of a romantic wedding night. Hundreds of red petals of roses scattered around the master bedroom. Filled the room with the soft fragrance of the roses. Added with half dozen flower bouquets prepared and
Three months later… Alex walked out of the courthouse with Iris beside him. He kept Iris close and believed their bodyguards do their work perfectly to fend off the rush of journalists waiting outside. The buzz of the journalist throwing off the questions for them made Alex more protective of his pregnant wife. “Stay with me,” he said to Iris closely, in case Iris could not hear him well. Iris only nodded and put her body closer to him while walking together into their Rolls Royce car that was already on standby and waiting for their arrival. “Mr. Browning, how is the trial? Are you happy with the sentence? What do you feel that your father is a criminal convict?” The journalists viciously gave a bunch of questions at him, from the fair questions to the silliest and the most outrageous ones. “Mrs. Browning, are you alright? Do you think the sentence is fair after what Jonathan did to you? Please give us statements!” Some journalists shouted from afar, chasing Iris and Alex do
Alex went into full panic mode. He barked some orders here and there to prepare the driver to bring them to the hospital. Asking the ever-ready Brandon to prepare everything beforehand. From the hospital to the most prominent team of doctors to standby in the hospital and be ready when they arrived there. Iris at first refused Alex's protective–almost borderline panic insistence for them to check her situation at the hospital. She thought she was only having a bad day or had caught some common cold symptoms. But Alex was having none of it. He was persistent with his decision to bring her to the hospital and heard himself that she was okay. So here there was. The car was too slow for Alex, so he opted to call the pilot for his private helicopter to be ready in the next 15 minutes. They left the rooftop and arrived several minutes later at the hospital helipad. The hospital director was already on standby on the tarmac while the nurse brought the wheelchair to carry her! Iris
IRISSeveral days have passed since the kidnapping and the shooting of Alex. Her husband had already been discharged and recuperated in their penthouse. But, of course, he was still busy, as always. He was on the phone or focusing on his laptop, even when Iris asked him to pause and concentrate on his meal. He distractedly said okay but was still on the call with Brandon, Sheila, Noah Evans, and his other people. To appease her, Alex touched Iris here and there. He was making sure that he remembered Iris. But to be perfectly blunt, it was not her main objective. Her objective was to put her husband on bed rest and spend time in the penthouse–unwinding from the recent accident that cost him walking with crutches like this. "Alex! You need to eat something first!" Iris said when Alex distractedly took a slice of apples but ignored the main course that Iris already prepared, waiting for him to sit down and take the lunch together. "A minute, babe, I am still on call with Brandon," Al
Alex felt that he was getting lighter and might pass out soon. But he still ensured Iris was okay and no harm was done to her. “Are you hurt, baby?” Alex asked his wife, who was still crying, seeing how wrecked his thigh was after getting shot. Iris shook her head and watched how Sebastian expertly administered first aid to his wound. One of Sebastian's men already called the police and ambulance to take them. “My father?” Alex asked Sebastian. “He and Jake are wounded. My men neutralized them. I will check them after taking care of you first,” Sebastian responded seriously. Time went blurry in his perspective. Not long after, the ambulance and police sirens were heard outside, and finally, the first responders came and took over the procedures. When one of the police came intending to question Alex and Iris–Sebastian stepped in and answered all the inquiries. “I will take care of it. Don’t worry. I already asked Brandon to accompany you and Iris to the hospital while I deal wi
ALEXANDER Alexander was busy being the CEO interim before the legal paperwork was done and held back-to-back nonstop meetings until he received a call from Sebastian. He frowned and finally asked the remaining directors who still got the post to take a break, and they dutifully left the meeting room. Leaving Alex with his two assistants and his personal lawyer. “Sebastian?” Alex received the call from the first ring. “What is it?” he asked Sebastian. “Someone breaking in and rob Iris’s store–” Sebastian briefed him quickly, and he cursed his heart out. “What the fuck is that mean? How is Iris now? Is she safe? Where are your men, Sebastian?” He rapidly threw questions at Sebastian. He rose from the seat and nodded at Brandon–gesturing that he would deal with this issue and asked his assistant to deal with the rest in the office. “Where is she now?” Alex barked while waiting for the lift door to open and brought him to his car in the basement. “Where is the robber?” He fe
When Iris heard that man's phone ringing, Iris focused on him. "How is it?" that man asked his caller. "Can you set up the bail on him? How much is it? I will transfer right now!" added him. He then glanced at Iris–borderline fascinated, making her shiver because she was uncomfortable with how he stared at her. "Sure, let me know when Jonathan will arrive here. We can start negotiating with Alex then." After that, he ended the call and turned to her with a slimy smile she hated profoundly. "Now, Mrs Browning, rest and wait until Jonathan comes here. We will talk a lot after this," "Who are you?" Iris asked him again.
IRIS After the last night dining with Alex, Iris got a new perspective and advice from him concerning how she opened the new store. With a calculator in front of her and a laptop to calculate the initial expense and capital she needed for the new business–Iris stared at the Excel sheet blankly. Too many zeros, and Iris could not keep up. She recalculated again, and still, the numbers were not changing. She was pondering the numbers deeply when her phone rang again. She checked the caller, and it was the realtor. “Oh, hi! Sorry for the late response,” Iris greeted the realtor. She replied while she inspected the qu
The meeting room was buzzing with anticipation.Alex and his two assistants came earlier than his father and the cronies. Alexander was also accompanied by his lawyer–ready to back him up for today’s meeting.His father’s ‘former’ supporters came flooding the room one by one. They sent a discreet glance at Alex. Ensuring Alex was true to his words and would not leak their filthy criminal and offensive acts to the press surely brought them down.But Alex sat still with a perfect poker face. His opponents could not see and not understand what he was thinking."All the preparation is already in motion. We can strike the attack at your sign," Brandon whispered."Yes, let
"What do you mean unlimited?" Iris asked him with a horrified expression. But still, in his mind, her face was extremely cute, so he could not stop smiling at her. "That's exactly what I said. No budget for you. Just spend whatever you wish, baby! I won't stop you, my personal accountant or financial advisors," he replied casually just before the chef served the first course of their omakase fine dining style at this restaurant. Iris was just shaking her head in disbelief. "I am serious, Alex! You can't just answer my question like that! I need you to tell me honestly how much I should spend if I want to make a branch for my small shop," Iris, in reflex, took his sleeve-asking for his undivided attention given solely to her. “Alright, I am listening to you now,” he turned and focused on her. He drew his body closer to her until he smelled her divine scent throughout his nose. Iris was flustered when he charged like that. In front of the chef–no less!“What is it, baby? What do yo