CHAPTER 5

-ADRIANO-

"THE CONTRACT HAS been signed," The faint voice said. "Mr Mancini?"

Adriano snapped back to the present. He had been drifting away and losing concentration for the past few weeks, ever since Iris started behaving strangely.

He gave a small nod to his secretary to dismiss her. He picked up the file and skimmed through it. It was an agreement that further increased his wealth. He sighed and leaned back into the chair, then he remembered that he had to pick Iris up from school early that day. They were on the hunt for a therapist who could diagnose what was wrong with her.

Adriano Mancini was at the top of the food chain. A wealthy billionaire and respected man in the whole country. He was a shark to outsiders, but a lamb to his daughter. She was his whole world. He turned on his laptop and went to the list of recommendations.

From experience, Adriano automatically cancelled out any male therapist. A voice at the back of his head told him that he might be canceling the person who would be able to help Iris, but he shut down the voice.

He contemplated the names as he scrolled. Then he saw a name that caught his fancy. Avery Quinn. She was not such a big therapist in the state. It seemed like she had just resumed her career a few years ago, but he could not find anything further about her. His curiosity piqued, and he decided on this strange Avery Quinn. He decided that he was going to take his daughter to her.

When he got to the school, his presence had been expected already. "Hi, baby," he said, hoisting her into the air. She felt extremely light, like she was underfed.

He exchanged a concerned look with her class teacher. She was the one who drew his attention to the fact that there was something wrong with Iris. There had been a sudden change in character a few months ago.

"How was school today?" He asked as he strapped her into the back seat.

There was no reply. Iris barely spoke anything now. The bubbling child was gone, leaving a shell of herself.

He sighed and got into the driver's seat. "Did anything happen today?" He asked again as he pulled out of the parking lot.

Silence.

She seemed to be preoccupied, looking out the window and reading the different billboards on the road. He sighed again. It was easier to secure a deal with a country about their multi-million dollar oil well than it was to get his own daughter to open up.

"We are going to see someone this afternoon," he said, and was surprisingly pleased when she looked at him. Her grey eyes matched his, but she still did not say anything.

"I am hoping it will be a very nice lady," he continued. "She will try to talk to you, okay?"

Iris shrugged her bony shoulders and looked out the window again.

Adriano ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. He wondered what could have happened to his daughter.

Had she seen something she was not supposed to see?

Adriano always made sure to keep her away from his business life and sexual encounters.

Had someone molested her?

The thought of it made his blood boil, and he gripped the steering wheel tighter until his knuckles were white.

Or did this have to do with Celeste, her mother? He frowned. He and Celeste had ended things on a bad note a few years ago, involving lawyers and court cases, but he had been granted full custody of the child.

Had Celeste somehow gotten to Iris and done something to her, just to prove that Adriano was a bad father?

All these thoughts bounced in his head as he drove at the speed limit for the next hour until he got to where Avery Quinn's office was. He parked slowly and got out, looking at the building. It was large, but it was a rented building.

Taking his daughter's hand, he knocked on the front door. When there was no response, he pushed the door and it opened. They walked into the reception without a receptionist or secretary.

"Hello?" He called. The place felt very empty. "Sit down, baby, I'll check for the lady in the other room." He said. As Iris sat on the single vinyl chair, he walked towards the adjoining door. Just as he was about to open it, the door opened and Avery Quinn walked into him, stumbling back.

His hand slipped around her waist to stop her from falling, and his eyes almost gave away his shock and surprise as his brain registered the face of the woman standing before him.

Memories of that night came flooding back, making his cock jump in response. The way she had reacted to his touch. She came to him broken down, and he had pieced her back together that night and broken her again with waves of orgasm. Before he could wake up the following morning, she was gone, leaving a small memorandum of that night behind - her scents in the sheet and a pink lacy bra which he kept in his closet after all these years.

"Are you alright?" He said, effectively masking the surprise from his voice.

With the way her eyes were wide and her skin went pale, he knew she recognized him. "I'm fine," she said in a curt tone and pushed herself away.

"Are you Doctor Avery Quinn?" He asked, knowing that he sounded foolish. Of course, she is the doctor. Who else could she be?

"That's me, yes. How may I help you?" She asked. Her voice was curt. It was like she did not want anything to do with him.

"My daughter," He stepped aside to reveal Irish. "She needs your help..."

"She doesn't need my help," Avery muttered. "I do not specialize in children."

Her voice was strong and final, but Adriano notice the soft look she gave to Iris.

"Take her to another doctor, I'm sure there are many of them in the city."

"Miss Avery - Doctor Avery," he said, hurrying after her. "I will pay double of whatever your charges are..." Money was not an issue.

She openly ignored Adriano and instead crouched beside Iris. "What's your name, dear?"

"Iris." Came the small voice.

"That is the first word she is saying today," Adriano said under his breath. He was surprised and in awe.

It was the first meeting, and Iris had already spoken. That was something that nobody could do.

That was a sign that Adriano was never going to ignore. He was going to do whatever it took to make this doctor accept Iris.