LOGINIris's POVI could feel my heart beating so fast I feared Marcus would hear and I schooled my features into a calmness I clearly did not feel. My fingers curled slightly in my lap as I turned to look at him but his eyes were fixed on the road calmly and unaware of the war inside of me.I racked my head for an answer that would not break anything. I forced a small breath out, steadying myself before I spoke.“I went out for air,” I said, keeping my voice soft, natural. “It got a bit crowded inside.”That part was true although it was not the whole truth, it was close enough to stand on.Marcus nodded slightly, like that made sense.“And he was there?” he asked.I swallowed guiltily, my gaze drifting briefly to the window before returning to him.“Yeah,” I said. “ He was on the balcony. I didn’t expect to see him there.”My heart was beating too fast again. I could hear it in my ears, loud and insistent, like it was trying to betray me.I kept going.“I thought about leaving,” I added,
Iris’s POV After that narrow escape, I stayed beside Marcus for as long as I could after that. I am definitely not finding myself in a precarious position this evening. I smiled when people spoke to me. I nodded at the right moments and laughed when I was supposed to. But inside, I was still in that hallway still feeling the press of Victor’s mouth against mine. I could still feel the trepidation that washed over me when I heard those footsteps. As I waited for the moment everything would fall apart. Every time Marcus stepped away, even for a second, my chest tightened. I did not want to be alone again where Victor could find me or where I might forget myself again. So I stayed close. Too close, maybe. At one point, Marcus wrapped an arm around my waist, pulling me gently into his side as he spoke to one of his uncles. The warmth of him, the ease of it, should have grounded me. Instead, it made something twist inside me. Because I knew what I had done just minutes ago and I
Iris’s POV For one second, I could not breathe. Marcus’s voice came too close, too sudden, cutting straight through the moment like a blade. My heart slammed so hard it felt like it would burst out of my chest. I stepped back without thinking, my body reacting before my mind could catch up. I forced my face into something calm before I turned, even though my pulse was racing and my lips still felt warm from Victor’s kiss. “Hey,” Marcus said, stopping just short of us. His eyes moved between the two of us, not suspicious, just curious. “Are you both hiding back here?” I let out a small, breathy laugh, hoping it sounded natural. “I needed some air,” I said quickly. “It got a bit crowded in there.” Victor did not miss a beat. He stepped slightly to the side, giving me space, his expression composed in that effortless way of his. “She looked overwhelmed,” he added calmly. “I was just making sure she was alright.” I nodded, a little too fast. “Yeah. That’s all.” Marcus studied m
Victor’s POV I saw her before anyone announced her and that was the problem. No matter how many people filled the room, no matter how carefully I kept my distance, my eyes found her first. It had always been that way. From the very first moment.And tonight, it was worse.Because she was not mine to stand beside. She was on my son’s arm. Laughing softly, tilting her head just enough as she listened to someone speak, her fingers resting lightly against Marcus’s sleeve like it was the most natural thing in the world. Like she belonged there.Publicly, she did but we both knew that she belonged to me.I lifted my glass slightly, more out of habit than desire, my gaze steady even as I battled with jealousy. I had spent three years away in Singapore building control into every part of my life. When I came back and met her, all of that fizzled away.I remembered the first time I saw her, I had walked to the door to welcome my son and his fiancée but when I saw her, there was nothing in m
Iris’s POV When Marcus came home that evening, I was already waiting. I had stretched myself across the couch like I belonged there, one arm draped lazily over the backrest, legs tucked just enough to look effortless without trying. The soft glow of the lamp cast warm light over the room, and for once, everything felt carefully arranged.The door clicked open, and I turned my head slowly, as if I hadn’t been listening for that exact sound.“Hey,” he said, stepping inside, loosening his tie slightly as his eyes found me.I smiled, soft and inviting. “Hey.”“You look… relaxed,” he added, closing the door behind him.“I am,” I said lightly, pushing myself up from the couch. “You told me to be.”He chuckled under his breath, setting his keys aside. “I did.”I crossed the space between us slowly, not rushing and not hesitating either. When I reached him, I slid my arms around his neck and leaned in, pressing a warm kiss to his lips.It wasn’t hurried.It wasn’t shy.It lingered.Marcus re
Iris’s POV Maya’s call came like a warm reprieve from the tension that had been building all morning.“Hey, you ready?” she asked, a teasing lilt in her voice. “Marcus told me to keep you occupied and relaxed, so I’m coming to get you.”I laughed softly, letting the sound tumble out like a secret. “Occupied and relaxed? That sounds dangerously perfect.”“Exactly,” she said. “I’ll be there in ten.”True to her word, she arrived quickly, the car already filled with her usual upbeat energy. I climbed in, letting her take the wheel while I sank into the seat, letting the luxury of being chauffeured sink in. Marcus’s thoughtfulness was oddly comforting. At least he had no idea how aware I was of the double life I was living.The spa was everything I needed. Soft music, scented oils, the faint whisper of other women pampering themselves. Maya took me through the usual: a pedicure that left my toes perfectly polished, a manicure that made me feel polished and untouchable, and finally a mass







