Chapter 6: Unwelcome Return

KATHRYN POV

For a second I couldn't breathe. My eyes were on Iris. I was trying to get my head around what I was hearing and what I was seeing.

"What do you think belongs to you?" Jacob asked in a really sharp tone. His voice sounded cold. I could hear anger underneath.

I didn't wait for Iris to answer. My chest felt really tight. The room felt small all of a sudden. Without saying anything I turned around and walked away.

The silence in the room felt like it was suffocating me. "What is happening to my life…" I whispered to myself.

My hands were shaking. I pushed away from the door. Started walking back and forth in the room. My mind was spinning. Iris is back. Back… Not leaving.

I looked out the window as another thing slowly sunk in. This house. It wasn't really Jacobs. It never had been.

The house belonged to Iris. He had bought it years ago when he was building his business. When he left the city he just let his family stay here.

Jacob. Their parents.. Eventually... Me.

I swallowed hard. That meant something scary.

Now that Iris was back... This was his house again. Which meant I was living with the man who had ruined my life.

A bitter laugh came out of me. "Perfect, " I muttered.

Just perfect.

My chest felt tight again. Memories started coming to the church, the white dress, the empty altar. I shut my eyes tight.

"No, " I whispered. I didn't want to think about that night

A knock on my door made me jump.

My heart was in my throat. "Yes?" I called out.

The door opened a bit and one of the maids looked inside. “Mrs. Mayers,” she said carefully. "Mr. Jacob wants to see you.”

I thought to myself of course he does. “I’ll be there in a minute," I said.

The maid left immediately.

I stood still for a moment staring at the floor. Then I made myself move.

⸻

Jacob’s bedroom door was already open when I got there.

For a moment we just looked at each other.

Then he said flatly, "Starting tonight you’ll be sleeping in this room.”

I blinked. “What?" I asked.

His face didn’t change. “You heard me,” he said.

I crossed my arms slowly. “That’s never going to happen, " I said.

Jacob’s eyes got a bit hard. “You’re my wife,” he said.

“And that doesn’t mean I have to share your bed," I replied.

His jaw got tight. “You already live in my house,” he said.

I let out a laugh. “Actually,” I said, leaning my head, "I think we both know whose house this really is.”

“You’re still in my house," he snapped, feeling upset by my words.

“And I’ll still be sleeping in my room," I said calmly.

He lost his patience. “Enough Kathryn,” he said. His eyes flashed with anger. He suddenly laughed, a bitter sound.

“Let me guess,” he said mockingly. "You’re refusing because my brother is back.”

I stared at him. “What?" I asked.

Jacob stepped closer. “Do you plan on sneaking into Iris’s room?" he continued cruelly. "Now that he’s back to rekindle your love?”

I felt disgusted. I rolled my eyes. “You’re disgusting,” I said to him.

His face hardened. “Am I wrong?" he asked.

“Yes,” I snapped.

His gaze got sharper. “You still love him," he said.

I didn’t want to admit it. I forced my face to stay cold. “You really need therapy," I muttered.

Then I turned around and walked out of the room.

Behind me Jacob’s angry voice followed. “This conversation isn’t over Kathryn!”

I didn’t respond.

My body felt hot. Too hot. Like my skin was burning. My heart was beating fast. I was stressed and angry and confused.

“Get it together " I whispered.

The air upstairs felt too heavy. Too suffocating. I needed space. I needed fresh air to breathe in and out.

So I walked downstairs quietly toward the kitchen.

The kitchen was really quiet. The cold water in my glass was already starting to sweat. The drops were falling onto my fingers.

I took another sip of the water hoping it would calm me down.. It did not. My mind was still racing. I was thinking about Jacob.. Iris.. This house. It all felt like a trap that was closing in on me.

I let out a breath and turned to face the sink.. Then I froze. Someone was standing at the coffee machine. For a moment my heart stopped beating.

It was Iris… Five years had changed him. He looked stronger and sharper.

He had not noticed me looking at him. He was still facing the coffee machine. I was relieved.. Then he spoke and I felt my heart jump. "Can't sleep?" he asked. I blinked. He still had not turned around.

I felt a little annoyed. "Are you psychic now?" I said quietly.

He laughed softly.

I leaned back against the counter. "So,” I said, trying to sound light, “why did you come back?"

There was a moment of silence.

"You're asking out of curiosity?" he asked calmly.

"Don't flatter yourself," I said. He smiled a little. I did not like that either. I forced myself to meet his eyes. They were dark and steady. They felt too familiar.

"You disappeared for five years,” I said, my voice quieter now. "No explanation. No goodbye."

His face did not change. I saw something flicker in his eyes. "I had things to figure out, " he said simply.

I did not like that answer. "That's a convenient answer,” I said.

"Sometimes the simple ones are the ones," he said. I scoffed softly. Took another sip of water. "You did like vague explanations,” I said.

He leaned his hip against the counter holding his mug in one hand. "And you always liked pushing for answers, " he said.

I felt a little annoyed. "That's because you never gave any, " I said.

The air between us felt heavy. There were a lot of things we were not saying. Five years of silence were sitting quietly between us. It felt awkward.

I shifted a little feeling like the kitchen was too small. "Hows life been?" he asked after a moment.

I laughed. It was not a funny laugh. "You really want to ask that question in this house?" I said.

He looked up at the ceiling toward the rooms toward Jacob. Then his eyes came back to me. "Fair point,” he said.

There was another moment of silence.

"Why now?" I asked suddenly. "Why come back now?" I said.

He looked at me for a moment. Then he pushed himself off the counter. Started walking toward me. My heart started beating. Every step he took made the space between us smaller.

I told myself not to react, not to move. My body was already aware of how close he was getting. He stopped in front of me too close. My back was against the counter. There was nowhere to step away.

My breath slowed down a bit as I looked up at him. "What are you doing?" I asked quietly. He did not answer. Instead he reached past me. Grabbed a small jar from the counter behind me.

His arm brushed against my waist. It sent a spark through my nerves. My heart skipped a beat.

"You never answered my question,” I said carefully. His eyes came up to mine again. They looked different now. They looked deeper and more serious.

Then he spoke softly. "What if I told you..." he started. The kitchen felt quite too intimate. My chest felt tight. "That, you're the reason I came back?" he said.

The words felt like a stone, in water. They sent a vibration through my mind. My heart skipped another beat.