Chapter 4

Iris’s POV

“Got it?”

The disgust in his eyes, the impatience in his voice? It hit the deepest, ugliest wound I had.

I stared at his mouth moving, in and out, until everything blurred.

My mom had been deceived. She didn’t even know my father had a family until after I was born. That’s why the wedding kept getting “delayed.”

She was too proud to stay. She took me and left.

My father’s legal wife? She found out about the affair, went into premature labor from the shock, bled out and died. The baby didn’t survive long either.

No father meant my childhood was a magnet for bullying.

Insecurity and shame wrapped around me like vines, choking tight until I met Marty.

He never looked down on me for being an illegitimate kid. Hell, he even told me his own dad cheated all the time.

I thought we were the same, broken in the same way. Turns out he just learned exactly where to stab.

My tears hit hard and fast, one after another. My chest tightened. I couldn’t breathe, gasping for air like I was drowning.

He stared at me, suddenly silent.

“Marty… It’s my fault for liking you.” Madisen clung to his arm right on cue. “If people call me a mistress, fine, but dragging you into this? I feel awful.”

Hearing that, he snapped out of it instantly.

“No. Madz, I won’t let you be wronged.”

Next, he yanked me off the bed and dragged me straight into my mom’s hospital room.

“If no one taught you manners, I will,” he warned. “If you refuse to apologize, I’ll have them cut off your mom’s treatment. Let her rot.”

His threat exploded in my ears like thunder. My mind went completely blank.

When my mom fell into a coma after the accident, Marty had promised me the best medical care, top specialists, everything just so I wouldn’t worry.

I looked at him, this stranger wearing a familiar face, and swallowed everything down.

“Ms. Moyland, I apologize for my inappropriate behavior,” I said. “I’m sorry.”

“Oh, it was just a misunderstanding. I won’t take it to heart,” Madisen replied sweetly, almost pouting. “Marty, honestly, you didn’t have to go this far just to stand up for me.”

Just then, my phone buzzed. It was a message from the care facility; they’re coming tomorrow to transfer my mom.

I exhaled, finally able to breathe again.

Then I opened the drawer, pulled out a document, and handed it to Marty.

“Perfect timing. The company sent over an urgent contract. I already checked it. No issues. You just need to sign.”

“Iris, if you’d been this reasonable from the start, we wouldn’t be here.” He didn’t even look at it. He just signed his name. “Don’t worry. I’ll still make sure your mom’s taken care of.”

I put away the divorce agreement he just signed and smiled in relief.

It doesn’t matter anymore. Now there’s nothing of mine that can be used against me!