Chapter 108: Lucas: Trouble in paradise

"My dad sent a message asking you to come to work tomorrow. Are you okay?" I do the desperate conversation starter so that I can hear her voice.

I still can’t wrap my head around what just happened at my house. I couldn’t even care less for Bella and how she was going to travel back home after Iris pulled the ultimate card on me—she wants to go back home.

That isn’t a bad thing on its own, but after our misunderstanding and how she’s bent on not letting me nor Bella explain ourselves, I couldn’t just let her go. Although, now that we are together, I think I should have let her go back with Paul. Maybe she would have been more comfortable around him than me.

I want to tell her to believe me, to do what she always did before, and to trust me. Deep down I think I know that she does, but with everything piled up on her like this, I kind of understand where she is coming from. Hell, even I would flip if evidence was dumped onto me like that.

Then came the wifi cutting. I didn’t think it through when I told her to avoid going on social media and enjoy her peace and quiet in the mountains. I only followed Doctor Williams’s direction—make sure she’s at peace most of the time—and with Bella roaming around her, asking for a bet, social media was my number one enemy then.

There were fake articles, news stories, YouTube videos, and even fan edits circling around. Some of the pictures even shocked me too. I know artificial intelligence is advancing, but the photos of me and Bella that I saw online over the past few weeks rendered me speechless.

They were spot on. From head to toe, and with the expressions too. It was almost creepy how the pictures looked like the real thing, but when you look closely you’re able to tell it is fake from the location and the distorted art of the people behind the scenes. If only Iris had kept a cool head and did the same she would have been able to notice the missing pieces, but she’s too blinded by anger to even care about what I say.

She did say my face was making her annoyed today.

Shuffling in the back seat with her eyes glued on her phone, eyes scrunched with brows creasing, she nods. "I received the same message from Kayla. I’ll be at work tomorrow."

I look at her from the rearview mirror, trying to gauge her reaction, but her face is hidden by her hair which is draping all over it like a curtain.

"You can skip work tomorrow if you don’t feel so good. I’ll explain and tell them I gave you an off day because—"

"Don’t worry, I’m not sick," Iris cuts me, finally raising her head to look up at me. "And if you’re worrying about me being angry at you at work, then you shouldn’t. I can keep my professional side clean, but I can’t guarantee to do so if you annoy me. So you better be on your best behavior too."

She finishes speaking at the same time I park outside her house and before I can even get out to open the door for her, Iris opens it herself and gets out of the car. I follow her in a rush and grab her hand before she leaves, pulling her to me and coming to a halt until we’re both standing outside the black gate with her back plastered on my front as her hair flails all over my face.

Goosebumps erupt all over my body at the small contact we make and I groan at the prospect of letting her go. I just know if I let her go now we will never get a chance to talk like normal people again. To think we didn’t even date that long and we already reached a point where she can’t look me in the eyes when I hold her like this.

Iris doesn’t fight me, a good response that gives me the perfect chance to hug her closer and put my chin on her shoulders. "I know you don’t want to see my face right now, but I want you to know I never did anything written on those articles and that those pictures are fake. I’m just as innocent as you and I love you as much as you do me, no, maybe even much more.

Whatever is going on in your head, please let it cool over, and once it is done, come back to me, and let’s talk. Give me a chance to redeem myself. At least then when you still can’t be convinced by what I say, I’ll let you get angry at me. You can even hit the life out of me, I’ll offer myself up."

Iris doesn’t budge. On any given occasion, I’d already be getting kisses and hugs by now, and I’d be blushing like a freaking tomato at every contact our bodies make. I’m pretty sure I’m red right now, but I can’t be sure because my face is not as hit as the other days. I’m cold even, anxiously waiting for her reply.

Finally, Iris grabs my hand. I loosen it thinking she’s about to swat me away, but she grips it instead, her fingers cold to the touch. She’s trembling a bit, I’ve held her far too many times to tell most of the movements her body makes, and right now, the constant movement her fingers are making in irregular motions feels like trembling to me.

"Until the time comes, please let me collect myself. I’m too shocked to speak with you right now, and I don’t want to say things that I’ll regret, so please leave me alone at the moment. I’ll contact you first when I’m ready to talk."

"Hmm," I take her trembling fingers into mine and squeeze them a little. "I’ll wait for you, but don’t take too long. Like I told you, I’m innocent l, and if you make me wait too long it won’t be an argument but punishment instead."

Iris nods in approval, slowly loosening her grip on me as she takes her first step inside the yard. The separation takes too long to happen, it feels like we’re going in slow motion. The touch of her cold fingers lingers on my body, a soft sensation that gets masked by the breeze whooshing past us and driving her hair in my face once again as if this is a befitting goodbye to the happy days we used to have a week ago.

It takes too long but it finally happens and Iris closes the gate in my face. I almost hit it with my fist but pause when I consider the noise it might make. My first fight with my girlfriend happened sooner than I expected, and in our honeymoon phase at that too.

It’s too soon. I hate it.

"Trouble in paradise already?"

"Ahhh!"

"What are you screaming for like a Disney princess who just saw a roach?"

Phineas? What is he doing here?

"Yeah, I was wondering what you and Iris were doing instead of going inside, then she closed the gate in your face and I immediately knew you were fighting. What did you do this time," Mary asks in a mock-filled voice, peeking through the gate.

"Wait, let me guess. Was it Bella?"

I flinch. "I don’t have the time to entertain you idiots. I have a speech to prepare for tomorrow after the magazine launch."

"Ha! So I’m right, it is her. Man, I should have known when she kept asking about you during the photoshoot. And please drop the cold CEO shit, it makes you look like a rich spoilt brat, especially now after you just fought with your girlfriend."

Phin nods at her, coming close to me so he can add more salt to my wounds. "Don’t sulk for too long. If you’re the one who fucked up come here and apologize often, no, come every day and apologize until she doesn’t have any other option but to forgive you, okay?"

"Hmm," Mary hums in approval. "Anyways, let’s go eat out, I can’t mess with Iris when she’s like this or I might be caught in the crossfire. I’ll come to soothe her later when she’s sobered up a little."

"Good idea," Phineas grabs her by the waist and carries her, passing by me with a nod as the two make their way to his car.

Those annoying shits. I was doing just fine until they decided to come and show me how much in love they are. Clicking my tongue, I head over to my car and close the door with a bang.

When I arrived home, it felt empty, a familiar feeling that had become alien thanks to Iris running around whenever I came home. I was getting used to her being around.

I make my way to my room and find her nightgown sprawled all over my bed, a sign that we were supposed to do it today. However, I messed it all up and she left before we even began. Damnit, even seeing her clothes sprawled on my bed makes me sad now.

I already miss her.

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Source: Webnovel.com, updated by Aunomay Read