04

My eyes close in rage at the sound of my biological mother’s voice. « I’m sorry, I’m going to have to see to this. »

« Of course. »

With a sigh, I stand up, grasping the door. I practically hear every chair swivel in my direction as I walk out into the hallway.

« Ma’am, I’m sorry but you’re going to have to leave… »

« Right now, » I snap, walking to one of my intern’s, Angelica’s, desk.

« I need to speak to you, » my raven-haired mother proclaims, stubbornly. Angelica looks up at me, obviously uncomfortable as I grab her office phone, dialing the number for security.

« I had Olivia come out and tell you I am busy in an interview. I’m calling security. »

« Please, Iris. »

A deep voice « Security. »

« No. » I mutter to her before I raise the phone to my ear. « Yes, I need someone removed immediately. She is not to be allowed into this building again. »

« Yes, ma’am. »

I slam the phone down and turn to head back to my office.

« Iris ! Please ! It’s important ! »

« Do not come here again, » I call over my shoulder, grabbing my office door handle.

« Iris ! »

…

« Oh, for fuck’s sake ! » I shout, clutching my face tiredly. Staying this late, I thought I has escaped the endless questions. « Come in ! »

« You sound chipper, » Stellan states, opening the door wide. I look up from my hands, gaping.

« Oh, god. I’m sorry- I thought you were one of them. I haven’t had a piece of quiet yet. »

« Well, you’re in luck. They’re all gone and I brought food. »

I smile softly, relieved. « That’s nice of you. »

He sets down the bags onto my desk, nodding. « Yeah, well, I figured since it was already eight, you were going to be here late… »

« Yeah, I didn’t mean to-« 

« So, I stopped down the street, picked something up and came here. » He turns, shrugging off his jacket. « What I truly didn’t expect was to meet your mother downstairs. »

Fuck. I stare at his back, speechless. He turns then, shrugging and sticks his hands into his pockets. The look of disappointment on his face is apparent. I look down, pursing my lips.

« Just tell me why you did it… You told me your parents were dead, Iris. We- don’t lie to each other. »

« I know, » I utter lamely, avoiding his harsh gaze.

« I’ve trusted you with every fragment of my life, Iris… Is your father alive as well ? »

« No, he’s dead. »

« I don’t understand. I truly do not understand why you would even say that she was dead. »

« You know how they abandoned me. »

« Yes but that doesn’t mean she’s dead, Iris ! Jesus ! »

« To me, she might as well be ! » I shout, finally pissed enough to look at him. His mouth shuts at my bitter words and he simply stares. « I don’t want anything to do with her. She found out about me a couple years ago- searched for me. I’ve been trying to get her to leave me alone since then. »

« Why ? She might have an explanation- maybe there was a reason… »

« She told me ! I sat down with her a week ago and she told me. She said that she couldn’t face the people in the hospital and she knew I’d be found in the bathroom. She was a coward ! She said she wanted me but didn’t want me to die on the street. She knew I’d be better suited with someone else- so she left me there, Stellan. »

I stand up in a rush, needing to move. « She left me there- with no clue who was going to get me. No clue of the type of person who would find me. No clue how long I’d sit there without food- no clue if I was cold. »

Closing his eyes tightly, he nods toward the ground. Chest heaving, I stare at him, arms crossed protectively over my body.

« Your parents didn’t leave you on purpose- they loved you, Stellan… Mine didn’t love me enough. »

In order to fix my gaze on something- anything else, I reach down, toying with the white daisy on my desk. I have no tears- just anger. Deep, hidden anger I’ve carried with me my entire life.

He comes around the desk and stands before me. I force myself to look up, not wishing to see the pity on his face but ashamed I lied to him. This is my punishment. But his eyes aren’t sullen or angry, they show no pity. He moves forward and surprisingly, he embraces me, wrapping his arms around my body with such force, I gasp, blinking.

I place my hands on his back, relieved as he presses his lips to my hair softly. « I’m sorry. I’m sorry you have to live with that on your shoulders. »

« I don’t think of it much. Only when she’s around. »

He pulls back, sighing. « You’ve been through a lot these past couple of weeks. »

« I’m hanging in there, » I murmur, smiling softly.

« You know you can talk to me about anything, right ? You can tell me anything. »

I stare at him, knowing this is the moment I should utter that I’m expecting his child but my mouth won’t comply. I nod, pressing my face to his chest again.

« W-what did she say to you- outside ? »

« She said she knew that I was your fiancée. She had seen the press conference. Her exact words were, I don’t know if you’re a good man for my daughter but I pray that your situation can be resolved soon so we can be happy. And that she had something she needed you to know- about the girl that was in your office today ? Or something like that ? »

I lean back from him, confused. « The girl I interviewed ? My new assistant ? »

« Yes. I tried to get her to tell me but she said she wanted to speak with you directly. »

« That’s strange… She came in here, causing a mess in front of everyone and I threw her out. She’s banned from this building. Shit. »

« I told her I’d speak to you and asked for where to reach her. » He lets go of me and reaches into his back pocket, removing a receipt. I take it and find a number scribbled on the back.

« You think of everything, » I confess warmly, glancing up from the paper to him. He places his hand on my hip firmly, breathing deeply. Setting down the receipt onto the desk, I apologize. « I’m sorry I lied to you about her. »

« It’s alright… I just want you to feel at home with me. I don’t want us to keep things from each other. »

Jesus, it’s like he knows or something. I look away uncomfortably, swallowing nervously. He lets me go when I turn to grab my bag and the receipt.

« I’d rather eat this at home… Is that okay ? »

« Of course, let’s go. » I take his hand, waiting while he grabs the bag off the desk and we walk out together. I feel eyes on me as we walk out onto the street towards Eric and the limo. I don’t know if it’s my paranoia but I don’t like it.