Chapter 19%
That afternoon, during self–study, Iris was working on a math problem when the class monitor, Cleve, suddenly approached her and whispered, “tris, there’s a man outside the school claiming to be your brother. He says he needs to talk to you?
Iris‘ heart tensed instantly. She hadn’t expected Wendel to have the audacity to come looking for her at school.
Seeing her expression tum grim, Cleve asked with concern, “Is something wong, Iris?”
Ever since she had transferred to this class, Cleve had always looked after her. He was the one person she trusted the most here.
Iris took a deep breath and said in a low voice, “It’s nothing. But if I don’t come back in half an hour, can you call the teacher for me?” Cleve was momentarily stunned but then nodded.
The lingering chill of early spring still hung in the air, the wind biting and unforgiving.
Iris inhaled sharply as she walked towards the school gate.
From a distance, she spotted a familiar figure.
Wendel stood in the cold wind, shivering violently.X
Dressed in nothing but a thin jacket, he clenched the fabric tightly, visibly trembling!
At the sight of Iris, he instinctively straightened up, his fingers gripping his sleeves nervously.
“What are you doing here?” Iris squinted her eyes at him. She had nothing left to say to him–only the desire for him to leave. Wendel’s eyes lit up the moment he saw her, and he spoke softly, Ins…”
Unfazed, Iris‘ gaze remained icy. “What exactly do you want?”
Wendel pressed his lips together, hesitating before murmuring. Nothing… I just wanted to see you. A lot has happened lately, and I suddenly feel-
Iris cut him off impatiently. “Spare me the nonsense. We have nothing to do with each other anymore. Those were your exact words. What now? Are you regretting it?*%
“Ins! It’s not like that!?
Desperate, Wendel reached for her shoulder, his grip tight with urgency, “I said those things in the heat of the moment. I didn’t mean them. Please, just hear me out.”
“Tonly found out yesterday–Esther can’t have children. My mother will never accept her now. She’s forcing us to divorce.” At that moment, Iris‘ heart clenched violently.
Memories from her past life came rushing back.!!
child..
It was right after Wendel discovered that Esther couldn’t have children that he made the ruthless decision to take away her only ch She had cried until her eyes went blind, begging this very man not to take her baby away. And yet, he hadn’t even spared her a glance.! It was Wendel who had taken her flesh and blood away with his own hands.!!
Overwhelmed by searing hatred, Iris raised her hand and slapped him hard across the face.!!
The resentment of two lifetimes intertwined, and for a moment, she lost all reason.
Wendel hadn’t expected to be slapped–he hadn’t even tried to dodge
The sound of the impact was crisp and sharp.
“What do you mean by this?!” Iris‘ voice trembled with fury.
“What do you take me for? Do I even look like a person to you? You think Пl come running back just because you called? Am I just a breeding machine to you? Do you expect me to return, have your child, and then watch you and Esther live happily ever after?”
That slap shattered Wendel’s pride completely.
Covering his face, he flushed with anger and humiliation. “Iris, how did you become like this?”
To him, Iris had always been gentle and obedient–never raising her voice, let alone laying a hand on anyone. And yet today, the woman he had once seen as weak had slapped him across the face
Inis clenched her fists, her teeth grinding together as she spat, “Whatever I’ve become has nothing to do with you!”
