Chapter 2
Iris
Three days in the basement. I lean against the cold wall and close my eyes.
Twenty years ago, someone left me on a church doorstep. No name, no past. The Blackwells took me in and taught me how to slit a throat in seconds, how to strip a gun in three.
Ten years ago, I became Adrian's personal guard. Handled everything for him.
That winter, he proposed. "Marry me, Iris. Let's have a daughter together. I'll give her everything."
Later I found out he only married me because I look like Evelyn. Because he needed to protect her, hidden away.
A stand-in. A tool. That's all I ever was.
The iron door slams open. Blinding light cuts through.
Adrian walks over with a first aid kit and crouches in front of me, his movements soft like nothing happened.
"Let me see." He reaches for the swelling on my cheek.
I turn my head away. "Don't touch me."
His hand freezes. Something flickers in his eyes, but he swallows it down and his voice gets even softer. "Iris, just calm down. Look, I know you've got a problem with Evelyn, but the kid didn't do anything. Eden's gone and it kills me too. Can't you just—for Eden's sake—"
I cut him off. "You don't get to say her name."
"I'm her father!"
"Father?" I laugh coldly. "What kind of father watches his own daughter get kicked into the ocean for some other woman's bastard?"
All the color drains from Adrian's face.
"Every time I see that woman, I'll do more than hit her." Each word comes out deliberately. "Adrian, keep her away from me. Next time it won't be a slap. She'll be dead."
Adrian stares at me for a long time. His eyes hold anger and something else I can't name. Finally he jerks to his feet and walks out.
The iron door slams shut again.
I pick up the first aid kit and deal with my face myself.
It hurts. But compared to watching Eden die three years ago, what's a little pain?
The next day, the door opens again.
This time it's Evelyn with her son. The boy hides behind her, clutching something in his arms.
My eyes lock onto it and everything freezes.
A stuffed bear. Adrian gave it to Eden on her second birthday. It's the only thing of hers left in this world.
"Iris, Adrian said you're having a hard time down here. Asked me to check on you." Evelyn covers her nose, looking around the dark damp basement like it disgusts her.
I don't acknowledge her. My eyes stay fixed on the bear in the boy's hands. "Give it back."
Evelyn follows my gaze and her mouth curves.
"Oh, it's just an old toy. Tyler likes it, so why not let him have it? Adrian said Tyler can have whatever makes him happy."
I stand slowly and walk toward them, step by step. "I'll say it one more time. Give it back."
Something vicious flashes in Evelyn's eyes.
She snatches the bear from Tyler and rips its head off right in front of me. The sound tears through the room as yellowed stuffing bursts out. She laughs, pulling out handfuls of cotton and throwing the broken bear and its insides onto the floor.
"Oops. Guess it broke."
Tyler looks scared, standing there frozen.
Evelyn smooths her skirt and walks over, leaning down. Her lips come close to my ear, her voice dropping low.
"You know what, Iris? That shootout at the docks three years ago? I set it up. Gave them Eden's location myself. Wanted her dead so Tyler would be the only heir. Adrian still doesn't know. He thinks it was an accident. Spent three whole years feeling guilty about it. What an idiot."
Something snaps in my head.
I lunge forward and grab her throat, slamming her against the wall. Her face goes red instantly. She claws at my arm, making choking sounds. Tyler starts screaming.
My vision goes red. "You killed her! I'll send you to hell where Eden is!"
"Iris! What the hell are you doing!"
The roar comes from the doorway.
Adrian charges in and grabs my shoulder, throwing me off with all his strength. I hit the floor hard, my back slamming into the wall. I taste blood in my mouth.
Adrian pulls Evelyn into his arms. She coughs violently, tears streaming down her face.
"Adrian, I just wanted to check on her and she went crazy, tried to kill me..." Her voice breaks.
Adrian turns to me, eyes bloodshot. "What the hell do you want! Eden's dead! She's dead!"
I look at the cotton scattered across the floor, the bear's head torn from its body, and I laugh. "Yeah. Eden's dead. Thanks to you, there wasn't even a body left. Now you want to erase the last piece of her too?"
Adrian notices the bear on the floor. Something flickers in his eyes, almost guilty. But he hardens fast. "Evelyn didn't mean it! You're the adult here and you're going after a kid? When did you get so petty, Iris?"
I stare at him until he looks away. "Today she destroyed Eden's bear. Tomorrow I'll tear her apart."
"You wouldn't dare!"
A slap cracks across my face. My head snaps to the side, ears ringing. Half my face goes numb.
Adrian's hand stays frozen in the air, fingers trembling. Shock crosses his face. He stares at his own hand like he can't believe he did it.
He grits his teeth. "Iris, you're a goddamn disappointment. If you can't learn, then you'll kneel outside until you do. Take her to the front gate. She stays on her knees until I say otherwise."
I ignore him. I start picking up the cotton from the floor, piece by piece, stuffing it back into the torn bear.
Two guards come in and grab my arms. I clutch the broken bear tight as they drag me out.
Outside the estate gates, darkness surrounds me.
I kneel on the cold stone, holding the bear against my chest. Cotton keeps falling out of the holes, bit by bit, like Eden's life slipping through my fingers.
