Chapter 4
The men carrying me abruptly let go. I slammed into the floor.
Everyone recoiled in disgust, scrambling away like they were afraid the bad luck would smear onto them.
Only Elias moved.
He strode toward me fast.
His hand closed around my arm, his voice hoarse and low.
“Iris! What is this?”
“Why are there so many needle marks and bruises? You…”
Emotions stormed through his eyes like heavy clouds, churning and folding until they sank into a dark, vicious abyss.
For one second, I almost thought… maybe I should tell him.
But the moment I tried to pull my arm back, Sophia walked over and kicked my hand away in disgust.
“Iris, have you fallen so far you’re living off selling blood now?” She snorted, sarcasm sharp. “You think flashing a few needle holes will make Elias pity you? Dream on. Elias isn’t the kind of man who gets fooled that easily anymore.”
She looped her arm around Elias’s and tugged him backward.
Elias closed his eyes. Then he laughed, quick and bitter.
“So that’s what it is.”
He seemed ashamed at the idea that he’d almost been fooled again. He looked down at me from above, word by word.
“Iris, do you regret it?”
“If back then you hadn’t lied to me, hadn’t tried to get revenge… at least now you’d still be living as a wealthy lady, never worrying about food or clothing…”
His eyes were deep and fixed on me.
And what I gave him was a soft laugh.
I lifted my mouth into a smile that was almost bright.
“Brother.”
“Then what about you?”
“Do you regret… falling in love with me?”
The room filled with stunned gasps, then whispers like a tide.
Elias’s face twisted with humiliation. Finally, furious and flustered, he yanked my arm and shoved me aside.
“Still refusing to change!”
“Lock her in the storage room.”
“Do not let her ruin my wedding!”
Fear exploded in my chest. I shook my head violently. “No. I don’t want to…”
“You know I’m afraid… Elias!”
I had claustrophobia.
When I was little and my father locked me up as punishment, I’d cried until I couldn’t breathe—and Elias had secretly crawled in to stay with me.
He knew.
And yet now…
He only curled his mouth into a cold smile.
“Wasn’t that just one of your little tricks?”
“The act you used to seduce me and get your revenge?”
