CHAPTER 30: 30-BRALESS IN FRONT OF HIM

Iris:

For a brief moment, I just stood in front of him, trying to hold on to the books in my hands. My breathing went uneven, and I opened my mouth to make up an excuse when my children ran out, thankfully diverting the attention from the topic.

Kash instantly looked at them and smiled, crouching down as they jumped on him. I watched him laugh loudly as he lay on the floor with them on top of him.

He was so damn big, his thighs thick and muscular. I could tell he was still into working out, and maybe that was why he had such a pea brain, focusing more on his physical strength than anything else.

I stood there watching him play with the kids. It hit me hard because I hadn’t seen them this happy before. Sadness crept in, and I looked down, walking away from them.

I sat in the room and covered my face with my hands for a few seconds. Everything was happening too fast. I hadn’t even processed that I was back in the same place I’d once escaped from.

The man I had loved so much. The man who betrayed me. Now I had to work with him, talk to him, and even let my kids play with him.

"Iris, what are you doing sitting here? Go outside, communicate. Even if you have to act playfully angry with him, do it."

My mother’s voice made me uncover my face and look up at her.

"Ah, why the hell are you crying?" she grunted, folding her arms across her chest and rolling her eyes.

Silent tears filled my eyes as I stared at her, full of unspoken complaints.

"You know seeing him hurts me, right? Is that why you made him stay for dinner?" I asked, keeping my voice steady, knowing that if it shook, I’d break down.

"I let him stay so he could spend time with the children. Do you not remember the main goal?" she said, sounding irritated that I was judging her for something she didn’t think was wrong.

"Now get up. And what the hell are you wearing? Go put on a beautiful dress. Have you seen Lara?"

That was when my mother started again, praising his mistress in front of me, the same woman I was already trying my best not to feel jealous or angry about.

I raised my hand to silence her.

"I don’t need to compete with Lara. I know he loves her more. And it doesn’t fucking matter. I’m only here to get that water so you can unlink my child from your sick one," I hissed.

She gasped at my audacity to speak about my brother like that, but it was her fault for pitting me against him by linking his sickness to my son.

With that, I brushed past her shoulder and walked out to see Kash and my kids sitting together on the couch, watching a cartoon.

I took a few steps toward their couch from behind but then decided to go and change in my room.

I didn’t know why.

I didn’t want to think it was because I was jealous of Lara or how she was always so prim and proper and maybe that was what led Kash to cheat on me. But it was something in my subconscious.

Even when I didn’t want to please Kash’s eyes anymore, I still picked a white dress.

It flowed down to my knees, and by the time dinner came, I stayed in the room. I only came out when the food was served.

When I walked out to join the dinner, I noticed Kash sitting between the kids because they wouldn’t let him leave for even a second. I didn’t want them to get too used to it, but what could I do at that moment?

My mother was happily sitting across the table, patting an empty seat for me. I sat down facing Kash and instantly started to serve myself. Everyone else already had their plates filled.

"Mommy, Daddy is the Alpha King of North, South, and West," Colin said, counting on his fingers.

My mother laughed like a silly person while Kash stared at me, his face blank, no emotion at all.

"Yeah, I know. Come on, what have I said about not talking while eating?" I tried to be gentle, smiling a little as I asked the kids not to speak when eating, or specifically, not to speak about Kash.

"It’s alright. They can talk today. Their father is with them," Kash cut in, and before I could question his audacity, he turned to Colin. He placed his hand on Colin’s head and ruffled his hair.

"So, how’s Mommy’s boyfriend? Is he nice to you guys? If he ever mistreats you, you can come to me."

The moment Kash mentioned Luca to my son, I felt the blood drain from my body. I couldn’t even respond.

This was exactly what I had feared. Kash was never as innocent as he pretended to be. The minute he got the chance, he’d dig for information from anyone, even from my children.

Colin looked at me, then at my mother. I was about to speak when he said, "He’s nice." That was all.

I turned to my mother and saw the faint smile on her lips. She must have told them about Luca when he was here the other day.

And she must have taught them to say he was a nice man, because that’s exactly what Colin said.

I straightened in my seat, finally a little relieved, but noticed Kash anxiously stabbing his steak. He was clearly upset.

"But that’s strange. Why isn’t he around?" he asked after taking a few bites, this time directing the question at my mother.

"He’s busy with some things. He likes to train in the mountains, he’s that kind of man. But he intends to come back soon. I’m sure of it," she said. Then she added, "He hardly ever stays away from my daughter."

My mother kept spewing lies while I sat there silently, eating as if they weren’t even talking about my boyfriend.

"Yeah, I think your daughter’s right, we shouldn’t talk while eating."

When Kash didn’t get the satisfaction of catching us in a lie or whatever it was he wanted, he decided he didn’t want to eat or talk anymore.

The rest of the dinner was quiet and calm because Kash didn’t say a word. After it ended, Scarlett came out of her room to take the kids and put them to bed.

I was starting to feel itchy in the dress, yet I went with Scarlett to tuck the kids in. I assumed Kash would leave now.

He’d spent the whole day here, and with the kids going to bed, there was no reason for him to stay.

After the kids fell asleep, I headed back to my room, ready to take off the dress and relax. I shut the door behind me, locked it, and slipped out of the dress, tossing it on the bed.

I quickly reached behind my back and unclasped my bra.

However, I had only removed the straps when the bathroom door suddenly swung open, revealing someone I thought had already left.

"What the hell are you doing in my room, Kash?" I screamed in shock, causing my bra to slip off my breast and fall to the ground, leaving me topless in front of him.