CHAPTER 57: 57-I GIVE HIM A TASTE OF HIS OWN MEDICINE

Iris:

I was losing my mind.

One hand was pressed against the dashboard, even though I had my seatbelt on, and the other gripped the door handle.

There were moments when I thought the car might flip over.

"He thinks he can beat me," Luca chuckled as he noticed Kash struggling to get past us.

Soon, Kash’s car started falling behind.

"Woohoo! I beat the Alpha King!" Luca cheered like a child, while my fists tightened on the dashboard.

When we finally arrived, I stepped out the moment he parked, slamming the door behind me.

"Hey, are you upset because I beat your ex-husband?" He called after me.

"Not ex, he is still my husband, and you don’t know anything," I replied sharply, stopping only to say that before striding toward the tents where the crew had gathered.

A few minutes later, Kash’s car pulled in.

He got out, not looking upset about losing.

In fact, he looked calm, holding a cup of coffee like nothing had happened.

"He’s trying so hard to act unbothered," Luca muttered, rolling his eyes and turning to me.

But I already knew it was going to be a hard day, especially when Lara showed up.

"This is who he cheated on you with?" Luca whispered near my ear.

My eyes lifted toward Lara, who walked in wearing a deep blue top with a plunging neckline and tight white shorts, rushing over to wrap her arms around Kash.

"Do you feel jealous watching them together?" Luca asked, making my jaw tighten in silence.

Kash spoke with Walkin for a brief moment before both of them started walking toward us, with Lara beside him.

As soon as Lara got close, her eyes narrowed at Luca, probably trying to figure out who he was.

"Hello, nice to meet you. I’m Iris’s boyfriend." Luca stepped forward, introducing himself first.

From the way Lara reacted, I could tell she wanted to gasp.

I guess she finally realized she’d been jealous over nothing, that I had already moved on.

"Oh, I’m Lara Ronald, daughter of the Alpha King of the South and soon-to-be Alpha King Kash’s bride and mate." Lara spoke with pride, emphasizing every word.

"Oh, you’re the one," Luca said. He was messy, his tone deliberate, just enough to raise eyebrows but subtle enough that he could play dumb if someone called him out.

"Anyway, Lara, get comfortable with the setup for the day. I’ll go talk to Iris about other important stuff," Kash said, excusing himself.

As he walked away, he gestured with his fingers, almost snapping them to get my attention, signaling me to follow.

I already knew what was coming, he was going to bring up the fact that I’d left with Luca this morning.

Taking a deep breath, I started walking behind him with a file in my hand.

It was strange that Luca didn’t follow us. Maybe he wanted us to have this talk.

Or maybe it was because Kash had just told everyone we needed to discuss something important.

Once we were far enough from the others, but still within their sight, Kash stopped beside his car.

He removed his sunglasses and looked at me in silence.

It was the kind of harsh stare teachers used to give before scolding their students.

"So, you’d rather go with him now?" he asked.

I knew it. This was exactly what he wanted to talk about.

"You shouldn’t have put me through that test anyway. He’s my boyfriend, of course I’d go with him," I said calmly, keeping my tone even.

I wasn’t trying to bruise his ego, but I needed him to understand that he couldn’t expect anything from me anymore.

"Kash, we’re separated, and I’m dating him. Of course I would choose him, just like you would choose Lara, just like you did the other day. Even when your child was sick, you still went to check on your fiancée, and I’m not complaining," I told him, reminding him of where we stood.

As I spoke and mentioned Colin, I noticed Kash frown.

His other hand stayed on his waist while the free one moved, wagging his finger as he clicked his tongue.

"What did you say about me leaving Colin behind? I stayed with him. I only left once I was certain he was fine. What the hell are you talking about, Iris?" he grunted, calling me out.

"Well, your son wanted you to stay," I replied.

"And? He didn’t tell me. You didn’t tell me. How was I supposed to know? In fact, why didn’t you tell me?" he shot back, turning it around and blaming me instead, as if I were the reason he’d disappointed Colin.

"Look, the point is, I’m dating Luca now, and I don’t want you interfering in our relationship or doing things like you did this morning," I said, referring to the childish race they had pulled.

"Is it because of Lara?" Kash asked, and his tone shifted as he said her name.

A strong wind blew between us, and silence hung in the air.

"You know why we’re separated," I said quietly, not mentioning her name, though I knew he already understood.

"Well, for what it’s worth, I got back with her because of the Blue River. That night, I left to fix things because your mother told me that the Blue River was the only hope for our son’s illness," Kash admitted.

His words caught me off guard.

I lifted my head and stared into his eyes, trying to catch him lying, but he seemed to be telling the truth.

"When did my mother talk to you? Was it after I left to check on the kids?" I asked. He gave a short nod.

"I’m glad she did. She said someone told her that the only way our son could survive was by having Blue River water," he explained.

It hit me then that his sudden departure had been my mother’s doing.

Of course, it was something she would do.

"But you said the Blue River water was useless," I reminded him.