CHAPTER 141: CHAPTER 141: HETEROCHROMATIC EYES, NOBLE IDENTITY

I don’t know why, but Lachlan Wyatt’s feelings right now are even more complicated than when he saw Steven Rhodes staying by Iris Crawford’s side.

He doesn’t want to give Iris Crawford away. He doesn’t want to, not at all.

"Do you really want to marry Dante?"

Noticing Iris’s silence, Lachlan couldn’t help but ask again. If... if something really happened between Iris and Dante, he would go insane!

"Liking you didn’t lead to anything good. Would marrying a Prince be slightly better?"

In the darkness, Iris murmured softly.

Yet these few words were sharper than a blade.

Lachlan’s hand, holding Iris’s, trembled.

"What do you mean..."

Lachlan wanted to turn on the light, but he was afraid. Afraid that what he would find was Iris’s emotionless eyes.

How would he meet her gaze then?

"I’m sure you understand what I mean."

Iris took a deep breath, and the two of them stood in this confrontation, "I used to really like you, Lachlan."

No one can face their cornered infatuation like this.

The moment she said that, Lachlan’s heart felt like it could no longer hold on, its wild beating made his whole body tremble, "How credible is the ’like’ you speak of?"

"Right?" Iris laughed, "Just because you took advantage of me when I wasn’t clear-headed, and I didn’t retaliate or hate you, it shows that I am pathetic, utterly pathetic."

Who can so bloodily dissect themselves?

Iris, are you tearing into your own flesh?

You are breaking my heart!

Lachlan felt as if a hand was gripping his throat, "You’re using the word ’affection’ to morally bind me?"

Iris was cold all over, couldn’t believe Lachlan would see her as such a despicable person, "I said, that’s all in the past."

Lachlan kissed her, and this time, she didn’t resist and struggle like she used to, as if she had completely given up, no longer vibrant.

In the midst of their heavy breathing, Lachlan’s eyes seemed to burn with a fire, "The past? No, you are mine. I’ve never let you go, never."

Never.

Those four words shattered Iris’s last defense.

Back when Jordan Jacobs was pestering her, Lachlan would stand like a guardian behind Iris, without saying a word, just raising his eyelids lazily was enough to overshadow Jordan.

She wanted to cry but couldn’t, instead she laughed out loud, reaching out to weakly cover her face.

Why, Lachlan, why is there a man like you, as strong as a deity but insisting on dragging her to hell?

Why did your wicked heart deceive me, feigned affection and favoritism — they were all manipulation and deceit. We had this cold tacit understanding between us, no matter how many heated embraces we shared, it never changed.

Just don’t fall in love.

What followed was a sharp friction, both people going all out trying to make each other surrender.

Sometimes, Lachlan wondered why there was a woman so evenly matched with him, as if perfectly fitting.

"I said, without my consent, Iris, no one can touch you." Lachlan declared as if staking his claim, gripping Iris’s waist, his voice cold, carrying an undertone of killing intent.

"Why?"

"No reason!"

"Do you think I’m your possession? I’m a living person!"

"Two years ago, I gave you your life!"

"So what? Is that why you won’t let me go? You want to deal with Jonas Kingsley, I already dealt with him for you, hasn’t our transaction long been over?"

"Over? When did it become over? Just because you climbed onto Dante means it’s over? Do you have feelings for him? Are feelings something you can have just like that?"

"Why can’t feelings be cultivated?"

"So your feelings for me can just disappear like that?"

"Then love me!"

Their accusations culminated in Iris shouting, heart-wrenchingly and tearfully, "Love me, Lachlan!"

It felt like the heart stopped for a moment.

Upon hearing the word "love".

——Impossible.

Three words flashed through Lachlan’s mind.

It was as if the word was a forbidden term, and upon its emergence, it would trigger his most tightly sealed and cold defense mechanism.

"My feelings for your sister were more like a kinship and admiration."

Lachlan Wyatt was silent for a long time, then spoke word by word, "I can’t love someone, nor do I want to. So the affection I had for Skye Lockwood back then was my greatest concession. I thought she was a good match for me because she seemed to care as little about love as I did."

Iris Crawford held her breath.

How could someone be so cruel, to consider even their affection for someone else as a concession to themselves?

"Is loving someone a concession?" Iris couldn’t believe it. "Loving someone is instinct, not a concession, not a compromise!"

"I don’t need that."

For half a second, Lachlan’s eyes were bewildered, as if, in that brief moment, his true sentiments were exposed.

"I can’t love you, Iris, I will always love myself the most."

"But you demand that I belong only to you."

"Don’t love me either, if we’re just partners in life, isn’t that balanced?" At this moment, Lachlan exposed his vile nature frankly and greedily, "Now I feel that you are the best match for me, both in terms of conditions and personality. You are shrewd and strong. I particularly admire selfish, ruthless, smart people. We are the same kind, Iris. As long as you don’t love me. Come with me, I can give you everything but love."

Iris found it very ridiculous. She really wanted to ask Lachlan, why are you so tangled, refusing to love her, but also refusing to let her go.

"So your reason for not letting me marry Dante now is that I’m like that piece of meat in the marketplace you set your eyes on? You don’t love me, but you think you need me or that you need someone to partner with in life, and for now, I seem to be of the highest value, so you chose me, and you won’t allow anyone else to buy me?"

She likened herself to an item, but in Lachlan’s eyes, Iris really seemed like an item.

"Yes." Lachlan seemed unable to perceive anything wrong, as if... he was born broken in this aspect.

Iris shook her head, unsure if Lachlan could see this action, since it was dark all around. She gave Lachlan a push, "I always thought you were a beast, and I was right about you."

"Yes."

Lachlan’s Adam’s apple moved up and down, "I never denied your perception of me. Iris, you know exactly what kind of person I am, so why say these things to me? I admit that I have a possessive desire for you. Why did I choose you? Because of all the women around me, you are the best. If I can’t have you, should I settle for second best?"

Iris couldn’t utter a single word to refute Lachlan.

Everything he said was too calm, so calm that it dissected not just love, but even emotion into a matter of interest exchange.

In his eyes, love was merely an emotional value, which was of too low worth.

So Lachlan discarded it.

He’d rather Iris be strong, beautiful, and interesting than have a romantic relationship with him.

He didn’t care if Iris loved him or if he loved Iris.

As long as Iris was the companion by his side, it was okay.

Because Iris was the best.

He just wanted the best.

Iris took a sharp breath in; she really felt she couldn’t see through Lachlan anymore. She closed her eyes and didn’t say another word to Lachlan. Lachlan also lay down beside her, and the man kissed Iris’s back, which burned as if set alight.

Iris turned over, turning her back to Lachlan, who then hugged her from behind. The two remained silent until the next morning. Iris sat up rubbing her hair, and surprisingly Lachlan was still asleep beside her.

Iris ground her teeth; his sleeping face was both handsome and undefended. Wouldn’t it be easier to just end it all if she strangled him now?

But despite the turmoil in her heart, she didn’t express it, merely got up and dressed again. As she was fastening her buttons, footsteps were heard outside the door.

Oh no!

Iris’s face changed; she remembered that they were in the Royal Palace, heavily guarded. How on earth had Lachlan gotten in here unnoticed?

So Iris nudged Lachlan, "Hey, get up, Dante might be coming..."

Before she finished speaking, the sound of the doorknob turning was heard, and Dante appeared at the door, "How about it? After a night, have you considered? You can’t just easily marry into The Royal Family, I’m already giving you a huge honor by being willing to engage with you..."

Halfway through his sentence, Dante froze upon seeing the scene on the bed!

The man seemed startled, then pointed at the bed and shouted, "Who is this man?"

Iris had no time to explain before Royal Guards and the steward Raymond rushed in like lightning, surrounding the entire bed, "Who goes there!"

Finally, Lachlan opened his eyes, and he seemed unconcerned by what was happening at the moment, even though the Royal Guards had weapons pointed at him. The man maintained his lazy demeanor, rubbing his eyes as he sat up, casually wrapping an arm around Iris, "What are you doing so early in the morning..."

His voice was still deep from sleep.

Dante felt as if he was struck by lightning; not only had his fiancée run off with someone else, but now the newly fancied future fiancée was inexplicably cheating on him!

The First Prince couldn’t bear the successive blows, angrily shouting in English, "Off with this disrespectful scoundrel, arrest him! How dare he appear in the bed of our Kingdom of L’s guest!"

At his command, the Royal Guards moved in directly. However, the next second, Lachlan finally lifted his lids and opened his eyes, looking at Dante, saying lazily, "Long time no see."

In the next moment, steward Raymond turned pale, stepping back a couple of paces.

Iris had never seen Raymond in such a panic, wondering if Lachlan was some wanted lunatic on a list, but turning her head, her breathing also came to a halt.

The man sitting on the bed with her, now with rebellious messy hair, was displaying a full, displeased pale face, but what was really striking were his eyes...

"Heterochromia..." Raymond muttered, "The legendary rarely seen... The Second, Second Prince!"

Iris was utterly shocked on the spot!

Second Prince? Second Prince? Who’s the Second Prince? Wasn’t one First Prince enough, why is there now a Second Prince?

Hearing this title, Lachlan finally reacted. In the next second, like a secret had been unveiled, he felt around for his eyes, then lowered his head to look at the sheets, searching like he had lost something, looking as relaxed as if he were at home in the Royal Palace, "Where are my beauty lenses? Damn, did they fall out?"