Chapter 3

Her throat tightened, and she almost blurted out her name. But three seconds later, she chose to keep it to herself, saying hoarsely, “An important person.” Darius's brows furrowed even more deeply. In his memory, Iris had no living relatives left. “Iris, so it was you who bought this land,” Charlotte's voice came from behind, as she affectionately linked her arm through Darius's. “Could you give it to us? The hamster that Darius and I raised for three years died, and this land has such a nice view. I want to bury our humster here.” Charlotte's eyes welled up with tears, and Darius immediately embraced her tenderly, turning to Iris and saying, “Iris, I remember you have no family left. This plot of land...” He paused, “Are you also using it to bury a pet? How about this—I'll buy it from you at double the price?” “I don't need the money.” “Five times the price?” he offered. “Ten times?” “Fifteen times?” Iris looked at the man in front of her and faintly recalled that charity auction that year. She had set her sights on an antique brooch, but someone else bid and won. Darius saw her disappointed expression, he chased after the bidder without hesitate, buying it back at ten times the price. She was touching and told him he was foolish, but he had smiled and pinched her cheek: As long as it makes our Iris happy, any price is worth it.” So was he doing the same now to make Charlotte happy? A sudden sharp pain surged in her chest, and the taste of blood rose to her throat. She forced herself to swallow it, unwilling to look helpless in front of him. “Alright, I’ll give it to you.” She said softly, her voice trembling slightly, even she didn’t notice it. Charlotte happily pulled him to pay the bill, and their figures quickly disappeared from her sight. She chose another secluded grave site, not particularly scenic but quiet. “Why didn't you say this was for yourself?” the staff member asked sympathetically. “They only wanted to bury a hamster. If you had said you were terminally ill, they certainly wouldn't have argued with you...” Iris shook her head, a bitter smile curving her lips. “In his heart, that hamster is indeed more important than me now.” After paying, Iris walked out of the cemetery alone. As the sky grew dark, she stood by the roadside for a long time but couldn’t get a taxi. Just then, a familiar black car pulled up in front of her. The window rolled down, revealing Darius’s chiseled features. “It's hard to get a taxi here. Let me take you home.” His voice was still deep and pleasant. “No, thank you.” She took a step back. “I don't want to interrupt your date.” His expression changed. He opened the car door, walked over to her in a few steps, and grabbed her wrist. “Are you still angry about the blood draw?” His thumb gently rubbed her skin, and his tone softened. “Can I apologize to you? I promise it won’t happen again.” “I’ve told you, I’m just accompanying her for the last month as her boyfriend.” He stepped closer, the faint woody scent of his cologne lingering at her nose. “Once the time comes, I’ll return to you. I’ve always loved you—how could I possibly leave you alone?” His words were so sweet, just like every time he had comforted her before. She couldn't break free from his grip and was eventually forced into the car. In the backseat, Charlotte was playing with her phone. When she saw Iris get in, she looked up and gave her a sweet smile. “Iris, the weather is so nice today. Why don't we go on a picnic together?” “No, thanks...” “Don't be a killjoy!” She affectionately wrapped her arm around Darius's, “Darius, what do you think?” Darius glanced at Iris through the rearview mirror and nodded, “Okey.” The car stopped at a supermarket along the way, and Darius got out to buy food for the picnic. Iris watched through the window as he skillfully picked out everything Charlotte loved: cheesecake, blueberry jam, and smoked salmon. Memories suddenly flashed back to three years ago, their last picnic together. At the time, Darius had bought all her favorite things: strawberry cake, peanut butter, and roast beef. Charlotte had complained, “Captain Darius, at least consider Iris’s best friend. You only bought what she likes, and I don’t like any of this.” How had Darius responded? “But my heart and mind are filled with Iris; I really don’t want to remember other girls’ favor.” Yet now, he remembered it all clearly. The car started moving again, and she turned to look out the window. The fleeting scenery blurred into a haze in her vision, and she realized she had been crying without noticing. Charlotte saw her expression in the rearview mirror and curved her lips into a victorious smile.