The billionaire's sweet editor
Chapter 117: Iris: The truth unveiled

Chapter 117: Iris: The truth unveiled

"What?" I stand, feeling a mix of emotions overtake my sense of being. "What do you mean he is my Dad? I thought he was your current boyfriend."

A dull look overtakes her face and she avoids eye contact. "He is. We have decided to try daring again."

"What?"

Betrayal. I feel fucking betrayed by her right now. So all that motherly love she was showing me a while ago was so she could drop a banger like this on me? It was a calm she was building whilst brewing a shitty storm she knew I wouldn’t be able to avoid once it started.

"We started going out a few weeks before I came to return your things. He’s the one who made me do it."

Ha! So it wasn’t her decision to be goody two shoes that day, it was my fucking old excuse for a dad that made her do it. It’s like these two were a match made in hell just so they could give birth to me and torture the fuck out of me until I felt like suffocating, and they know how to do it alright.

The timing, the acts, everything aligns. Like they have a map and watch made to track my life which they use to determine when they should attack and how so that they leave a wound deeper and older than time itself, a wound that can’t heal unless I die.

"So you planned all of this? You were waiting for me to be alone so you could come here and tell me this? Do you realize just how much that fucking idiot sitting down there ruined mine and your lives? Do you even value yourself as a woman, going back to the vomit you spewed into the earth just because it seems more decent now? Not to mention that he gave the two of us this..." I point between us.

"You became a sad depressed bitch who doesn’t even care for her child because you saw me in him." Her eyes grow wide and I feel a warmth inside from knowing I hit the jackpot. "That’s right, I heard you talking to your parents about how much I resembled my dad and how much you loathe the idea of seeing me every day. Why do you think I don’t like making you sit with me?"

"Alas, now that you guys are back in love, you suddenly want to act motherly and you even want me to reconcile with my dad. Wait m, is he even my dad? I don’t think he is."

"Iris."

"Don’t Iris me. You said it yourself how you used to have a lot of fun before giving birth to me. Does this shitty boyfriend of yours know how much you used to fuck around when you were young?"

"Iris shut up and sit down. What are you even saying? You might be shocked by all this but that doesn’t give you the right to speak to me like that. He is your dad. If you don’t believe me, go and see it for yourself."

"I will." I dash out of the room with her on my tail as we rush down the stairs. My mind is hazy. I should have noticed all this sooner, the grey eyes, the reaction my grandparents had when they saw the signature and became all bodyguards around me, wanting to protect me.

Oh and my mother’s reaction when she and Sam came inside the house a few minutes ago. She kept glancing around to make sure the only people who remember my dad’s face were not around. That way she could ease my curiosity by warming my heart and giving me the image that she was finally changing and ready for that next stage in life.

Pushing myself down the last stair, I point at Sam and call out his name, rage filling my voice. "What the fuck are you doing here? Do you even know where you are?"

He nods, which annoys me because now I know why he’s hiding his voice.

"Speak or leave....now!"

He eyes me for a moment and when he realizes I’m serious, he finally speaks. "Yes, I know where I am and why we’re here."

I stand frozen in the living room, my heart pounding in my chest like a drum. The weight of Sam’s words hangs in the air, suffocating me. I have always known there’s something off about him, but hearing him speak brings back shitty memories I don’t want lingering in my head. The darkness that crept into my life when I was a child feels like a jolt to my core at the sound of his bass.

"Mom, how could you bring him here?" I shout, the emotion spilling over my carefully constructed walls. "He’s not just some friend! He’s my father, the man who made my life a nightmare!"

Sam stands there, his calm demeanor is unfaltering, but I can see the flicker of surprise in his eyes. My mother’s face mirrors my shock, her mouth opening and closing as if searching for the right words, but she doesn’t find them.

"Iris, I thought you could reconnect with him," she says, her voice trembling. "I thought it would help you heal."

"Help me heal?" I echo, feeling the anger and betrayal swell within me. "You have no idea what he did to me!"

At that moment, everything feels like a cruel joke. The memories I’ve tried so hard to bury come flooding back—dark corners of my childhood, whispers in the night, and the suffocating fear that settles into my bones. I feel as if I’m drowning in a sea of confusion and rage.

Without another word, I turn and bolt out of the room, my legs moving faster than my thoughts. I need air. I need to escape. I push through the front door, the cool evening breeze hitting my face like a splash of cold water.

As I step outside, the world feels disjointed. The sunset casts a dark glow over everything, but I feel chilled to the bone. I don’t know where I’m going; I just need to run, to put as much distance between myself and the house as possible.

I sprint down the street, my breath coming in ragged gasps. The memories claw at me, threatening to pull me back into the darkness. I hear Sam’s voice echoing in my mind, soothing yet sinister, reminding me of the shadows that have haunted my childhood.

"I know why we’re here."

I shake my head, willing myself to silence the memories. I can’t let him get inside my head again. I run faster, my heart racing with panic. I need to find clarity, to escape the confusion swirling around me.

As I turn a corner, I suddenly collide with something solid. I stumble back, startled, and look up to find Lucas standing there, his expression a mix of concern and confusion.

"Iris!" he exclaims, his voice cutting through the fog of my thoughts. "What are you doing out here?"

I blink, momentarily lost for words. "I... I just needed to get away," I stammer, my heart racing even faster.

"From what?" he presses, his eyes searching mine. "What happened?"

I take a step back, trying to gather my thoughts, but they slip through my fingers. "My mom... she brought him here. Sam. He’s... he’s my father."

Lucas’s expression shifts, a mixture of shock and empathy crossing his face. "Your father? I thought he was just a friend."

"I thought so too!" I exclaim, frustration spilling over. "But he’s not. He’s the man who made my childhood a nightmare. He’s the reason I have all these fears, Lucas. He’s the darkness I’ve been running from."

"Iris, I—" he begins, but I cut him off, feeling the walls close in around me.

"I can’t deal with this right now! I don’t know what to think or feel!" I shout, my voice trembling. "I just need space. I don’t know how to face this!"

He steps closer, his expression softening. "You don’t have to face it alone. I’m here for you."

But the words feel like a lifeline tossed into turbulent waters, and I’m not sure if I can grab hold. The memories are too loud, too overwhelming. I feel like I’m drowning again, and I can’t bear the thought of being pulled back into that darkness.

"I can’t," I whisper, shaking my head. "I can’t do this right now."

Before I can think, I turn on my heel and run again, my feet pounding against the pavement. I hear Lucas call after me, but I don’t stop. I need to escape, to process this new reality without anyone’s gaze upon me.

I sprint down the street, tears streaming down my face as I fight to catch my breath. Each step feels like a battle against the memories that threaten to engulf me. I can still hear Mark’s voice, still feel the weight of his presence lingering in my mind.

As I round another corner, I slow down, my legs burning from the exertion. I lean against a lamppost, trying to steady myself, to catch my breath. The world around me feels disorienting, the colors too bright and the sounds too loud.

I close my eyes, willing myself to find some semblance of calm. I take deep breaths, focusing on the rhythm of my inhalations and exhalations. I need to ground myself, to find a way to process everything that just happened.

Suddenly, I hear footsteps approaching.