Chapter 3 STOP being sarcastic!

“You DID!” I scoffed. “You played. You lied. You manipulated. And you smiled while doing it!”

He stared at me, stunned.

I exhaled deeply. “You know, Ryan… if you just told me the truth, I would’ve walked away.”

He blinked his eyes in confusion. “What?”

“If you told me that you didn’t love me anymore,” I said, “I would’ve left. No drama. No crying. No revenge.”

He looked away.

“But you chose to betray me,” I whispered. “And now… here we are.”

He ran a hand through his hair. “Iris… give me the company back. You have your father’s firm. I have mine. We can live separately.”

I tapped the table. “No.”

“Why?!” he shouted.

“Because,” I stood up slowly, “You don’t deserve to run an empire. Not after what you did.”

His eyes burned. “I’ll go to court.”

“Then go,” I shrugged. “You signed the papers willingly. Your signature gave your consent. No one forced you.”

His face turned pale. “I didn’t read the fine print.”

I smiled. “And that’s why your father never trusted you with the company.”

He stiffened, “That’s not true.”

“Oh really?” I walked closer to him, “He told my father multiple times that you were only good at ruining things.”

Ryan stood frozen, like the breath was stuck in his throat. I could see it, the words I just said about his father had hit him right where it hurt the most. He looked away for a second, his jaw was too tight to move.

I took a step back and crossed my arms over my chest. “Does it hurt? Hearing your father never trusted you?”

His eyes looked at me, “Shut up!”

I smiled, “Why? Because it’s true?”

He took a step towards me, anger burning in his eyes, “You think you’re powerful now. You think one signature makes you above me?”

“No,” I replied calmly, “Your stupidity does.”

His nostrils flared, “Iris…”

Just then, the door burst open,

Isabelle stumbled inside, almost tripping on her own heels. Her voice was high-pitched but shaky as she spoke, “Ryan…” She wiped her tears that didn’t even look real, “Everyone is talking more and more about you. Do something, we can’t live like this…”

She walked towards him like a lost little puppy and clung to his arm dramatically. And then she turned to me.

“Oh my God, Iris… why are you doing this to us?” she whined, trying to look all innocent, her lips shaking like she was about to faint.

I raised my brows. “Us?”

She blinked. “I… I mean him. Ryan. Why are you doing this to Ryan?”

“Hmm,” I said. “Cute. But fake.”

Her smile faded for a second along with her sweetness on her face. Then she switched back to her fake tears and fake voice, “You’re just jealous.”

Her voice was so sweet that it could give someone diabetes. “You’re just jealous because Ryan chose me over you.”

Ryan rubbed his forehead like he knew she was making things worse.

I looked at her from head to toe, “Chose? Over me? Isabelle, darling, he didn’t choose you. He used you because you were easy.”

Her eyes widened. “W… what?”

I tilted my head. “Sorry. Was that rude? Or just honest?”

“You’re lying!” she snapped, her fake mask fading instantly.

“I was there,” I shrugged calmly. “Remember? I walked in. You were on his bed like a cheap decoration.”

She let out a loud gasp. “Ryan! Are you going to let her talk to me like that?”

Ryan closed his eyes, looking defeated. “Isabelle… just go outside for a minute.”

“No!” she whined dramatically, hugging his arm. “I’m not leaving you alone with her! She hates me!”

“I wonder why,” I pretended to think.

Ryan glared at me. “Iris, stop.”

“Stop what? Talking? Breathing? Or holding your company?” I asked, sitting back in the chair.

His jaw moved. “You’re doing this on purpose.”

“You’re slow today,” I said. “Of course I am.”

Isabelle stomped her foot like a child. “Ryan! She’s being mean!”

I stared at her. “You slept with my fiance. Did you expect balloons from me?”

She blinked rapidly, trying to cry again. “Love doesn’t need permission…”

“Neither does stupidity,” I corrected.

Ryan grabbed Isabelle’s wrist. “I said go OUTSIDE.”

“No!” she shouted loudly. “She thinks she’s better than me…”

“I am,” I cut in.

She froze.

Ryan froze.

I stood up from his chair slowly. “If you want to act cute, act cute with someone else. This is business. Not kindergarten.”

Isabelle’s lips trembled. “Ryan… say something. She is bullying me!”

“Bullying?” I laughed, “Oh baby, if I bully you, you’ll cry for real.”

Her eyes widened in horror.

Ryan dragged her aside. “Enough, Isabelle!”

“No!” she shook her hand. “You said you love me! You said you want to marry me…”

I raised my brows. “Oh? Marriage? Already?”

Ryan turned pale. “Isabelle, what…”

She covered her mouth immediately. “I… I didn’t mean…”

“I knew it,” I laughed. “You’re desperate.”

She glared at me. “You’re just angry because he didn’t choose you!”

I leaned against Ryan’s desk. “He didn’t choose anybody. He chose money. And unfortunately for you, your father has none.”

She looked like she got slapped. Ryan actually looked embarrassed.

“Stop talking down to me,” Isabelle screeched. “I am not poor!”

“No,” I agreed. “You are just cheap.”

Her mouth opened so wide I thought she would swallow the air.

Ryan slammed his hand on the desk. “STOP IT! Both of you!”

I turned to him. “You brought her into my life. You deal with her.”

“I am trying to fix things!” he yelled.

“By shouting?” I asked. “Interesting strategy.”

“STOP being sarcastic!” he snapped.

“I will,” I said. “Once you stop lying.”

“I am not lying,” he argued.

“Really?” I stepped closer. “You didn’t cheat? You didn’t lie? You didn’t use me? You didn’t laugh at me yesterday?”

He swallowed his breath, hard.

I continued, “You didn’t say I was nothing without my father?”

“You didn’t smirk when I cried?”