His Mini Bear

CHAPTER- 15

Author POV:

"Mini... breathe," Ace murmured softly as he set Iris on the bed, but her sobs were uncontrollable. Her cries echoed in the room, each one a piercing sound of her distress.

She was shaking violently, her tears streaming down her cheeks. Ace's attempts to soothe her seemed futile at first.

He cupped her face in his hands, his touch surprisingly gentle for someone who had just been so harsh.

She tried to push him away, her small hands weakly shoving at his chest.

"Mini, breathe with me," he urged, his voice steady but laced with concern. He held her thrashing body close, his arms wrapped around her with an ironclad hold.

Her hands were still pushing against his chest, her efforts to escape futile. She continued to struggle, but after what seemed like an eternity, she finally began to calm down.

She slumped against him, her sobs growing quieter as she ended up sitting on his lap, clinging to him as if he were her last lifeline.

Ace held her tightly. His grip didn't loosen; if anything, it seemed to tighten.

Her hair was a mess, her eyes swollen and red from crying, her face puffy, and her breathing came in ragged, uneven pants.

Ace gently cupped her face in his hands, forcing her to look at him. He needed to apologize this time.

He brought his face close to hers, their noses almost touching.

Ace never dealed with crying girls, it wasn't his usual realm, but with Iris, he was determined to do whatever it took to make things right.

"Deep breaths," he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper. He spoke softly, his breath mingling with hers in the close quarters of their faces.

"Mini, look at me... please," he pleaded.

She managed to lift her gaze, their faces so close that she could feel the warmth of his breath on her skin.

As she looked at him, her eyes locked onto his, trembling with every breath she took. Her lips were pink and plump, but dry from the constant crying.

"WHY! WHY DO YOU ALWAYS HURT ME!!" she suddenly shouted, her voice cracking under the weight of her anguish.

The floodgates had opened, and her words came spilling out, each one carrying the pain of countless wounds. "First, I got slapped if I was late, sick, or took a leave... or whatever I did... and then... people tried to touch me, and then you hurt me, calling me names God knows what they mean!!"

Her voice was filled with a mix of anger and despair. She was unleashing every bit of hurt that had built up inside her, and it was clear she felt betrayed not just by those who had wronged her, but by Ace himself.

"You never cared for me like a friend! You're bad, so bad! You're evil! You always hurt me, that's why I wanted to go away from you," she continued, her words tumbling out in a torrent of frustration and sorrow.

Ace's gaze lowered, his eyes clouded with a complex mix of guilt, regret, and helplessness. The realization of how deeply he had hurt her was hitting him hard.

At that moment, Iris was letting everything out. She was no longer trying to hold back her emotions or maintain any pretense.

She was tired of everything.

"W... why?" Iris's voice was a trembling whisper as she continued to hit his chest, her strikes growing weaker with each passing second.

Her eyes, wide with a mixture of desperation and betrayal, were locked onto his.