Before I could dive deeper into my questions, two women approached, calling out to Iris. "Ms. Iris," they said in unison.
She turned to them, her expression shifting slightly, and glanced down at her son.
"Baby, can you go with them? I'll be right behind you, okay?" she said softly. Without hesitation, Inigo nodded and ran toward the ladies, leaving us momentarily alone.
I watched him go, a swirl of emotions tugging at my heart. When I turned back to Iris, a sense of urgency filled the air. "Iris..." I began, but she cut me off with a whisper that barely reached my ears.
"Why are you back?" Her voice trembled, laced with apprehension, as if the mere mention of my return was too heavy to bear.
"Please, don't leave," I begged again, my heart pounding. "I know we didn't start from a very good place." I paused, searching her eyes for any flicker of recognition, of hope.
"I didn't get to introduce myself the first time we met, but I want you to know my name. I'm Chase. Chase Nico Alesich."
The sincerity in my voice hung between us, and for a moment, time seemed to stand still. Iris's eyes softened slightly, though uncertainty lingered in her gaze.
"Chase..." she whispered, as if testing the sound of my name. "I didn't expect to see you here, let alone... like this."
"I've thought about you every day since you disappeared," I admitted, the words spilling out before I could rein them in.
"I want to understand what happened, why you left, and most importantly, what this—" I gestured between us, "what this means now."
Iris bit her lip, her expression torn. "I didn't have a choice back then," she said quietly, her voice thick with emotion. "I thought it was for the best... for both of us."
"But you were gone for so long," I countered, my heart aching at the thought of all the time lost. "And now, with Inigo... I need to know."
She hesitated, glancing over her shoulder where Inigo had gone. "I want to be here, Chase. I really do," she finally said, her voice stronger now.
"But it's complicated. There's so much to explain."
"Then let's talk," I urged, taking a step closer. "I'm ready to listen."
Iris looked deep into my eyes, and for a fleeting moment, I saw a flicker of hope. The tension in the air was palpable, and I knew that this was our chance to bridge the gap that had grown between us.
Whatever it took, I wasn't going to let her slip away again.
YOU ARE READING
The Russian Billionaire's Secret Heir
Roman d'amourAfter their one-night stand, both were left unaware of each other's identities. A few weeks later, she discovered she was pregnant with the elusive Russian billionaire. Fearing the implications, she chose to hide the pregnancy and retreat from the p...
