Chapter 5

I looked at Ethan anxiously:

"I'll sleep in the second bedroom instead."

He refused outright: "No one has lived in the second bedroom. It's not convenient."

"It's okay, I can clean it up."

Ethan's attitude was very firm.

"...No."

I didn't dare provoke eighteen-year-old Ethan, and I dared even less to provoke the twenty-eight-year-old him.

What surprised me most was that he was actually willing to let me sleep in his bed, while he made a makeshift bed on the floor beside it.

I couldn't sleep.

A small night light was still on in the room.

I noticed that the moon-shaped night light was mine.

It was very old now.

I called out softly: "Ethan."

Ethan looked up at me.

I spoke the long-overdue apology: "I'm sorry."

I thought he should know which incident I was referring to.

Ethan suddenly sat up.

His eyes were very deep, staring straight into mine:

"Iris, what were you thinking that day?"

I felt somewhat embarrassed.

I stammered to explain:

"The book said adolescent boys are very restless. I thought you might want to.

"And you should have been... your first time. Supposedly it would be quick, so it shouldn't hurt too much.

"That day was also the seventh day after my period ended..."

Under Ethan's gaze, I forced myself to finish the last sentence: "The book said this is the ovulation period."

Ethan fell silent.

His eyes grew even darker.

After a long while, he turned his face away, his earlobes turning faintly pink.

He cleared his throat lightly and said: "I was asking about the day of the study room fire.

"You called me. I didn't answer at the time.

"For these ten years, I've been thinking that if I had answered, I could have saved you.

"Iris, have you ever blamed me?"

So he meant that incident.

I felt somewhat annoyed and pulled the blanket over my head.

In a muffled voice, I replied: "No, Ethan, I couldn't have run out anyway."

After saying this, I suddenly froze.

I couldn't have run out.

Why?

It seemed like something had been forgotten by me.

I tried hard to remember but couldn't recall.

The next day, I woke to the sound of an argument.

My gaze accidentally swept past the window, and I was startled by the scene outside.

Outside the window was actually a desolate, lifeless cemetery.

I jumped out of bed and ran to the door.

I suddenly heard Mrs. Ashford's angry voice: "Ethan, you ungrateful wretch!

"Going to such great lengths to destroy Ashford Group, what exactly do you want?"

Ethan laughed mockingly.

"You don't know what I want?

"Mrs. Ashford, everyone outside is saying I have an illegitimate daughter. Do you think I knew nothing about what happened back then..."

Mrs. Ashford was furious: "Don't talk to me about that. You'll owe the Ashford family forever!

"If it weren't for you, Iris wouldn't have died. You should atone..."

Ethan's expression changed.

After seeing me come out, he quickly walked toward me.

Mrs. Ashford also turned around.

She had aged, looking haggard.

She no longer had her former elegance and grace, and her features had become even more harsh.

The moment she saw me, Mrs. Ashford cried out.

"Iris!

"Ethan, is she... Iris?"

Mrs. Ashford's lips trembled, and a tear slid down the corner of her eye.

This reminded me of when she came to the orphanage.

Among so many pretty and lovely girls, she walked straight toward me, looked at me with disgust, and didn't even want to hold my hand.

She said condescendingly: "Change her name. Call her Iris."

As if she didn't like me, but had no choice but to choose me.

I nervously hid behind Ethan.

Ethan raised his eyebrows: "I found a woman who looked similar and had plastic surgery to make her look like Iris to sleep with me.

"What's so shocking about that?"

Mrs. Ashford angrily threw her purse at him: "You're truly insane!

"Crazy! Disgusting!"