Chapter 2
But now, whatever they did had nothing to do with me.
I glanced away and just said coldly, "Well, that's how it should be."
I began to walk out with my suitcase.
My answer was exactly what Knox wanted, but his expression soured.
He grabbed my wrist and asked with a trace of mockery in his voice, "What did you say?"
"I said." I exhaled and looked at him calmly. "We're done. I'm breaking up with you."
There was silence for a few seconds.
Knox let out a low, mocking laugh. "Well, you're still making a fuss, right?
"And Iris, don't forget. We just held our wedding last week.
"If we're done, at least call it a divorce now."
To Knox, breaking up and divorce were nothing but a joke.
He looked at me casually, as if he was just humoring a bratty kid.
I didn't bother to argue with him and just said, "Whatever you say."
Yet I couldn't get away.
His black leather shoes were pressed against my suitcase, and he grabbed my wrist tightly.
We locked in a tense standoff for a few seconds.
Finally, Lilo couldn't help but stumble to the side.
Her voice, which had been all sweet and flirty just now, suddenly turned into a scream. "Enough! I can't stand you anymore!"
Knox instinctively went to hold her, but was pushed away.
Lilo shouted, "Don't touch me! I really can't stand it anymore! Every time she sees me, it's all about breaking up, running away, or getting divorced. What am I, a tool? Or trash? Is that how annoying I mean to her?
"Knox! Let's cut ties! I don't want to walk on eggshells around her!
"I should've never appeared in front of you. I should've never known you since we were children and been your childhood sweetheart!"
Saying that, she slapped herself madly.
She continued, "I should just die! It's better than being treated like this every time!"
Knox let go of Iris's wrist, grabbing Lilo's hands as she flailed wildly.
He struggled, using his arms and legs, finally holding her in his arms to stop her from hurting herself.
It all happened in just a few seconds.
Both Lilo's cheeks were swollen, and her eyes were red.
Knox grabbed her face and looked at me with a cold and heavy look.
"Are you satisfied now?" he asked.
Every time it ended up like this.
As long as I resisted even a little, Lilo would spiral, going off the rails and hurting herself badly.
I couldn't say a word, couldn't lay a finger on her, hell, I couldn't even stay away from her.
Back then, Knox always persuaded me to play along with her.
"Iris, you've suffered from this yourself. You know you have to let it slide when she's like this," he said.
For her life to be safe, I compromised again and again, always letting her have her way.
However, I gradually realized Lilo's episodes only ever happened when I didn't give in to her.
Her so-called depression was just possessive, forcing Knox to choose one of the two of us.
I looked down and looked at the self-satisfied smirk on Lilo's face.
I nodded and said mockingly, "Yeah, I'm quite satisfied. You were too quick. You should slapped yourself harder.
"Your acting's pretty sloppy. So work hard the next time."
A hint of astonishment flashed in Lilo's eyes. She was stunned for a second, already gearing up for another meltdown.
But Knox was carrying her and pressing towards me.
His tall figure loomed over me, making everything around me into darkness.
On the shoulder that once sheltered me from everything was another woman, who stopped my footsteps.
Knox said coldly, "Iris, I've really let you get away with too much.
"Lilo, just slap back to her now."
For a moment, it went dead silent. I couldn't hear a single sound.
Hearing this, even Lilo was stunned for a moment.
But as soon as she snapped out of it, she couldn't wait to reach out and slap my face hard.
But one second before she touched my cheek, Knox grabbed her wrist, holding her back.
Those were the same eyes that used to look at me in the dark, saving me from nightmares.
It was as cold as ice at the moment, with a hint of disgust and warning.
Knox sneered, "Scared now?
"If she really slapped you, you'd make a fuss again. But when it happens to Lilo, you don't even care, right?
"When you figure it out, apologize to Lilo yourself."
Knox walked into the elevator with Lilo.
I stood there, trembling as I watched the elevator climb floor after floor.
It was very freezing.
The chill was crawling up from deep inside me. Nothing could resist it.
It was five years.
Even if I could leave without hesitation, my heart just couldn't pull away so quickly.
After some time, I took a taxi on the side of the road.
I headed for a hotel near the company.
Before leaving, this was the only place I could stay.
While waiting for the visa, I still had to bring to an end the project I'd been leading for almost two years.