After the Cold Marriage His Crazy Love (Iris and Julian) novel Chapter 2

2 Yeah, I Did

Julian slammed her back against the wall. The impact sent a sharp ache through her spine.
He was tall, broad-shouldered, his presence overwhelming. Standing that close to him felt like facing something immovable.
With one hand, he pinned both her wrists above her head. He leaned down, his cold eyes meeting hers. His other hand came up, gripping her jaw, forcing her to look straight at him.
Her heart was pounding out of control. The faint smell of alcohol clung to him. Her jaw throbbed under his grip as fear flickered through her eyes.
This was the closest she had been to Julian in two years.
She could see him clearly now. The strong lines of his face, the intensity in his eyes, the sharp bridge of his nose, the pale curve of his lips. Even the small mole near the corner of his eye stood out.
He was strikingly good-looking. And dangerous. The pressure he gave off made it hard for her to breathe. He had never touched her before. Not once. Not even by accident.
She swallowed, her voice unsteady. “Are you drunk?”
His expression was cold, his voice low and heavy. “Iris, do you have any idea how much I hate you?”
The words landed hard. Her chest tightened, her eyes stung.
Of course she knew. If he didn’t despise her, they wouldn’t have spent two years like this. Married in name only. No warmth. No closeness.
She forced herself to stay composed, holding back the tears. “Julian, if you want this marriage, then stay. If you don’t, we can end it. You don’t need to trap yourself.”
He let out a short, mocking laugh. His fingers tightened slightly at her jaw. “Trap myself? You’re easy on the eyes. You don’t spend my money. You keep the place clean. Having you around saves me the cost of a housekeeper.”
Every word cut deep. The pain hit so sharply she almost forgot how to breathe.
“Why?” Her hands trembled as she struggled uselessly against him. Her voice caught, but she refused to let the tears fall. “Why are you doing this?”
They hadn’t met through love.
Her parents had been hounding her to settle down since college. Not because they cared about her happiness, but because getting her married off meant less responsibility for them—one less mouth to worry about, and a chance to ask for help with things back home.
The pressure never stopped. Calls, complaints, guilt. Four years of it wore her down.
At twenty-four, she finally gave in and agreed to a blind date. Julian had been introduced through one of her college professors.
He was a year older. Born into a powerful family. The heir to Everhart Group. Tall, well-built, attractive, wealthy. On paper, there was nothing to criticize.
At first, he treated her well—attentive, gentle, almost intense in his affection.
She didn’t want to live with in-laws after marriage. He bought a large apartment near her research institute.
She disliked noise and strangers in the house. He dismissed the staff and shared the housework with her.
She had her own career, her own goals. She never wanted to be a stay-at-home wife. He respected that and never once asked her to quit her job.
She hadn’t really dated anyone before. Always cautious, always guarded—never the type to fall fast or fall hard.
Julian kept his distance, never crossing a line—polite, controlled, every bit the gentleman.
She was never great at showing love, but when she fell for him, it was real—completely, without holding anything back. A few months in, he proposed in a way that felt thoughtful, sincere. She said yes, full of hope for everything they might build together.
But after the wedding, everything shifted. She never knew why, only that he seemed to turn into someone else. He was cold and detached. Like he was already halfway gone.
They didn’t feel like a married couple. They felt like two people sharing a space, familiar yet estranged.
Living like that was exhausting. She didn’t know how much longer she could endure it.
So she told herself not to care so much. To stop expecting love. To treat marriage like something to get through.
Some things, once given, could never be taken back.
Giving her heart to the wrong person had drained her completely. She had nothing left to give anyone else.
Julian looked at her, flushed and silent, his eyes flat, unreadable. His voice came out low, rough. “It’s not some big mystery. I just can’t stand the way you act like none of this touches you. You’re always so closed off, so cold. Talking to you feels like talking to a wall. No warmth, no spark—just blank.”
Her vision blurred. A deep, aching pain spread through her chest. She couldn’t take it anymore. For the first time in two years, she snapped.
“Then why did you marry me?” Her voice rose, shaking with anger and hurt she’d held back for too long. “What’s wrong with you? Do you enjoy this?”
Julian’s lips curved into a faint, cold smile. His eyes never left her face.
He was silent for a few seconds. Then he released her, stepped back, and spoke quietly, “Yeah. I do.”
She hadn’t expected that. She rubbed her aching wrist, forced the tears back, and turned toward the bedroom.
When the door closed behind her, her strength gave out. She leaned against it, her body going weak. Tears slipped down her face in silence, cold drops trailing along her cheeks.
She didn’t sleep at all that night. Near dawn, exhaustion finally dragged her under.
Iris had barely gotten four hours of sleep. When she finally opened her eyes, it was already nine.
She got up, washed her face, and changed her clothes. Tossed the laundry into the washer, hit start. Tapped the robot vacuum and let it roam across the floor, buzzing quietly.
The living room was bright with morning light, full of warmth but none of it reached her. She fixed breakfast for two, like always. Just some simple noodles with eggs and tomatoes.
She sat down at the table, chewing without tasting. Each bite like cardboard. Then the doorbell rang. She set her fork down and got up.
When she opened the door and saw who it was, her eyes darkened. As if the day hadn’t already sucked enough.
“Morning, Iris,” Lily chirped with a big fake smile. She held up a brown paper bag. “The A/C at the club was blasting last night. Julian gave me his jacket. I figured I’d drop it off since I was in the area.”
Iris didn’t take it. “No need. He’s got a thing about cleanliness. Once someone else wears it, he’s done.”
Lily gave a sheepish smile and stepped right inside like she owned the place. Her heels clicked against the spotless floor, each step loud and sharp, like she wanted to leave a mark.
“Oh please,” Lily said, tossing her hair. “Julian’s only like that with you. We grew up together—shared clothes, drinks, snacks. Never once heard him complain.”
Only with her? Iris didn’t move. It hit her like a punch to the chest—quiet, but brutal.
Two winters ago, she’d been reading on the couch and wrapped herself in his coat because the heater wasn’t working. When she gave it back, he’d said coldly, “I’m a clean freak. Just throw it out.”
She thought it was about hygiene. It turned out, it was only ever about her.
How foolish I was!
She shut the door without a word. Her stomach curled. The breakfast in her mouth turned bitter.
She walked back to the table, picked up her plate, and dumped the food down the sink.
Lily wandered around like she was checking the place out. Eventually, she leaned on the kitchen doorway and said, “So… which room is Julian’s?”
Iris kept her focus on washing the dishes and didn’t look up. “Leave the jacket on the couch. He’s still out cold.”
Lily let out a lazy laugh and sneered. “Julian and I used to share a bed all the time. No boundaries between us. It was just… comfortable.”
Iris froze, hand still in the soapy water. Her grip on the sponge tightened.
Then Lily’s voice again, casually cruel. “Oh, and I peeked into your bedroom. You two don’t even sleep together?”
Iris slammed the sponge into the sink. Dishes rattled. Iris washed her hands, turned off the faucet, walked past her in silence, grabbed her canvas bag, slipped into her sneakers, and left without looking back.
Behind her, Lily smiled to herself, smug and satisfied. She crossed her arms and strolled around the apartment like it was already hers.
Finally, she reached for Julian’s bedroom door and let herself in.