After the Cold Marriage His Crazy Love (Iris and Julian) novel Chapter 30

Chapter 30 She Crossed a Line

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A wave of guilt crashed over her. Just as she started to pull her hand away, Julian moved.

His hand shot up and caught her wrist.

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Finished

Iris froze. Her entire body went rigid, heart pounding loud enough to drown everything else

out.

Julian opened his eyes, just barely, eyes hazy and unfocused. He stared at her for a moment, then closed them again, his voice rough and quiet, drunk and bitter. “I must be losing my damn mind.”

That scared her. She yanked her hand back, struggled out of his grip, and stumbled off the bed.

Panicking, she ran into the closet, grabbed a set of sleepwear, then bolted to the bathroom and slammed the door shut behind her.

She pressed her back to the door, breathing hard.

Her skin felt hot, like it was burning from the inside out. What had she just done?

She had touched his lips. The problem wasn’t that Julian was drunk. It was that she had clearly lost her mind.

She squeezed her eyes shut, thumped her forehead softly against the door. What am I thinking?

Tomorrow was May 1st–two years since their wedding.

And she’d still never kissed him. Two years. Still waiting. Why am I still hoping for anything?

She dropped the clean clothes on the counter, stepped under the shower, and turned the water as cold as she could take.

She needed the shock to clear her head. When she came back out, Julian hadn’t moved. Still out cold.

She walked over and pulled the blanket over him.

Then turned to the closet, pulled out a spare bedding set, and made up a space on the floor.

She remembered when they’d stayed in his grandparents‘ house. One room, one bed–but Julian had insisted on sleeping on the floor.

Even now, drunk out of his mind, she wouldn’t cross that line.

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12:35 Tue, May 5

Chapter 30 She Crossed a Line

He’d made his boundaries clear. And she’d respect that.

Iris woke early, just like always.

ຈ

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Finished

She folded the bedding and put everything away, then took the clothes she’d worn the night before, washed and dried them, and put them back on.

Julian was still sleeping. He’d rolled to his side sometime during the night. The blanket hadn’t shifted.

She freshened up, then headed downstairs.

Beatrice was already up, sitting at the dining table with a magazine in hand, slowly flipping through the pages as she ate her breakfast.

“Morning,” Iris said with a warm smile as she walked in.

Beatrice looked up, eyes full of affection. “Morning, Iris. Come have some breakfast.”

Iris took a seat at the table just as May brought over a fresh plate of food.

“Sorry about last night,” May said with a kind smile. “I was tied up pretty late and left you to take care of Julian on your own.”

Iris replied softly, “It’s really no trouble.”

Though May worked for the family, everyone treated her with the same respect as they would a relative.

Beatrice gently placed her hand over Iris’s. “Did you sleep okay?”

Iris nodded. “I did.”

Beatrice sighed. “Julian moved out right after the wedding. He hasn’t slept here once in two years. But May keeps his room clean just in case.”

Iris nodded again, not sure what to say.

“Do you remember what day it is today?” Beatrice asked, her smile deepening.

Something in Iris’s chest tightened. She forced a smile. “Sure. Labor Day.”

Beatrice frowned. “Not Labor Day. It’s your second wedding anniversary.”

Iris felt a jolt of awkwardness and gave a weak, apologetic smile.

“So, any plans for today?” Beatrice asked playfully, the corners of her lips curling up. The

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Chapter 30 She Crossed a Line

question only made Iris’s smile stiffen further. She shook her head.

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Finished

“Well, of course not. That’s a husband’s job anyway,” Beatrice chuckled, motioning toward the breakfast. “Eat up before it gets cold.”

Iris picked up her fork, the weight in her chest making every bite harder to swallow.

She still remembered two years ago–Julian had been out of town for a few days around their wedding anniversary. Paparazzi had snapped photos of him and Selena flying in on the same flight, staying at the same hotel. The gossip had dragged on for weeks.

She had no expectations this year. Hope only led to disappointment.

After breakfast, Iris sat with Beatrice in the living room, chatting quietly. Footsteps echoed down the stairs.

Beatrice looked up, her smile widening. “Look who finally decided to wake up. Feeling better?”

Iris turned her head instinctively.

Julian came down the stairs in a light gray tracksuit he hadn’t worn since two years ago. His hair was still damp from a shower, and his sharp features looked even more defined. At twenty- seven, he looked effortlessly youthful and clean–cut, like someone in the prime of his life.

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