After the Cold Marriage His Crazy Love (Iris and Julian) novel Chapter 386

Chapter 386 A Birthday Surprise

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Zoe had a heart–to–heart with her mom. They decided to keep just two hundred thousand dollars and transferred the rest directly to Iris‘ bank account.

Sally was a kind–hearted yet fragile woman. Without hesitation, she gave her consent.

Zoe then shot Iris a message on WhatsApp. “Iris, that five million is compensation from my brother. I know it can’t even begin to make up for what he did to you, but it’s his way of trying to make amends. The money I owe you, I’ll work my butt off and pay you back bit by bit. That’s a whole different thing.”

Iris quickly replied, “I didn’t even file a civil lawsuit for damages. Why are you giving me this money?”

Zoe explained, “I know you don’t need the cash, but my brother needs this punishment. You’ve got to take it.”

Iris questioned, “Was this your brother’s idea?”

Zoe said, “We went to visit him today. He came up with it.”

Iris responded, “Alright, then I’ll take it. I hope he makes the most of his time in prison and turns his life around. Nothing is more precious than a changed heart.”

Zoe sent back an emoji of a big, toothy grin. But on her side of the screen, already welling up with tears.

her

Zoe always put on a happy–go–lucky, jovial front. She was the life of the party, always lively and approachable. Yet, when it came to their friendship, she was extremely protective. Deep down inside, she was suffering.

She held Iris in high regard. The social gap between them was vast. When it came to their bond, she acted as if nothing could bother her, but in reality, she was the most delicate one.

Iris never said a word. She thought Zoe was oblivious. She just wanted Zoe to feel at ease, free from any burdens, so they could preserve the simple friendship they’d once shared.

But now, Zoe knew it all, and she pretended not to. She felt an overwhelming sense of guilt towards Iris. There was so much pressure and a complex mix of pain and bitterness that she couldn’t even put it into words.

In front of Iris, she forced a smile and remained the carefree, laid–back best friend. But no matter how hard she tried, the insecurities and guilt within had started to cloud her heart.

So, gradually, she stopped initiating contact with Iris. She simply didn’t have the courage to

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Chapter 386 A Birthday Surprise

reach out.

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Sometimes, when the loneliness became too much and she missed her best friend desperately, she’d take a peek at Iris‘ social media to see what she was up to.

What made her chuckle was that Iris rarely posted anything. Her social media pages were like ghost towns, rarely updated. Every once in a while, she’d share something, and it was always related to her academic achievements.

So, Zoe had to turn to Julian’s feed instead. Julian’s posts were a collection of videos and photos of his wife and daughter.

Seeing Iris so overjoyed, her eyes shining with happiness, Zoe’s eyes would get moist, but her smile was genuine and radiant.

When Iris sent her messages, Zoe would pretend not to notice. Iris was swamped with responsibilities. She had her daughter, husband, brother, and dad to take care of.

Every family member needed her around. Zoe thought that as time went by, Iris would eventually forget about her.

At the end of the year, Zoe received her year–end bonus and double pay. After taxes, she had nearly a hundred thousand dollars in her hand.

Zoe didn’t keep a single cent for herself. She even added a few thousand from her savings to round it up to a neat hundred thousand and transferred it all to Iris‘ account. Then, she made a note on her phone about the remaining amount she still owed.

Iris immediately messaged her back on WhatsApp.

“Zoe, why did you pay back so much this time? Didn’t we agree on a long–term payment plan?”

Zoe slung her backpack over her shoulder and left the office. On her way to the subway station, she stared at the message for ages before finally replying, “I got double pay at the end of the year, plus a nice bonus this time.”

Then she sent another one, “Gotta go. Catch up later.”

After hitting send, she stuffed her phone into her bag.

The cold December wind was howling. It was that damp, bone–chilling cold typical of the northern states. She hunched her shoulders, jammed her hands deep into her coat pockets, and stared ahead.

Suddenly, she stopped short, startled by someone blocking her path.

Iris was standing right in front of her, her face soft and illuminated by a gentle smile, her eyes

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sparkling with happiness. “You’re too busy to even chat with me on your way to the subway?”

Zoe knew she’d been caught. She couldn’t help but smile. It had been three months since she’d last seen Iris. Her eyes instantly filled with tears. Her heart started pounding so hard that she could feel the blood rushing in her wrist.

Zoe forced a smile and tried to hold back the tears. She gazed at Iris for a long time. Finally, she couldn’t resist. She walked up to her, wrapped her arms around her, and buried her face in Iris‘ shoulder.

Iris hugged her back and gently rubbed her back. “What have you been so caught up in? You’ve barely talked to me in the past three months.”

Zoe avoided answering the question. Her voice trembled slightly. “Aren’t you swamped? How did you find the time to come all the way here?”

Iris chuckled softly. “What day is it today? Did you forget?”

Zoe had indeed forgotten. She worked full–time during the day and did some freelance writing at night to earn a little extra cash. She’d completely lost track of the days.

“What day?” Zoe tightened her grip. She realized how long it had been since they’d last hugged. She’d missed her so much.

“Your birthday.”

Zoe couldn’t hold the tears back any longer. She closed her eyes, and the tears slowly trickled down her cheeks, dropping off her pale chin.

Was it really her birthday? She’d actually forgotten. Her mom worked as a janitor in an office building, leaving home early and coming back late. It seemed she’d forgotten too.

Zoe cleared her throat and tried to sound nonchalant. “You could’ve just texted me to say happy birthday. You’re so busy. Why go through all the trouble of coming here?”

“If I didn’t come to find you, you’d probably forget you even have a best friend like me,” Iris said, seeing right through her. She wasn’t holding back.

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