Chapter 25
The blood drained from Roland’s face. He parted his lips but was unable to say anything to rebuke Iris. Jordan lowered his eyes in shame and pursed his lips tightly.
“We’re so sorry…” they mumbled. That was all they could say.
Iris took the ring from Jordan. Just as hope flared in his eyes again, she threw it aside, not caring where it landed.
Then, she said coldly, “You don’t love me enough, Jordan. You don’t even love Jasmine. You’re all the same–you want your cake and to eat it, too. That’s being too greedy, though. Don’t come to Figlia anymore. I’ll have you guys deported each time I see you.”
She turned away resolutely to link arms with Francis with a smile.
She looked at one of her fellow apprentices. “Let’s go. With Eric around, they’re sure to return to where they came from without
any
trouble!”
Once she and her entourage left, a sharp–looking middle–aged man stood before the Shores and Jordan. He was Eric Grant, an influential figure in Figlia. His attitude made that clear. He was so arrogant that he didn’t even bother giving the Shores and Jordan a proper look.
“You guys better leave on your own accord if you don’t want me to employ physical methods,” he said. He casually straightened his leather gloves. He only said one sentence, but the threat in it was clear enough.
Melinda and Philip were in utter despair. They fell onto their seats weakly, unable to believe that Iris had refused to forgive them despite being reunited with them. She didn’t want to be with them anymore.
Roland could no longer maintain his steady and level–headed image. He threw caution to the wind and charged toward Iris. However, a gunshot rang out after he’d taken only a few steps. Everyone instantly fell silent.
Eric slowly rubbed the gun he held. It was almost as if he wasn’t the one who’d just fired a shot.
The
gun hadn’t been aimed at Roland–it had been aimed heavenward. However, someone had broken Roland’s leg with a bat, making him fall to the floor in pain. He couldn’t move. Jordan didn’t help him up. Instead, he picked up the ring Iris had cast aside and kissed it, his expression full of longing. Then, he said stoically, “Let’s go. Ro won’t return to us anymore.” Only then did he slowly approach Roland and help him up. He and the Shores left Figlia after that.
He’d expected this outcome upon seeing Iris–he knew she wouldn’t forgive him, but he didn’t expect her to even forgo her family.
Jordan couldn’t keep his calm act going anymore when he got home. He drank bottle after bottle of liquor and silently drowned in his sorrow.
He’d only taken one wrong step to end up on the wrong path. He despised his past self for agreeing to that ridiculous request–Rowena was irreplaceable.
He would probably have had a happy–ever–after with her if he and the Shores had rejected the idea of having a stand–in, right?
A completely different scene formed before his eyes as he thought that. In the scene, Jordan objected married and started a family. They spent the rest of their lives together.
to getting a stand–in for Rowena and stayed by her bedside. When she woke up, they got
Jordan became lost in the blissful dream, completely intoxicated. When he woke up the following day, he decided to join the monastery as a monk despite his parents‘ objection.
He climbed up the mountain to reach Noncent Monastery again. He sought out the abbot and said, “I still want to join the order, abbot.”
The abbot shook his head. “That won’t do.”
Jordan ignored him and moved into one of the empty rooms at the monastery. He chanted prayers and meditated daily. However, the room was filled with countless photos of Iris. He played videos of her performances on his phone and tablet.
The words he muttered had gone from being prayers to just “Rowena” and “Iris“.
Meanwhile, at the Shore residence, Melinda and Philip kept trying to go to Figlia.
They made it there the first time they tried but were immediately deported. The second time they tried, their passports were marked, and they were forbidden from leaving the country. The third time, they purchased a private jet and applied to fly to Figlia, only to be turned down.
After countless failed attempts, they finally accepted reality. They
became a stai
Ched various videos of Iris and watched as she slowly became one of the world’s best cellists. They watched as she
She never used the phone number that belonged to Rowena Shore again. Rowena was dead.
Melinas and Philip were devastated by this. They huddled up at home, barely leaving it.
Roland was taken to the hospital after having his leg broken. He insisted on being discharged before he’d recovered completely.
“My sister is waiting for me—I have to see het! I have to apologize to her!” His eyes were bloodshot as he pushed away the nurses who tried to stop him. He tried to run out of the hospital, but with his broken leg, he was no match for the medical personnel. He ended up being tied to the bed so that he couldn’t run anymore.
When a video of Iris‘ performance was played on TV, he instantly fell silent and watched it without even moving.
He headed to the office after he was discharged, looking like a wandering ghoul. He didn’t step foot in the Shore residence anymore.
Roland threw himself into his work, almost as if it would stop him from thinking of Rowena: Shore Corporation grew stronger, and after a year, he finally gained full control of it. He hired a lawyer to draft a share ownership transfer agreement.
The lawyer hesitated. “Are you sure you want to transfer all the shares under your name to Ms. Iris Newton, Mr. Shore? You’re not asking for compensation?”
“I’m sure,” Roland said firmly. “I owe her this.”
Half a month later, the agreement was mailed to Francis‘ home. Iris read it over and over again before storing it in her safe. She was already globally renowned–she didn’t need the shares
anymore.
