Chapter 3

For some reason, things had been going unexpectedly well for Iris since Emily's last visit, which both surprised and confused her.

As Joe was heading down from his study, he accidentally bumped into Iris.

"Gosh! Oh dear, I'm so sorry! I didn't see you coming," he apologized immediately.

Iris quickly shook her head. "It's fine, sir. Please, you don't have to say sorry."

Joe studied her for a moment before asking, "So, where are you heading?"

"Um… to the study, sir," she replied hesitantly.

His lips curled into a warm smile. "Oh, what a coincidence—I'm heading there as well. Shall we?" he said, his voice carrying a fatherly warmth.

Tension in the Study

As they entered the study, an awkward silence settled between them. Iris could feel her nerves tightening, praying that Mrs. McCall wouldn't suddenly barge in and create another scene.

Sensing her uneasiness, Joe decided to speak.

"Iris, I heard that your friend visited yesterday. Rumors have been going around that she's the mysterious, wealthy designer from France—the one everyone is eager to meet. Is that true?"

Iris's heart nearly stopped. She hadn't expected him to bring that up. She knew it would be bad if she lied, but she also didn't want to draw unnecessary attention.

"I… I um… wanted to tell you, but you've been busy lately, and Ma has um…"

Joe immediately cut her off, understanding what she was about to say.

"You don't have to worry about my wife, Iris. I just wanted to confirm the rumors." He nodded, then added, "Well, I suppose it's true. You can continue with your work."

Before leaving, he turned back. "Oh, before I forget, my wife and I will be going on a business trip next month."

"Yes, sir. I understand."

"Good. Take care. I have to get going now."

Iris's Realization

As Joe left, Iris stood alone in the study, lost in thought.

"So that's why Mrs. McCall hasn't caused any trouble for me lately… She must want to use me to get to Emily."

Her fingers clenched into fists.

"Well, that will never happen."

The next day, Iris had to wake up early to complete her chores on time before heading out to surprise her father at work. She hadn't told him about her visit, hoping to make the moment more special.

Just as she got out of bed, her phone rang.

"Ah, who could be calling me this early?" she muttered, rubbing her eyes before picking it up. A familiar name flashed on the screen.

"Emily? Why is she calling so early? I hope everything is okay."

She quickly answered, "Hello, dear. What's up?"

"Baby girl, sorry for calling so early," Emily said, her voice light with excitement. "I'm kind of free today and wanted to know if you'd like to go shopping. We can catch up on all the time we missed back in our childhood."

Iris smiled. "Well, yeah, I'm kind of free today. But I was planning to visit my dad first."

"You're going to see your dad? Perfect! We can go together!" Emily exclaimed. "I can't wait to see the look on his face when he sees me."

Iris laughed. "Me too."

"Alright then, I'll pick you up at ten so we can be quick."

"Sounds good. See you then."

With that, they ended the call.

Iris quickly set to work, determined to finish her chores before Emily arrived. She didn't want to keep her best friend waiting.

As soon as Iris finished her work, she rushed to her room to get ready. It was already 9 o'clock, and she didn't want to keep Emily waiting. She hurriedly changed into something decent, but by the time she was done, it was already 9:45 AM. Without wasting another second, she grabbed her bag and headed toward the front gate.

To her surprise, Emily was already there, leaning casually against her sleek luxury car.

"What's up, girl?" Emily greeted with a bright smile.

"I'm good," Iris replied, still catching her breath. Her gaze traveled over the car, and she let out a low whistle. "Wow, Emily. You've really made it over the years. I mean, look at this car! You're living the dream!"

Emily rolled her eyes playfully. "Oh, come on. There's nothing special about this. Anything I have is also yours. What are best friends for?"

Iris smiled, feeling warmth spread through her chest. No matter how much Emily had changed, she was still the same caring friend she had always known.

After a brief chat, Iris gave Emily directions to her father's workplace—one of the McCall family's companies. Without wasting time, they drove off.

As they pulled up to the gate, Iris' father, who was expecting a business visitor, walked forward to open it. But before he could, Iris burst out of the car, rushing toward him.

"Dad! Dad, don't worry, it's me!" she called out excitedly.

Her father paused, his eyes widening in surprise. Before he could react, Emily stepped out of the car.

"And guess who I met?" Iris added with a grin.

The moment Emily came into full view, Iris' father froze. His eyes brimmed with shock and disbelief as he stared at her, his lips parting slightly.

"Oh my gosh… Is that Emily?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Tears welled in his eyes as emotions overwhelmed him. He couldn't believe it. Emily—the daughter of his long-lost friend, whose family had vanished without a trace—was standing right in front of him after all these years.

"Yes, Dad. It's me," Emily said softly, offering a warm smile.

He took a shaky breath, his hands trembling slightly. "I can't believe this… Where have you been all these years? How did you get back? How did you two even reconnect?"

Iris chuckled, placing a comforting hand on her father's arm. "Okay, Dad, calm down. Too many questions at once. We'll explain everything soon."

Her father exhaled deeply, nodding as he wiped his tears. He still couldn't wrap his head around the moment, but one thing was clear—this reunion was nothing short of a miracle.

Once they were all settled, Iris excused herself and walked back to the car to retrieve the meal and gifts she had prepared for her father. When she returned, they began their conversation, reminiscing about the past and catching up on lost time.

Iris' father turned to Emily with a warm yet curious expression. "So, Emily, tell me—how has life been? Where have you and your family been all these years? It's been so long since we last saw each other."

Emily let out a soft chuckle, nodding. "Yes, it really has. So much has changed." She sighed, gathering her thoughts before continuing. "My family has been doing well, and I'm really sorry we couldn't inform you before we left. It all happened so suddenly—my dad got an unexpected promotion, and we had to move out of the country for his transfer. Everything happened so fast, and before we knew it, we were settling into a new life abroad."

Iris and her father listened intently as Emily continued.

"At first, it wasn't easy. Adjusting to a new country, new people, and a new environment was overwhelming. But, thankfully, things started falling into place. My brother, Jackson, and I started school. Though there were challenges, we pushed through. After high school, I went to college, but my real passion was always fashion. So after graduating, I pursued my dream and enrolled in a top designer school."

Her father's eyes lit up with admiration. "That's incredible, Emily. You followed your passion."

Emily smiled. "Yeah, and it wasn't easy, but I worked hard. Eventually, I started working independently. My dad continued to excel in his career, and after a while, he started his own business. My mom also pursued her dreams and opened a successful hair salon. As for Jackson, he graduated as the top student in his class and landed a job at one of the highest-paying companies in the UK."

Iris' father shook his head in amazement. "You've all come so far. I'm truly proud of you."

Emily's gaze softened, and she glanced at Iris before speaking again. "But even with all the success, I never forgot my roots. No matter how much time passed, I couldn't forget Iris. I made a promise to myself the day we left—that one day, I'd come back and find her."

Iris felt a lump form in her throat, touched by her best friend's words. The bond they shared had remained unshaken despite the years apart.

Her father smiled, eyes glistening with emotion. "Emily, you have no idea how much this means to us. To see you again after all these years... it's truly a blessing."

Emily's smile faltered as she turned to Iris' father. "So, Dad, how has life been for you and Iris?"

Her question was simple, but the weight of it settled heavily in the air. Iris' father lowered his gaze, his expression shifting. Emily immediately sensed the discomfort, her heart tightening.

"Oh... wait." She let out a nervous chuckle, trying to lighten the mood. "I almost forgot. What about Mom?"

The moment she said it, she noticed the change. The air grew thick with silence. Iris' father swallowed hard, and Iris herself clenched her hands on her lap. A painful wave crashed over them, dragging up memories they had tried to bury. Emily's stomach twisted.

"What… what did I say wrong?" she asked hesitantly.

Iris took a deep breath, her voice barely above a whisper. "Emily… things haven't been good since you left."

Emily sat up straight, anxiety creeping into her chest.

"Mom died a few years ago." Iris' voice cracked, but she forced herself to continue. "After that, Dad and I struggled to survive. He took out a loan… but it wasn't from a bank. It was from a mafia gang."

Emily's eyes widened in horror.

"I had to start working at a young age just to help pay it off. By some luck—or maybe fate—I found work at the McCall mansion. That's how life has been."

Iris' father let out a heavy sigh. "It hasn't been easy for us, but we managed to survive."

A sharp pang of guilt hit Emily like a brick. She had no idea. While she had been living comfortably, pursuing her dreams, her best friend and her father had been drowning in hardship.

She didn't know what to say. No words could fix the years of suffering they had endured. Instead, she did the only thing she could—she reached forward and pulled them both into a hug, holding onto them tightly.

Tears slipped down their faces, unspoken pain pouring out in silence.

"I'm so sorry, Dad… Iris… I didn't know. I didn't know Mom was gone. I didn't know you suffered this much." Emily whispered, her voice thick with emotion. "Please, accept my condolences."

Iris' father placed a hand on her shoulder, shaking his head. "It's fine, Emily. You don't have to worry about it. It's all in the past now. Let's focus on the future."

Emily pulled away, looking at Iris with admiration. She had always known her best friend was strong, but hearing her story made her realize just how resilient she truly was.

After a moment of silence, Iris wiped her tears and set down the food she had brought for her father, along with new clothes and a small envelope of money.

"Dad, manage this for now. I haven't been paid yet, but I'll do more once I can."

Her father smiled, though sadness lingered in his eyes. "Dear, you don't have to worry about me. I'm fine, really."

Emily, however, had other plans. Without a word, she rushed to her car, pulled out a check, and handed it to Iris' father.

"Here, Dad. Take this."

His eyes flickered down to the check, and the moment he saw the amount—five hundred thousand dollars—his breath caught in his throat.

"Emily… this… this is too much—"

"It's nothing," she interrupted firmly. "This is just a small amount. I promise, things will change for all of us. We're family now, okay?"

Iris and her father were speechless. Overwhelmed with emotion, they both dropped to their knees, bowing their heads in gratitude.

"Please, don't do that!" Emily gasped, reaching out to pull them up. "Never kneel before me again. We're family. You don't need to thank me for this."

Iris wiped her tears again, nodding. "Thank you, Emily. I don't know what I would do without you."

Emily smiled, grabbing her hand. "You'll never have to find out."

Looking at her watch, Emily sighed. "We should get going, Dad. We have a lot to do."

Iris' father nodded, forcing a smile. "Alright, take care, girls. Have a great day."

"You too, Dad."

With that, they left, but the emotions from their conversation lingered in their hearts.