My father gloats as we make our way out of the castle. I’m grateful he waits to rub it in my face until Yakura excuses himself to use the restroom.
“You thought you could plan this impromptu trip without me finding out?”
“It’s not your deal.”
“I’m the CEO. Everything about the company is mine.”
I keep my balled-up fists hidden away in my pockets. “Except this one won’t start until I’m CEO.”
“Not if I can help it.” His smile is genuine, which is all the more infuriating. He thrives off my shortcomings.
“You didn’t even want this deal.”
“I didn’t until you thought you could blackmail me and get away with it. I’ll thoroughly enjoy ripping this project away from your fingertips, only to show you what a pathetic excuse for a CEO you would make.”
I was a fool for thinking I could make it through this process without Iris. There is no way I can manage my father’s manipulative strategies and Yakura’s needs at the same time.
I’m quick to pull out my phone, but I hesitate over the call button.
Are you really going to ruin her day yet again?
I don’t have much of a choice. Without her, I might lose the deal.
But if you steal her away again, you might end up losing all the progress you’ve made.
Screw it. If there is one person I can count on to fix this, it’s her.
“Calling your wife for help?”
I completely ignore him as I hold my ringing phone up to my ear.
He chuckles to himself. “You’re a pathetic excuse of a man if you need your wife to help save the day.”
He tries to goad me, but I refuse to go for it. I’m no less of a man because I admit I need Iris’s help. She is the one who understands Yakura best, and I’d be foolish to think otherwise. Even if it means stealing her away again.
She answers on the second ring. “Hey. I was just thinking of you while checking out a—”
“I need you.”
“What’s wrong?”
I instantly feel guilty for the worry in her voice. “Yakura and my father stopped by ahead of schedule.”
“Oh.” Somehow one word carries more disappointment than an entire speech.
I consider telling her to forget about it, but she doesn’t let me get a sentence out.
“Send me your location and I’ll find you.”
39
IRIS
My shoulders drop as I end the call. I can’t ignore the guilt that hits me straight in the chest, knowing Zahra planned this whole day only for it to be ruined because of work.
Another plan has come and gone because of working for Declan. I know it’s not Declan’s fault his father pulled a stunt like this, so it makes me upset to even feel that way in the first place.
I can’t erase the growing pressure in my chest at the thought of cancelling another plan. I like Zahra. Cancelling on her feels like a repeat of how I lost countless friends—all while working for Declan.
It’s not his fault you don’t set boundaries. Cal warned you that something like this was bound to happen, but you stayed anyway.
If I was working for anyone else and they called me on a day off, I would say screw it. With Declan, I don’t have a choice.
I release a heavy breath. My feet drag across the pavement as I reenter the greenhouse.
Zahra waves me over. “Check this out. They’ve been waiting six years for this one to bloom. Six!”
I look at the Titan Arum with a frown. “I’m going to need to take a rain check on today’s plans. I’m so sorry, but something came up.”
Zahra’s smile drops. “Oh no, are you feeling okay?”
I shake my head. “I feel… Frankly, I don’t know how I feel.”
I’m disappointed about today. It feels like I’m falling into the same pattern as always.
“Can I help?”
“You can by telling me how I can get back to Dreamland. Seth showed up and I need to go help Declan before something happens.”
“Seth is here?” Her gaze darkens.
“And Mr. Yakura.”
“Together?”
“I have no idea how that happened, but I don’t doubt Seth was behind it.”
“Well, we can’t just let him take over, can we?” She blazes a trail straight out of the greenhouse.
Zahra calls someone’s name and asks for a pair of keys. A random worker throws them at her, and she starts a small golf cart that still has a few plants in the back.
“You’re driving me?”
“You need to get to the park somehow, don’t you? I hope you didn’t think I’d let you walk all the way there.”
“Thank you.” I slide into the bench seat and Zahra presses a foot on the pedal.
“That’s what friends are for.”
“Aren’t you upset I have to cancel?”
She shrugs. “We can come back another time.”
“I’m so sorry again.”
“No need to apologize. I get it. Things pop up for Rowan all the time at the last minute.”
I sigh. “Does it ever upset you?”
She laughs. “Oh yeah. Sometimes I want to take his phone and drop it in the nearest toilet.”
I laugh. “But you don’t.”
“Only because of sheer will and a parting orgasm from Rowan before he goes to fix whatever crisis popped up.”
“I guess that’s one way to pacify a partner.”
“You have no idea. If you asked Declan, I’m sure he would be happy to oblige with the same policy.”
I sigh. “I guess.”
She nudges my shoulder with hers. “What’s really wrong? Something tells me it has nothing to do with orgasms.”
“It’s just that…” My voice drops off.
She stays silent, weaving the golf cart through curvy sidewalks and underground tunnels. I try to think of how to phrase my feelings, but they sound small in comparison to the stressor. As Declan’s partner, I should drop everything to help him. I understand that and am more than willing to. But I’m worried what might happen if it continues on as a pattern.
“I struggle with not feeling upset at him for things like this. Being his assistant is great, don’t get me wrong, but it’s exhausting. I’m worried things will only get worse once he’s CEO. I can’t help wondering how it could tear us apart as a couple, adding resentment that shouldn’t even be there if I wasn’t his employee as well as his wife.”
“And if you have a baby…”
“There’s no way I could be pregnant and keep up with his crazy schedule. I’d spend more time asleep on my desk than I would spend working at it.”
She laughs. “Do you plan on finding a replacement sometime soon?”
“I’m not sure… I haven’t considered it since I thought about transferring jobs.”
“It could be nice to give it another thought, especially if you’re more serious as a couple now. Sometimes what feels wrong in one moment can feel perfectly right later on.”
“He won’t want to let me go.”