His Belated Love for the Abandoned Ex-Wife Chapter 112: Rumors and Regret

Ethan also sent money home regularly. But he was swamped with debt, so he could only give his parents 3,000 dollars a month for the whole family's food. Life was tough.

Most of Grace and Keith's personal expenses and leisure spending came from the monthly allowance Iris gave them out of deference.

Ethan felt guilty about Iris. He couldn't give their parents a better life, so he had to watch them lean on Iris for money.

He hated that he was so useless, but there was nothing he could do about it.

"Iris, I'll go clean your room." Ethan stood up.

Suddenly, Emily grabbed his wrist, looking mad. "She's got two hands, right? Why do you have to clean it for her?"

"Ethan, Iris can clean it herself. You only have half a day off. Just relax." Grace said, counting the money without even glancing up.

Iris was used to her parents' old-fashioned preference for boys. She was also used to Emily's silly jealousy. None of this surprised her.

Ethan's face went dark. He jerked his hand away from Emily angrily.

Iris was scared Ethan and Emily would fight because of her.

"I can clean it myself."

She stood up and walked into the room.

The room was small, with no bathroom. The furniture was covered in dust. There were some bottles and random stuff in the corner. Even the high chair and baby walker Frank didn't use anymore were piled there.

Iris sighed softly, rolled up her sleeves, took a clean towel from the closet, walked out of the room, and filled a basin with water in the bathroom.

She carried the basin of clean water back into the room. Ethan followed her in and started moving the random stuff out without saying a word.

Iris was wiping the cabinet. She turned to look at him. "Ethan, I can move this myself. You really don't need to help."

Ethan stood up straight. "I can't help you with the big stuff. If I can't even do this little thing for you, I'm not much of a brother."

Iris felt warm inside. "Thank you, Ethan."

"Iris, I don't know why you want to divorce Julian. But honestly, he really loves you. I know I'm right about that."

Iris hung her head and kept wiping the table. "Actually, you're wrong."

That night, Iris packed her luggage and pushed it to the corner.

She sat on the edge of the bed, staring at the big room she'd lived in for two years. A strange sadness crept over her, settling in her heart.

Over these two years, how many times had she cried quietly in her room? How many times had she leaned against the door, listening for Julian to come home late at night? How many times had she hoped he'd knock on her door?

Countless hopes, countless disappointments, and countless tears.

Now, it was finally time to end it.

She didn't have to stay in this failed marriage anymore, waiting for a man who didn't love her to warm her up.

Her phone rang.

It was Zoe. Iris answered and held the phone to her ear.

"Zoe."

Zoe sounded shocked. "Iris, are you really getting a divorce?"

"Yeah."

"Why so sudden?"

Iris asked, confused, "How'd you find out?"

Zoe sounded mad. "I follow Emily on TikTok. She talks trash about you every day. A few days ago, she said you stole her kid, that you told her kid not to get close to her. Just now, she posted another one saying you're getting a divorce and you'll move back to your parents' house to mooch off them."

Iris closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

Sometimes, she really didn't want to hold back anymore.

Emily was utterly unreasonable and prone to throwing tantrums. No one could hold a normal conversation with her. The moment they clashed, things would turn ugly and irreparable.

If it were a friend or a stranger, she would never let it slide.

But Emily was her brother's wife.

If she still wanted to keep in touch with her family, she couldn't mess things up too badly with Emily.

Zoe was worried. "Iris, what's really going on here?"

Iris said lightly, "I just don't want to be with him anymore."

"Did Julian ignore you again?"

"Yeah."

"He's always been like that. You put up with it for two years. Why not now?"

Iris fell silent.

"Did he agree?"

"No. So we're going through the courts."

Zoe sighed. "Ugh, how'd it get this bad? I think Julian's such a mess. He's so serious about his marriage. He drives an hour or two to work every day, and he comes home no matter how late.

"He's a rich heir who never did any housework before. But he makes time to do chores every day, keeps your little house clean, and never brings friends over to bug you.

"When you were in a coma in the hospital, he took care of you around the clock for days straight. When your company had money problems, he even started a new company to invest in you. He obviously loves you so much, but he always ignores you. I really don't get it."

Iris laughed bitterly. "Why are you defending him now? Didn't you think he was a jerk before? That he went to fancy clubs all the time, had rumors with Selena, and didn't keep his distance from Lily?"

"Guys have to socialize for work. Going to those clubs is unavoidable. And Selena—he even went to the hospital for a private physical checkup because he was scared you'd get the wrong idea. They probably really don't have anything going on. And that Lily? They're probably just childhood friends, nothing more."

Iris hung her head, a sour feeling in her chest.

The more Zoe tried to talk her out of it, the more she didn't want to go through with the divorce.