His Belated Love for the Abandoned Ex-Wife Chapter 130: Hidden Feelings

Some relatives even flipped sides, saying, "She's got no sense of boundaries. They shouldn't hang out anymore."

Lily's face turned bright red with anger. She ground her teeth, shaking all over, but she couldn't get out of the mess she'd created.

Caleb looked at Iris, his eyes lighting up. He couldn't hide his smile, and he slowly started clapping.

That clapping made Irene's and Harold's faces go dark. They were just as embarrassed as Lily, totally humiliated in front of the Everhart family.

"Excuse us." Julian's face was stone cold.

He took Iris's hand and turned to head upstairs.

The relatives scattered not long after.

Jenny went over to comfort Lily, but she couldn't help asking, "Lily, did you really say those things to Iris?"

Lily stared at Jenny, shocked. "Even you think Iris is right?"

Jenny shifted uncomfortably. "That's not what I mean. It's just..."

She couldn't find the right words to say how she felt. She just smiled awkwardly, shook her head, and tried to cheer her up. "You don't have to rush. They're gonna get divorced soon, right?"

"Who did you say is getting divorced?"

That sharp, angry voice made Jenny and Lily jump. They turned around and saw Beatrice standing behind them.

Beatrice's face was dark and ugly, worse than anyone had ever seen it.

*****

Julian took Iris back to the bedroom.

She stood in the room, stiff as a board. "Aren't we going home tonight?"

Julian took off his watch and set it on the table. "The Lynch family's coming tomorrow morning. We'll sleep here tonight."

Iris went quiet. She stared nervously at the only bed in the room.

Julian turned around, walking toward her with a little helplessness. "You scared to sleep with me? Think I'll do something to you?"

Iris bit her lip awkwardly and shook her head.

Julian sighed, a small smile tugging at his lips. "I thought you were soft, but you're tough as steel. I was worried Lily would push you around, but I guess I worried for nothing."

Iris looked at him, her eyes glistening. She didn't know what to say.

They'd wasted two years of each other's lives. They never got to know each other, never really tried to get along.

It made sense that Julian didn't know her well.

Just like she didn't fully get some of his weird, irrational actions.

Like how, after they got married, he still drove three hours back and forth every day, yet insisted on buying a house near her company.

Since they got married, he'd come home to sleep every single night. Even when he drank so much he got stomach bleeding, he insisted on leaving the hospital to come home.

He was worth billions, but he'd get up every morning to help her with housework, quietly doing most of it when she wasn't looking.

He even asked a forensic doctor to check him, just to prove he was innocent and keep her from misunderstanding.

He quit smoking after five years, all because she'd covered her nose once.

He stopped drinking completely, just because she told him not to overdo it.

He refused to give in to his father. He chose not to divorce her, even if it meant losing his inheritance and giving up the Everhart Group for good.

Even after she asked for a divorce twice, he'd become gentle and warm toward her.

A man like that was an amazing husband. He had to love her.

But in the two years of their marriage, all she felt was his coldness, his distance, his politeness—and even his dislike and disgust.

Those little moments when he frowned at her for wearing his coat, and wanted to throw it away afterward.

Those nights when he was drunk, saying he hated how plain and boring she was, like a glass of water.

He never touched her, never showed her any affection.

His past dislike and coldness were still fresh in her mind. But now, all these little things coming to light showed just how much he cared.

Iris's thoughts were all mixed up. She blurted out, "Which one is the real you?"

It came out of nowhere. Julian frowned, confused. "What?"

Iris snapped back to reality. She hung her head and took a deep breath, her mood heavy. "Nothing."

"It's late. You go wash up first." Julian's Adam's apple moved. He looked away from her pretty face.

Iris walked past him to get clothes from the closet.

When she opened the closet door, she found only one thing—a sexy slip dress.

It was flesh-colored lace, sheer and see-through, super short and revealing. It was almost like lingerie.

Iris stared at it in shock. She picked it up and held it up. "Julian, did Grandma do this on purpose?"

Julian turned around. When he saw the dress in Iris's hand, his eyes flickered. His Adam's apple moved without him noticing, his ears turning red. He walked over, trying to act calm.

"Probably." He opened another closet and took out a white shirt, handing it to her. "I don't have pajamas either. You can wear this for now."

Iris held the long-sleeve shirt next to the dress. Sure enough, it was longer than the dress.

She hesitated. "If I wear this, it'll be wasted."

"How would it be wasted?" Julian smiled, closing the closet door.

"This shirt looks really expensive. I'll only wear it once, and then you'll have to throw it away..."

Julian cut her off. "I won't throw it away."

"But before you..."

Julian cut in seriously. "I only said those things out of anger back then. That coat of mine you wore? It's still in the closet. I can't even bear to wash it."

Iris stared at him in shock, not believing what he was saying.

Julian took her shoulders and turned her around. He then held her shoulders from behind, gently pushing her toward the bathroom. "It's late. Go wash up and get some sleep."