His Belated Love for the Abandoned Ex-Wife Chapter 160: The Return

"Where's your phone?" Iris asked, not letting go just yet.

Julian tilted his head slightly, then pointed behind her. "On the couch."

She turned, following his gesture, and there it was.

Right where he said it would be.

That was all she needed.

He hadn't been cheating. He was just that good.

And yet, once the stakes were gone, so was the edge. Game after game, Julian lost.

Not once or twice, but five times in a row.

And he didn't look frustrated. If anything, he seemed... relaxed.

Almost like he didn't mind losing at all.

He's letting me win.

The realization settled in quietly, threading through the rest of the evening as time slipped by without either of them noticing.

By the time the sun dipped below the horizon and the living room lights clicked on, the sky outside had gone completely dark.

They finished one last game.

Iris won again.

This time, she didn't even bother reacting. She just leaned sideways onto the couch, her body giving in to the exhaustion she had been ignoring, her eyes closing as she exhaled.

"I'm heading home," she murmured. "I need a nap."

Julian was already gathering the pieces, his movements steady and unhurried. "Stay. I'll make dinner."

She shook her head, pushing herself up despite the fatigue. "No, I'll eat at home."

This time, he didn't argue.

He followed her to the door anyway, stopping just short of it as she stepped into the hallway.

Only after the elevator doors closed behind her did he finally turn back inside.

One floor down took less than a minute.

Iris stepped out, walked to her door, and unlocked it with her fingerprint, slipping her shoes off as she stepped inside.

She barely made it past the entryway before a voice stopped her cold.

"I really don't blame you," the woman was saying, her tone soft, almost emotional. "If anything, I should thank you. If you hadn't sent me away, I wouldn't have the life I have now."

Iris's hand stilled.

She knew that voice. She walked further in.

The living room was filled with gift boxes, all of them high-end, the kind that didn't come cheap.

Her parents sat on the couch, smiling in a way she hadn't seen in years, Ethan beside them.

And across from them was Selena.

The daughter they had given up.

Something about the entire scene felt off, like a script that didn't quite hold up under scrutiny. A woman abandoned by her own family, raised elsewhere, now a major celebrity, suddenly returning with gifts and forgiveness?

It didn't add up.

"Iris, perfect timing," Grace said, her face lighting up as she waved her over. "Come meet your sister."

Selena stood, her smile polished and warm, but there was a sharpness beneath it that didn't quite disappear.

"It's been a while," she said.

Iris set her bag down slowly before walking over, her expression neutral at best. "So what's this?" she asked. "A visit, or are you planning to stay?"

The shift in Selena's expression was immediate. Her eyes glistened, her voice softening as if on cue. "I didn't realize I wasn't welcome."

Grace was on her feet in an instant.

The slap landed hard against Iris's arm, the sharp sound cutting through the room.

Pain flared, and Iris stepped back, her hand instinctively moving to the spot, disbelief flashing across her face as she looked at her mother.

"What is wrong with you?" Grace snapped. "Your sister just got here and this is how you act? Do you even understand who she is now? She makes more in a day than you do in a year. Fix your attitude."

A bitter laugh slipped from Iris before she could stop it.

Ethan moved quickly, stepping between them, his hand brushing over her arm. "Why would you hit her?"

"She disrespected her sister," Grace shot back, her expression hard. "She deserved it. Back then, your father would've done worse."

The words dragged something old and heavy back to the surface.

Iris inhaled slowly, forcing it down.

Everything she had given them over the years, money, time, effort, it meant nothing compared to this sudden reunion.

She knew better than to expect otherwise.

Selena was an actress, after all, turning on the tears came as easily as flipping a switch.

"So what's the plan?" she said, turning her attention back to Selena. "You moving back in? Taking care of them?"

Keith and Grace both leaned forward slightly, their attention fixed on Selena, waiting.

Selena nodded without hesitation. "They're my parents. I owe them everything. As long as I have something to eat, they'll never go without."

The words were perfect.

Too perfect.

And yet her parents were already moved, their expressions softening, eyes shining as they looked at her.

It would've been funny if it didn't sting so much.

No matter how hard she worked, they never once felt for her. No matter how much money she gave them, it was never enough, they always wanted more, always found something to complain about, even blaming her for staying in school too long and holding Ethan back. She had given up the career that mattered most to her just to cover her father's medical bills and Ethan's debts, and somehow, all of that still meant less than a few polished words from a glamorous celebrity who had just walked back into their lives.

She let out a quiet breath, her gaze steady as it settled on Selena.

"For you to come back here like this," she said, her voice calm but cutting, "you're getting something out of it. So what is it?"

Selena's smile flickered.

"Did Lily set this up?" Iris continued, not giving her time to recover. "Money? Connections? What did she promise you?"

For the briefest moment, something like panic flashed across Selena's eyes.

Keith and Grace looked confused.

Ethan frowned, clearly trying to process it, though doubt lingered in his expression. "Iris... don't you think you're overthinking this? She just wanted to come see Mom and Dad. And us. She didn't have to come back, but she did. That has to count for something, right?"