His Belated Love for the Abandoned Ex-Wife Chapter 164: No Way Back

The words stayed with her longer than she expected.

Care that much...

For a second, Iris felt like everything inside her stalled, like her thoughts couldn't quite catch up with what he meant.

Before she could respond, Lily's voice cut in, bright and perfectly timed. "Julian."

She approached with two glasses of red wine, her smile polished, controlled.

Iris saw her coming out of the corner of her eye, and whatever hesitation she might have had disappeared just as quickly.

If there was ever a moment to make a statement, this was it.

She stepped closer to Julian without a word, her hands lifting to rest lightly around his neck as she rose onto her toes and kissed him.

There was the briefest flicker of surprise in his expression, but it didn't last. His arms came around her waist almost immediately, pulling her closer as he returned the kiss, slow and deliberate, as if nothing else around them mattered.

The shift in the atmosphere was instant.

Lily stopped where she stood, the movement so abrupt that the wine in her glass rippled dangerously close to the edge. The color drained from her face, shock and anger colliding in her expression in a way she couldn't hide.

Conversations nearby faded out as people turned to look, drawn to the scene unfolding in front of them.

Caleb's jaw tightened as he drained his glass in one go and looked away.

Jenny let out a quiet, disapproving breath. "Unbelievable."

Celeste, on the other hand, watched with narrowed eyes, her expression thoughtful, calculating.

Iris didn't need to look to know exactly what kind of reaction they were getting, and that only pushed her further. Her fingers slid up along the back of Julian's neck, holding him there just a moment longer, steadying herself as much as committing to the act.

When she finally pulled back, her face was slightly flushed, but her voice came out soft and controlled. "Thanks for the coat," she said, glancing up at him. "I think I'm good now."

Julian's gaze lingered on her, something warm and almost amused in his expression. He reached up and lightly brushed his thumb against her cheek. "That was for her, wasn't it?"

Iris gave a small, almost embarrassed nod.

A quiet laugh left him as he ran a hand through her hair. "Didn't realize you had that in you."

"If you don't like it, I can stop," she said, her voice softer now.

"I like it," he replied without hesitation. "You don't have to hold back."

That was all Lily could take.

She stepped forward anyway, forcing a smile as she extended one of the glasses toward him. "Julian, this is your favorite. I brought it for you."

He didn't even look at it. "I'm good, thanks."

The dismissal was clean, effortless, and final.

Lily's fingers tightened around the stem of the glass before she turned her attention to Iris instead, her tone shifting just enough to carry an edge. "Didn't expect to see you here. I thought this kind of thing wasn't really your scene."

Iris met her gaze calmly, her voice steady. "People change. And whether I belong here isn't really up to you."

For a moment, Lily's composure slipped, the smile on her face faltering before she forced it back into place. "Of course," she said. "Just didn't want you to feel out of place."

Iris didn't respond. Instead, she slipped her arm through Julian's again, her tone softening as she turned to him. "It's a little cold out here. Let's head inside."

Julian didn't argue. He let her lead him toward the cabin without a second thought.

Behind them, Lily stood frozen, her grip tightening around the glass until her knuckles turned pale. The anger in her eyes had sharpened into something colder now, something more deliberate.

Celeste stepped closer, lowering her voice. "Don't worry. She's only getting attention because of whatever's left between them. That won't last."

Lily let out a short, humorless laugh. "You really don't get it," she said, each word sharper than the last. "You have no idea how much he still cares about her."

Her voice rose at the end, frustration breaking through as she shoved the glass into Celeste's hand, not caring when some of the wine spilled.

Then she turned and walked off without another word.

Inside the cabin, the temperature shifted immediately, warm and insulated from the wind outside.

Iris sat down on the couch, wrapping her hands around the cup of warm water Julian handed her. On the surface, she looked composed, steady, like nothing had shaken her.

But inside, her thoughts were anything but calm.

That kiss hadn't just been a reaction.

It had been a line drawn.

And now that it was out there, there was no walking it back.

"Julian," she said quietly.

He glanced over at her. "Yeah?"

She held his gaze for a moment before speaking. "You know I'm using you, right? Does that bother you at all?"

There was a brief pause before he smiled, easy and untroubled.

"Honestly?" he said. "Not really."

Something in her chest eased at that, the tension loosening just enough for her to breathe.

"Thank you," she said softly.

Julian set his cup down, his gaze dropping briefly as he exhaled, the shift in his expression subtle but there, something heavier passing through before he pushed it aside.