His Belated Love for the Abandoned Ex-Wife Chapter 177: Taken Offshore

Jenny drew in a sharp breath, her jaw tightening as if she had just talked herself into something she couldn't undo, then lifted her hand and spoke with forced boldness. "It was me. I don't like her, so I had her sent away."

Julian's expression went still in a way that made the air feel heavier, his hand curling into a fist as tension ran through him. "Sent away?" he repeated, his voice low and controlled, though the anger behind it was unmistakable. "Where is she?"

Jenny held her chin up, leaning on her status in the family as if that alone could shield her. "By now she's probably already on a boat heading back," she said, trying to sound dismissive, even a little spoiled. "Relax, she'll be fine. Caleb's with her."

That only made it worse.

Julian didn't waste another second. He turned and bolted, pushing through the building and out toward the marina, moving fast enough that anyone in his way had to step aside. By the time he reached the docks, the yacht they had arrived on was still tied up, gently rocking against the pier, the ocean beyond it stretching wide and calm.

Nothing about it matched the chaos building inside him.

He stood there for a brief second, staring out over the water, his thoughts racing, each one worse than the last, until the pressure in his chest felt like it might split him open.

When Iris came to, it felt like surfacing through layers of fog, her head heavy and her thoughts slow to form. It took a moment before her vision steadied enough for her to make out her surroundings, a tastefully furnished cabin with soft lighting and polished wood, the kind of place meant for comfort. But the faint, rhythmic sway beneath her feet told a different story.

She was on the water.

The realization snapped her fully awake. She pushed herself up and crossed the room quickly, pulling back the curtain by the window. Outside, the sky had shifted into deep gold and amber, the last light of day stretching across the ocean in a way that might have been beautiful under different circumstances.

Right now, it only made her pulse spike.

Wait... it's already evening? How long have I been out?

The memory hit her in fragments, Jenny storming into her room, the sudden movement, the cloth pressed tight over her mouth before she could react...

"Julian..." she whispered under her breath, the name slipping out instinctively as unease took hold.

She hurried out onto the deck, the open air doing nothing to steady her as she took in the unfamiliar yacht and the endless stretch of ocean in every direction. The isolation settled over her quickly, sharp and undeniable.

"You're awake."

Caleb's voice came from behind her. He walked toward her from the side corridor with an ease that made her skin crawl, like he had all the time in the world and nothing to worry about.

Iris swallowed, forcing herself to stay steady as she took a small step back. "What is this? Why did you and Jenny bring me here?"

He shrugged, a casual motion that didn't match the situation at all. "They didn't want you around on the trip, so I offered to take you back."

Her eyes narrowed, her mind already working through the timeline. "I was knocked out this morning, and it's almost sunset now. If that were true, we'd already be back on shore. So why are we still out here?"

A slow smile spread across his face as he kept walking toward her, closing the distance without hesitation until she felt the railing at her back, leaving her nowhere else to go.

"You're smart," he said, his tone almost amused. "I like that."

Iris held his gaze, refusing to show how tense she felt even as every instinct told her to get away. "Then stop playing games and tell me what you want."

His voice dropped, softer now, edged with something that made her stomach turn. "I want time. Just the two of us, out here where nobody gets in the way." He gestured vaguely toward the yacht behind them. "This place has everything we need. Food, supplies, room to stay as long as we want."

Her hands curled into fists at her sides. "That's not an answer."

"It is," he said, stepping closer, his gaze lingering in a way that made her skin crawl. "You stay with me out here, we take our time, and when you decide you're ready to be with me, I'll take you home."

Iris turned her head sharply, avoiding him as anger pushed past the fear. "And if I never decide that?"

Something in his expression shifted, darker now, less controlled. "Then we keep going. There are plenty of places out here where nobody would ever think to look."

"You're out of your mind," she snapped, shoving him with everything she had before turning to run.

He stumbled back a step but recovered almost instantly, catching up to her within seconds. His hand shot out, gripping her wrist and pulling her back hard enough to throw her off balance.

Against him, she had no chance.

He wrapped an arm around her, holding her in place as he leaned down, his intent unmistakable.

"Let me go!" Iris struggled, twisting away, her voice rising as panic set in. "Help! Somebody help me!"

He tightened his hold, his breath uneven near her ear. "Go ahead and scream. There's no one out here. Nobody's coming."

Her heart pounded, but she forced herself to think, to stay present.

"Caleb," she said, her voice shaking but deliberate, "if you actually care about me, shouldn't you at least respect me?"

He let out a quiet laugh, lowering his head against her hair as if savoring the moment. "Respect? My brother respected you, didn't he? Didn't seem to get him anywhere."

A wave of disgust rolled through her, sharp enough to make her stomach churn.