His Belated Love for the Abandoned Ex-Wife Chapter 194: Drawing Lines

Time had shifted everything, and whatever they once had no longer existed in the same way.

All Iris felt now was a dull mix of sadness and resignation.

She lowered her gaze and said nothing, and the silence between them stretched tight again.

Edmund's words echoed in her mind, the truth that Julian had loved her for twelve years without ever saying it out loud.

Why hadn't he told her sooner?

Why wait until she had already walked away, until everything had reached a point where nothing could be undone?

What was she supposed to do with that now?

The quiet grew heavy until Julian broke it.

"Are you avoiding me so much you've stopped talking to your family too?"

"That's not your business." Iris let out a breath, her fingers tightening slightly in the fabric of her sleeve.

"On that night, Ethan said you had a fight with your parents and disappeared after that," Julian continued, his voice steady but edged with concern. "What happened?"

She shook her head, clearly unwilling to go there.

"Then answer this," he said, his tone firming. "Where do you stand with them now?"

Iris looked up at him, confusion flickering in her expression. "Why does that matter to you?"

Julian held her gaze, his voice calm but unwavering. "Because how you deal with them decides how I deal with them."

The simplicity of it caught her off guard, and despite everything, something in her chest softened.

He wasn't questioning her.

He was choosing her side.

After a brief pause, she answered quietly, "I keep my distance. I don't depend on them for anything emotional. But I'll still support them financially."

A flicker of understanding passed through Julian's eyes, followed by something closer to concern.

"Alright," he said gently. "I understand."

At that moment, her phone rang.

Iris stood and went to her room to grab it.

It was Zoe, the only friend she still kept in contact with.

By the time the call ended, her expression had changed completely. She shut the door, quickly changed her clothes, and came back out within minutes, already grabbing her bag.

"I need to go out. You should head back."

Julian stood immediately. "Where?"

She hesitated, then met his gaze. "The hospital. My dad's been admitted."

"I'm coming with you."

"I said you don't need to," she replied, already heading for the door.

"I'm not asking." His tone was calm, but final, as he followed her out.

She didn't argue.

She didn't have the energy.

What she hadn't expected was that his car was already parked outside.

Half an hour later, they arrived at Riverfront Hospital.

Iris pushed open the door to the room and stepped inside.

Keith lay on the bed, eyes closed, while Grace, Ethan, and Selena stood nearby.

The moment Grace saw her walk in with Julian, her expression turned sharp. "Well, look who finally decided to show up. I was starting to think you wouldn't even come back if your father died."

"Mom, that's enough," Ethan snapped, already moving toward Iris. "Where have you been these past two weeks? I've been worried about you."

Iris didn't answer. Her attention was already on the bed. "What happened to Dad?"

"It's the flu," Ethan said, guiding her closer. "He wasn't doing great to begin with, and he passed out last night."

Iris gently pulled her hand free before stepping closer. "Dad, how are you feeling?"

"Still alive," Keith said coldly, not opening his eyes.

Grace let out a quiet scoff. "Good thing Selena stepped up. Otherwise we wouldn't even be able to afford the hospital bills."

Iris went still, something sinking deep in her chest.

Selena stepped in smoothly. "It's nothing, Mom. I should be doing this."

Grace took her hand, her tone softening instantly. "You've done so much, running around for us and paying for everything. I really appreciate it."

Selena smiled. "You're my parents. Of course I'll take care of you."

"My good daughter," Grace said warmly.

Iris's hands clenched at her sides, her nails pressing into her palms.

All these years, everything she had done, the responsibilities she carried, the money she gave, even selling her company to cover medical bills and help Ethan out of debt, none of it had ever earned her a moment like this.

And yet, this was all it took for Selena.

Her chest tightened painfully, her breathing unsteady as the weight of it pressed down on her.

Then suddenly, a warm hand covered hers.

She turned slightly.

Julian.

His gaze was steady, grounding, the quiet reassurance in his eyes easing the sharp edge of her emotions just enough.

His thumb moved lightly against her hand before he looked up at Grace, his tone calm and measured.

"Selena really is a great daughter," he said. "Since she's doing so well, I'm sure she wouldn't mind having you move into her place, right?"

The room fell silent.

Even Keith opened his eyes, unease flickering across his face. "Julian... what are you saying?"

"Nothing complicated," Julian replied evenly. "The company hasn't been doing great lately, so I'm planning to sell the house and free up some cash."

His gaze shifted to Selena, calm but pointed. "You've got several properties sitting empty, don't you? There's that place downtown you barely use. Seems like the perfect opportunity to bring them in and show just how devoted you are."