His Belated Love for the Abandoned Ex-Wife Chapter 251: Arrival and Cold Shoulder

Beatrice smiled warmly. "I heard Julian's coming back today?"

Iris lowered her gaze without answering.

Julian had texted her—the notification showed over a dozen unread messages—but she hadn't opened a single one.

Jenny's face lit up as she pulled out her phone. "I'll call my brother and see if he's joining us."

Iris took a sip of her iced tea and turned to admire the flowers blooming beside the patio. They were vibrant and eye-catching, but her mind was elsewhere.

Truthfully, she didn't want to keep getting tangled up with Julian. Her belly was growing more noticeable each day, and she dreaded the thought of not being able to hide it much longer.

The idea of Lily someday putting a knife to her own throat, forcing Julian to choose between their child and her, filled Iris with a quiet, creeping dread.

Jenny's call connected, and she put it on speaker. "Hey, you landed, right? We're having a little get-together at Luke's. You should come."

Hearing that, Luke jogged over and called out, "Julian, man, we've got the grill going—get over here!"

From the other end, Julian replied flatly, "Can't make it."

"Oh, come on!" Jenny whined playfully.

"Not tonight."

"Grandma's here, too."

At the mention of his grandmother, Julian's tone softened slightly. "You all have fun."

Beatrice chimed in, "Julian, I haven't seen you in weeks. Come by, even if it's just for a little while."

"Sorry, Grandma. I'll visit you soon. I've got some work to wrap up."

"Work at this hour?"

"Just some deals that need attention."

Beatrice sighed softly. "Alright, then. Go ahead." She then turned to Iris. "Iris, honey, Julian's tied up. We won't bother him—"

Julian cut in abruptly, his voice suddenly warmer. "Wait, Iris is there?"

Beatrice pressed her lips together, holding back a smile.

Jenny answered proudly, "Of course she is. I invited her. She even brought me a gift—some fancy serum from her lab. Jealous?"

Julian cleared his throat gently. "I'll be there in twenty."

"I thought you were busy?" Jenny teased.

"It can wait," he said lightly before hanging up.

Twenty minutes later, Julian's arrival shifted the relaxed atmosphere into something slightly more charged.

Iris held her glass of iced tea, her fingers tightening just a bit. She kept her eyes down, avoiding the direction of the door.

She knew she needed to stay calm, but a flutter of nervousness lingered in her chest.

Jenny jumped up excitedly and waved toward the patio entrance. "Over here!"

Luke greeted him with a friendly grin. "Glad you made it, man. Saved you some steak and shrimp—still warm."

Under the soft glow of the string lights and pale moonlight, Julian stood in a tailored charcoal suit, clearly having come straight from the office.

His gaze swept across the group before settling on Iris.

Iris kept her profile cool and distant, deliberately avoiding his eyes.

Julian's Adam's apple moved slightly as he reined in the emotions stirring inside. He walked over to Beatrice and said gently, "Hey, Grandma."

Beatrice patted his hand affectionately. "Good to see you, dear. Have a seat."

Julian nodded but didn't sit right away. Instead, he moved toward the empty chair beside Iris and asked quietly, "Is this seat taken?"

Iris glanced up briefly and gave a soft "Mhm" of acknowledgment.

Once he sat down, they were close enough that she could almost feel the warmth of his presence.

Without thinking, Iris shifted slightly away—a small movement Julian didn't miss.

His eyes darkened, but he said nothing.

Jenny, watching the exchange, decided to stir the pot. "So, Julian, you barely say hi to anyone else and just stare at Iris? You were only gone four days. Miss her that much?"

Julian froze right where he stood, staring at Jenny in complete surprise. Her weird, out-of-character attitude caught him off guard.

He couldn't figure out what on earth had happened. This cousin of his had never liked Iris one bit, yet she had totally flipped her stance.

She even called her Iris in such a warm, friendly way, and teased them about having a thing for each other.

Still, he wasn't about to question a good thing.

He collected himself and offered a calm, slight smile, not bothering to deny it. "Yeah, I did."

Iris' fingers curled lightly, her fingertips growing cool. She looked down, pretending to be absorbed in the bowl of fruit in front of her, but her throat felt tight, and even breathing took effort.

Luke sensed the tension and tried to lighten the mood with a chuckle. "Here, try this skewer. My secret spice rub. You'll love it."

Julian accepted it but didn't take a bite. Instead, he turned to Iris. "Want some?"

Iris shook her head softly. "No, thanks. I'm full."

Julian's eyes remained on her face, his voice carrying a trace of quiet concern. "You've lost weight lately. Working too hard?"

Beatrice added sympathetically, "She really has. Barely touched her food earlier. Doesn't seem to have much appetite these days."

Jenny nudged Iris gently. "Come on, don't give my brother the cold shoulder. He came all this way to see you. Cut him some slack."

Iris shot her a faint, helpless look. "I'm not."

When Julian heard that, a faint gleam of warmth flickered in his eyes. He picked up a piece of fresh pineapple and offered it to her. "Then have some fruit. Good for you."