His Belated Love for the Abandoned Ex-Wife Chapter 322: The Truth About the Wound

Julian had just clicked his seatbelt into place when he released it again. He leaned across the center console, cupped the back of her head with his hand, and brought his lips close to her ear. His voice dropped to a husky murmur. "You were too inexperienced, too shy. Even after all the time we spent together, you'd still get nervous. You wouldn't even leave the lights on. And you're trying to act like you've been around the block?"

A flush of crimson instantly swept up Iris' neck and flooded her face. A wave of heat radiated from her ears all the way down to her toes. flustered and unable to meet his gaze, she placed a hand against his cheek and gently pushed him away, attempting to sound nonchalant. "Maybe I was just faking it?"

Julian caught her hand, interlacing their fingers firmly, and locked his eyes onto her burning cheeks. "You can fake being shy, Iris, but you can't fake a flush like that."

Iris quickly turned her face toward the passenger window, pressing her other hand to her cheek. The skin was searing to the touch.

It was true; being prone to blushing like that really didn't help her case.

Julian rested one hand on the steering wheel while keeping a tight grip on her other hand with his free one. He slowly brought her knuckles to his lips, pressing a tender kiss to them. "Honestly," he murmured, his voice low and thick with sincerity, "I'm choosing to trust you more than anything else."

His words struck a deep chord within Iris, sending gentle ripples across the surface of her heart. She turned back to look at him.

Meeting his smoldering gaze, she felt her heart skip a beat. His eyes were swimming with intensity, and his smile was devastatingly handsome. Just a few seconds of staring at him threw her thoughts into complete disarray, and a fresh wave of shyness washed over her.

"Julian..." she whispered, her voice barely audible but filled with affection.

Julian's eyes lit up with anticipation as he replied, his tone betraying a hint of excitement, "Yeah?"

Iris blinked her clear, luminous eyes at him, looking the picture of pitiful hunger. "I'm starving. My stomach feels completely empty."

Julian smiled helplessly. He let go of her hand, finally buckled his own seatbelt, and started the engine. "Alright, let's go get you some food."

As the car pulled out of the estate, the detail of security SUVs parked outside immediately fell into formation behind them.

After a twenty-minute drive, they arrived in a quaint, small town.

The county wasn't as developed as the city. The streets were quieter, public transport was sparse, but all the essential amenities were there. Quite a few local eateries and specialized food shops lined the roads.

Three luxury vehicles driving into town turned heads, drawing the attention of nearly everyone on the street.

Julian carried his daughter in one arm and held Iris' hand with the other as they walked into a local family-style restaurant. The handsome man, the beautiful woman, and their air of sophistication—followed closely by four burly men in dark suits—made for an especially eye-catching spectacle.

After they ordered, Harper pointed excitedly at a stationery and gift shop across the street and started clamoring to go inside for a toy.

Seeing that the shop wasn't far, Julian told Iris to wait inside the restaurant while he took Harper across the street to pick something out.

He left all four bodyguards behind with Iris.

Iris sat up straight in the booth, waiting quietly for their food, her stomach growling audibly.

Just then, her phone chimed with a few notifications.

Iris picked it up and glanced at the screen. It was a message from Brandon.

Several photos and a single line of text.

"Iris, I looked into that thing you asked me about. I found it. Sending the photos and info now."

Iris immediately typed back, "Thank you, Dr. Whitmore."

Brandon replied instantly, "Don't mention it. You owe me one. Remember to pay me back next time."

Iris looked down at her phone and smiled to herself before typing, "Deal."

After hitting send, she tapped on the photos to examine them closely.

The images were grainy screenshots taken from hospital security footage. They were blurry, but she could vaguely make out the two men who had carried her into the emergency room.

They were wearing suits, tall and broad-shouldered. Even though their faces were obscured by the poor quality, their silhouettes seemed unsettlingly familiar.

Iris clicked on the image attached below, which contained identification details.

When she saw their names, the memory clicked.

She remembered hearing Julian call out those names before.

Iris whipped her head around and looked sharply at the bodyguard sitting nearby.

She glanced back and forth between the photo on her screen and the man in the suit, her expression turning grave.

The bodyguard noticed the shift in her demeanor. He stood up, walked over to the table, and asked respectfully, "Ms. Whitlow, is something wrong?"

Iris held her phone screen up in front of his face. "Is this you?"

The bodyguard was visibly startled and frozen for a few seconds.

"This is you, isn't it?" Iris' voice tightened with anxiety. "You two are the ones who saved me and took me to the hospital, right?"

Realizing there was no point in denying it, the bodyguard stopped hiding the truth. He nodded. "We were the ones who took you to the hospital, yes. But the person who actually saved you was Mr. Everhart. He was injured at the time and couldn't carry you himself."

Iris gripped her phone tightly, her eyes darting back toward the shop across the street. Through the window, she could see Julian inside, selecting toys with their daughter.

Her heart felt as though it was being squeezed in a vice, a dull ache spreading through her chest. A surge of emotion rushed upward, stinging her eyes. "The wound on his back... that happened that day, didn't it?"

The bodyguard nodded solemnly. "Yes. By the time we found you, you had already passed out. Arden's men launched a sudden attack. We were still too far away to reach you, but Mr. Everhart was right there. He didn't hesitate—he threw himself on top of you to shield you and took that knife himself."

Iris lowered her head as tears welled in her eyes.

She remembered the day Julian had gotten hurt. She had known nothing about it at the time. She had even brought their daughter over for him to watch, oblivious to his pain.

Julian hadn't said a single word about it. Because he hadn't received proper treatment or rest, the wound had become infected.

Just the thought of it made her feel like her heart was being crushed in her chest. Waves of tearing pain hit her, making it hard to breathe.

The bodyguard let out a soft sigh. "That knife went deep into Mr. Everhart's back. The doctor said it was a fraction of an inch away from his heart. He was lucky to survive; he's only here today because he's built tough."