William held Iris's hand. He was not used to seeing her dressed up like that. Iris was already beautiful, even without makeup. She was an innocent type of beauty. With the addition of makeup, her appearance became more mature and charming. Her innocent and childlike aura was gone.
"Let go of your hand," Iris said flatly.
"Why aren't you answering my calls?" William still did not let go of Iris' hand. His brows furrowed. There was a feeling of displeasure in his heart when he noticed her cold demeanor.
Iris smiled flatly. Her gray eyes stared lazily at the brown-haired man in front of her. With a slightly raised chin, she appeared indifferent.
"You must have heard that I'm cheating on you with your personal bodyguard, right? My father will cancel our arranged marriage, so you no longer need to come see me." Her tone sounded casual.
William didn't expect to hear such a response. However, he kept his expression unchanged. "You did? You cheated on me?"
"You think?" Iris tilted her head. "Forget it! Didn't you ask where I was going?"
William was silent.
"I'm going on a date, of course!" Iris laughed and swatted away her ex-fiancé's hand. She turned around and was about to walk away, but she looked back.
"By the way, Will, thank you for the experience. It's really very valuable," she concluded with a meaningful smile. After that, she walked away gracefully.
"Damn!" William swore under his breath. He clenched both hands involuntarily.
"Did she take it for granted?"
Iris' reaction was not what William had imagined, and somehow his heart felt dissatisfied. He thought she would at least explain that the affair didn't happen, that it was just slander, or some other defense. Who would have thought that Iris would just let the matter go?
The sound of footsteps suddenly came from behind. A sexy and voluptuous woman in a red dress walked up to William. She hugged him from behind, spoilingly.
"Honey, you've already met her, haven't you? Let's go home," she whispered. She kissed William's back passionately, leaving a trail of red lipstick on his white shirt.
William closed his eyes and turned around. He gripped her hand. "I asked you to wait for me in the car. Why did you come here?" His tone sounded unhappy.
"I just... I just wanted to be with you right away," the woman said.
"We still have to be careful because my marriage annulment with Iris hasn't been announced yet!" warned William with a furrowed brow. He pulled the woman away and then quickly disappeared at the elevator door.
***
The Sapphire Club truly lived up to its reputation. That luxurious club was not like any other. The visitors who came were not random people. They were from the prestigious upper middle class.
The building consisted of several floors, many of which were decorated with golden lights. The floors and walls were dark black. One could smell a strong scent of elegance and exclusivity.
Iris walked in and did not see many people. Many of the long sofas were still empty. Perhaps it was because it was still early.
She walked up to the long and large bar counter. A handsome bartender greeted her from behind the counter with a charming smile. "Any orders, Miss?"
"Uhm, give me a glass of sex on—I mean SOTB," Iris whispered quickly. The bartender chuckled and gave her the okay sign. After that, she sat on a bar stool while watching him make her the cocktail.
"Can I ask you something?" Iris asked while watching him.
"Of course. What do you want to know, Miss?"
Iris looked around. After confirming that Archer had not come, she asked, "Is there a customer of yours named Archer Brooks?"
The busy bartender turned to her and smiled casually. "Miss, you know it's our privacy."
"This isn't a hotel after all," Iris whispered, with furrowed brows and slightly bulging eyes. Her expression was just like saying, 'Are you serious?!'. However, the man shook his head, still not letting her know.
"Expensive clubs are different," Iris muttered. Her lips twitched in annoyance.
Moments later, a glass of Sex on the Beach was served in front of her. "Enjoy your drink, miss," said the bartender.
"Thanks."
Iris took the glass and looked at the contents thoughtfully. A moment later, she cast her gaze around. Her siren eyes looked dangerous, but it was only a glimpse, and soon returned to normal when she found the man she was looking for watching her from the second floor.
Archer was wearing a black shirt and pants suit. There weren't any accessories on his body. His appearance was very simple, but in that place, he didn't look simple at all. His charisma and aura made him look expensive.
"Why did I just realize he's so attractive?" Iris muttered with a serious expression.
To be honest, she had already met Archer several times. The man had worked as William's personal bodyguard since three months ago, but he didn't always follow William. He only showed up and worked at certain events.
'Where did William find this man to be his personal bodyguard?' Iris wondered to herself. Anyone who saw Archer alone outside would definitely not have thought that he was a bodyguard. One might think he was a rich man's son.
At that moment, Archer suddenly signaled with his hand for Iris to come closer. His dark blue eyes looked deeply at her. He was full of charm and mysteriousness.
Iris took a deep breath and got off the barstool. She carried her glass of Sex on the Beach up the stairs. Now and then, her gaze watched Archer to know if he had disappeared.
The open space on the second floor was not as spacious as the first floor, because there were many private rooms there. The atmosphere was quieter compared to downstairs.
Before long, Iris had arrived in front of Archer. She took a sip of her cocktail and grinned. "Sex on the Beach, right? Thanks for the treat."
Archer's eyes darkened. However, it was only a glimpse. He turned around and walked into a private room. "Come with me," he said. Iris shrugged her shoulders and followed him.
The private room was large. Inside was a long, L-shaped sofa made of premium leather. On the table, there were two bottles of expensive red wine, one of which had been opened, and two empty glasses.
"Sit down," Archer said as he poured himself some wine.
"The lighting is quite bad," Iris commented without moving. She looked up and felt a little uncomfortable because it was too dimly lit.
Archer did not respond. He just sat and drank his own wine. Iris finally walked over to him, still holding her drink. "I didn't expect you to invite me to an expensive place like this," she quipped.
"The Collins family hasn't fired me yet. They canceled their business meeting here. I'm just utilizing the room they already booked," Archer replied nonchalantly.
Was he telling the truth? Iris did not investigate further. She started the discussion and asked, "So you've decided to help me?"
"What about my conditions?" Archer asked while observing Iris's stunning appearance.
"I've already chosen this. So... there will be no having sex with you on the beach," Iris replied while raising her cocktail glass. She smiled so sweetly that her eyes narrowed.
"Really?"
"Of course."
"What about getting married?"
"I don't-wait, WHAT?!" Iris looked at him in surprise. Her eyes glared. Did she hear wrong?
"No, you didn't hear wrong. My grandfather is urging me to get married. Your qualifications are good enough for that," Archer explained casually.
Iris laughed crisply and downed her drink. She put her glass down on the table rudely, then leaned over and looked at Archer's face sharply. He was still calm, as if what he had just said was not a serious matter.
"If I marry you, won't that prove that we're having an affair?" She asked with a furrowed brow.
"Of course." Archer smiled.
Iris squinted. After that, she stood back up and laughed. An idea crossed her mind. "Since someone wants to see me cheating, then I'll cheat. I want to see who will be happy if the news spreads."
"Smart girl." Archer downed his wine and smiled.
"Uh, it's not true." Iris realized something. She looked at the ring on her index finger and pursed her lips. Why didn't she seem to be leading the deal? Did she just follow Archer's idea?
"Uhm, between me and you, getting married seems impossible. How about just dating?"
"Why is it impossible?" Archer raised the corner of his eyebrow.
"Because ...." Iris thought of the right words. "I just escaped from a wedding plan arranged by someone else. Of course, I want to decide my own wedding."
"I'm a good man. I'm also loyal," Archer said confidently. "If you marry me, I won't cheat on you."
"You don't love me, you know that?" Iris was agitated. How could Archer be sure he wouldn't cheat when they didn't even love each other? The marriage would even be a pretend marriage.
"How do you know whether I love you or not?" replied Archer lightly.
Iris was speechless. A moment later, she clicked her tongue repeatedly while shaking her head. "I really wonder what your grandfather was like to make you want to use such an idea."
"So you agree?"
"Wait!"
Iris crossed her arms over her chest while observing Archer. Making him her husband must be a crazy thing. Besides not loving him, she also didn't know his character well. However, Archer's appearance did not disappoint at all. He was a mysterious man, and that challenged another side of Iris.
"Are you sure this will work?" Iris tried to confirm, and Archer nodded. Finally, she took a deep breath and decided.
"Okay. We are going to the registry office tomorrow. And you'll pick me up at my office."
The corners of Archer's lips lifted. He suddenly pulled Iris' waist until she fell into his lap. His hand held her nape, and then his lips quickly kissed her lips deeply.
Iris gripped Archer's shoulders in shock. "You...."
"Deal," Archer whispered.
Iris could only stay silent, with her body tense and stiff. She must have lost her mind!