Guilt washed over Ivan the moment his eyes registered the patient gown Iris wore. He should never had ignored her calls and because of him she was in this state once again. His eyes meets with her doctor Dexter, they were always simmered with intense hatred but he never understood why.
If it wasn't for Autumn, Iris would not have been here and he wouldn't have grown accustomed to seeing the doctor's face.
"Leave us." Ivan ordered. The silence that followed was loud and clear. Ben and Dexter sought to stay but Sydney being the peace make convinced the two to give the couple alone time.
Ben looked at his daughter, he doesn't know how long she would hold on to Ivan and he felt bad for her. He felt his wife's warm pat, hovering over her back.
"They'll be fine, let's respect their wishes." Sydney reassured her husband who just gave up but Dexter took a while before he was successfully evacuated.
The two were finally alone, Ivan searched for Iris face but she avoided his gaze. He walked up to her cupping her small face, Iris scoffed shaking her head, holding a small pout.
"Is that how you apologize? I called you multiple times and you busy my calls? Maybe Autumn is truly to your fancy." Iris tone was dignifiably childish but that's what Ivan loved about her, she was carefree, someone he would easily bend at will.
"I didn't want to, Iris, you know I wouldn't do that if it were up to me," he explained, as Iris arched a brow in skepticism.
"So, you're saying you're no longer in possession of your own phone?" she uttered, her voice laced with annoyance. Ivan immediately took her hand, and her heart melted at his touch.
"I love you, Iris, you know I do. It's just that after what Autumn did, my father has been breathing down my neck." He confessed, revealing a barely healed cut on his head. Iris gasped, her palms flying to her lips in shock. Her eyes welled up with tears, and before they could fall, Ivan gently wiped them away.
"How can your father do this to you?" she sobbed, more tears trickling down her cheek as Ivan tenderly cleaned her face.
Iris eyes widened. "But she offered a divorce. You wanted to divorce her as well. This is your chance Ivan." Iris informed Ivan who felt nothing but pity. "It's not that easy Iris, my father would never allow it even though I offered a divorce. We just have to be patient." He said smearing her red cheeks with his thumb.
Iris was furious, after all these years she's been mocked as the pitiful mistress. When the opportunity was staring her in the face, she's just told to wait, how long would she have to keep on waiting?
"I don't think I have any patience to spare Ivan." Iris mutters, her voice in quivers. "Do you know how many people think of me as pathetic? A lowly mistress? They label me a homewrecker and it's all because I love you." Iris sniffles.
"Is it a crime to love you Ivan? Is it?" With her teary eyes she searches Ivan's saddened expression as he pulled her into a hug, raking the locs of her hair as he comforted her.
His hand moved to her back, and he patted her affectionately, hoping to stifle her cries. As her tears subsided, he pulled away from the hug and searched for her face. "You're not a mistress, Iris; you're the love of my life, and nothing can change that," he assured her.
Her eyes trailed to the door, which was slightly ajar, and she caught a glimpse of Autumn peeking in before quickly retreating. Ivan turned to look, but saw no one at the door; he sensed a presence, but couldn't muster the energy to care.
Iris felt a thrill of satisfaction at her own performance, unmoved by Ivan's declarations. The pain on Autumn's face had gladdened her heart, and she tuned out Ivan's words. "An open marriage," Ivan said excitedly, his face bubbling with enthusiasm. "What about an open marriage?" Iris asked, searching his face for clarification.
Ivan held her hand and planted a kiss on the back of her palm.
"Autumn proposed an open marriage, so you'll no longer be known as a mistress or a homewrecker," he said, his lips tracing a path from her hand to her forearm, then to the side of her neck, the side of her jaw, and finally, her lips.
"Everyone will know your place in my heart once the storm calms down, my love." As he spoke, he gently pushed her down onto the bed, his eyes simmering with lust. To him, Iris was his, she belonged to him, and one day, he would claim her as his wife.