Chapter 161

Iris

For a moment, I’m at a loss for words. I stare at Veronica, taking in her serene face and perfect appearance.

She doesn’t look like a woman who spent the night agonizing like I did. In fact, she looks as if she slept on a fucking cloud while I tossed and turned all night in the very gown I wore to the event. The gown which I’m still wearing now.

In that moment, anger takes over me.

“Speak with me?” I bite out. “About what, exactly? About how you gifted me blood diamonds on the night of a charity event for children? About how I was publicly humiliated because of your ‘gift’?”

Arthur sets down his coffee mug. “Iris—”

“Did you know?” I ignore him and move toward Veronica. I’m practically seeing red. “Did you know those diamonds were mined by slave labor when you gave them to me?”

Veronica’s mouth falls open. Even Arthur looks taken aback by my accusation.

“What? No!” Veronica gasps, pressing a hand to her chest. Her eyes widen into saucers. “How could you think that? I would never—”

“It seems awfully convenient, doesn’t it?” I growl. “You give me these beautiful, expensive earrings, insist I wear them to the gala, and then just happen to disappear right when everything goes to hell. And now here you are, sitting in my kitchen like nothing happened, touching my mate’s arm—”

“Iris, that’s enough,” Arthur cuts in.

Veronica’s face crumples. “I… I came here to apologize,” she says, sounding for all the fucking world like she’s about to cry. “I-I had no idea about those diamonds. My jeweler assured me they were lab-grown. I have the certification papers at home.”

I’m not sure what to say. But before I can formulate a response, she reaches into her purse and pulls out a folder, which she sets on the counter. “And I wanted to tell you that despite everything, the fundraiser was a success. We met our donation goal.”

“We… what?”

“The donation goal,” Veronica repeats, sliding the folder toward me. “My organizers told me that many of the guests stayed after we left. They were appalled by what happened and wanted to show their support.”

I hesitate before reaching for the folder. Inside, I find papers outlining the donations from last night’s event. The numbers add up to just over the one million mark we were aiming for.

“I…” My anger instantly deflates, even if only a little. “I didn’t know.”

She wipes at her eyes, and I’m startled to see actual tears shimmering like diamonds. “I can’t believe you think I would intentionally sabotage you like that, cousin. Is that really what you think of me? That I’m capable of such cruelty?”

Guilt instantly replaces my anger, even more so when I look at Arthur and see his tight expression. What the hell am I doing? Accusing my own cousin, who has been nothing but kind to me, of deliberately giving me blood diamonds? Based on what evidence, exactly? A feeling? A hunch? The fact that she always looks perfect? My own insecurities?

“I’m sorry,” I manage. My face is burning with shame now. “I wasn’t thinking clearly. After last night, I just…”

“You were looking for someone to blame,” Veronica finishes for me. “I understand. It was a traumatic experience.”

Her graciousness only makes me feel worse. I grip the counter and whisper, “The earrings really weren’t blood diamonds?”

“I bought them from a reputable jeweler,” Veronica says firmly. “He showed me certification papers stating they were lab-grown. Either he lied to me, or that woman who attacked you was mistaken.” She sighs, shaking her head. “Either way, I’m so, so sorry, Iris. This is my fault.”

“No, it’s not,” I say quickly, even though a tiny voice in the back of my mind is telling me otherwise. “I shouldn’t have jumped to conclusions. I’m sorry.”

Veronica gives me a watery smile and stands. “I should go. I just wanted to tell you about the donations and to apologize. I hope you can forgive me.”

With that, Veronica grabs her purse and heads for the door. Once she’s gone, I practically crumple. I sink onto the barstool behind me, suddenly feeling restricted by the gown I’m still wearing.

“I must have looked like a crazy person right now,” I mutter, rubbing my hands over my face. “Still wearing last night’s gown, coming into the room swinging like that…”

Arthur doesn’t say anything at first, just watches me with. Then, wordlessly, he crosses to the coffee pot and pours me a cup—adding extra creamer, just the way I like it when I’m upset. His brow is furrowed as he hands me the cup.

“I’m an idiot,” I mutter as I take it.

“You were upset,” Arthur finally says. “It’s understandable.”

“Is it?” I let out a wry little laugh. “Is it understandable to accuse your cousin of sabotage based on nothing but a feeling? Goddess, what is wrong with me? Am I really the type that needs to take down another woman who challenges my ego?”

Arthur doesn’t answer immediately. Instead, he picks up the folder Veronica left and begins flipping through the pages, his brow furrowing slightly as he looks at the numbers.

“What?” I ask, noticing his expression.

“Maybe nothing,” he says with a sigh. “But these numbers seem off, don’t you think?”

I move to stand beside him, peering over his shoulder at the financial breakdown. “What do you mean?”

“See here?” He points to a column labeled ‘Administrative Fees.’ “That’s nearly forty percent of the total donations. That seems excessive for operating costs.”

I frown, recalling my meeting with Veronica at the Fund’s headquarters. “She did say they had high operating costs. Staff salaries, administrative fees, that sort of thing.”

He glances at me beneath his brows. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

My mouth opens and closes a couple of times. “I… I don’t know,” I admit. “You’re busy. It seemed excessive, but not unreasonable, so I thought…” I narrow my eyes. “What are you saying, exactly?”

Arthur sighs and closes the folder. “I don’t know. But Ezra has been looking into the matter you brought up regarding public schools not receiving the funding they were supposed to, and we think the Ordan Public School Fund might be at least partially responsible.”

My eyes widen slightly. “What? Are you saying she’s embezzling or something?”

“We’re not sure yet,” Arthur says. “We still have to investigate.”

“Is that why you’ve been acting strangely about the charity gala?”

Arthur nods, and I let loose a breath that makes a loose strand of hair flutter around my face, sinking onto the chair behind me. “I wish you told me I was potentially partnering with someone—publicly—who might be taking money from public schools. If that’s true, then this whole situation just got ten times worse.”

“I didn’t say anything because I knew next to nothing,” Arthur says.

My eyes snap up to him, and I want to feel angry—perhaps my brief rage is still lingering somewhat—but I can’t. I know he did his best. I suppose we all did.

“I believe it’s a simple paperwork error,” Arthur says firmly. “Either way, we’ll get to the bottom of it. In the meantime…” He takes a deep breath. “I’ve scheduled a press conference for tomorrow. To address the incident at the gala.”

“Press conference?” I groan, passing my hands over my face again, and peek at him through his fingers. “I’ve never done one of those before.”

“I know,” Arthur replies gently. “But you have to. It’s the only way to mitigate the growing media concerns.”

He’s right, of course. And I hate that he’s right. “I don’t want to do it,” I mutter, looking away.

Arthur sighs. “I know it sucks, but remember that you asked for this, Iris. You wanted to go public with our relationship, and this is what it’s like.”

I can’t help but let out another wry laugh. “Constantly mopping up messes?”

“Precisely,” he sighs, moving to lean against the kitchen island beside me. He reaches out and brushes that loose strand of hair out of my eyes. “Now do you understand why I wanted to keep you and Miles separate from this life?”

As much as I hate to admit it, I nod. Sometimes, especially lately, I can’t help but wish that I never insisted. That I let someone like Selina handle the public side of things so my son and I could live in peace and quiet.

Hell, maybe I would have even let Veronica be Arthur’s public wife.

But even as I think that, there’s a twinge of indignation that bubbles up inside my chest. If I have a wolf at all, she’s certainly roiling at the idea of our mate publicly being with someone else—and when I think about Veronica’s perfectly manicured hand touching Arthur’s arm, I want to throw my coffee cup against the wall with rage.

Is this how Arthur felt with Ezra and Hunter? Jealous beyond all logic? No wonder he nearly bit Ezra’s head off that day in my studio. I feel like breaking something now, and I don’t even have a wolf, let alone a male one.

No, remaining hidden never would have been sustainable. This jealousy would have eaten me alive.

Finally, I sigh and stand. I give Arthur a curt nod. “You’re right; I asked for this.” I pick up the skirt of my gown and turn toward the stairs. “I’ll do my best to prepare for tomorrow’s press conference.”