Must you do this?
After 8 long years of marriage Iris couldn't believe what she was seeing. She felt that something was wrong with her husband. After the birth of their son Blaze, he became distant and always showered her with gifts. He was always busy with work and overcompensating. She had to pause her career to take care of their son because she didn't want his mother interfering.
That woman believes that blaze isn't her grandson, that Iris cheated on Martin. Blaze does look like an exact copy of Iris which riled her up. Iris would never do that to him. Yes, she wasn't a virgin when she married Martin but he wasn't either. Iris loves martin with all her heart but she isn't stupid and will never stand for something like this.
The final straw is the fact that Samantha, her mother in law has been nice to her and blaze recently, more particularly Blaze. She overhead Samantha asking blaze if he wanted to stay with his mother or father. She quickly put two and two together. After crying for a day, she picked herself up before calling a private investigator using her old personal account.
She hasn't touched it since she got married. Martin doesn't know about her other profession and all the salary she has ever earned is in there. She used an alias and her inheritance is not included in the marital properties. The PA quickly found out that martin is seeing his childhood sweetheart and everyone already knew about it except for her. Many people outside her circle had try to warn her but she was so caught up in playing wife that she didn't even take it seriously.
The woman had the nerve to send her a very disgusting video that she'll be using as evidence. She opened the door roughly and everyone inside the private room came to a halt. Iris didn't say anything and just clapped her hands laughing hysterically. A year ago these people were flattering her and now they are doing the same to the two disgusting couple.To make matters worse , her best friend was there with her husband.
" Oh no, continue. I came to see if this is really true that my friends stood by while my dirty husband continues to stamp on my dignity as a woman. So continue, Martin , you will be hearing from my lawyer." Iris said. Everyone couldn't look her in the eyes.
" Babe, this isn't what it looks like" Martin said running to her side.
" Oh, the video your mistress sent to me seems pretty accurate. Don't come near me, you disgust me. This is yours, we will talk through our lawyers about the custody of blaze and I'll be taking half of your assets or even more after i get through investigating every single thing you have done behind my back" Iris said.
" I knew you were after his money." Samantha who was supporting the pregnant mistress said.
" To think that i was willing to let you get close to your grandson despite the horrible things you have done and said behind my back. Congratulations, you finally got what you want. I will leave and thanks to my careful piled evidence, you will never step foot anywhere near my son. My family will also stop any cooperation there is with your family and the loan you asked for will be stopped. Like i said, congratulations." Iris said before throwing her wedding ring to Martin 's face before getting out of there with tears on her eyes.
Martin was about to run after her when Vivian faked her stomach aching. Everyone was quite and felt guilty seeing the tears on iris's face. Cellphones started ringing and everyone who had business dealings with the Lowell family turned pale, especially Iris 's best friend who turned pale when her brother called her. Although their families were in business together, the relationship she had with Iris was real. She knew about the affair for two years but never said a word because her husband was the same. It is okay for man to cheat.
" What video is she talking about?" Martin asked Vivian who was bo longer pale.
" Well, i got jealous and sent her the video you took of us a year ago. I don't want our kid to be born out of wedlock." Vivian said with tears.
" Do you have any idea what you have just done!! Iris is a lawyer and a very good one. She will be coming after the both of us with everything she has. Don't forget that she can also sue you as a third party with our state laws. I am about to become a CEO in a month and this kind of scandal can bury me alive. And mom, you did a DNA test three times without iris knowing and they all came back positive. What else did you do?" Martin asked the two women who were hurdled together.
" Martin we will talk about this at home. Can't you see Vivian's condition, if anything happens to my grandson, i don't know what i will do to you." Samantha said dragging Vivian out of there to avoid the embarrassment she was feeling. She didn't expect Iris to show up during the baby shower.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Two months later.
The divorce blew up as more evidence of martin's infidelity was presented in court. Iris didn't know what to say, to think that she was fooled the whole eight years with more women was a huge blow to her. She also opened a third party law suits against Vivian and three other women who were involved with Martin.
Two of those were married . Samantha started smearing her name through the media so she also pressed charges against her and a defamation law suits. Thanks to Samantha 's move, the chances of them getting any custody of Blaze went down the drain. Martin 's promotion was put on hold thanks to that.
Martin kept harassing her to stop the divorce procedures and stay for blaze's sake but she wasn't having any of it. Her brother took blaze back to their home town. Her mother stayed with him because she was an emotional wreck. Right now her best friend was blowing up her phone. She had enough before blocking her number.
Tomorrow is the final court date and she is just tired. All of her things have been packed and all of their joint properties are currently being audited by their lawyers. Martin was a wreck. Due to Harlow refusing to work with him ever again, his business suffered a major blow and is in financial crisis. His position in the family company is threatened. His father has more than one illegitimate children out there so he won't care about him.
She asked for half of his properties plus alimony and child support on top of that. She could have took everything but some of his money is dirty. Something she just found out now. They amount she asked for is the amount of money he earned through hard work while married to her, she won't touch any more than that. She did help make that money after all.
Martin 's father asked her to drop the divorce procedures and be a good wife. His tone wasn't nice either. A clear indication that he also knew about everything and was even proud of his son. To think that she had thought of him as her other father for him to turn out like this in the end.
As for her grandmother in law, she didn't say anything to her other than to ask if she could still see Blaze from time to time. The old man told her that she will always be welcomed in their home. They didn't make any trouble for considering that their grandson was the one at fault this time. Martin tried very hard to drag this on but with the amount of evidence she had prepared, the ball was in her court.
" Iris, the house is ready. Are you sure you don't want to stay back at home?" Harlow asked.
" You know sister in law won't be happy. Big brother already has enough troubles there is." Iris said.
" But that is our home. It's not hers and that fool has no say in this. I am sure mom and dad would be very happy with it. You know how much they love Blaze, their only grandson. " Harlow said.
" Second brother, you know more than anyone how mom cherishes big brother more than anyone. If she had to choose between us and him, she would chose him in a heartbeat. She's sold that she can only depend on him in her old age. So that house is as good as his in my opinion. We are grown up already and with dad's health, stress is not something he can handle. The house i bought is a little bigger than yours and it's in the city center. You and Leslie can come over from time to time. I bought it because it's closer to Blaze's new school." She said with a smile.
" You still haven't forgiven dad for what happened?" Harlow couldn't help but ask .
" I did, i just never forgot it. I moved pass that a long time ago, it's just that our relationship can never go back to what it was before. He is a good dad though. It's just that he had to love mom more than his kids." Iris said.
" Okay, let's go. The final court hearing is today. We are going to be late at this point." he said resigned. He and Jacob were really caught by surprise by their father's decision nine years ago and he knows that although that the relationship between the three of them is okay, it will never go back to where it was before. He and Iris are still okay and they get along very well but the relationship between Iris and Jacob is never going to recover.
" Let's go. I switched off my phone. I keep getting threatening messages from Jacob's wife. Do you have any idea why?" Iris asked.
" She had a partnership with martin's cousin. Due to your divorce, that cousin took martin's side and cancelled their partnership." He said with a sneer.
" That is news to me. But then again martin has lots of cousins so i wouldn't be surprised if he from those extended family wanting to suck up to him. This is the reason why i don't want to step foot into house and why she's now banned from mine." Iris said. This sister in law of hers is a ticking time bomb.
" She is getting worse with time. I stopped Leslie from hanging out with her and we maintain our distance from them whenever we are at any family events. She used my name quite a lot and i had to draw the line with Jacob. " He said feeling tired by just hearing that woman's name.
" That is never going to work. She's still on the lawyers case about cancelling my inheritance. The lawyer just handed everything to me to handle and couldn't help me anymore. The poor guy was growing grey hair thanks to her antics. I think grandma had already foreseen this " She said with a laugh remembering how flustered the lawyer was a year ago.
" She did what?" Harlow asked dumbfounded.
" Apparently Jasmine and i are married, and according to her , we are spilled water. Everything should be left behind. She did the same when she heard that Jasmine 's biological father died and left all his fortune to her son. " Iris said.
" Why does brother enable her so much?" he asked while driving.
" They had a business marriage after all and as much as i like my big brother, he's self centered due to mom's coddling. He doesn't care as long as whatever she does doesn't mess up his plans and if it's in his best interest. Why do you think third brother and jasmine refuse to go home no matter the occasion?" she said.
" Wait, them not coming back has something to do with big brother?" Harlow asked with wide eyes.
" Don't you think that sister in law is too stupid and confrontational for her to come up with those schemes? We all noticed it a long time ago. You are lucky you got to move out earlier. Let's go. We are here " Iris said unbuckling her seat belt.
" Iris, must you do this?" Martin who was waiting for her outside the courthouse asked.
" I have to. You know our original agreement Martin. I can tolerate anything except cheating." She said and bypassed him. Harlow who was safely protecting his sister sneered and didn't put Martin in his eyes. His sister was the best and will eventually figure out a way to live his life without this fool like she has been doing lately.