Test of Strength (10)

The four women watched their target of slander with mixed feelings. They weren't afraid of her, but it wouldn't be good for them to alienate her either, because of the person who stood behind her. Although Hemming was on the verge of falling, he was still a power to be reckoned with.

The women looked at one another, their smiles forced. Which of them would take the drop for the others?

"Out of words now that I'm here?" Kyro's woman said, taking a step toward them. She didn't seem bothered by all the stares leveled at her body, her eyes focusing solely on the four at the table.

But none of the women dared to stand up and accept a formal challenge. It would be too detrimental to their plan of getting close to the men for which they were aiming.

As Iris watched the four unable to make a move, she suddenly came to a realization. They were actually afraid of her! Probably not of her as a person, but someone who had a backing behind them and thus needed to be avoided.

"So that's it? Eager to slander people behind their back, but not an ounce of backbone to stand for what you say? Pathetic."

With those words, Iris turned away, her dress swishing lightly from the swift movement. It was a nice feeling, and she marveled at it, but then she noticed a person standing a few meters ahead of her.

'So that's why nobody made a sound when I was about to leave; they were all looking for the next show.'

She didn't know how many people knew about Kyro's relationship with a certain other woman, but Jane's pose could not be mistaken. Dressed in a dark lavender floor-length dress with bare shoulders, she stood with hands on hips. Her boyish figure and short hair gave her a certain air of wildness, of rebelliousness.

However, her face with light make up was scrunched up in disgust, which got in the way of her free spirit image.

When Iris was about to pass by, she heard the other speak in a voice that pretended to be a whisper, but in the comparably quiet corner, it reached everyone. "How grand of you, bullying your own kin."

"Excuse me?" Iris stopped, her eyes narrowing. Did that woman want a fight as well? It wasn't enough for her to just be turned down by Kyro privately? They had to go public with it?

"Oh? Did I say something not true? Are you per chance not another hanger-on, flavor-of-the-week girl?" Jane asked, her lips curling into a smirk.

Iris' eyebrows rose in surprise. All her fear of confrontations was chased away by the ludicrousness of the situation. Was Jane really that stupid? Or her information network that bad?

"You can't cry foul when you're the one that left," she said with a shrug. "As they say, there are many fish in the sea." Iris then gave Jane an obvious once over, and smiled. "And you're clearly not much to miss."

There was a gasp from somewhere in the crowd, but Iris didn't look that way. Her eyes were on Jane, who subconsciously raised her hand to touch her short hair. Swiftly though, her hand lowered and her face twisted with fury.

"Don't think that just because he indulges you for a week that you'll always be by his side." Her voice seethed with suppressed emotions. "You're a nobody, an illegal immigrant that I'll soon exorcise."

Iris' little heart fluttered at the accusation, but she told herself it was going to be okay. She had to keep her trust in Gale.

"Exorcise?" She gave Jane a pitying look. "Maybe you should go easier on what you're taking. There seems to be a definite effect for the worse. Exorcise, really?"

But Jane didn't bite on her taunt. Instead, she held onto her previous statement like a dog on a bone. "Prove it then. Show me that you're here legally."

A quick glance around told Iris that there was a large crowd around them already, watching surreptitiously. Everyone was pretending to be busy with their own conversations in their small groups, but there were much more people than before. And their eyes would often stray to the two women.

'So that was her plan, that's why she started this whole argument.' Iris had to give credit where credit was due—Jane was certainly thorough when trying to destroy someone's reputation. If Iris was found out here, it would become the talk of the town that very same evening.

'But I can't let that happen.' She closed her eyes for no longer than a standard blink and looked at Jane with a sneer. "Is that all? Or do you have anymore requests?" She put an emphasis on the last word, drawing it out.

Her reaction seemed to surprise Jane, and Iris took a step forward, only seeing the woman in front of her. "Do you really still dare to come to me? If I were you and Kyro had spurned me when I offered my father's whole legacy to him along with myself, I'd be too embarrassed to even leave the house." Iris pulled away then, turning around flippantly. "But you seem to have no sense of shame, so good for you I guess."

Jane blanched at the words, her face going pale under all the make-up, and Iris grinned at her savagely. That had to be enough, right?

From the corner of her eye, she saw Kyro walking over. There was a complicated expression on his face, like he couldn't decide between being amused and acting stern.

On the side, Jane turned to him with a pleading expression, looking vulnerable and hurt. Her eyelashes fluttered, bringing one's attention to the unshed tears. It was a sight to bring out the protective side of men, and ire rose within Iris' heart. That woman just never gave up.

'If you want to fight, then don't blame me for not being lenient.'

Iris went straight to Kyro, a light smile on her face, without a trace of what had happened before. "What are you doing here?" she asked in a soft voice.

"You were taking too long, so I wondered what happened," he answered readily, his eyes focusing on her. "So what were you up to?"

"Oh, nothing," Iris said in a lighthearted manner, pulling him away. "Just had a chat with your ex. Can't say we're gonna become best friends any time soon." She almost even managed to sound disappointed by that.

"What made you think that? The part where you told her to stop with the drugs or shamed her in front of the whole gala?"

"You heard everything?" Iris asked in disbelief, her cheeks going pink. How did she not see him earlier? She could have just went to his side and there wouldn't have been any need to fight! The mere fact that Kyro ignored Jane would be proof enough that Iris was worth more in his heart.

Upon remembering the villainess, Iris shifted her head to the side a little to look back behind them. The crowd had started to disperse, but Jane was still standing in her place, with fingers like claws holding onto the expensive dress' skirt. The fake tears were gone, the look in her eyes having grown chilling. Her face had turned ugly, twisted by a myriad of unsavory emotions.

Their gazes met for a moment, and Iris smiled while Jane scowled. They were certainly meant to cross paths again, but Iris didn't mind it too much. After all, she had the one weapon that could defeat the other at any point.

"Come, the auction is about to start," Kyro said as he led her through the large door she'd seen earlier. "I need to say a short introduction speech."

"Right." She nodded, following along with the click of her high heels.