Chapter 170 Do Or Die 🔫

Chapter 170 Do Or Die 🔫
His eyes immediately returned to me.

"You stay here."

I glared at him.

"Oh, don't start."

"Iris."

"You literally just promised to stop controlling my life."

"This isn't—"

"You promised!"

Armari's mouth opened.

Then closed.

Caleb looked between us, trying very hard not to smile.

I pointed at Armari.

"See?"

Armari gave Caleb a look.

Caleb immediately straightened.

"Right. Serious situation."

I turned back toward Armari.

"I am not hiding downstairs while Stella walks around this house pretending she owns something."

Armari sighed heavily.

"Nobody said you were hiding."

"You told me to stay here."

"Because my father is unpredictable."

"So am I."

His eyes narrowed.

I lifted my chin.

"Let me come."

"Iris—"

"Armari."

He stared at me for several long seconds.

I could practically see the argument happening inside his head.

Control her.

Protect her.

Keep her away.

Then...

His own words came back to haunt him.

I'm going to stop making you feel like you have to fight me to know what's happening in your own life.

His jaw tightened.

I waited.

Finally, he sighed.

"Fine."

My eyebrows rose.

"Fine?"

"Yes."

"That easy?"

"Don't push it."

I smiled.

Armari pointed toward me.

"You stay beside me."

I rolled my eyes.

"Compromise."

"Iris."

"Fine."

He stepped toward me and took my hand.

Caleb watched us.

Then he sighed dramatically.

"Great."

Armari frowned.

"What?"

Caleb started walking toward the door.

"Nothing."

"Caleb."

"I said nothing."

I followed Armari out of the kitchen.

And as we walked toward the staircase, Caleb muttered under his breath.

"Now I have to watch two idiots flirt while dealing with a political disaster."

Armari stopped.

"Did you say something?"

Caleb immediately looked ahead.

"Nope."

I covered my mouth to stop myself from laughing.

Armari stared at him.

Then looked down at me.

And despite the danger waiting upstairs...

His fingers tightened around mine.

"Don't leave my side."

I looked at him.

For a second, I almost teased him.

But something in his face stopped me.

He was worried.

Really worried.

And suddenly...

I had the terrible feeling that Boris's arrival had nothing to do with a simple family visit.

We climbed the stairs together.

Hand in hand.

Unaware that upstairs, Stella was already waiting.

And she had proof of something that neither Armari nor I knew had ever been recorded.

The moment we reached the upper floor...

A cold voice echoed through the corridor.

"There she is."

I stopped.

My stomach dropped.

Stella.

Armari's grip on my hand tightened.

And when I looked up...

She was smiling.

But her eyes were fixed on me.

Like she had been waiting for something.

Like she already knew exactly what I had been doing downstairs.

"There she is."

My stomach dropped.

Stella stood at the end of the corridor.

She looked almost painfully beautiful.

Her hair was perfectly arranged. Her clothes were elegant. Her face was calm.

Too calm.

And the faint smile on her lips made something inside me immediately uncomfortable.

Boris stood beside her.

His hands were folded behind his back as he stared directly at Armari.

Armari's grip tightened around mine.

Stella noticed.

Of course she did.

Her eyes dropped toward our joined hands.

Something flickered across her face.

Anger.

Then satisfaction.

I frowned.

Why was she satisfied?

Armari stepped forward slightly.

"What are you doing here?"

Boris didn't answer immediately.

His eyes moved toward me.

I felt Armari tense beside me.

"Look at me again."

My eyes widened.

Armari's voice had dropped dangerously low.

Boris slowly turned toward his son.

"You're giving orders to me now?"

"I'm asking you why you're here."

"No."

Boris's expression remained cold.

"You're demanding."

Armari said nothing.

The corridor became silent.

Caleb stood slightly behind us, watching Boris carefully.

I could practically feel the tension moving through Armari's body.

Then Boris spoke.

"I'm here because we need to discuss your future."

Armari gave a short, humorless laugh.

"My future?"

"Yes."

"I don't remember asking for your opinion."

Boris's gaze hardened.

"You don't have to ask for a father's opinion."

Armari's jaw clenched.

I looked between them.

This was getting bad.

Fast.

Stella suddenly spoke.

"Before we begin..."

Everyone turned toward her.

Her smile widened slightly.

"...I think Iris deserves to see something."

My stomach tightened.

Armari immediately looked at her.

"No."

Stella raised an eyebrow.

"No?"

His eyes narrowed.

"Whatever you came here to do, Stella, don't."

She smiled.

"You're afraid?"

"I'm warning you."

"That sounds like fear to me."

"Stella."

His voice came out sharper.

She ignored him.

Instead, she slowly pulled out her phone.

I stared at it.

Armari's expression changed.

"Put that away."

Stella looked delighted now.

"Why?"

"Stella."

I suddenly understood something.

My heartbeat began racing.

"What is on the phone?"

Nobody answered me.

I turned toward Armari.

"Armari."

His eyes remained fixed on Stella.

"Don't."

I looked at Stella.

"What is on your phone?"

Her eyes finally met mine.

And her smile became almost gentle.

"Oh, Iris."

My skin crawled.

"You're going to hate this."

Armari moved.

"Stella."

She tapped the screen.

Then turned the phone toward me.

I froze.

My breath stopped.

It was a photograph.

No.

Not exactly.

A still image.

And I recognized it immediately.

The downstairs kitchen.

My kitchen.

The one I had just been sitting in.

My eyes widened.

On the screen was Armari.

And me.

Kissing.

I stared at it.

For several seconds, my brain refused to understand what I was looking at.

The angle was from above.

From the far corner of the kitchen.

Like someone had been watching us.

My mouth fell open.

"What the fuck?"

Armari took the phone from Stella's hand.

His face went completely still.

Stella laughed quietly.

"Careful."

His eyes moved across the image.

Then he looked toward Caleb.

"Who has access to the security system?"

Caleb frowned.

"What?"

Armari turned the phone toward him.

Caleb stared.

His face changed.

"That's..."

"The kitchen."

"Yes."

Caleb looked confused.

"I thought those cameras were disconnected."

Armari's eyes hardened.

"They were."

I stared at them.

My heart was racing now.

"Someone was watching us?"

Stella laughed.

"Watching?"

She stepped closer.

"Oh, sweetheart."

Her eyes moved toward me.

"You think that's the problem?"

Armari's expression darkened.

"Don't call her that."

Stella ignored him.

She reached for her phone.

Armari didn't give it back.

Her eyes narrowed.

"Give me my phone."

"No."

Stella looked toward Boris.

Boris sighed.

"Armari."

Armari finally looked at his father.

"She has access to my surveillance system."

Stella laughed.

"Your surveillance system?"

Armari stared at her.

Her smile widened.

"I have a right to see the inside of my husband's house."

Silence.

I blinked.

My eyebrows rose.

"Your what?"

Stella slowly turned toward me.

Her eyes were cold.

"My husband's house."

Something twisted painfully inside my chest.

Armari immediately spoke.

"I'm not your husband."

Stella's smile faltered.

"Not yet."

"Not ever."

The words echoed through the corridor.

Stella's face changed.

I felt my heart beat harder.

Armari stepped closer to her.

"Tell me how you got access."

Stella folded her arms.

"I don't have to tell you anything."

"You tampered with my security."

"I have every right."

"No, you don't."

Her expression hardened.

"I'm supposed to marry you."

Armari laughed bitterly.

"According to who?"

Boris finally stepped forward.

"According to your agreement."

Armari's head turned.

"My agreement?"

"The alliance."

"I never agreed to marry Stella."

"You were raised knowing the expectation."

"Expectation is not an agreement."

Boris stared at him.

"You'll marry her."

I felt Armari's hand tighten around mine.

"No."

Boris's gaze dropped toward our hands.

There was something almost disappointed in his expression.

"Is that why?"

Armari said nothing.

Boris looked toward me.

I suddenly felt cold.

"This girl."

Armari immediately stepped in front of me.

"Don't."

Boris's eyes returned to him.

"She's compromising you."

"No."

Armari's voice was cold.

"I'm making my own choices."

Stella suddenly laughed.

Everyone turned toward her.

"You keep saying that."

She looked at Armari.

"But Iris doesn't even know you."

My stomach tightened.

Armari's expression darkened.

"Stop."

"Oh, I haven't even started."

She held out her hand.

"Give me my phone."

Armari didn't move.

Stella sighed dramatically.

"Fine."

She looked directly at me.

"Iris."

I stared at her.

"What?"

Her lips curved.

"Do you want to know something funny?"

My heart sank.

"No."

She laughed softly.

"You should."

Armari's voice dropped.

"Stella."

She ignored him again.

"The kitchen."

My breathing stopped.

Stella's eyes moved toward the phone.

Then back toward me.

"You looked so happy downstairs."

I swallowed.

"What are you talking about?"

Stella's smile widened.

"You probably thought that was your moment."

My chest tightened.

She continued.

"That little forgotten kitchen."

Armari's jaw clenched.

"Enough."

"But it wasn't."

Her eyes never left mine.

And then...

She pulled out another phone.

My eyes widened.

Armari's expression changed immediately.

"What the fuck?"

Stella tapped the screen.

Then held it up.

This time...

I didn't see myself.

I saw Armari.

And Stella.

My heart stopped.

They were in the same kitchen.

The exact kitchen.

My eyes moved across the image.

The counter.

The stools.

The doorway.

Everything.

But it looked different.

Older.

And there...

Stella was sitting against the counter.

Armari stood between her legs.

His hand was on her waist.

His face was close to hers.

And his lips...

His lips were against hers.

My fingers went cold.

I couldn't breathe.

The entire corridor disappeared.

The sounds disappeared.

Everything disappeared except the image.

Armari kissing Stella.

In the same kitchen.

My kitchen.

My stupid little quiet place.

The place where I had just called Kimberly.

The place where Armari had held me.

The place where he'd promised to try.

The place where he'd kissed me.

I stared.

And stared.

And stared.

Something inside me quietly broke.

Not loudly.

I didn't scream.

I didn't cry.

I didn't accuse him.

I just stared.

Armari suddenly moved.

"Iris."

I didn't look at him.

The image was still in front of me.

Stella watched me carefully.

Her smile was gone now.

She wanted to see me react.

She wanted anger.

Tears.

A fight.

But I couldn't give her anything.

I just whispered.

"Oh."

Armari's face changed.

"Iris."

"Oh."

My voice was quiet.

Too quiet.

Stella slowly lowered the phone.

I looked at her.

"When?"

Armari immediately answered.

"Before you came here."

My eyes moved toward him.

He looked frustrated.

"It was before you started working here."

I stared at him.

Stella laughed.

"Oh, please."

Armari turned sharply.

"Shut up."

She ignored him.

"It wasn't just once."

The words hit me harder than I expected.

My chest tightened.

Armari's eyes flashed.

"Stella."

"What?"

His voice changed.

"Stop talking."

She stared at him.

"You don't get to threaten me."

"I said stop."

Boris stepped forward.

"Armari."

But Armari didn't move.

His eyes were fixed on Stella.

I stared at him.

Something about his reaction hurt even more.

Because it meant there was something to hide.

I slowly stepped backward.

Armari immediately noticed.

"Iris."

I looked at the kitchen image again.

Then back at him.

"You kissed her."

His face tightened.

"Yes."

The honesty hurt.

I nodded slowly.

"Okay."

"Iris—"

"And you were going to tell me?"

Armari said nothing.

That silence was enough.

I laughed once.

It came out broken.

"Of course."

"Iris."

"No."

I held up my hand.

"I get it."

"You don't."

"I do."

My voice became quieter.

"I really do."

Armari took one step toward me.

I stepped back.

He stopped immediately.

The movement was small.

But everyone noticed.

Something changed in his face.

"Iris."

I swallowed.

My throat was burning.

"You promised."

His eyes softened.

"I know."

"You literally just promised me."

"I know."

"Downstairs."

I laughed again.

"That's funny."

Stella watched me.

I could feel her satisfaction.

I hated it.

But I couldn't even fight her.

Because suddenly, I didn't have the strength.

Armari reached toward me.

I moved away.

"Don't."

His hand stopped in the air.

The silence became unbearable.

I looked at him.

"Please."

The word was barely a whisper.

His hand slowly dropped.

And that hurt too.

I hated that it hurt.

I looked toward the stairs.

Then back at Armari.

"Can I just go?"

"No."

The answer came immediately.

My eyebrows rose.

Armari seemed to realize what he'd said.

He closed his eyes briefly.

Then corrected himself.

"I mean..."

His jaw tightened.

"Don't leave the estate right now."

I stared at him.

Of course.

Of course.

Control.

Again.

Something inside me hardened.

"Why?"

"Because my father is here."

"Your father came to my home."

"I know."

"And Stella came with him."

"I know."

"And apparently, she can watch me kiss you inside your house."

"Iris—"

"So what exactly am I supposed to be scared of outside?"

Armari didn't answer.

Boris suddenly spoke.

"Perhaps you're beginning to understand the situation."

I turned toward him.

My eyes narrowed.

"Shut up."

Silence.

Even Stella blinked.

Boris stared at me.

I stepped forward.

"I didn't ask you."

Armari immediately caught my wrist.

"Iris."

"No."

I pulled my arm free.

"I'm tired."

My voice cracked slightly.

"I am so tired."

Boris's expression remained cold.

But I didn't care anymore.

"I'm tired of you people deciding things for me."

My eyes moved toward Stella.

"I'm tired of being watched."

Then Armari.

"And I'm tired of being lied to."

His face changed.

I swallowed hard.

Then I turned away.

"I need air."

"Iris."

I didn't stop.

"Iris."

I kept walking.

Behind me, I heard Armari move.

Then Caleb stepped between us.

"Armari."

Silence.

I didn't look back.

I reached the stairs.

My chest hurt.

Not because I believed Armari loved Stella.

That wasn't even what hurt me the most.

It was the kitchen.

The stupid kitchen.

Because for a few minutes downstairs...

I had believed something was mine.

Something quiet.

Something private.

Something untouched by everyone else.

And now I knew...

Even that had belonged to someone before me.

I wiped my eyes angrily.

I wasn't going to cry.

Not in front of Stella.

Not in front of Armari.

Not in front of anyone.

But as I reached the bottom of the staircase...

My legs suddenly felt weak.

And behind me...

I heard Armari's voice.

Cold.

Dangerously cold.

"Get that device removed."

Caleb's voice came quietly.

"Armari—"

"NOW."

I closed my eyes.

Because somehow...

That made it worse.

It was already too late.

The kitchen had already changed.

And so had something inside me.