Chapter 14 Chapter 14
"I need to protect her," he said, more to himself than to Eleanor.
Eleanor reached across the table and squeezed his hand. "I know. But sometimes the best protection is the truth, even when it hurts."
At Kennedy Holdings, Julius ended another call and turned to his wife with a grim expression. "Richard Lawson has hired additional security for the design competition event. He's clearly anticipating something."
Helga set down the portfolio of Iris's designs that their investigator had compiled. The girl was undeniably talented; her work showed a sophisticated understanding of form and function that belied her young age.
"We need to determine if she truly is Roxanne Lawson before the competition results are announced," Helga said, her mind racing through scenarios. "If she is, and the Lawsons discover it at their own event..."
"The publicity would be enormous," Julius finished. "And entirely in their control."
Helga nodded, her perfectly manicured nails tapping thoughtfully against the polished mahogany desk. "We need a sample for DNA testing. Hair, saliva, anything."
"And if she is Roxanne?" Julius asked, though he already knew the answer.
"Then we have leverage," Helga replied coolly. "The question becomes how best to use it."
In her metalworking lab, Iris carefully soldered the final connection on a delicate silver pendant, part of her first piece for the online store she was going to start with five pieces and slowly expand.
Her hands moved with precision born of countless hours of practice, each movement deliberate yet fluid. The pendant would be the first piece she'd list on her store, a statement of her aesthetic and craftsmanship. As she worked, she was unaware of being observed through the lab's glass door by a well-dressed man who lingered just long enough to take several discreet photos with his phone before walking away.
Three floors above in the business building, Tony ended his lunch with Eleanor, his mind made up. She was right, he needed to tell Iris the truth, or at least enough of it that she could protect herself.
"Be careful," Eleanor warned as they parted outside the restaurant. "Our parents didn't build empires by being predictable or gentle."
"I know," Tony replied grimly. "That's what worries me."
He checked the time. Iris would be in her metalworking lab now, according to the schedule she'd mentioned during their coffee meeting. If he hurried, he might catch her before her next class.
Meanwhile, the Kennedys' investigator sent the photos of Iris to Julius with a brief message: "Subject in metalworking lab. Will continue surveillance."
Julius forwarded the images to Helga, who studied them with intense scrutiny. There was something in the girl's profile, the curve of her cheek, the set of her jaw, that reminded her of Elaine Lawson. Not enough to be definitive, but enough to warrant further investigation.
"Find a way to get a DNA sample," she texted back. "Discreetly."
In the lab, Iris finished polishing the pendant and held it up to the light, satisfied with how the silver caught and reflected the fluorescent glow. She carefully packed it away in her portfolio case alongside her sketches for the Lawson competition. The case contained nearly everything important to her future, her designs, her prototypes, her business plans. She guarded it as fiercely as she guarded her independence.
As she exited the lab, she nearly collided with Tony, who appeared breathless as though he'd been running.
"Iris," he said, relief evident in his voice. "I was hoping to find you here."
She raised an eyebrow, noting his dishevelled appearance. "Aren't you supposed to be at some fancy lunch?"
"It ended early," he said, glancing around the hallway. "Can we talk? Somewhere private?"
Something in his tone made her stomach tighten with apprehension. "I have class in twenty minutes."
"This is important," Tony insisted, his voice low and urgent. "Please."
Iris hesitated, studying his face. The intensity in his eyes was different from their previous interactions; there was a desperation there that made her uneasy.
"Fine," she relented. "There's a study room at the end of the hall that's usually empty."
They walked in silence to the small room, Iris's mind racing through possibilities. Was this about her designs or something else?
“Ok, what's gotten into you, Tony?”
Instead of answering with words, he kissed her.
Iris froze, her eyes wide with shock. For a suspended moment, she remained perfectly still, her portfolio case clutched tightly against her chest like a shield. Then she stepped back abruptly, breaking the contact.
"What are you doing?" she demanded, her voice barely above a whisper but sharp with confusion.
Tony ran his hand through his hair, his expression a mixture of regret and determination. "I'm sorry. That wasn't... I didn't plan that."
"Then why did you do it?" Iris asked, taking another step back until she felt the wall behind her.
The truth was, Tony hadn't meant to kiss her. He'd intended to have a rational conversation, to carefully explain his concerns about the DNA test and his parents' interest in her background. But seeing her there, clutching her portfolio with the fierce protectiveness that characterised everything she did, something had snapped inside him, a need to connect with her before the walls between them grew even higher.
"I needed to get your attention," he said finally, knowing how inadequate the explanation was. "There's something important I need to tell you, and I was afraid you wouldn't listen."
Iris's eyebrows rose, her initial shock hardening into something colder. "So you thought kissing me would make me more receptive? That's not how this works, Tony."
Outside in the hallway, the investigator Helga had hired discreetly photographed them through the small window in the door. The kiss had been an unexpected development, one that would certainly interest his employer.
Tony took a deep breath, forcing himself to focus on why he'd sought her out in the first place. "It's about the DNA test. I don't think you should do it."
"Excuse me?" Iris's voice was dangerously quiet. "What gives you the right to have any opinion on my personal decisions?"
"Because my parents know about it," Tony said, the words tumbling out before he could soften them. "And they're interested in your background. So are the Lawsons."