Chapter 46 Chapter 46
Tony stepped closer to Iris, his protective instincts fully engaged. "I'll drive right behind the security vehicle. We'll make sure you get back safely."
As the group moved toward the foyer, Dianne hesitated, then reached for Iris's hand. "Would it be alright if I called you tomorrow? Just to check in?"
The vulnerability in question deeply affected Iris. This woman, her biological mother, was asking permission for the simple act of a phone call, so careful was she not to push too hard or too fast.
"Yes," Iris replied softly. "I'd like that."
Relief and joy washed over Dianne's face, transforming her features with a radiance that took years away from her appearance. Richard watched his wife with quiet wonder, witnessing yet another small miracle in a day filled with them.
At the front door, goodbyes became suddenly awkward as everyone recognised the significance of this parting. After twenty years of searching, letting Iris walk out the door, even temporarily, required tremendous trust that she would return.
“I don’t have classes on Friday, so maybe I could come back after my shift at the Cafe, or do I need to let my boss know I won’t be coming back?”
Dianne's eyes widened with a mixture of hope and uncertainty. The thought that Iris might voluntarily return so soon exceeded her most optimistic expectations.
"Of course you can come back," she said quickly, then caught herself, not wanting to appear overeager. "But please don't feel any obligation about your job. We understand you have commitments, a life that was established long before today."
Richard nodded in agreement, though his business mind was already calculating how to ensure his daughter never needed to work in a café again unless she chose to. "Your schedule is entirely your own. We're just grateful for whatever time you're comfortable sharing with us."
Theodore, ever practical, pulled out his business card and handed it to Iris. "My direct number is on here. Call anytime, for anything. And I'll send you the finalised statement once we've incorporated everyone's feedback."
Bryce bounced slightly on his toes, unable to contain his excitement even at this sombre moment of departure. "I could show you the rest of the estate on Friday! The gardens, the art collection, the media room..."
"Bryce," Victor cut in gently, "one step at a time."
Iris smiled at her youngest biological brother's enthusiasm. Something was endearing about his unfiltered excitement that reminded her of her Maxwell brothers. "I'd like that, Bryce. Maybe a proper tour on Friday."
As the security team signalled that the vehicles were ready, Iris found herself unexpectedly reluctant to leave. Despite the overwhelming nature of the day's revelations, there was something about this place, these people, that resonated with her on a level she couldn't entirely explain.
Richard hesitated, then opened his arms slightly in a tentative invitation. "If you're comfortable..."
Iris stepped forward into her birth father's embrace, allowing herself to be held by the man who had searched for her for twenty years. His arms encircled her carefully, as if she might disappear again if he held too tight. She felt his chest rise with a deep, shuddering breath before he released her.
"Thank you," he said simply, the words carrying the weight of two decades of waiting.
Dianne watched with glistening eyes, her own desire for an embrace evident but held in check, allowing Iris to set the pace of their reconnection. To her surprise and joy, Iris turned to her next, offering a brief but meaningful hug that Dianne received with trembling hands.
"Until Friday, then," Iris said as she stepped back, her analytical mind already beginning to process the extraordinary events of the day even as her heart continued to absorb the emotional impact.
Outside, Tony waited beside his car as Victor coordinated with the security team. The night had grown cooler, and Tony shrugged off his jacket, draping it over Iris's shoulders in a gesture that didn't escape Richard's notice.
"I'll have her back on campus within thirty minutes," Tony assured the Lawsons. "And I'll make sure she gets to her dorm safe and sound, if I remember correctly, you have a roommate, it's a wonder she hasn’t lost her mind by now.”
Iris chuckled, “She’s probably grateful to be able to get to sleep at a normal hour, my laptop screen has the tendency to keep her awake. Although I think she’s been trying to read over my shoulder if you messaged me over Discord, she’ll be doing it more so now.”
Tony's comment about her roommate brought a small smile to Iris's face. Rachel had been remarkably understanding of Iris's late nights spent designing, but this situation would test even her patience.
"Rachel's probably wondering where I am," Iris acknowledged. "I should text her."
As they settled into Tony's car, the security vehicle pulled ahead, ready to lead them back to campus. Inside the mansion, Richard watched through the window as his daughter departed, a complex mixture of emotions playing across his weathered features. Joy at having found her, fear that she might somehow disappear again, and a deep gratitude that she had been raised by people who clearly loved her.
"She's coming back," Dianne said softly, slipping her hand into her husband's. "On Friday."
Richard squeezed his wife's fingers, drawing strength from her newfound resilience. "Yes. She's coming back."
In the car, Iris checked her phone, wincing at the flood of notifications. Three missed calls from Rachel, dozens of messages on the design class Discord, and what appeared to be every social media platform she belonged to exploding with activity.
"I should have expected this," she sighed, scrolling through the messages. "People are already speculating about why the Lawsons were meeting with me."
Tony kept his eyes on the road, following the security vehicle as it took a circuitous route designed to identify and evade potential pursuers. "Theodore's statement should help control the narrative. Your classmates will be more curious about us than your connection to the Lawsons, at least initially."
Iris's fingers hovered over Rachel's name in her contacts. "What do I even say? 'Sorry I disappeared, turns out I'm the long-lost Lawson heiress'?"