Chapter 49 Chapter 49
"Overwhelming?" Iris supplied with a weak smile. "Yes."
"But how did they find you? And what does Tony Kennedy have to do with all this?"
Iris explained the sequence of events - Tony recognising her talent, investigating her background out of curiosity, discovering the DNA match to the missing Lawson baby through a special DNA kit designed by her younger biological brother, Bryce, for that reason in the Library, and the subsequent meeting with her biological family.
Rachel listened in stunned silence, occasionally shaking her head in disbelief. When Iris finished, she simply stared at her roommate for several long moments.
"So you're an heiress," she finally said. "To like, one of the biggest fortunes in the country."
Iris winced at the blunt assessment. "Technically, I suppose. But I'm still me, Rachel. I'm still me, Iris. Besides, my eldest brother, Theodore, is the heir to the business, I believe, I’m just the missing princess if you will.”
Rachel smiled at this, relieved to see glimpses of the practical, understated roommate she'd come to respect beneath the extraordinary circumstances. "Missing princess. That's actually kind of perfect." Her expression grew more serious. "Are you okay? I mean, really okay? This is a lot to process in one day."
Iris exhaled slowly, allowing her carefully maintained composure to slip slightly in the safety of their shared room. "I'm... functioning. Analyzing. My brain keeps trying to categorise everything into manageable pieces, but there's just so much. My entire identity has shifted, yet I'm still the same person."
"And Tony?" Rachel asked gently. "That looked pretty serious in the lobby."
A soft blush colored Iris's cheeks as she thought of their kisses, each one deepening the connection between them in ways she hadn't anticipated when the day began. "That was... unexpected. But good. He's been remarkably supportive through all of this."
Across campus in his private apartment, Tony stared at his phone, ignoring the increasingly insistent calls from his mother. Instead, he opened his messaging app and typed a simple text to Iris: Sleep well. I'll be there in the morning. He hesitated, then added: I meant what I said. You're remarkable.
In their expansive penthouse, Helga Kennedy paced furiously as Julius watched from his chair, a rare tumbler of scotch in his hand.
"He's not answering my calls," she fumed, her perfectly manicured nails tapping against her phone screen. "This is unacceptable. That girl has already turned him against us."
Julius sipped his drink contemplatively. "Perhaps it's not the girl turning him against us, but rather our response to her that's creating the divide."
At the Lawson estate, Richard sat in his study reviewing the final version of the statement with Theodore. At the same time, Dianne sorted through old photographs, selecting ones to have copied for Iris. The creative energy that had awakened in her during their time in the studio continued to flow, her artistic eye evaluating each image for the story it told.
"She has your analytical mind," Richard observed, watching his wife's methodical approach. "And your artistic vision."
Dianne looked up, her eyes bright with unshed tears. "She's everything I imagined she would become, Richard. Everything and more."
In the guest wing, Bryce was busily preparing for the potential Maxwell visit, directing staff to stock the refrigerator with snacks teenagers might enjoy and ensuring the game room equipment was in working order. His excitement at the prospect of having four young "brothers" visiting was infectious, bringing smiles to the faces of household staff who hadn't seen such enthusiasm in the youngest Lawson son in years.
Victor and a security team were reviewing campus satellite imagery, identifying potential weak points in Iris's daily routine that might leave her vulnerable to press intrusion or unwanted attention. His military training made him approach his sister's protection with strategic precision, mapping out entry and exit points.
Back in the Kennedy penthouse, Julius decided to call his son directly. After three rings, Tony answered, his voice wary.
"Father."
"Antony," Julius said, his tone deliberately gentle. "Your mother is concerned."
"I'm sure she is," Tony replied, his voice cool and unmistakable. "Concerned about losing leverage with the Lawsons, not about my wellbeing."
Julius sighed, moving to the window of their penthouse to put some distance between himself and Helga's pacing. "I think it's more complicated than that. She sees this girl as a threat to our family's interests."
"Her name is Iris," Tony said firmly. "And she's not a threat to anyone. She's a talented designer who just had her entire life upended."
Julius recognised something in his son's voice that he hadn't heard before, a protective certainty that reminded him of his own younger self, before decades of strategic marriages and business alliances had calcified his worldview.
"You care for her," he observed. It wasn't a question.
"Yes," Tony admitted without hesitation. "And I won't let Mother use her or her family as pawns in some corporate chess game."
In her dormitory room, Iris had finally finished explaining the day's events to Rachel, whose expression had cycled through disbelief, amazement, and finally a kind of protective concern.
"So tomorrow morning, everyone's going to know?" Rachel asked, glancing at the time on her phone. It was well past midnight.
Iris nodded, exhaustion finally catching up with her. "Theodore is releasing the statement first thing. I should probably warn my professors before they read about it online."
"What about your design classes? Professor Winters has been pushing your work as purely merit-based. Will this change things?" Rachel's practical question touched on one of Iris's deepest concerns.
Iris sighed, pulling her knees to her chest as she leaned against her headboard. "I hope not. My work should still stand on its own. But people will talk, wonder if my success was somehow influenced by a connection I didn't even know I had."
Rachel scoffed. "Anyone who's seen your designs knows your talent is real. Besides, you won that competition before anyone knew who you really were."
Iris smiled gratefully at her roommate's fierce defence. "Thanks, Rachel. I just hope Professor Winters sees it that way, too."