The Billionaire's Runaway Wife

Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Iris Parker

After our little fight, I went back to the living room and stayed beside Jace through the whole night. As for Liam, I heard him go up the stairs going to Jacob and Jamie. I took my time to calm down and think clearly. 

"He loves you?"  Steve laughed at his own statement. I glared at him with all the hate I could put into a look, but he ignored me. He took a step closer and lifted my face with his hand. I immediately jerked away, feeling disgusted of even being touched by him. 

"Leave." I spat which he laughed at again. 

"Feisty. I always wondered how he was able to tame you." he started. 

I blinked confusedly and felt insulted at his choice of word as if I was some sort of animal. "What do you even want?" I breathed exasperated. Steve Watson always creeped me out, always made me feel to be weary around him. 

Being with him alone was worse. 

"I've come to tell you what you need." he answers knowingly as he picked up a snow globe that was on display, carefully observing it. "Liam doesn't love you. He needed you, to get your parents' business, take back what was his. And he got it. Now, you're married to him, he gets the companies in pretense of  saving it."  he paused and looked at me. He smiled slyly and continued. "Of course, he forgot to tell you that little detail." 

"Stop with the nonsense--"

"Fool. Do you remember your first meeting? A restaurant, right? You bumped onto him, spilled your drink on his clothes. And that's where everything started." I squinted my eyes at him. How did he know that? "Don't you see? Everything was planned. Your first meeting, first dates, how he would make you fall for him, everything, Iris." I hated the way my name sounded as he said it. 

I shook my head. It was my turn to laugh at him and his incredulity. "Has your greed of power finally got the best of you?" He scoffed and nodded slowly. Turning to the table, he fished something out of his pocket and set it on the table. It was a piece of paper.

"Poor little thing. So many things you don't know. For your sake, I'm willing to help you know the man you married." Steve neared the door, holding the knob as he turned to me. A shot of relief surged through me, but a swirling tornado of emotions was starting inside me. "Just a clue, you know nothing about Liam Parker." 

I walked over to the table and observed the piece of paper. 

'Il Supremo dell'Italia." 

My eyes opened when I felt a stirring next to me. Jace was crying in his sleep. I looked outside the window to see the sun high in the sky. However, the house was filled with silence, no one's up yet. 

I rubbed Jace's arm, calming him down and gently shushing him. He eased and the tears stopped falling. I wiped them out of his face and planted a kiss on his forehead, thanking God that my little boy was safe. 

I was never gonna allow anything to happen to him ever again. I will never let anyone hurt him. 

I stayed there for a while, letting the relief of Jace's safeness comfort me, but at the same time. My fight with Liam last night and the questions of what was gonna happen now made its way onto my mind. 

Things were never going to be the same, that I knew. The life that I had built between the triplets and I was forever gone. Liam was here now. I couldn't take him away from them now. No, that's just plain cruel. 

I started to play with my hands in nervousness as the thoughts jumbled in my head. My fears were a living reality now. There was no way out. We were a complete family now. 

"Calm down." a deep voice said. I immediately searched its owner and I see Liam and the other two on either side of him. Jacob and Jamie, upon seeing their older brother, they perked up, letting go of Liam's hands and ran towards us. 

I hurriedly put my finger to my mouth and shushed them. "Let him sleep for a while, okay?" I say and they both nod, but the smile on their faces showed me that they were just as happy as I was that Jace was back. 

Liam kneeled beside Jace and kissed his forehead, the same spot I planted my kisses on. I stared at him as he did this. He looked up to me and caught me. Ugh. 

I got up, making things less awkward and hugged the two, kissing them. "Are you hungry?" I questioned. They nod, their look still not straying from their brother. 

"Pancakes mommy. I'm sure Jace would love that." Jacob whispered carefully. I smiled instantly and looked over to the other two who were looking at us. 

I nodded at Liam, sending a message that he take care of them for a while. He nodded back and I left the living room. 

---

I made more pancakes than necessary and by the time Jace woke up, I finished cooking. I rushed to his side and assured him that he was safe. He started crying, as if he was still living the nightmare he had been in, but I hugged him tight telling him that he was safe now. 

The three other boys crouched over to him, comforting him also. When Jace saw Liam, he got up and hugged him, shocking me. "Daddy." he said simply. Okay, that's weird. 

The corner of Liam's mouth curled up as he hugged him back. The tugging in my heart was back again, but I ignored it as always. Instead, I tried to answer the questions that were rising. Liam probably introduced himself when he rescued him. 

"You're okay, now." Liam whispered to him. Jace's breath normalized after a while as he held on to his father. Soon, his tears subsided also. Jamie and Jacob only watched, understanding that Jace needed time and space to finally settle down. 

My heart sank as I watched them. Then Liam's question came back to mind. 

"Not even for them?"