Chapter 687 - Do You Dare Marry Without My Blessing?
Qiao Yu remembered the time when he first visited Iris Long in her newly-renovated Gold Heights penthouse after she recovered from waking up from coma. During that time, she shocked him so much with her profitable, self-directed investments worth half a billion RMB that he froze and became speechless, causing her and her silly assistant Dom to panic and think that he was having a stroke. Seeing Iris panicking and demanding for ambulance right now reminded him of that moment back then.
Nostalgia hit him after the sense of déjà vu. Time sure flew swiftly. Never did Qiao Yu imagine the heights Iris would reach right now not only in showbiz but also in her business career. And it didn't look like she was stopping anytime soon. He had indeed made the right decision to follow her. Managing her wealth fulfilled his career aspirations and made him a happy man, and for that, he was thankful to her for the opportunity.
While his mind thought this way, Qiao Yu continued helping Dom to calm down and breathe properly. He looked a little awkward doing so because he was usually stern and stiff.
"Calm down, Little Sister," a devilish voice said in an almost lazy manner. "Your assistant is just hyperventilating. It's not that serious. He won't die."
Lu Zihao sat on a single recliner. One elbow rested on the seat's arm while he leaned his head on his fist. Despite the ruckus happening in front of him, his expression didn't change at all. There was even a hint of an entertained glint in his shadowed eyes.
Iris pursed her lips at him, giving him an unhappy look, as if telling him that it was his fault for causing her assistant to hyperventilate. She had already started calming down, thanks to Jin Liwei's firm but gentle reassurances.
Popcorn had also stopped meowing loudly but still continued slapping his Uncle Dom's pale face with his fluffy paws while Ice Cream remained dead to the world asleep on her mommy's lap. The exhausted, fat, grey cat had no idea that her Uncle Dom was causing such a commotion and made her mommy and brother panic so much. But even if Ice Cream were awake right at this moment, she probably would have just given her Uncle Dom an annoyed look that said "Quit being so overdramatic. You need to calm down and let me have my beauty rest in peace."
About ten minutes later, Dom finally stopped hyperventilating. Hong Shaoqiang handed him a glass of water.
"Phew! That was so scary! I thought I was gonna die! Oh heart attack, stay away from the gorgeous me! I'm still too young! Let me live longer and experience a world-shaking romance first! Dear future lover, where are you? I almost died before meeting you! Ah~" Dom cried dramatically while fanning himself with his hands.
Iris released a breath of relief upon seeing colour returning to Dom's skin. He was even cracking jokes again. "How are you feeling? Are you alright now?" she asked.
"Yes, boss! Don't worry! I'll be fine in a minute," Dom replied and then turned to everyone and apologized for interrupting the important meeting. "That prenup was just too shocking that my delicate heart couldn't take it."
Iris heard the last sentence Dom mumbled. She sighed in understanding. Like him, the prenup also shocked her. Not just shocked, she was also upset! She couldn't help but throw a look of complaint at her big brother who was lounging on the recliner by the window like a devious emperor who had everything in the palm of his hands.
"Now that your assistant is fine, let's continue discussing the prenuptial agreement," Lu Zihao said.
"Big Brother! I already said that I don't want this prenup!"
"Heh…is that so?" The slight devil's smile on his lips turned several degrees colder.
Iris pressed herself closer to Jin Liwei. Her heart shook but she forced herself to look at her brother straight in the eyes. "Big Brother, I know that you're doing this for me—and I'm very thankful for that—but I don't want this kind of unfair prenup. I love Liwei so I can't bear to place him in such a disadvantageous position like this."
The brother and sister had a stare-down. Iris looked like she was going to succumb to Lu Zihao's intimidating pressure but she managed to resist and show her determination.
"There will be no wedding without a prenup," Lu Zihao said in a voice so cold and low that it was almost a whisper but everyone still heard him.
Jin Liwei's expression turned ugly before glaring at his fifth brother. He looked like he wanted to grab his sworn brother's collar and shake him. Iris held his arm and squeezed it, silently telling him to calm down and not fight."Xiulan and I will marry regardless of what anyone says," Jin Liwei growled. "We don't need other people's permission, not even yours."
"Heh…are you sure about that, Third Brother?" Lu Zihao's devil smile widened but his eyes remained cold as he looked at Iris. "Do you dare marry without my blessing?"
Iris bit her lip, feeling torn. She hated seeing the two most important men in her life butting heads like this. "Big Brother, please. Liwei and I love each other. I want to marry him. I'll marry him."
Dom, Qiao Yu and the two lawyers watched from the sides. The scene really looked like a father who was disapproving the marriage of his daughter and her boyfriend. It felt very weird, especially since Lu Zihao and Jin Liwei were supposed to be close.
Lu Zihao looked at Iris with intensity for a few seconds before releasing an almost imperceptible sigh. The coldness in his eyes also receded a little. "Fine. Marry if you want. You're no longer a child but I still prefer that you marry with a prenup. The security will make all of us feel at ease. Tell me, which part of the agreement did you not like?"
"Everything," Iris said.
"The payment prices," Jin Liwei said.
Iris looked at him in confusion. "You only want to change the prices?"