Chapter 207 Dorian’s Mysterious Iris
Veyra leaned forward slightly, resting her elbows on the edge of the table.
"There is even more to it," she said, her voice dropping.
Wesley raised one eyebrow in mild curiosity. "More?"
"Dorian knew what he was doing," she explained. "He knew Naya Whitmore would not simply give up her pursuit just because he got married to someone else on paper."
She paused, watching Wesley’s reaction.
"So he married me early to set up a quick distraction. He used me as a decoy to keep her occupied and focused on me while he figured out his next move."
Wesley tilted his head to the side, listening carefully.
At first, he thought she was being remarkably clever. Her logic seemed sharp, her observations were spot-on, and she had pieced together the scattered clues with surprising precision.
But as he listened to her go on, he began to notice something else entirely.
Most of her bold conclusions were built on sheer speculation. They were guesses stacked on top of other guesses, neat little theories that fit the basic facts but lacked any real proof.
"Veyra," he said softly, interrupting her train of thought.
She looked up at him.
"Half of what you just said is completely correct."
She blinked in confusion. "Only half?"
"The other half," Wesley said with a gentle sigh, "is mostly just your imagination running wild."
Veyra frowned, feeling a little defensive. "What do you mean by that?"
"I mean you have managed to figure out a few real things," he clarified. "Dorian did marry you partly to protect someone else. He really did use you as a shield against his family. That part is true."
He paused, letting the words settle.
"But as for the rest, the specific details, his personal motives, and this secret woman you keep picturing, you are simply filling in the blank spots with your own assumptions."
Veyra stayed silent, processing his words.
"You are very smart and extremely observant," Wesley added. "But right now, you are just guessing."
Wesley leaned forward across the table, his tone becoming a bit more serious.
"Do you actually want to know the real truth?"
She nodded right away.
"Dorian does not even know what the woman he likes actually looks like."
Veyra stared at him in complete disbelief.
"What?"
"He does not know her real name," Wesley explained calmly. "He does not know what her face looks like. He only remembers a blurry silhouette in the gloom, the sound of her voice, and the quiet way she held him."
He paused for a second.
"He simply calls her Iris."
Veyra opened her mouth to speak, closed it, and then opened it again.
Her mind struggled to process what she was hearing.
"He does not even know what she looks like?"
"No, he does not."
"Or her actual name?"
"Not a clue."
"And he is still in love with her?"
"Yes, he is."
She shook her head, thoroughly bewildered. "How is that even possible? How can someone be in love with a person they have never even seen? Someone whose name they do not even know?"
Wesley shrugged his shoulders casually. "I have no idea. Honestly, I have never really understood it myself."
He tilted his head, a faint, playful smirk appearing on his face.
"Who knows? Maybe they had some kind of intense physical relationship in the dark," he mused. "Maybe that is why he never got a clear look at her face."
Veyra’s cheeks instantly flushed bright red.
"Wesley!" she gasped.
He let out a light laugh. "I am just speculating out loud."
"That is completely inappropriate to say!"
"Well, you are the one who came here asking all these detailed questions."
"I certainly did not ask about anything like that!"
He laughed again at her reaction. "Look at you, you are blushing."
"I am not blushing at all," she insisted, turning her head away.
"You definitely are."
Veyra took a deep breath and forced herself to regain her composure.
"Fine," she said, trying to steer the conversation back on track. "So he does not know what she looks like. Why doesn’t he know?"
Wesley shook his head firmly. "I cannot tell you that part."
"Why not?"
"Because it is simply not my story to tell," he answered gently. "And besides, I do not even know all the small details myself."
He paused, looking at her with a serious expression.
"But Veyra, whatever thoughts you have in your head right now, whatever theories you are building up, please do not share them with anyone else."
Veyra studied his face closely.
"You mean I should not bring this up to Dorian?"
"I mean you should not tell a single soul," Wesley emphasized. "Including Dorian. Especially Dorian."
"Why?"
"Because he is an intensely private person," Wesley explained. "And if he finds out that I shared even this much with you, he will not be happy with me at all."
Veyra nodded her head slowly.
"Alright. I will keep it to myself and say nothing."
"Good. I appreciate that."
Wesley leaned back in his seat, his playful mood fading as his expression grew quiet and serious.
"There is one more thing you should keep in mind," he added.
"What is it?"
"Dorian has incredible emotional control," Wesley said. "He is easily one of the most disciplined people I have ever known in my life." He paused before continuing. "So if even casual observers can tell that he is in a bad mood lately, the underlying situation might be quite serious."
Veyra felt her heart sink slightly at those words.
"Serious in what way?"
"I do not know for sure," Wesley admitted. "But I will try to find out for you."
He pushed his chair back and stood up from the table.
"I will set up a meeting with him soon," he promised. "I will probe around a little and see what is really going on."
Veyra nodded appreciatively. "Thank you, Wesley."
"Do not thank me just yet. He might close up and tell me nothing at all," he cautioned. "But I will give it a fair try."
"I still appreciate it."
Wesley walked beside her as they left the room and made their way to the front entrance.
"Take care of yourself," he told her as they stepped outside. "And try not to overthink every little thing. You are very smart, but sometimes smart people tend to make simple things far more complicated than they need to be."
Veyra offered a faint smile. "I will keep that in mind."
She said her goodbyes and stepped out into the cool evening air.
She walked past the entrance and made her way toward the waiting car, her mind spinning with everything she had just learned.
She really did not know what to think about any of it.
Dorian was apparently in love with a woman he had never seen in broad daylight, a woman whose true identity remained a complete mystery, someone who had saved his life and then vanished without a trace.
She did not feel angry about it, nor did she feel jealous.
She just felt thoroughly confused, and deeply tired.
She pulled open the door and climbed into the back seat. Leon was sitting in the driver’s seat, looking back through the mirror.
"Heading back to the manor now, ma’am?" he asked.
She gave a small nod. "Yes, please."
The car smoothly pulled away from the curb and merged into the evening traffic.
Meanwhile, back inside the private room at Bordeaux 101, Wesley stood near the window.
He watched through the glass until her car merged into the street and disappeared from view.
Only then did he reach into his jacket, pull out his phone, and scroll to Dorian’s number to hit dial.
The line began to ring.
Across the city, high up in the towering glass structure of the Zeus Group building, Dorian was sitting alone at his wide office desk.
The main overhead lights were turned off, leaving the large room in soft shadow except for the cool glow radiating from his laptop screen.
Stacks of paperwork covered the desk surface, contracts, financial reports, and project proposals scattered all around. He had been working continuously for hours on end, stretching into days.
Kaelen stood quietly by the doorway, watching his boss from a distance. He could clearly see the tired rings beneath Dorian’s eyes, the relentless pace of his moving pen, and the total lack of rest. He had not eaten a proper meal, had barely slept, and refused to pause even for a moment.
Kaelen knew him well enough to see the truth. Dorian was simply using endless work to numb his mind.
Suddenly, the silent office was interrupted as the phone on the desk began to vibrate and ring.
Dorian glanced down at the glowing screen and saw Wesley’s name appearing on the caller ID.
He reached out and picked up the call.