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LITTLE IRIS'S POV

At The Party

Like Aunt Jenny told me, at the party there were many people I didn't know. Seeing so many strangers around myself, I got a little scared and clenched onto the fingers of my daddy a lot tighter than before making daddy look down at me because I did that.

"Daddy who are these people?" I asked him as soon as he looked down at me.

"These are my friends."

I looked around the entire room and my eyes fell onto a group of other kids like me gathered around the corner of that huge hall. "And are those supposed to be my friends?"

Daddy looked at me a little taken aback and then sighed nodding away, "Fine. You can go meet them once I'm done with meeting my boss."

I looked up at daddy. He was so scary. He was the boss of Aunt Jenny and Uncle Romario. Daddy was so scary and powerful. He had a boss as well?

"You have a boss too?"

"Everyone has a boss, Iris."

Daddy was shockingly patiently replying to every question I asked him tonight without yelling at me. Thank god he was nice to me tonight or who would I cry to now. There was no Aunt Jenny or Uncle Romario here.

"Your boss has a boss too?" I asked thinking, if my daddy was so scary then how scary his boss must be? Or his boss's boss? The ultimate boss should be a man eater.

"My boss doesn't have a boss to himself. He's god." Daddy said taking his name respectfully touching his ears.

"Daddy has your boss-" I was about to ask him another question daddy yanked my hand which was holding his fingers and glared at me returning to his usual self like he was at home with me. "No more questions Iris. Be a good girl!"

'Does good girls have no questions to ask?' I questioned myself internally but only bowed down to my father nodding away, "Yes daddy."

Sooner, we were on the stage arena where a lot of people were talking respectfully to this one man who looked scarier than I have ever seen any man in television or in reality. His beard had turned all gray so were half of his hair. Although he was dressed neatly but the way he was standing with a burning cigar trapped between his fingers, talking in his stern voice, it was enough to make a person's blood run cold.

"Master Martinez. It's an honor to be at your party." Daddy bowed to the man meanwhile I didn't know what to do, so I was staring continuously at the bearded man.

"Is that your daughter Rhys?" He took daddy's first name, and I was shocked since I've heard nobody talking to my daddy like that, with that much audacity.

"Iris?" Daddy yanked me and I immediately bowed myself before the man called Martinez. "It's an honor to meet you Uncle Martinez."

Everybody looked at me shocked while I had the ends of my skirt tightly held into my fist and my legs crossed in a bowing position. I didn't know what was wrong with everybody.

"Iris, Not everybody is your uncle!" Daddy said, and I looked up at daddy confused, even scared because he was clearly not happy with my behavior right now.

"I-I'm sorry daddy." I got into crying with tears watching my daddy looking at me filled with so much rage.

"Oh, no no. Rhys, come on! Why are you making the poor little girl cry?" Daddy's boss, Mr Martinez said and picked me up in his arms. Everybody there looked at Uncle Martinez shocked. Perhaps they weren't expecting him to be so great with kids?

"I'm sorry Mr. Martinez." I whispered slowly.

"It's okay little princess, this party is for you only." Mr Martinez said putting me down once I stopped with all my tears.

"F-for me?" My eyes grew big knowing that a strange person who has never met me in person would throw me a party like this.

"Yes. I want to introduce you to my kids." Mr Martinez said and gestured one of his Butlers by clicking his fingers. The butler bowed to him and left in the direction where I saw some kids of my age playing. After a while three boys retuned with him. Two of them were my age and the third one looked a lot older to me.

"Meet my kids." He said pointing at the elder one dressed in formals, "That's my elder son, Zachary William Martinez." And then he pointed at one of the two kids present there who was dressed in formals as well, looking really attractive, "And that's my younger son, Zephyr William Martinez."

"Sup?" The boy he introduced as Zephyr William Martinez, tried greeting me, shooting his brows at me casually to which Mr Martinez glared at him exactly the way daddy glared at me every time I didn't 'behave'. He immediately looked at his daddy's glare and got terrified just like I get when I see daddy's glare. I couldn't help but laugh when I saw that. Zephyr immediately looked at me distastefully and growled, "What so funny?!"

"You're funny!" I was still laughing.

He got more angry and started to come at me in attack mode, "You!!!" He could have hit me but Mr Martinez stopped him with his thundering voice.

"ZEPHYR?!!" His voice was so stormy that even I got chills down my spine even though I wasn't the one he was screaming on.

"Iris, behave yourself!" Daddy yanked me from my hand and I immediately realised daddy would hit me when I get back home because I wasn't behaving like a good girl. That realisation was enough to shut me up for the rest of the night.

"Who is this little boy your highness?" Daddy asked Mr Martinez about the last kid he never introduced us to.

"That would be Dr Walter's son, Theodore Walter." Theodore bowed down in gratitude and greeted everyone just like how we were taught to. "It is an honor to be invited here your highness and Mr Rodriguez." He said greeting both my daddy and Zephyr's father.

I looked at Zephyr, he was still glaring at me angrily. While he was doing that, his nostrils were all pumped up. He looked really cute like that. My heart suddenly started to beat loud drums. I don't know what was happening?

"Anyway, Theodore? Why don't you take Iris and play with her?"

"Yes, your highness." Theodore bowed to him and came towards me but Zephyr made an annoyed face, "Humph! I don't want to play with her. She's rude and weird." Zephyr said, but before Mr Martinez could scream at him once more Theo stepped on his toe making him scream, "Theo, what the hell?!"

"Let's go, Iris? Zeph just come with us okay? We'll talk about this later." He said saving Zephyr from getting scolded by Mr Martinez once again.

While we were leaving, the third kid, Zachary was also about to accompany us but Mr Martinez stopped him, "Not you Zachary. I need to talk to you."

"Yes father." He bowed and decided to stay there with the elders while we left to the place where all the kids were standing in this party for all.

LITTLE ZACHARY'S POV

(Zephyr's Elder Brother)

"Zachary, I would like you to meet this man here. He's Rhys Rodriguez. That little girl was his daughter." Father said introducing me to this man who standing beside him. "Oh. Pleasure to meet you Mr Rodriguez." I forwarded my hand out to him, and he shook it gladly with his head bowed my way. Even though he was a lot older than I was, he was still showing me respect because he was the man of my father's army which I was going to overtake after I attain a certain age. I was the heir to the mafia throne.

"How did you think of my little Iris, young master?" Mr Rodriguez asked at which I was just taken aback. How did I think of Iris? What kind of question was that? "Uhm, she seems sweet, I guess." I mean I did think she was cute I did feel my heart flutter a little when she laughed so heartily just now, but what else was I supposed to say? Father laughed watching my confused face after that, telling me, "This party tonight is for you and his daughter Iris. I was thinking about getting you two betrothed. Rhys wants the same for his daughter."

"But isn't she too young to be burdened with something like that?" I asked father that, but my father's expressions told me that he wasn't happy with my counter reply. "I- ERM-sorry father. You can do as you wish." I said immediately bowing to him. It doesn't matter who he gets me to marry with, he had that right over my life. Also, Iris did look cute. She was definitely going to grow up into a perfect woman someday.

"I knew you wouldn't overlook my orders. So, if everything is okay with you, shall we exchange the rings? What say, Rhys?"

"That is why I brought my daughter here at the party boss." Mr Rodriguez laughed while I couldn't help myself but look in the direction of the corner of the hall where all the other kids were. Iris looked seven years old or something. She was eight years younger to me. She seemed so carefree right now. Would she even remember this night of her betrothal after she grows up? Hell, she's so innocent. Does she even know what a betrothal means?

Maybe not.

That's the problem with our mafian culture. We cannot decide who we want to grow up and get married to on our own. It is all decided up by our families. Right from the day we were born.

LITTLE IRIS'S POV

"Come on, Zeph. Why have you made up your mood swollen like that? It's okay, she's also like us." Theo said to Zephyr once we were all gathered at the playing area in this party for grownups.

"Really? You think she's like us? Wait!" Zephyr said to Theo and walked up to me and asked me in an angry tone. "Tell me what's 2+5?"

"What?"

"2+5? What?? You don't even know that? Aww! That's such a shame for a grownup girl like you." He said mocking me and then started to laugh. I had no idea what he was talking about. I have heard two, and I think I know what's five but plus? I don't understand at all.

"Perhaps she is in KG and doesn't know that." Theo said defending me.

"Okay, so tell me what's 2+2? Or even tell me what comes after the alphabet G?" Zephyr asked me again.

I looked at him confused but didn't reply anything. He started to laugh at me, "See, she's so dumb. She doesn't even know that. I come last in my class, but I still know all the alphabets and one digit addition-subtraction."

I didn't feel good when he started to laugh at me like that. Tears formed into my eyes and I yelled at him with all my might, "You're cute, but you're mean!"

Just when I yelled that at him, he became quiet and looked at me silently. I started crying with my both fists pushed against my eyes. Theo immediately came near to me and started to console me. Seeing this, Zephyr didn't feel good. He demanded me in his rude voice. He was just like his father, just short heightened having a kid's voice. "You think I'm cute?!"

"No. I think you're rude!" I immediately replied him sobbing away with Theo consoling me, "Iris, please don't cry. He's a little mean to strangers but trust me, once you become his friend, he is the best friend you can ever have. "I just wanted to- t-to be fri-friends with him. I don't have any friends." I said while sobbing.

"You could have friends at your school." Zephyr said shrugging off his shoulder, unbothered.

"I don't go to school. I'm not allowed to step out of my daddy's house."

"Okay, you're a bigger liar than I am."

"I am not lying!" I shouted and more tears rolled down my cheeks.

"Zeph come on. You shouldn't be so mean to her. Just because your life is perfect doesn't mean everybody else's is too." As soon as Theo said that to Zephyr, he shouted at him in anger, "My life isn't perfect, and you know it Theo!!"

Zephyr was so loud that everybody at the party standing around turned their faces to look at him.

"Zephyr, I'm sorry. I didn't mean that. I-" But Zephyr didn't listen to Theo, and he just ran back inside the house without saying anything to anyone.

"I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to anger him. I just wanted to be his friend. I don't know how to make friends. I have never been around other kids before." I said after Zephyr left. Theo looked at me shocked, "Never?"

"Never ever. Daddy doesn't allow me to go out. This is the first time I have stepped out of daddy's home." I said.

"Wow. That must be weird for you. I'm sorry Iris. But I promise you he will come around." Theo said consoling me, "Zephyr has his own issues. He doesn't get along with people soon. He has been through a lot."

"Like what?" I asked, to which Theo nodded, "I can't tell you that now. Maybe later? Now that we are friends, I'll get to see you a lot, right?"

"Will you come to my house to play with me?" I asked him excited.

"Of course. I will also ask Mr Martinez to get you enrolled in our school. You'll go to school with us, it will be so much fun, isn't it?" He said.

"Yes." I said and hugged him. As soon as I did he became stiff all of a sudden. He stopped moving at all and became a statue. He even stopped talking. "What happened? Are you alright Theo?" I asked him worried and caught him blushing, "No. Yes, I'm fine."

"Iris?" I heard my daddy's voice and I got so scared that I almost felt like my heart jumped inside my chest and came down my throat.

"Yes daddy?" I asked, turning to face daddy now.

"Come, let's go. We have a ritual to perform." He said and scooped me up in his arms. This was the first time daddy ever picked me up in his arms. It felt so warm and nice to be here. Once we reached the stage Mr Martinez called for everybody's attention, "Listen up, everybody. As you all know this party was about my elder son Zachary being crowned as the heir to my throne."

The spotlight fell on that elder boy, Zachary. Everybody looked at him and so did I. He looked so confident. "I would also like to announce the betrothed partner of my son, Mr Rhys Rodriguez's daughter, Iris Rodriguez everyone."

Daddy put me down to stand beside Zachary. The spotlight fell on both of us while everybody clapped. I could not understand a single thing that was happening.

"Rings please?" Mr Martinez clapped his hands and two servants walked inside holding royal plates in their hands.

"Pick up that ring and place it in his finger, Iris. The second finger from your right." Daddy commanded me. I didn't argue much with daddy and did what he asked me to do. Next, Daddy forwarded my left hand towards Zachary, and he placed a beautiful diamond studded ring in the same finger of my hand. Everybody present there clapped their hands meanwhile I couldn't understand anything at all. All the photographers gathered around us in no time taking our pictures.

This ring was very precious so daddy told me that even though the ring was mine, I won't keep it until I grow up enough to keep this secure. Whatever all that happened this night with me there in those thirty minutes, was weird.

RHYS'S POV

(Iris's Daddy)

"Now that Iris is the daughter in law of Martinez family, I want you to quit down your ego and send her to school. I cannot have my future daughter in law illiterate." Mr. Martinez, my boss said.

"I was planning to home school her, mi lord." I said in my defence bowing down to Martinez.

Honestly, I don't give shit about Iris. She isn't my daughter. She is the daughter of the woman I once loved and gave my whole heart to. Having Iris with me is my compulsion. Besides, she looks a lot like Irina and fuck, this is the reason why neither can I keep her with me nor give her away to some orphanage countryside. She reminds me of of Irina. She looks just like her mother and that brings hell for me everytime I look at her.

"Home schooling won't do Rhys. If you want your daughter to become the next queen of our empire, you have to give her the best education we can afford. She is my responsibility now. I'll finance her education." He said further.

I didn't say anything after that. I hated the idea of letting Iris out of the captivation of my house even for a second. Maybe it was too sick of me but the thought of her going out made me think that she too would run away from me, just like her mother did. I know she doesn't love me, just as how her mother never did. I run my eyes across the room looking for Iris in that room and I found her in the corner of that very room playing with the boy Martinez introduced as Theodore Walter, "If there is nothing else, Iris and I would take your leave mi lord." I said bowing down.

This party is so over. Moreover, I hated to see how happy Iris was being with other boys of her age. It hurts my heart just how it hurt when I saw her mother with someone else. I definitely don't want to be a sick pedophile here, but I just can't help this feeling. It is making me angry seeing her happy with other kids. Jealous, is the correct word.

"Si. You don't even look okay." Martinez said studying my facial expressions when I looked at Iris like that, "I'll send someone to pick Iris up from her home tomorrow. She'll get enrolled in the same school as Theodore and Zephyr.

"Si. Goodnight mi lord." I said bowing down once again and started walking to where Iris was playing with Theodore. She looked really happy and cheerful. She was just a kid and every kid is happy while playing with another kids, I should not be disturbed by this. She is just seven years old. But fuck I can't get my mind off it. I guess I'll need a good fuck tonight when I get back home.

"Iris? Let's go." I called out to Iris once I reached where she was.

"Y-Yes daddy." Iris immediately replied and left everything immediately to come hold my finger in her tiny fist. She's scared of me and I like that.

"Iris?" Theodore shouted out to her after she took some steps with me. Iris stopped at his voice and so did I. She turned around and I did too. We both saw that little kid waiving a goodbye to her very happily. "Bye bye! Come again soon, and we'll continue with this game."

Iris too laughed happily and replied him a positive. Meanwhile, I couldn't bare with that scene. I clenched my fist in anger and saw a woman walking past me dressed like a hooker.

"Come with me." I said grabbing that hooker's hand, and she named her price. I don't mind the fucking price because my brain is starting to play sick with me when I think of Iris now.

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