Lucas never saw Iris again. Iris never saw Lucas again. The brilliant fireworks that night became the final curtain falling on their love.
Lucas returned to New York, just as Catherine had demanded. He walked the path his family had laid out for him, just as the Sterling family had always intended. Iris stayed in Paris. Three months after Lucas left, she adopted a child. She named her Bliss, because that was all she had ever wanted for Lucas. Even though she knew he would never have what he wanted, she could still hope her daughter would find happiness.
As Bliss grew day by day, the little girl's features began to resemble Lucas in subtle ways. Iris often sat watching her sleep, tears sliding silently down her face. At the same time, her illness returned and grew steadily worse. This tim
