Iris’s POV
The house was bigger than I expected. A wide brick place set back from the road, with a circular driveway and tall windows glowing warm in the evening light. Marcus parked behind a line of cars and glanced at me with a small, reassuring smile. Through the windows, I could see people moving around, hear laughter drifting out across the lawn.
“Ready?” he asked.
I was not even close but I smoothed my hands over my dress, a navy piece with a high neck and long sleeves that kept everything neatly covered and nodded anyway.
Marcus took my hand as we walked up the path. His grip was warm, steady, familiar. It used to calm me but now, it felt like I was holding onto something that might slip if I held too tight.
The door swung open before we could knock. A woman with Marcus’s eyes
