Chapter 47

I would do anything for love....

But I just won't do that.

Edwin received a welcoming mail from Indonesia. Though he was completely disoriented and disheveled with what Stella argued and asked and finally forced him into it, he still opened the mail with a positive heart being optimistic enough to be good news.

His heart was thumping inside the chest when he clicked the open button of the laptop.

Once he read it, he started jumping in fascination.

All my prayers now been answered.

He had mailed complete medical reports and records of Stella's diseases to an Indonesian clinic and what he got was an acclamation that after thorough study by the doctors and researchers there, they were confident that the drug Thyophine Flagellorme would affectively work on Stella's disease and they were positive that the disease would be permanently eradicated.

They were also on special request sending one of the doctors from the panel of their doctors who'd examine Stella's physical condition and the magnitude of the germ cells and then decide the dosage of the drugs to be given to her.

All Edwin wanted to do was rush home and kiss Stella and kiss all her illness away.

He couldn't wait to tell her, impart her the good news but few more things needed to be sorted out before that.

He would only be relieved and convinced only if Alex, Stella's gynaec and Mr. Hillary a cancer specialist would approve of the treatment.

Another big trouble of the day was Iris and the complications that Stella has created.

How can I? Never? I cannot do this to her. I was finding it difficult to even face her.

He picked his mobile and called her up.

He kept the conversation to the minimum.
He had to be very careful with the words, not only to avoid any indescrepancies but also to repair the damage that Stella had done.

''''''''

He felt a lot of weight lift off his shoulders after a short while he spent with his friend, my dear friend- Iris.

"I am sorry" was the first thing Edwin told Iris when she reached his office.

It is a miracle what apology can do and it was indeed Iris like who did not question or argue, simply forgave rather she appeared that she wasn't affected with what Stella had said but her eyes they could never lie.

The fear, the guilt, the sadness were all washed away with a mere hug.

Three words

Three words again...

But amazing difference did they portray.

While the set of former ones broke Iris and her dignity the later one said that her heart had taken a right decision.

It fell for a right person.

'Oh Edwin I love you so much. I love you. I love you..." Iris blurted in her head.

It was like applying a soft creamy lotion to her bruised heart.

Who could have thought this smile of Edwin had such hidden secrets beneath them.

Iris felt euphoric.

Three words "I am sorry". They were like showers of flowers in autumn

He hugged her and said, "I am so sorry for what Stella had put you into."

Iris nuzzled into his chest hiding herself, her fears, all the evil that she had thought about this angelic man who happens to be her friend disappearing.

"I love you Iris. I respect you. You are very dear to me. I can never hurt you" he paused "I love Stella and I would do anything for love but I just won't do that."

"Thanks." Iris said fighting the tiny drop of tear as she wiped it with the tip of her little finger to stop it from flowing so as not to cripple her strong façade.

"Don't be. You don't have to thank me for anything. I need to thank you." He said pulling her to sit on the visitors chair in front of his well furnished office desk and seated himself too besides in one of those chairs "I need to thank you for being with me. You are my rock. Thank you for being with Stella in these tough times. She needs you..." he paused gulping that bile in the throat that Iris could feel in spite of the fact that he appears to be masculine and strong headed she knew he had a weak and soft heart that loves Stella so much.

"She is unwell" Edwin added "she doesn't understand. Please forgive her." He begged.

"Edwin please... she is my friend too." Iris cut him off.

He hugged her again "I am so grateful to have you on my side. Even the tough times seem to pass away."

"They will" Iris assured not knowing how.

"Stella" she asked "Her health?"

A pretty smile spread across his damp face "I just happen to get through keradi tikus" he said excitedly

"Keladi tikus?" Iris asked clueless.

"keladi tikus is also known as Typhonium Flagelliforme is a plant and has medicinal properties being used for ages to cure many diseases.

Recent research by scientists and doctors from Malaysia has confirmed it to be a promising cure for cancer."

"Really" Iris was enchanted by the news. Nothing could be better than that.

"Did you check?.." Iris asked wanted to see that all coins unturned before she did her little happy celebration.

"Yes! I did. After lot of surfing and confirming I did come to know that around 800 patients have been cured of the disease in different countries like New Zealand, Australia, America, India and of course Indonesia. It is a very promising drug."

"I am so happy" Iris jumped of the chair pulling Edwin and danced into circles enjoying the small reverence and the positive hope of Stella's cure.

"Me too." Edwin admitted, his hazels beaming after days of agony.

Stella was suffering from the diseases for sure but Edwin wasn't debarred of the effects of the same.

"Does Stella know about this?" Iris asked excited to see her charming face when she realizes that she'd more have life to her credit, more days with the love of her life. She will have Edwin all to herself.

"No I would tell her in the evening. Can't wait to see her happy face. I have some work to be finished before I tell her" He picked up the file on the table and started reading.

"I should take your leave now." Iris said contended that he was happy. She couldn't contain her excitement. She had to let it out.

"How are you going?" he asked worried all of sudden.

"Ben." she replied easily.

"Take care." He winked relieved that she was with Ben and safe with him.

He seemed not to be worried about the threat but since Ben has found ample space in his good books t he never questioned or doubted his efficiency.

Iris moved out of Edwin's office to see a panic engulfed face of Ben who was pacing in the small reception area of Edwin answering questions one after another to the staff probably about the celebrity quotient of Iris and his association with her.

Iris wondered what perks Edwin would have to offer his staff over here to maintain the secrecy of her presence.

He turned towards her looking relieved as he asked "You okay?"

"Never been better than this." Iris said as she sprinted out of Edwin's office like how kids move out of their classes after the final bell ring.

Edwin was glad he did not need to speak a lot of words to explain what is in his heart and head.

She understood them.

And the happiness that emerged in her eyes, in her body language, it was like he was seeing his own reflection.

Though his joy would be calculated in multiples as compared to that of Iris's.

'''''''''''

"You seemed to be quite occupied." Iris wriggled her eyebrows looking at the $exy receptionist still staring at Ben.

"Your fame and glory." He shrugged.

Soon the place evacuated as the entire staff was called in Edwin's cabin.

Iris knew exactly why? They were getting a piece from Edwin to maintain her presence in their secret books.

Iris smiled at the thoughtfulness and protectiveness of Edwin.

Iris was running around in the open streets outside the office building enjoying her little freedom.

Her freedom- freedom from the deficiencies, freedom from responsibilities, freedom from worries, freedom from guilt, freedom from deadlines and freedom from pretends.

"I feel like I am being myself for the first time." she told Ben

"I am free that my father and brother had enough to fill in their hunger for food an luxuries for ages, my love Edwin and Stella would finally have their happily ever after so I have no responsibilities", she pulled Ben's cheeks "my friend Ben who means so much to me and since last few days he's been my support system is finally proposing the love of his life and would have a happy ever after too, Aaron my friend, my rock in Hollywood for past two years, though he thinks he loves me, he'll soon get over it and find a girl whom both of them deserve and be happy."

"And you?" Ben asked "What about you?"

"And ME?" Iris repeated "I am happy being myself and I can now easily pursue my counseling career that I always wanted.".

Iris sighed dancing and twirling around enjoying and celebrating in her own world.

"Awwwww awwooooooooccccchhhh" Iris got hit and two strong arms held her tight holding her stable on the ground.

"Sorry" she said to the sturdy, broad, big and tall man standing in front of her with his traumatizing dark blue eyes.

"Ah!!! I enjoyed it baby." He smirked evilly twitching the scar of stitches on his cheeks above the unshaved jaw line. "I guess you too need some enjoyment." and he bent to kiss her.

Iris grimaced trying to move away from him but he tightened his grip being too strong forher .

"thhhhhhhhuuuuuudddd" with that the man with a scar had fallen on the ground and a strong , well toned, though leaner than the man with a scar; Ben towered over him.

"What the f##k" the man with a scar shouted. "what the f##king hell do you want?"

"I want you to keep your f##king arse away from her." Ben growled pointing at Iris.

"If you too want her we can share boy." He said wiping the blood he got from Ben's blow "but I would get her first."

The man stood up on his feet at an instant and gave a hard blow to Ben which he easily ducked.

Next Ben was hitting blows after blows on his stomach making him fall on the ground.

Soon other two intimidating guys likely to be companions of the man with the scar who appeared evil like the big man other than they were slightly short built started attacking Ben.

Ben stopped one of the guys attack with his forearm hitting a leg kick to the other one making him stumble a bit.

One of them hit an elbow on Ben's abdomen making him wince but he immediately composed himself hitting a big kick on one of the guys groin knocking him to the floor. When the other guy lunged at Ben, he held him in between his arm pits hitting him blows after another with his other elbow on his back till the guy could stand no more and fell once Ben eased the grip of his arm pit.

Iris was staring at the three big guys on the floor who were knocked by her badass bodyguard when Ben reached her caressing her cheeks "You alright?' he asked.

Iris nodded lost wondering how easily he took all three of them.

Being her bodyguard was such a waste of his skills.

"I am sorry." He was guilt stricken "I should have been careful."

"No I am sorry. I shouldn't have behaved like a kid." Iris pressed the back of his hand.

"Don't be. It is my job to keep you safe." He hugged her making sure she was safe.

They both celebrated the day. Iris was too ecstatic in a mood to be spoilt by some eve teasers so she decided to celebrate instead.

She did not go home.
She thought it was better if it came from Edwin to Stella about her treatment so decided to spend rest of the day with Ben.

He took her to a private diner followed by a secluded lake that had almost dried so disclosure of her identity was no danger where they shared moments of our life freely.

Ben shared how he was quiet and a nerd in his school life and always earned good grades wherein Iris was always a popular trouble seeker with average grades and pain in the ass for the teachers who loved to give her detentions.

"I too enjoyed them till my parents met with that accident and my life went down hill."

Ben listened to all her talking and enjoyed it.

''''''

Iris reached home expecting an enlightened Stella cuddled up in Edwin's arms being completely engrossed in each other but what she heard was completely antagonistic.....

''''''''''''

'''''''''

Edwin reached home in the evening to see a beaming Stella working with a pile of papers, which she was studying very curiously.

For a moment Edwin doubted that Iris might have disclosed the news to her but since he had clarified that he wanted to do it personally only after sorting out everything.

He was sure Iris wouldn't ever look her verdict.

When Stella saw Edwin appearing she ran towards him engulfing him into a warm, caressing hug. Happy that Edwin was he too twirled her in the air loving to see the unconditional smile on her face since ages.

It was soon accompanied by a deep, violent and passionate kiss, which aroused all the thistles along with his most lusting organ of his body.

This intimacy between him and Stella had been a rare thing these days, either because of her illness or because of Iris's presence in the house.

But Edwin intended to enjoy for the moment.

He lifted her bridal style carrying her to couch and let her sit on his laps as he handed his bag of laptop to her.

She took it barely managing to hold it properly, frail that she was.

Balancing the bag somehow, she pressed herself to his $tiffened organ and said "I have to show you something."

"No first let me show you what I have for you." Edwin insisted quickly catching a kiss from her as he pulled the notebook out of the bag opening the account, clicking the mail and asking her to read.

Obediently she followed reading the text with wide blue eyes of her slowly and steadily concentrating each and every word of what she read.

With glassy eyes she looked back at Edwin.

He hugged her tight, no exchange of words.

Both of them aware of how much they needed each other.

She pulled back after sometime "Now I have to show you something"

She stretched to pick that bunch of papers that she was going through, arranged them symmetrically and handed them to him.

Edwin saw the cover page that was a picture of a newborn looking angelic in his eyes closed resting on the hand of a person.

He flipped to next page to read further.

The heading of the page read "How to impregnate in first attempt?"

"What is this?" Edwin yelled throwing the fistful of papers into the air making them scatter in different direction.

Calmly Stella bent down on her fours and picked them from different direction.

Edwin did not put least of the efforts infuriated with what she'd offered him to read.

He knew her intentions.

"You agreed to it last night." A stern but scared Stella came back.

Her frail body in her yellow and orange sundress which fitted her perfectly had now loosened for the weight loss due to her illness.

"This treatment. It would work. You will live." Edwin argued softly not wanting to hurt her. She was already shivering.

"But would it give me a baby?" she argued.

"We can adopt one." Edwin shouted, not able to hold any further.

"That won't be ours. Please try and understand Edwin. His eyes won't be hazel like yours, he wont share your hair color." she insisted.

"Understand.... My foot. Why don't you? Why are you putting her into this?" Edwin raged.

"I want her to be in this. She is the only one I trust." She stayed to the point.

"Yes! And so does she trust us. You cannot do this to her." he held her tightly from her shoulders.

"Edwin I want a baby, my baby, our baby." Her blues looking directly in his hazels making him weak from the knees. "She is willing to help us."

"No you are forcing her." Edwin shouted leaving the grip. "I cannot do this Stella."

There was a click on the main door and Iris whose thumb print was also in the memory of the lock entered and Edwin could see her expression changing from dawn to dusk as the smile was replaced by confusion....

Not knowing how to face her, he quickly stalked off the living room to his bedroom closing the door behind with a big thud!

''''''''''

Too shocked to notice the violence between the love birds, a living example of love in her life, Iris sprinted head straight to her room avoiding looking at Stella as the door of Edwin's room closed with a thud!

Iris sat on the bed with head on her hands not able assess the surrounding when Stella came knocking on the door.

She quickly entered without waiting for her say with a gift box in her hands.

She placed it besides sitting on the other side clutching her hands, heat emanating from Stella's.

"I am so sorry for what I am putting both of you through but trust me you'll understand me and thank me one day." Stella said swallowing her tears as she choked her words while speaking.

Mute as a dumb Iris simply stared back into her blues dwelling with tears, hers too glassy.

Stella handed her pile of papers asking her to study thoroughly which said something about getting pregnant in first attempt.

"I'll send Edwin in no time. Please....." she mouthed pleadingly before she exited from the room.

Iris opened the gift box expecting nothing but like a dead man alive following Stella's instructions

Then she tried to read the papers but with shivering hands and teary eyes.

She could only see blurred figures in gray. So she threw them away.

Iris changed into the most $exiest pink lacy nightgown gifted by Stella forcing herself into it, her heart beating erratically.

I do not know where I stood- my life, my love, my friends, my trust, me myself are all a joke.

The door cracked open and Edwin's entry to Iris's room made her heart shatter into millions of cracks.........

Edwin held her shivering hands in his pressing them softly and stood still for a while and when that did not work; he cupped her face in his hands looking into her soul piercing his hazels into her darks and said "I would do anything for love... But......