Chapter 6 - An arranged coincidence
I need books.
I need books.
The thought looped through Iris's mind as she drifted through the bookstore, fingers grazing spines as if they might recognize her touch. Paper. Ink. Familiar weight. The quiet order of shelves steadied her breathing in a way nothing else did.
Books never demanded explanations.
She moved slowly, losing track of aisles, of time. Somewhere between classics and fantasy, her mind wandered—back to the meeting, to the calm threat wrapped in courtesy, to the way those eyes had followed her without ever raising a voice.
Her life had returned to normal. Mostly.
Books. Hacking. Silence.
That night—against her better judgment—curiosity had won. She'd typed their names into the search bar, heart tapping uneasily as results flooded the screen.
The Sinclair Brothers once again acquired another company line. The Bridge industries collapse as their CEO Felix Bridge gets into an accident burned to death. Blames the drunk truck driver. Sinclair Corp buys the company which was currently running under loss and saves hundreds of employees from losing their jobs. They also donated 10 million dollars to the government for traffic regulations and safety.
Their kindness touched many hearts. It's such a good thing to have such considerate people who think about society and give back to them.
In the recent interview, Jasper Sinclair mentioned how sorry he felt for Mr. Bridge's death. He attended his funeral with his twin brother Elias Sinclair paying their heartfelt condolences to his wife and kids.
He was a good competitor, Jasper said with a sad smile. Elias as usual said nothing, but one could see he was sincere in his condolences.
She'd read every word. Twice.
The photographs showed grief done perfectly—dark suits, solemn expressions, flowers laid with care. Jasper's words quoted everywhere. Elias silent, dignified.
Her heart trembled when she read about the Bridge. Poor guy, she sighed. Her naïve mind believed the article and thought Felix died in an accident. Not knowing he was brutally tortured and murdered by the brothers.
She frowned at the information her guts told her there was more to the story. Getting more curious, she opened multiple tabs.
She clicked another article.
Sinclair Corp. starts a new charity organization for orphans.
That's so nice, she appreciated it. Little did she know they were the ones who made those kids orphaned. It was just smart business. Killing their enemies in cold blood yet appearing as saints.
They were devious.
Sinclair brothers were nominated for the CEOs of the year. Will they win for the third time again?
The famous actress Gianna says Jasper Sinclair is her ideal type.
Elias Sinclair rejects Lauren's public confession. The supermodel cried for weeks.
They are famous, gentlemen, and charitable. She read the articles.
But then--
Not everything on the internet is true. Even news channels are sometimes false; she remembered Rhea's mom telling her while growing up.
Should I hack them and check their company information, is it true? She contemplated.
Don't be nosy. Already being once you were called for a meeting and mildly threatened, her subconscious reminded.
She was scared of the brothers. Something about them gave her an ominous feeling. Since she was not going to meet them anywhere in the future, she kept away from overthinking.
Just stay away from them.
She recovered her thoughts. Focus on books. Iris pulled a novel from the shelf—Serpent & Dove—and turned, only to collide with something solid.
"Sorry," she mumbled, picking up the fallen book. "It's alright," a familiar voice replied. Iris froze on the spot, her head whipped in the direction of the sound.
Why are they here!
Jasper Sinclair stood in front of her, a faint smile already in place, eyes dark and intent. Elias was beside him, quiet as ever, gaze unreadable.
"M-Mr. Sinclair," she regained her composure. Her heart beat fast; a tiny feeling of panic from the last conversation in her. "Call me, Jasper," he ordered. His raven eyes looked at her as if they could pierce through her soul.
We are not that close to being on first name bases, she said in her mind. She was going to refuse but seeing his unwavering gaze she shut her mouth. "Jasper," she replied.
Something pleased him in that moment; it showed in the slight curve of his mouth.
"What brings you here," he asked her. "I ran out of all the books in my house so I needed to buy some books," she said, looking down, fiddling with her ring and glancing at him when she finished speaking.
"That's all you are getting," he pointed at the book in her hand. "Oh no. Not at all," she smiled, pointing at the two shopping carts filled with over forty novels.
Jasper chuckled. "Impressive."
She smiled despite herself. "I read fast."
"And Elias," Jasper continued, "needed a new copy of Othello. He's particular about his margins." Iris blanked for a second when she realized Elias was also standing beside them.
"Mr. Sinclair," she greeted him.
"Elias," he grunted.
Iris looked at him, confused. Her mouth turned into an 'o' shape when she understood he wanted her to call him by his name.
"Elias," she smiled.
Seeing her immediate response, Jasper felt delighted. Such a good girl.
Elias reciprocated the smile hesitantly. Her eyes slightly widened at the reaction. It was the first time he was showing any expression on his face.
Elias' eyes were on her the moment she entered the store. Her soft oversized cashmere top is paired with blue jeans. A dainty necklace adorned her slender neck.
His eyes lingered on her lips for a little longer, wondering if they would taste as sweet as he dreamt about before looking in her honey eyes, wishing he could consume her.
She still felt a bit bad for rejecting their offer. She couldn't look into their eyes. "I have finished selecting the books. I will pay. Bye," she showed her dimples with a small wave.
Adorable, Elias thought.
At the counter, Iris unloaded her books with barely contained excitement, apologizing with a sheepish smile as the employee laughed and scanned title after title.
Four hundred dollars later, six heavy bags sat at her feet.
She couldn't wait to go home and read all of these masterpieces.
You say that about every book, her subconscious scoffed.
Every book is unique on its own.
Her eyes focused on the books, oblivious to the eyes looking and admiring her. Never for once leaving her.
It was something that even they didn't know. But their dark eyes didn't want her to disappear from their sight. It made Jasper's heart skip a beat on how much the female was consuming their thoughts.
Jasper wanted to tuck back that soft curly hair that was blocking their view. Hold her into his arms and caress those rosy cheeks and make her smile.
Elias wanted to look into her eyes and melt into her caramel orbs. The tinge of innocence that carried in them prickled his cold heart. He hoped to protect it at all costs.
Iris was already calculating how many trips it would take when Jasper's voice came from behind her.
"How about we help you get it into the car," Jasper said from behind making her jump.
They did not leave. Why?
She was a little intimidated by them and wished to maintain the distance. She took a step back. Jasper scowled at her action but smiled.
Iris awkwardly looked at him. "We can't let a tiny woman carry all these by herself," he righteously replied. He wanted to help her.
Tiny! She frowned at him. "I am not tiny. I am an average-sized woman," she felt offended. She controlled her urge to pout at them, not wanting to look childish.
Elias and Jasper cackled at her expression. "Sorry," he quickly apologized with a tiny smirk.
"I can carry them," she refused their offer. "We insist," Elias looked at her sternly though his voice was gentle as a breeze. He doesn't speak much, she made a note.
Helpless, Iris agreed. Both of them carried two bags in each hand. In one go, all the books were placed in the trunk of her car.
A look of admiration showed on her face. She would have already needed three rounds to get everything in her car with her average arms.
They are strong. She felt a little jealous of how her strength was nothing in comparison to them.
Observing her admiring gaze, both of them felt proud.
"Thank you," she replied. "No big deal," Elias commented. They pick up twice the weight of the little girl in front of them in the gym daily. Few books wore nothing in comparison.
"You can always think about the offer. It pays very well. We provide a lot of benefits," Jasper reminded her. She looked at him nervously. "I am making enough. Though I will contact you if I ever need a job," she refused. An awkward smile on her face.
Elias let out a low growl not loud enough to let her hear. They were not used to rejection. They needed to change the way they approach her.
She said her goodbyes and left.
---
"Girly—that happened?" Rhea exclaimed through the phone, her voice so loud that Iris instinctively pulled the earphone away for a second. She calmly explained the encounter at the bookstore while arranging her newly bought books on the shelves, her tone casual, as if she were recounting something entirely ordinary. To Iris, it really didn't feel like much. To Rhea, on the other hand, it sounded like the opening scene of a drama.
"Yeah," Iris replied absentmindedly, adjusting the placement of a hardcover before lifting one of the books and inhaling deeply. The scent of fresh paper and ink made her smile. It smelled comforting—safe. It smells so good.
"One of them likes you," Rhea said bluntly.
Iris froze, the book still in her hands. "What nonsense are you talking about?" she asked, genuinely confused.
"Come on," Rhea scoffed. "The Sinclairs are among the richest men on the planet. Every minute of their time is worth millions. Why would they stop to help a girl they've met once load books into her car when they could be signing deals or running empires?"
"They were being chivalrous."
"You are simple and dense."
"It was just a coincidence."
She truly believed it. If it had been someone else—another girl struggling with heavy bags—she was certain they would have helped her too. Yes, their presence intimidated her, and yes, something about them carried a weight that made her cautious, but they hadn't done anything that triggered alarm bells in her mind. Her opinion of them remained neutral, carefully untouched by speculation.
Anyhow, it was just a mere coincidence. It was not like Iris was going to run into them again.
"Whatever," Rhea muttered, flopping back onto her bed. She knew Iris was often oblivious to the subtleties of how men approached women, and she chose not to voice the deeper unease gnawing at her—the sense that at least one of those men hadn't been motivated by kindness alone.
They talked a little longer before hanging up.
Moments later, Flint wandered into Rhea's room, leaning against the door-frame. "What were you talking about with Iris?" he asked casually.
"Nothing," Rhea replied without missing a beat. "Just some new design ideas."
It was a lie, and she knew it, but she also knew her brother well enough to protect his feelings. Flint had harbored a quiet, almost invisible crush on Iris for months now, and Rhea had no intention of stirring that pot.
"Uh… I was just wondering," Flint said, scratching the back of his neck, "when are we having another meeting?"
Rhea wiggled her eyebrows, a mischievous grin spreading across her face. "So eager to see my girl again?"
"She's just a friend," Flint replied, though the dejection in his voice betrayed him.
"Sure," Rhea said dryly. "Whatever floats your boat. Just don't wait too long, or someone else might take her first."
"Crazy monkey," he muttered, shrugging it off, but Rhea caught the tension he failed to hide.
----
Back in her apartment, Iris finished arranging the last of her books and stood back to admire the shelves. They were her sanctuary—her escape from a world that often felt too loud, too sharp. After a quick dinner, she crawled into bed, curling up with her soft toys, comforted by their familiar presence as sleep slowly claimed her.
Unknown to the two pairs of eyes watching her far longer than coincidence would allow.