Hi Ex, Your Uncle Is My Hubby Now - Chapter 31: Chapter 31

As soon as they stepped back into the office, Irene and Anthony spotted a massive bouquet of black roses sitting on the front desk.
Anthony let out a whistle and called out teasingly, "Whoa—looks like Dorian sent our beautiful Irene flowers again."
Dorian had a thing for Black Magic roses. He thought their velvety texture and dark elegance perfectly matched Irene's vibe.
So, every time he sent flowers, it was always Black Magic.
When the receptionist, Leanna Shaw, saw them return, she smiled brightly and said, "Miss Jackson, Mr. Barnes came by about twenty minutes ago. He left these flowers for you—along with a gift."
She pulled a sleek gift box out of a drawer and set it next to the bouquet. "He said he'll be out of town on business for the next three days, but he'll be back in time for your birthday."
Birthday?
For a second, Irene forgot it was almost Dorian's birthday.
"Wait, it's Dorian's birthday?" Anthony turned to her. "What are you getting him?"
"Eighteen top-tier models," Irene replied with a deadpan expression.
Anthony burst out laughing. "Alright, but first—open the gift. Let's see what kind of over-the-top present he's come up with this time."
Leanna quickly handed over a pair of scissors.
Irene opened the box to reveal a pair of diamond tassel earrings from Duke's rose collection.
"They're gorgeous!" Leanna breathed.
Anthony let out a dramatic gasp. "Dorian, huh? Only he would casually drop tens of thousands on earrings like it's nothing. Irene, your charm is next-level."
But the moment Irene saw the earrings, her stomach twisted violently. She nearly threw up on the spot.
She could never forget what she saw in her previous life—Amaris, naked except for the jewelry Irene had once owned, tangled up with Dorian in the bathtub on their wedding night.
Even in death, her personal belongings had become props in those two scumbags' little love game.
And those earrings? These exact earrings had dangled from Amaris' ears that night.
With a snap, Irene shut the box.
She closed her eyes, forcing down the wave of nausea and rage that rose in her chest. Then she turned to Leanna, voice calm but firm. "Take the bouquet apart and put the flowers in vases. Spread them around the office on everyone's desks."
Leanna looked stunned. "Are you sure, Miss Jackson?"
Even Anthony was thrown off. "Didn't you used to treat Dorian's flowers like rare treasures? What changed?"
Irene gave a breezy smile. "I'm thinking of throwing out Dorian too."
Anthony narrowed his eyes. "You two fight or something?"
"Nope," Irene said sweetly, her voice soft and full of fake affection. "I love him like I love my own life. Why would I fight with him?"
Anthony was speechless.
That kind of syrupy love talk should've been cringey, but for some reason, it gave him the creeps.
Back in her office, Irene found the perfect angle and snapped a few clean shots of the earrings. Then she posted them on Facebook.
Caption: [Roses never wilt, and true love never goes unreturned.]
Four years ago, back when she was still studying architecture at Aurelith University, Irene had gone viral online for her stunning looks. Her Facebook account had racked up over 300,000 followers. Within minutes, her new post had already pulled in hundreds of likes.
Irene didn't buy for a second that Amaris was truly "unbothered" by her existence.
As she watched the likes climb, she could almost picture Amaris hiding in the shadows like a sewer rat, obsessively lurking and watching her life unfold.
So from now on, she'd post her "happiness" often—and she'd make sure it stung.
Eventually, Amaris would start doubting Dorian.
In the art of strategy, the very first rule was psychological warfare—for a reason. It worked.
Irene opened WhatsApp and sent Dorian a sparkly heart emoji. Without so much as a flicker of emotion on her face, she followed up with a message.
Irene: [Thanks for the roses, Dorian. Love you.]