Terms and Conditions

Declan and Iris arrive at the botanical gardens, one of Iris’s favorite places because of fond memories there with her mother and grandmother. She begins to suspect this fake date is a real date, and her suspicions are confirmed when Declan hedges about the person who needs to see them, claiming they can’t know where the person will be, so they have to act like a couple the entire time. Iris is touched and allows him to continue the charade. They wander the gardens hand in hand, and Iris takes him into her favorite part, the greenhouse, where she teaches him about the tropical plants.

Iris speaks so glowingly about the greenhouse that Declan asks if she would like one of her own. They joke that he is offering to do it to avoid tripping over all her plants in the house, but they both know he wants to do it for her. This softens Iris toward him further, and she is pleased and grateful for the care he is showing.

As they leave, Iris tells Declan she knew he was lying about it being a fake date. He makes a joke about their child inheriting his narcissism but then becomes serious and tells her that he hopes they inherit their mother’s selflessness instead. Iris “raise[s] the white flag” (315) and kisses him.

Iris’s kiss ignites the passion between them, and she can tell on the drive home that Declan is clearly aroused.

They are barely in the house before Declan corners her. When Declan mentions children again, Iris realizes he is far more open to the idea of children than he was when they drew up the marriage contract. Despite this openness, he automatically puts on a condom, which touches Iris, as it means he simply wants to be with her.

Iris and Declan make love, belatedly consummating their fake marriage, and Iris acknowledges that she has lost any hope she had of keeping him at a distance.

Iris and Declan dress, and Iris asks Declan why he used a condom. He admits he didn’t want to ruin the moment by asking if she was ready to have a baby; Iris replies that she knew what she was getting into with the marriage and baby contract. In doing so, she mentions them being attracted to one another, and Declan becomes angry at what he sees as a dismissal of their connection. Iris tries to stop Declan from leaving, but he doesn’t want to lose control in his anger and say something hurtful, so he leaves.

After driving for a while, he goes to Cal’s apartment. Cal has already heard about Declan’s departure, and he is on guard because he believes Declan hurt Iris. Shocked and amused that Declan fell in love first, Cal agrees to help Declan.

Cal helps Declan realize that he is falling in love with Iris. Despite his fears, he wants to learn how to be in a real relationship. Armed with Cal’s advice to prove to Iris that she can trust him, Declan returns home to find Iris had fallen asleep while trying to wait up for him. He carries her to bed and intertwines himself with her so she can’t escape in the morning before he awakes.

Iris wakes up and realizes Declan has trapped her; angry, she pushes at him until he wakes up. He refuses to let her go until she has heard him out, and when she tries to resist, he admits that he is falling in love with her. Iris tries to dismiss it as another part of his game. To prove to her that he isn’t lying, he tells her that he makes his staff use Arial font rather than Times New Roman because he read that sans serif fonts are easier for people with dyslexia to read. He admits that he kept the cactus she gave him because it was the first time someone gave him a present that made him laugh. Finally, even though Iris is already softening toward him, he admits that he regrets having her job transfer rejected because he didn’t want to lose her. Iris asks why she should give him a chance after that kind of betrayal, and he admits that he’s not asking her to love him back because he believes he is unlovable.

Softened again by seeing the way he dismisses himself, Iris goes to him, finally hearing out his request to at least try to learn how to be in a relationship. She tells him that although he has made selfish choices, he isn’t selfish. He has, in fact, been selfless because he protected his brothers from his father for years. Despite her fear, Iris realizes that she no longer wants to be too scared of “what-ifs” to try. She decides that even if she might get hurt, she would rather try and fail. As Declan kisses her, she recognizes that he makes her feel cherished, protected, and loved, and she acknowledges the truth of his claim that he is falling in love with her.

Waking to more noise in the living room than normal, Iris finds Cal on the couch with Declan. Cal informs Iris that Declan invited him, Rowan, and Zahra over to watch Formula 1 racing. Iris suggested this earlier, but Declan rejected it, as he doesn’t like a lot of socializing. Now, Iris realizes hosting the get-together is Declan’s attempt to make her happy.

When Zahra and Rowan arrive, Zahra and Iris have a heart-to-heart. Zahra understands Iris not wanting to trust Declan since she was cheated on in the past. Iris is surprised by this and a little uncomfortable; Zahra tactfully steers the conversation to lighter topics. Cal informs them Declan is getting anxious, so they all return to the living room to watch the race.

Declan announces bad news to Iris and Cal: Yakura emailed him, threatening to cancel the deal and saying their values don’t align. All three know Seth must have spoken with Yakura. Although they don’t know how he convinced Yakura not to follow through on the deal, Iris is certain she can fix the problem. Recalling Yakura’s value of family, she decides she and Declan will invite Yakura to join them on a family trip to Dreamland. Declan is wary because Dreamland is tied up in memories of his mother, but he agrees. When Iris finishes planning the trip and secures Yakura’s attendance, she and Declan make love in his office.

On the group’s drive through Dreamland, Iris admits she has never been to the park besides work trips; when she was young, her mother could never afford the flights and tickets. She resists Zahra’s idea to have a day in the park, saying they have to prepare for Yakura’s visit, but Declan assures her they’ll be fine and that he will willingly go into the park so she can enjoy it.

Iris loves the park, and when she keeps stopping to admire the floral sculptures, Zahra offers to set her up on a tour with the head of the floral department. Iris refuses, knowing they need to prepare, but Declan steps in again, asserting that he can manage to work for a few hours without her. When she asks why he so often comes to her desk to talk to her, he admits he had read that people with dyslexia do better with verbal rather than written instructions. He also admits that he learned voice notes or voicemails are even better, which is why he sends so many voice notes.

That night, when Declan initiates intimacy, he admits he is ready to try for children anytime she is; he also admits he is willing to wait if she’s not ready. Hearing this, Iris is touched that he cares for her so much he would willingly delay his dream of becoming CEO to make her comfortable. At this realization, she decides she’s also ready to try. Afterward, Declan speaks to her in several languages, and she suspects he is telling her he loves her. Seeing how much he cares for her, she realizes she is falling for him as well, and she decides that she is no longer afraid of love.

Declan is thrown when Rowan tells him that Yakura has arrived a couple days early alongside their father. Declan calls Iris to ask for help, but he thinks about how happy the floral department tour made her and decides he can’t take that away from her. Determined to handle the problem on his own, he lies and tells her he was just checking in.

Declan attempts to keep control of the tour, but Seth jumps in with a suggestion to visit a part of the park no one knows about. Aside, Rowan tells Declan about the room that their grandfather built for his wife but that he never used because she passed away. Angry at being caught off guard, Declan lashes out at Rowan, who leaves Declan to handle the situation alone. Yakura is touched by the story Seth tells, and Declan panics over the possibility of losing the deal to his father, who is trying to push the timeline ahead so that the project happens during his tenure as CEO. Unable to figure out how to fix it, Declan finally does call Iris and tell her he needs her, ignoring his father’s comment that he is a “pathetic excuse of a man if [he] need[s] [his] wife to help save the day” (383). Declan hears Iris’s disappointment, but she tells him to send their location before he can tell her to forget about it.

Iris asks Zahra how to get back to Dreamland, and Zahra insists on driving her back herself. Disappointed, Iris confides in Zahra, who offers reassurance and suggests Iris consider other options for work, particularly as Iris is supposed to get pregnant soon.

On her way to meet the men, Iris has an asthma attack. When she arrives, Declan pulls her inhaler out of her bag for her, a display Yakura clearly finds endearing. Seth glares at Iris, but she takes control of the situation by asking about Mrs. Yakura and insisting she join them on their tour.

Mrs. Yakura’s presence causes Declan more stress; Mrs. Yakura makes many stops in the park, allowing Seth time to speak with Mr. Yakura. During a moment apart from the others, Seth claims he only figured out about this trip because Iris sent an email notifying the company Declan would be away.

Declan feels betrayed by Iris’s email and tells her she should leave. Both of their tempers rise, and Declan accuses her of failing at her job, hitting her in her most vulnerable spot. He tries to apologize, but she pushes him away. She tells him his words hurt far more than anyone else’s criticisms, and she accuses him of being like her own father before she leaves. Declan feels guilty, but he can’t lose the deal with Yakura. He goes back to the group and tells them Iris wasn’t feeling well.

Iris heads back to the hotel, calling their pilot to set up an earlier departure for herself. She cries, devastated by Declan’s words and his using her weak points against her. When Declan doesn’t come after her, she knows he has chosen work over her. Part of her acknowledges that Declan did apologize, but she is determined not to allow herself to fall into the same situation as her mother. She remembers her father apologizing and then continuing to treat her mother badly.

When she returns to Chicago, Iris goes to Cal’s apartment. He is angry with Declan when he hears what happened and tells her that Declan has to fix the situation.

Declan and Seth battle for Yakura’s attention while trying not to seem like they are fighting. By the end of the day, Yakura pulls Declan aside. He has decided not to make any deal, either with Declan or Seth, but it’s not because he doesn’t want to: He understands their dynamic, and he only wants to make a deal with Declan once Declan is ready. He reveals that he was the one who invited Seth, rather than Seth finding out from Iris’s company email.

Yakura offers Declan advice, telling him that he must face his fears to be a good CEO and a good man; Seth’s problem is that he fears being powerless, and he reacts abusively. Yakura suggests Declan try to figure out what his own fear is and that perhaps he will be ready for a deal sooner than he thinks.

Seth antagonizes Declan after Yakura leaves, and Declan realizes that his fear has always been becoming his father. He decides that he wants to value his life, his brothers, his wife, and his future family over power and wealth, and he tells Seth so. When Declan reaches the hotel, however, he sees a note from Iris telling him that she will be submitting a formal letter of resignation on Monday.