Sunflowers Bloom Early in Spring

An explosion destroys Iris Hayes's home. Her father, the project supervisor, is imprisoned and dies of a heart attack, and the victims' families turn their hatred on her mother, her sister and herself. Her mother takes her own life; her sister is hit by a car. When her fiancé Orlando finds her, he turns away in disgust and marries another. Then Justin Porter lifts her from the filth, marries her and spoils her beyond reason, making her the most envied Mrs. Porter in the city.

One day she overhears Justin and Orlando: Justin pushed the Hayes family to take the blame so Cecilia Rosen's family could walk away clean, and his tenderness has always been for Cecilia. At Cecilia's birthday banquet, a jade bracelet shatters, poison is found on it, and Justin forces Iris to apologize. When Cecilia needs RH negative blood, Justin orders it drawn from Iris until she collapses.

Pregnant and bleeding, Iris hears Justin order an abortion. She tries to flee the hospital, but darkness swallows her before she reaches the doors.