Falling For My Ex's Uncle - Chapter 120: Chapter 120

I shook my head, holding back the fake smile on my face as I shot a meaningful look at Maddox.
"My mom raised me. My dad died before I was born," I said.
Maddox paused, his face flickering slightly before he sighed. "What a shame. He must not have expected his daughter to turn out so beautiful."
'Yeah, he never thought about all the things his daughter went through to get here—from birth until now. Not to mention how many times I'd cursed him to die,' I thought.
Had he really died, no one would've called me a wild seed, a fatherless child.
No one would've thrown stones at me, either.
Those little bullies wouldn't have taken scissors to my hair just because they were jealous of my looks.
I wouldn't have been nearly assaulted by the hotel restaurant manager where I worked part-time.
And it was all because I didn't have a dad, with a mother with a weak disposition only.
"You really can't take your eyes off a pretty girl when you see one, can you? And I'm still sitting right here." The woman beside Maddox shot him a glare, her voice soft but tinged with disapproval.
Maddox just smiled, his lips curving up. "Still jealous, huh? I was only praising Alex for having an eye for beauty. The person he likes is indeed quite good-looking."
"It's true," the woman agreed, glancing at me with a smile that carried an undefinable sadness. "Just like me when I was young."
She turned her face to Maddox, sitting next to her, and sighed. "Too bad you just aren't as good looking as Alex."
Maddox maintained a gentle smile, squeezing the woman's hand. "Why do you feel unhappy? You've been with me for years, and I've never treated you badly."
I listened to their open conversation at the dinner table, my face pale, though my heart churned with disgust.
Maddox, my father, was exactly as I'd imagined—a man who always cheated.
My mom was never going to be his last.
After all, people like him never changed their ways.
I spat inwardly, but my face remained calm and composed.
Still, I couldn't help but wonder—Maddox's wife, at least from the Shepherd family, seemed to tolerate his behavior. How could she let another woman sit so comfortably beside her husband?
Even Isaac didn't seem bothered.
Just then, Kailyn walked in, and when she saw the woman beside Maddox, there wasn't an ounce of anger in her expression. Instead, she approached with a warm smile. "Mavis, you're here too? No wonder my dad was out there on the phone for so long. He was talking to you."
At that moment, it clicked.
Maddox had initially brought Isaac and Kailyn, but when I showed up, he decided to bring along his mistress to make it clear that no matter how pretty I was, I could never marry into the Herrera family.
It wasn't that the Parks family couldn't accept me.
Just like Mavis, who was sitting next to Maddox, I could have whatever I wanted—except the status of Alex's wife.
They only tolerated my existence for Alex's sake.
And like Kailyn said, maybe one day he'd grow tired of me and move on to someone new.
I smiled faintly, stealing a glance at Alex beside me. His expression was colder than usual.
'Is he angry now?' I thought.
It made sense. Not every man was as squeaky clean as him and would reject a woman who'd thrown herself at him.
"Want some shrimp?" I asked.
Alex paused, his gaze darkening slightly.
"I'll peel them for you." A quick smile spread across my face.
The show was just beginning, and I wasn't about to let Alex ruin it.
The reason for Alex's mood, of course, wasn't just the trivial comments Maddox had made.
I could easily see through the thoughts hidden in their minds. If I could, Maddox could, too.
"Isaac, I want shrimp too. Can you peel them for me?" Kailyn said sweetly to Isaac beside her.
Mavis chimed in quickly, "Kailyn, how can you let a man do something like that? I'll peel them for you!"
She donned her gloves as she spoke.
Maddox, sitting nearby, didn't say anything, his eyes smiling.
I finally understood why Isaac and Kailyn had no issue with Mavis's presence. To them, she was nothing more than a glorified maid.
In ancient times, she'd be nothing more than a common maid—not even a mistress.
I couldn't care less what they thought of me, because my position was secure as Alex's wife now.
I couldn't help but admire Alex's foresight again.
Now I understood why he chose me as his wife.
No wealthy daughter would tolerate this kind of treatment—and, more importantly, no one would dare offend the Harvey family.
But I was different. Nothing I had, nothing I feared.
It wasn't easy to finish the meal. I had been serving Alex the entire time, even pouring his wine.
My unusual behavior didn't escape his sharp eyes.
Therefore, from start to finish, he showed no distaste for the Parks family.
After helping Alex into the car, I turned back to grab my bag, only to come face-to-face with Mavis.
She handed me the bag she'd been holding. "I can see that Alex really likes you. But sometimes, that kind of affection is poison—it'll destroy you."
I stared at her in a daze, confusion clouding my face.
"There's a time limit to anyone's affection. Once it expires, it's nothing." Mavis shoved the bag into my hands, patted me lightly on the shoulder, and walked away.
Then how about Maddox's affection to her?
A small, bitter smile tugged at my lips as I finally understood the meaning behind her earlier words.
She knew Kailyn well—there was no way Kailyn would allow anyone else to share Alex's attention.
Mavis seemed to do well in the Parks family, but it was clear she had many grievances, which my mother would never tolerate.
No wonder that my mother had completely cut off contact with Maddox.
People often made mistakes when they were young. They would inevitably encounter a few scumbags, but it was important to cut their losses and move on in time.
My mom did the right thing by cutting ties with the Parks family. Staying away from the mess that was the Parks family was the smartest thing.
When I heard Mavis's words, I felt an inexplicable sense of gratitude.
How could someone as smart as her not know why Maddox had called her over?
She had been forced into that position.
But still, as she handed me my bag, she trying to warn me not to make the same mistake she had.
She was a nice person, but it was too bad nice people rarely had good lives.