Falling For My Ex's Uncle - Chapter 336: Chapter 336

The abandoned factory was thick with the stench of decay and dampness, the pungent odor churning my stomach.
I fought to keep my panic at bay, my gaze locked on Jayden standing before me.
Alex lay nearby, pale and unconscious, the blood from his wounds pooling around him, staining the floor.
"Laurel, how could I ever let you die?" Jayden said, glancing at me with a casual look, a bright smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "I've been looking for you for quite some time."
His voice echoed through the empty factory, laced with a subtle, almost affectionate tone. But all I felt was a chill crawling down my spine.
'I knew Jayden wouldn't kill me, but he certainly wouldn't let me go that easily. If all he wanted were to catch up, he wouldn't be using someone as leverage against me.'
'He knew I would never meet him alone, especially with all the surveillance cameras.'
When he first ran into me, he hadn't told Juliet we knew each other, and neither had Thelma mentioned anything about our past to anyone.
"What do you want?" I asked slowly, my voice calm, my eyes never leaving Jayden. My hand moved behind me, desperately searching for anything I could use as a weapon. Even a brick would do. But the ground was littered with dust and debris, nothing useful.
'If it were just me against three of them, it wouldn't be that difficult. But Alex is injured, if I can't deal with them right away, who knows what Jayden might do if he loses control.'
'And Alex still wasn't waking up. Carrying him while trying to escape wouldn't be easy. Not to mention, I was pregnant. Right now, all I could do was buy time.'
Jayden glanced at me, his expression showing disappointment and resignation.
At that moment, the man with the knife slowly walked up to me, a malicious grin curling on his lips. "Hey, Jayden, this girl's not bad. How about we have some fun with her?"
"Have fun?" Jayden replied slowly, standing up from his chair. He pulled his hands out of his pockets, letting the iron rod fall to the floor with a sharp, grating sound.
In the next second, Jayden swung the rod violently toward the man's head, catching him off guard. The thug staggered back, blood immediately pouring from the wound on his head as his face twisted in shock.
Jayden watched his underling with a calm, almost amused smile. Slowly raising the rod, he spoke calmly, "What did you just say? I missed that. Repeat it."
"Jayden... I'm sorry," the thug stammered, clutching his head and sinking to his knees, fear evident in his eyes.
Jayden frowned, giving a slight nod. "Get out of here. Don't dirty my place."
The thug scrambled to his feet and hurried out, nearly crawling in his haste.
The tall man behind Jayden didn't react, his face as stoic as ever. He didn't seem the least bit surprised by the sudden outburst. To him, this was just another ordinary event.
A chill ran through me, but I kept my face composed.
'I stared at Jayden. He was just like he was as a kid—hard on himself, but even harder on others. He never showed mercy, not even to those closest to him.'
"Laurel, don't be mad. I've already taught him a lesson for you," Jayden said, his eyes narrowing into a playful smile. "Are you happy now?"
"Jayden, what do you want?" I furrowed my brow, eyes darting toward the door, calculating the distance. If I could run for it, maybe I could find help outside. But I heard nothing from the other side. I couldn't take the risk.
'Jayden was like a mad dog—he could do anything when snapped.'
"Laurel, you're still the same as when we were kids," he said, his voice laced with curiosity. "But I'm wondering... you're scared, so why don't you cry?"
'Cry? I've never been the type to cry, not even when faced with danger. Maybe it was just my nature—I always reacted a step slower than everyone else when I was a kid.'
'The more profound reason was that Yvette often cried silently in the dark. I never understood why she cried, over and over again. But it seemed like crying never changed anything.'
I gave a bitter laugh. "If I cried, would you let me go?"
Jayden paused for a moment, then leaned back and laughed. The sound echoed through the empty room, sending a chilling shiver. As his laughter faded, his gaze locked onto me, his eyes dark and unreadable, like a bottomless pit.
"Let you go?" His lips curved into a faint, dangerous smile as he stepped closer. "Of course not."
A dark, menacing glint flashed in Jayden's eyes.
"Well, look at Laurel, all grown up now," he said with a long sigh. "Not afraid of me anymore, huh?"
"Jayden, after all these years, you're still the same. Just as childish as ever," I shot back, my words dripping with disdain.
He stepped closer, stopping about 1.5 feet away from me. His warm breath brushing my cheek, but all I felt was an overwhelming chill.
"Childish?" he repeated softly, as if savoring the word. "Laurel, I used to love seeing you scared. But now? You're not afraid of me anymore, are you?"
I took a steadying breath, locking eyes with Jayden. "You just said I've grown up. So should I still act like the scared little girl I was?"
Jayden's fingers gently brushed against my cheek. "You're right... but I miss the way you were—vulnerable, holding everything in. What am I supposed to do with that?"
"Jayden, do you do anything besides torment me?" I sneered, my patience wearing thin.
"Torment you?" His voice dropped to a low growl as he leaned in, his breath warm against my ear. "No... I want you back by my side. Just like when you were younger—scared, but unable to walk away."
I raised an eyebrow, my lips curling into a mocking smile. "What's the matter, Jayden? Still searching for a toy to play with? Or did you become someone else's toy?"
I saw anger flash in his eyes for a split second, but it was gone almost as quickly as it came.
He grinned, his tone mocking. "Seems like Laurel knows me better than anyone. Too bad you were too young back then to stay with me."
The words hit me like a cold slap. I blinked, stunned, unsure how to react.
"Did you return to the Parks family to find your family, Laurel?" Jayden asked, his smile fading, his voice unusually soft. "Because, you know... I'm your family, too."
'What a sick freak,' I silently cursed him.
"Family? Thelma is your sister," I said, my voice cold.
"But I think you'd be a better fit as my sister," Jayden replied with a smile, his fingers lightly brushing through my hair. "What do you think? Want to be my sister instead?"