Falling For My Ex's Uncle - Chapter 34: Chapter 34

The driver took me straight to the Bluestar Hotel. Honestly, I still wanted to go home, but I didn't dare go against Alex.
The fact that Alex managed to handle my mom was a relief, but something about it didn't sit right. Alex was definitely up to something.
Not only did he let me off the hook for using him as a human shield, but Alex also went out of his way to meet my mom.
There was no such thing as a free lunch, and even if there were, it wouldn't be for me. If anything, free things usually come with a price far higher than expected.
Stepping into Bluestar Hotel, I nearly ran into Angela. Dressed in a sleek black suit, she looked every bit the part of a hotel manager—serious expression, poised stance, not a single trace of a smile.
Ever since Angela moved back to the States, her mom had handed over all the Bluestar Hotel properties for her to manage.
I always thought trust fund kids didn't have to work so hard. They already had more money than they could ever spend in a lifetime.
But Angela put even the most overworked office workers to shame. She practically lived at the office.
"If I don't pull my weight, everything my mom built will end up in someone else's hands," Angela once said.
Angela never liked her half-brother, mostly because he was only three years younger than her. That meant her dad had been messing around while her mom was still recovering from giving birth to her.
Back when her dad had nothing, he had treated her mom like a queen. Her grandparents had doted on her, too, since she was their first grandchild. But the moment her dad became successful, that affection dried up overnight.
For a while, Angela thought it was just because she had grown up. It wasn't until later that she realized their love had been nothing but an act.
If even family bonds could be fake, it was no surprise that love was, too.
"Laurel! How could you show up here without calling me first?" Angela hooked her arm through mine as she spoke.
I hesitated for a second before pulling a key card from my jacket pocket. "Can you check if this room was booked separately?"
Angela paused, then took the card with a smirk. She glanced at it before scoffing, "This is a VIP suite, but it's not Alex's room."
Hearing this, I let out a quiet breath of relief.
"You two are legally married. Why aren't you staying together?" Angela asked, lowering her voice in confusion.
I sighed. "Like I told you before, it's not what you think. At best, we're just using each other."
Angela gave me a pointed look and shot back, "Hate to break it to you, but I don't see how you bring anything to the table."
I hummed in agreement. "Fair point. Maybe he has some beef with Kayden?"
Angela shot me a look of pure disdain. "What are you talking about? Kayden is his third brother. If they had a grudge, what would be the point of using you? Just to mess with his kid?"
"That only leaves one explanation." I leaned in and whispered, "He's probably not into women and was forced to get married."
Instantly, Angela's face twisted. She flicked my forehead. "Laurel, quit making things up."
"Oh, crap. I need to go home and grab some clothes," I said. Then I glanced outside, only to realize the black Rolls-Royce that had been parked there earlier was gone.
Having someone constantly following me around wasn't something I was used to, and since I was already on Angela's turf, I had nothing to worry about.
Bluestar Hotel had security cameras everywhere except inside the rooms, so I told the driver to leave.
"What clothes? Let's grab lunch later, and I'll take you shopping," Angela said, frowning slightly. "Alex hasn't announced your identity yet. You shouldn't be running around on your own."
I smirked. "What, afraid Austin's going to come after me?"
"Don't forget one of them is a lunatic," Angela shot back.
I narrowed my eyes, teasing, "And yet they were staying at Bluestar. That doesn't exactly make me feel safe."
Angela replied, "They only stayed here for one night. Alex kicked them out the next day."
I froze. "Kicked them out?"
Austin might have listened—Alex still held authority over him as an older brother—but Amanda wasn't someone who could be reasoned with. He really kicked them out?
Angela let out a laugh. "Austin wasn't about to waste money on a presidential suite. When he tried to switch to a smaller room the next day, there wasn't a single one available. He had no choice but to find another hotel. And the reason there weren't any rooms left? Alex booked every single VIP suite."
"Talk about rich and reckless," I replied.
Angela arched a brow at me, her smile teasing. "I thought it was weird, too, but now that you're here, it all makes sense."
My face dropped. "What does that have to do with me? I just got here today."
"That just means he had plans for you long before this," Angela replied.
I shot her a dry look. "You're reading too much into it."
Alex had never been short on women. There was no way he would go through the trouble of kicking out Austin and Rosemary just because of me.
Alex probably just didn't like having familiar faces hanging around. Besides, he had never been particularly fond of Austin's family.
The first time I met Alex, I sensed it immediately. At first, I thought I was imagining things, but now I was sure—he really didn't like them. Maybe there was something between them that I didn't know about.
"Go rest for a bit. I'll come get you for lunch later," Angela said before walking off.
As I reached the elevator, a familiar voice called out from behind me. "Laurel? What are you doing here?"
My brows knitted together as I turned to see two familiar faces.
The man sneered, tapping my shoulder. "What, are you deaf? Didn't you hear Juliet talking to you? Guess that's what happens when you grow up in the countryside—no manners."
Juliet tugged at his sleeve quickly, her voice soft and sweet. "Come on, don't say that. She's still our cousin's girlfriend, after all."