Falling For My Ex's Uncle - Chapter 345: Chapter 345

Alex sat on the bed with impeccable posture, yet there was a hint of languid elegance in the way he carried himself.
There was an aloofness in his eyes, distant and unreachable, as though an invisible wall kept him separate from the world. His voice, soft and soothing, echoed through the room, stirring something deep within me and making my pulse quicken.
Alex did not blame me for striking out, simply saying it was self-defense.
His voice was deep and velvety, each word flowing effortlessly, filling the silence and lingering in my ears.
Alex leaned forward slightly and lowered his voice. His piercing gaze held mine, unwavering and dangerously compelling. It was as if his very presence coiled around me, pulling me in. Just one look, and I felt myself slipping under his spell.
I sat beside him, feeling tense, my fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of my clothes, my heartbeat thundering in my chest.
Then, without warning, Alex reached out and softly took my hand in his. The sudden warmth of his touch sent a jolt through me, like an electric current piercing straight to my core.
My body trembled involuntarily, and I instinctively tried to pull my hand away—only to realize I had no strength to resist.
"Don't move," Alex said, his tone gentle but commanding.
When Alex noticed the bruises on my wrist, his brows furrowed slightly, a flicker of anger flashing through his deep eyes.
"Take off your clothes," he ordered.
My breath hitched. I stared at Alex in shock, my wide eyes locking onto his. In those dark depths, I saw my own panic reflected back at me.
I stammered, "Y-your leg is still injured..."
As I spoke, my eyes instinctively flicked to Alex's right leg, and I bit my lip lightly.
Alex's sudden request had completely thrown me off guard, leaving me flustered and burning with embarrassment.
Alex released his grip, his expression unreadable as he glanced at me before slowly and deliberately rolling up my sleeve, his touch unexpectedly gentle.
"It's not even dark yet. Do I really seem that desperate? I just want to make sure you're not hurt anywhere else." Alex chuckled, a mix of playfulness and self-mockery in his expression. Instead of easing my nerves, it only made my heart race faster.
Mortified, I blurted out, "I-I don't have any other injuries."
I lowered my head, too embarrassed to look at him. My face was flushed with heat, and my heart thudded loudly in my chest.
The room was so quiet, it felt like I could hear my own breathing and heartbeat.
At that moment, the top buttons of Alex's black shirt were undone, revealing his neck and faint outline of his abs, a sight that became more enticing by the second, causing me to lose my focus briefly.
I quickly averted my gaze, but the image stayed in my mind. My heart was thumping wildly.
Suddenly, Alex's voice broke through my thoughts, stern and unyielding. "Laurel, never do something so reckless again. If you're ever in danger, your first instinct should be to leave."
His tone had changed completely, the warmth in his eyes replaced by coldness.
"I didn't do anything reckless," I said.
Alex lowered his voice and said, "Don't tell me you had no idea that Melody was targeting you."
I was taken aback. "How did you know?"
"Sophina and Zachary aren't in the living room," Alex answered.
I nodded, impressed. Alex was as sharp as ever, his mind always a step ahead.
When Alex saw that Sophina and Zachary were not in the living room, he instantly realized I had planned for this in advance.
"To be honest, Melody's ruthlessness caught me off guard," I said, sighing softly.
Alex stared at me expressionlessly and said, "Melody wants to get rid of you because you're married to me."
I knew that Melody had always considered me a constant thorn in her side.
Since I returned to the Parks family, Melody had appeared friendly, but behind my back, she was keeping track of everything I did.
At first, she did not consider me a real threat to Kailyn's position, so she did not pay much attention to me.
But that all changed after Alex came into the picture.
"You don't really think that if I had married a regular guy, Melody would have left me alone, do you?" I asked with a smile, meeting Alex's gaze.
"If I had married just some ordinary man, Melody probably wouldn't be watching me so closely. But Maddox might not even acknowledge me as his daughter."
"Actually, your father does care about you, Laurel," Alex said, hesitating as if unsure whether to continue.
I made a sound of agreement and turned to face him, offering a small, strained smile. "You're right. Maddox treats Isaac and Kailyn well, and he's not terrible to me—his newly acknowledged daughter—or his illegitimate son.
"But he was absent during my childhood. Though I've chosen to acknowledge him, it doesn't mean I've forgiven him for everything."
Alex remained silent as he listened to my words, his expression unreadable. Then, he wrapped his arm around me, his breath warm against my ear, and asked softly, "So, you're disappointed in him, aren't you?"
"So, are you here today to speak on Maddox's behalf?" I slowly lifted my head and met Alex's intense gaze. That face of his, one I could never tire of, still left me stunned with its charm.
Alex reached out to gently caress my swollen cheek, his eyes filled with a rare tenderness.
For a moment, I wondered if it was just my imagination.
"I'm feeling a bit sleepy. I'm just going to lie down for a bit," I said.
I stood up slowly and then lay down on the other side of the bed.
The bed was large enough for two, but with Alex's injury, there was not much room left.
"Alright, go ahead and sleep. I won't disturb you," Alex said.
I nodded and quickly fell into a deep sleep.
When I opened my eyes again, the sky outside had darkened, and the lights were on.
At this moment, Alex was not in the room.
When I opened the door, Zachary came running up the stairs at full speed.
"Laurel, you're finally awake! Sophina wouldn't let me come see you. Why can't I come see you? Why can't we sleep together?"
Zachary pouted, looking unhappy, and tightly grasped my hand.
"Are you alright, Laurel?" Sophina asked, sounding slightly upset. "I heard from Susan about what happened... I can't believe I fell asleep and didn't hear anything."
Seeing Sophina's frustrated expression, I thought for a moment and then replied, "I lit some incense in your room, which is why you both slept so deeply."
Sophina froze for a moment, staring at me in confusion.
"I couldn't let anything happen to you and Zachary. Besides, I'm fine now, aren't I?" I said.
Sophina nodded with a confused expression. "Laurel, are you afraid that I'll be a burden to you?"
I said to Sophina, "I'll have Drew look after Zachary these few days. You'll stay with me."
Sophina asked, "Are you worried that Mrs. Parks might hurt me? Don't worry; she probably won't have time for that, especially after what happened to Kailyn."