Falling For My Ex's Uncle - Chapter 359: Chapter 359

I took a deep breath, steadying my voice as much as possible. "I went to the Seastar Hotel and am returning now." On the other end of the line, Alex's voice came through just as composed as ever—calm, measured, unchanged. It was as if nothing had happened, and that unsettling tranquility sent a chill through me.
Less than a minute after I ended the call, my phone vibrated. I glanced at the screen and saw a photo of Alex sitting by the hotel's floor-to-ceiling window, gazing into the distance with a calm, unreadable expression.
"Damn it, I'm taking you there to catch them in the act." Marvin caught a glimpse of the photo and immediately erupted in fury. The veins on his neck tensed, his grip on the steering wheel tightened until his knuckles turned pale, and his face was outrage-filled.
On the other hand, I felt as if all emotion had been drained from me. Glancing at Marvin indifferently, I forced a calm tone. "I'm not even in a hurry. Why are you?"
I paused momentarily before turning to him with a hint of reproach. "Why didn't you answer your phone?"
Marvin returned to reality, hurriedly fumbling in his pocket for his phone. His face showed frustration and regret—clearly, he had been too caught up sneaking glances at my screen to remember his business.
"You're seriously not going back? That's a blatant provocation—you'll just let it slide?" Marvin stared at me intently, as if searching for an answer in my expression. His voice was filled with urgency and frustration, almost as if he were more outraged than I was.
I forced a bitter smile, a flicker of quiet sorrow flashing through my eyes. In a soft voice, I asked, "And then what? After catching them in the act—divorce?" Unbidden, Bailee's words surfaced in my mind.
For all I know, they might have been together for a long time already. I kept my expression indifferent, pretending it didn't matter, but deep down, the pain cut through me in waves.
Marvin looked at me seriously and said with unwavering certainty, "Laurel, don't worry. If you get a divorce, I'll take care of you and the child. I won't let you suffer, not even a little."
I shot him a skeptical glance. "Oh, please. Weren't you the one who said you didn't want to be a burden and didn't even dare to date? And now you think you can take care of me and a child?"
Marvin wanted to argue, but his phone rang again before he could speak. He quickly answered, and instantly, the flush of frustration on his face drained to pale. His eyes darkened with shock and gravity.
After hanging up the phone, he was stunned for a few seconds before he slowly said, "A male corpse was found in the Disrey Park river in the Central."
The words left me momentarily stunned, and I stood frozen, my mind struggling to process the information. I muttered, "It's just up ahead, no wonder it's so congested. But aren't you on leave? Is there a shortage of people? Maybe I should head back on my own. I could even walk back if I had to."
"Get out of the car first, let's go look." Before I could react, Marvin had already pulled over and exited the car.
I fumbled to unbuckle my seatbelt, hurrying to catch up with him. My mind was filled with confusion and concern, and I couldn't help but shout at him, "Aren't you worried about your car being stolen if you just leave it here?"
"It's just a lousy car!" he said, not looking back. His steps were hurried, and his voice was laced with an irritable urgency. The more I thought about it, the more something felt off about him today.
He was usually careful with me, especially after discovering I was pregnant. He never wanted me near any crime scenes, avoiding any risk. But today, he was acting entirely differently.
Suddenly, a horrifying thought flashed through my mind. My heart tightened, and I froze in my tracks. I grabbed Marvin's arm, my eyes wide, and with a trembling voice, I asked, "Is the corpse the one in the photo?"
My heart pounded so loudly that I thought it might burst from my chest. I was terrified to hear a confirmation, yet I was desperate to know the truth.
Marvin stiffened, turning to look at me. His eyes shifted uncomfortably, and after a brief hesitation, he replied, "It's not certain yet."
The calmer and more composed he acted, the more uneasy I became. My legs felt like they were weighed down with lead, yet I gritted my teeth and forced myself to keep up.
Ten minutes later, we arrived at Disrey Park. The scene in front of me made me gasp in shock. The cars behind us were blocked entirely, creating a traffic jam. The area was crowded, with police and traffic officers weaving through the masses, shouting to maintain order.
Though it wasn't rush hour, the city was always bustling with people and cars. Plus, Disrey Park was a popular spot for locals to relax. In the afternoon, tourists and residents often come to stroll, dance, or play chess. People of all ages filled the park.
At this moment, everyone was drawn to the sudden murder case, gathering in tight clusters, with people packed in layers both inside and outside the scene.
Marvin walked quickly, and as we reached the police cordon, an officer waved at him from a distance. I followed closely behind, thinking it would be a good idea to go in with him to figure out precisely what had happened. But to my surprise, as soon as the officer saw us, he immediately jogged over to us.
The man appeared to be in his early twenties. Upon seeing Marvin, he immediately adopted a respectful demeanor. "Mr. Adams, what brings you here?" he asked, his gaze briefly lingering on me, filled with confusion and curiosity.
Before the officer could say anything, Marvin cut straight to the point. "Let's talk about the case. What happened?"
The officer paused momentarily, changing to a stern expression before speaking. "Because the wind was strong today, someone from the company noticed a strange smell in the river. They called the city authorities to have it cleared, and when they dredged the riverbed, they found a body."
He glanced at Marvin's expression as he spoke, seemingly worried about whether his report would meet his approval.
I stood to the side, and my mind was in turmoil. I couldn't take my eyes off the cordoned riverbank, trying to peer through the crowd to get a clearer view of what was happening.
All I could see were flashing police lights and the bustling figures of officers. My thoughts were a mess—just when I had managed to grasp a clue, everything had now turned into the discovery of a body in the river.
"Was it murder?" I asked, unable to hide my curiosity. The officer hesitated, seemingly unsure whether he should reveal any details.
Instead, Marvin said, "Typically, bodies of people who drown in a river from suicide float to the surface. Of course, there are rare cases where someone might tie something to themselves before jumping in. But if it were a suicide, there's no way the body would end up in this river."
"Why?" The officer asked, looking at Marvin in confusion. Marvin didn't answer his question. Instead, his gaze shifted to me.
I smiled faintly. "If the man wanted to commit suicide without being discovered, it would be impossible to do it in a crowded area. Even though it's already autumn, a body would still emit a smell. Plus, decomposition doesn't happen that quickly, so the chance of it being found is pretty high."
"So, he was murdered?" The officer scratched his head in confusion. "But that doesn't make sense. How foolish is it for the killer to strike in such a crowded area? Aren't they worried about being seen? And carrying a man and tossing into the river is bound to attract attention."