Falling For My Ex's Uncle - Chapter 435: Chapter 435

The atmosphere in the hospital room was suffocating, heavy with tension.
I sat quietly, choosing silence in the face of Alex's probing questions.
Suddenly, Betty stood up, her voice soft as she said, "Should I step out for a moment?"
Her tone was gentle, but just as she began to move, Alex quickly reached out and stopped her, his eyes locking with mine. "Betty, you're not a stranger. What's there to hide?"
I let out a quiet sigh, my nostrils flaring slightly. Instead of directly answering Alex, I casually asked, "What do you mean by that?" My gaze met Alex's, a hint of defiance in my eyes.
"Don't you know?" Alex's voice remained indifferent, his cold tone as if it could freeze the very air between us. He continued, pressing me, "Do you not understand what this means?"
"Jamilah is my godmother, and Angela is gone," I smiled brightly, though the smile never reached my eyes, keeping my gaze fixed on Alex, searching his expression for any sign of emotion. But his face remained like a block of ice, devoid of anything.
"Isn't Angela your best friend? How come you're not sad at all that she's gone?" Betty asked, her voice laced with suspicion and disdain, as though she were looking at a criminal.
It seemed she was convinced that my friendship with Angela was based solely on her status. Now that Angela was gone, I was clearly the biggest beneficiary of her death.
Instead of defending me, Alex remained cold, staring at me as if I were truly unforgivable. His silence felt like an indictment.
I smiled, full of resignation. What good would it do to explain myself? Why bother?
I gently pressed my lips together, my voice tinged with sarcasm. "I didn't know you'd be so concerned about such a trivial matter, especially considering you're overseas."
Betty smiled faintly, her expression composed and calm, as though her earlier accusation was nothing more than a lighthearted joke. "Well, when you're new to a place, you need to gather necessary information. And considering the Adams Group is a partner of the Herrera Group, I should be paying close attention."
Her tone carried a hint of sympathy as she sighed. "It's truly a shame Angela passed away so young. Honestly, it's quite unfortunate."
Sitting on the sofa, Alex remained silent, his gaze still fixed on me, his face revealing no complex emotions. It was as if Betty's slanderous remarks didn't bother him in the slightest.
Perhaps he believed that since Angela's death meant I could use my position as Jamilah's goddaughter to claim her inheritance, I had no reason to be sad.
But they didn't know—every time they spoke Angela's name, it felt like a knife being driven into my heart. If I could, I would trade my life for hers in a heartbeat.
"So, are you going to accept Jamilah's gift?" Alex asked, his voice still cold.
I slowly raised my head to look at his face—the face that once made my heart race, but now felt strangely distant and foreign. I forced a smile, trying to make my voice sound unaffected as I said, "Why would I refuse? She wouldn't leave her fortune to an outsider. If there's nothing else, I'll take my leave."
Without waiting for a response, I turned and walked out of the room without a second glance.
As soon as I stepped out of the room, I heard Betty's voice, laced with doubt. "I heard you and Marvin are quite close. If you're taking over the Adams family's shares, won't Marvin be upset?"
Her voice had intentionally risen, as if she wanted me to hear the insinuation. The sarcasm in her tone made my stomach churn, but I ignored her, continuing my stride without hesitation.
Just as I was about to leave, I heard Betty lower her voice, almost casually saying, "It seems the rumors outside might not be true. It's important to marry someone on the same level. She married you, probably just for the title of Mrs. Herrera."
My steps faltered for a moment, a sharp pain shooting through my chest. It was undeniable—Betty was right. I was the kind of woman who was drawn to status and power.
But perhaps the strong, independent women I imagined myself to be weren't as wise or discerning as I had once thought.
At that moment, my phone buzzed with a text message.
It was from Yaeger, inviting me to dinner tonight.
I knew what this meant—he must have what I needed, or he wouldn't have reached out to me. After all the turmoil of the day, I didn't feel like eating, so I called him directly.
"I'm in a bad mood today," I said bluntly, my voice cold. "If you want to drink with me, we can meet up."
At that moment, all I wanted was to drown my worries in alcohol, to forget the stress and confusion of the day.
"Then you'll have to drive me home," Yaeger replied with a lighthearted tone, teasing. "Do you still want the meds?"
His words made my heart tighten. He knew exactly how to press my buttons.
I frowned, irritation rising within me, but I was left with no choice.
"Wait for me to finish work, send me the address," I said, my tone reluctantly softening. After all, those pills were too important to let go of.
After hanging up, I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself.
When I reached the hospital entrance, the afternoon sun was warm and blinding, yet I felt a strange chill crawl over me.
Alex knew I was willing to sacrifice my life to save Marvin.
If I did take Jamilah's inheritance, and Alex got angry, that would be understandable. But if he didn't, I knew rumors would spread about me.
People would insinuate that Marvin and I had a special bond, that I was manipulating him to get close to Alex, that I was just a calculating woman using my marriage for my own gain.
Regardless of Marvin's reaction, I would always be seen as the woman with ulterior motives, and there was nothing I could do to change that.
No matter how much it hurt, life had to go on. Work couldn't be delayed.
By the time it was evening, I arrived at the address Yaeger had sent me.
It was a Western restaurant, dimly lit with soft music playing in the background. It was a slight relief, and for the first time that day, I felt a bit of relaxation.
I spotted Yaeger already seated at a corner, a glass of wine in front of him.
I walked over, sat down across from him, said nothing, and simply picked up the glass of wine on the table, drinking it in one go.
Yaeger looked at me, concern flickering in his eyes, but he didn't say a word. He silently poured me another glass.
I didn't know how much time had passed, but I had already drunk too much. Raising an eyebrow, I grinned at Yaeger and teased, "Are you trying to get me drunk?"