Falling For My Ex's Uncle - Chapter 438: Chapter 438
You are reading Falling For My Ex's Uncle, Chapter 438: Chapter 438. Read more chapters of Falling For My Ex's Uncle.
Jayden stood there silently, his gaze calm and unthreatening, his eyes holding a flicker of amusement. But despite the warmth in his smile, a chill crept down my spine, an unsettling sense of unease that I couldn't shake.
He walked toward me slowly, his smile never faltering, his voice low and almost affectionate, sending a shiver down my back.
"How did you end up here?" I asked, instinctively stepping back half a step to put some distance between us. I wasn't familiar with him, and with so many eyes on us, I felt uncomfortable under the scrutiny.
"I'm here to see Austin. Would it be alright if I sat in the CEO's office?" he tilted his head slightly, still smiling, but there was a look in his eyes that suggested he wasn't going to take no for an answer.
My mind raced, torn between refusing him and curiosity about why he was here. I wanted to say no, but that would certainly anger him, and worse, it would raise suspicions about our relationship. I didn't have the answers yet, but I knew I had to find out what he was really after.
After all, he was Juliet's boyfriend—he should've come with her if he truly wanted to see Austin.
"Sure, go ahead," I forced a smile, trying to sound casual.
Jayden followed me into the office, immediately making himself at home. Without hesitation, he sank into the sofa, stretched his legs out, and kicked back with a carefree attitude, as if he were at his own place.
When Danny walked in and saw Jayden, there was a flash of surprise on his face, though it was quickly masked by his usual neutral expression.
"Juice or coffee?" I asked, partly out of politeness and partly to get Danny to leave us alone. I didn't want an audience while I spoke with Jayden.
"Coffee, with extra sugar, please," Jayden responded, his eyes narrowing slightly as he looked a bit tired. "I've been running around since early this morning."
I glanced at Danny, and before I could say anything, he quickly picked up on my unspoken request and exited the room without a word.
Once the door closed behind him, the room fell into a tense silence. The air felt heavy, as if the very space around us had frozen.
Jayden was the first to break the silence, his voice quiet but filled with an undeniable intensity. "I still prefer it when you treat me like an older brother."
He said it so casually that I was taken aback for a moment. Hesitantly, I spoke, unsure how to handle this sudden shift in tone. "You're asking me to call you 'brother' now?"
Jayden's lips twitched into a surprised smile, as though hearing those words from me had brought him unexpected pleasure.
"Yeah, that's what I meant," he said with a teasing glint in his eye, clearly enjoying my discomfort.
After a pause, I finally asked, "Why are you really here to see Austin?"
Jayden didn't flinch. His eyes remained fixed on me, his playful expression replaced by something darker, more calculating. "Do you want the truth or a lie?" he asked, the challenge clear in his tone.
"Tell me the truth," I replied immediately, not hesitating for a second.
"The truth is," he said, leaning back and sighing dramatically, "I came to see you."
His words hit me like a wave. It was said so nonchalantly, but the weight of his gaze made me uneasy. He wasn't here for Austin—he was here for me. I quickly tried to regain my composure, suppressing the unease that began to creep into my chest. "And the lie?"
"Juliet's birthday is coming up, and I need Austin's help to pick out a gift. I don't know what she likes, and honestly, I can't be bothered to figure it out," Jayden said, a touch of frustration creeping into his voice.
"Don't you like Juliet?" I raised an eyebrow, genuinely puzzled. "Why would you need help picking a gift for someone you care about?"
Jayden shrugged, his gaze shifting briefly before he answered, "Isn't it possible to be with someone without being in love with them?"
I blinked, taken aback. His words seemed to hit close to home. I'd married Alex without being in love with him at first, and now, his comment made me feel oddly connected to him.
Jayden suddenly became serious, sitting up straighter. His gaze locked with mine, and he asked, "I have good news and bad news. Which one do you want to hear first?"
"Whatever, just get it over with," I replied, growing tired of his theatrics.
Jayden frowned slightly, his expression showing that he was hurt by my dismissive tone. It seemed like he was taking this more personally than I thought.
"The bad news first," I muttered, already irritated by the games.
He leaned forward slightly, his voice becoming more serious. "Since Leah arrived in Nifelheim City, she's been building quite a network. A lot of the shareholders at the Herrera Group respect her, some even calling her a rising star."
"I know she's already handled the company's financial troubles," I replied, leaning back in my chair, massaging my temples. I was starting to feel a headache coming on, and I could hardly focus.
"That's not the real bad news," Jayden said, his voice growing heavier. "Do you want to know why she's getting so much attention?"
I paused, considering his words. Leah had been in Nifelheim City for a short time, and with her skills, it seemed impossible she could have raised so much support on her own. There had to be someone behind her.
"Is it the Harvey family?" I asked cautiously, guessing that they might have been helping her.
Jayden gave a small nod, but then shook his head, a deliberate move that only made me more intrigued.
I closed my eyes briefly, trying to process everything. If the Harvey family was helping Leah, it was likely due to Lena's influence. But this situation was more complex than I had thought. The Harvey family didn't usually take sides in corporate disputes unless there was something major at stake.
"Do you know Harold?" Jayden suddenly asked, his eyes narrowing as he watched me carefully.
At the mention of Harold's name, I froze, my heart tightening in my chest. The tension in my body was palpable. Had Bailee introduced Harold to Leah?
Before I could respond, Danny walked back into the room, carrying a steaming cup of coffee and setting it down in front of Jayden.
Jayden glanced at Danny and then at me, his expression shifting to something far more serious. As Danny left, Jayden finally spoke, his voice cold and measured.
"You know Harold well, don't you?" he asked, his gaze hardening. "If you've crossed Bailee, you've crossed Harold too. Don't you fear the consequences?"
The weight of his words sank in, and I knew then that Jayden wasn't just making idle threats. He was warning me of something much bigger.
He walked toward me slowly, his smile never faltering, his voice low and almost affectionate, sending a shiver down my back.
"How did you end up here?" I asked, instinctively stepping back half a step to put some distance between us. I wasn't familiar with him, and with so many eyes on us, I felt uncomfortable under the scrutiny.
"I'm here to see Austin. Would it be alright if I sat in the CEO's office?" he tilted his head slightly, still smiling, but there was a look in his eyes that suggested he wasn't going to take no for an answer.
My mind raced, torn between refusing him and curiosity about why he was here. I wanted to say no, but that would certainly anger him, and worse, it would raise suspicions about our relationship. I didn't have the answers yet, but I knew I had to find out what he was really after.
After all, he was Juliet's boyfriend—he should've come with her if he truly wanted to see Austin.
"Sure, go ahead," I forced a smile, trying to sound casual.
Jayden followed me into the office, immediately making himself at home. Without hesitation, he sank into the sofa, stretched his legs out, and kicked back with a carefree attitude, as if he were at his own place.
When Danny walked in and saw Jayden, there was a flash of surprise on his face, though it was quickly masked by his usual neutral expression.
"Juice or coffee?" I asked, partly out of politeness and partly to get Danny to leave us alone. I didn't want an audience while I spoke with Jayden.
"Coffee, with extra sugar, please," Jayden responded, his eyes narrowing slightly as he looked a bit tired. "I've been running around since early this morning."
I glanced at Danny, and before I could say anything, he quickly picked up on my unspoken request and exited the room without a word.
Once the door closed behind him, the room fell into a tense silence. The air felt heavy, as if the very space around us had frozen.
Jayden was the first to break the silence, his voice quiet but filled with an undeniable intensity. "I still prefer it when you treat me like an older brother."
He said it so casually that I was taken aback for a moment. Hesitantly, I spoke, unsure how to handle this sudden shift in tone. "You're asking me to call you 'brother' now?"
Jayden's lips twitched into a surprised smile, as though hearing those words from me had brought him unexpected pleasure.
"Yeah, that's what I meant," he said with a teasing glint in his eye, clearly enjoying my discomfort.
After a pause, I finally asked, "Why are you really here to see Austin?"
Jayden didn't flinch. His eyes remained fixed on me, his playful expression replaced by something darker, more calculating. "Do you want the truth or a lie?" he asked, the challenge clear in his tone.
"Tell me the truth," I replied immediately, not hesitating for a second.
"The truth is," he said, leaning back and sighing dramatically, "I came to see you."
His words hit me like a wave. It was said so nonchalantly, but the weight of his gaze made me uneasy. He wasn't here for Austin—he was here for me. I quickly tried to regain my composure, suppressing the unease that began to creep into my chest. "And the lie?"
"Juliet's birthday is coming up, and I need Austin's help to pick out a gift. I don't know what she likes, and honestly, I can't be bothered to figure it out," Jayden said, a touch of frustration creeping into his voice.
"Don't you like Juliet?" I raised an eyebrow, genuinely puzzled. "Why would you need help picking a gift for someone you care about?"
Jayden shrugged, his gaze shifting briefly before he answered, "Isn't it possible to be with someone without being in love with them?"
I blinked, taken aback. His words seemed to hit close to home. I'd married Alex without being in love with him at first, and now, his comment made me feel oddly connected to him.
Jayden suddenly became serious, sitting up straighter. His gaze locked with mine, and he asked, "I have good news and bad news. Which one do you want to hear first?"
"Whatever, just get it over with," I replied, growing tired of his theatrics.
Jayden frowned slightly, his expression showing that he was hurt by my dismissive tone. It seemed like he was taking this more personally than I thought.
"The bad news first," I muttered, already irritated by the games.
He leaned forward slightly, his voice becoming more serious. "Since Leah arrived in Nifelheim City, she's been building quite a network. A lot of the shareholders at the Herrera Group respect her, some even calling her a rising star."
"I know she's already handled the company's financial troubles," I replied, leaning back in my chair, massaging my temples. I was starting to feel a headache coming on, and I could hardly focus.
"That's not the real bad news," Jayden said, his voice growing heavier. "Do you want to know why she's getting so much attention?"
I paused, considering his words. Leah had been in Nifelheim City for a short time, and with her skills, it seemed impossible she could have raised so much support on her own. There had to be someone behind her.
"Is it the Harvey family?" I asked cautiously, guessing that they might have been helping her.
Jayden gave a small nod, but then shook his head, a deliberate move that only made me more intrigued.
I closed my eyes briefly, trying to process everything. If the Harvey family was helping Leah, it was likely due to Lena's influence. But this situation was more complex than I had thought. The Harvey family didn't usually take sides in corporate disputes unless there was something major at stake.
"Do you know Harold?" Jayden suddenly asked, his eyes narrowing as he watched me carefully.
At the mention of Harold's name, I froze, my heart tightening in my chest. The tension in my body was palpable. Had Bailee introduced Harold to Leah?
Before I could respond, Danny walked back into the room, carrying a steaming cup of coffee and setting it down in front of Jayden.
Jayden glanced at Danny and then at me, his expression shifting to something far more serious. As Danny left, Jayden finally spoke, his voice cold and measured.
"You know Harold well, don't you?" he asked, his gaze hardening. "If you've crossed Bailee, you've crossed Harold too. Don't you fear the consequences?"
The weight of his words sank in, and I knew then that Jayden wasn't just making idle threats. He was warning me of something much bigger.
End of Falling For My Ex's Uncle Chapter 438. Continue reading Chapter 439 or return to Falling For My Ex's Uncle book page.