Falling For My Ex's Uncle - Chapter 439: Chapter 439

"But aren't you here with me?" I tilted my head slightly, looking at Jayden with a hint of slyness and expectation in my eyes.
Jayden had clearly set his sights on me, and I was eager to see just how far he would go for me. I thought to myself, there's no way he would dare challenge Harold so openly. If he can't do that, then he doesn't deserve to be my 'brother,' and I can finally be rid of him.
I knew people like him—people who you can't just cut off directly. They would lash out, become unhinged, and might even harm those around them.
Jayden was one of those people, cruel and unpredictable. He could smash his own head with a brick if it served his purpose, and if he went mad, he might even chase his own sister with a knife.
Because of his madness, he could control someone as disturbed as Thelma. But Thelma, in turn, was even more devious and sinister than Jayden.
If I hadn't returned to the Parks family, maybe Thelma's marriage into the family would have been a way for me to get revenge.
But now, with Thelma in the picture, it felt like a ticking time bomb, one that could explode at any moment. Jayden was the same.
I admired the Woods family for adopting two crazies, but I pitied their other son, Blake. According to past experiences, there was no way he could have escaped the clutches of Thelma and Jayden.
The fact that he hadn't killed himself yet could mean only one thing: either he was mentally strong enough to tolerate their abuse, or he was just as deranged as them.
Before Thelma and Jayden returned to the Woods family, Blake's health was poor. Even doctors said he wouldn't make it past eighteen. But now, he was still alive—perhaps the pressure from Thelma and Jayden had given him the drive to survive.
Some people only grow stronger in the face of hardship.
For Thelma and Jayden, maybe Blake's torment had become the fuel to his will to live. Or perhaps, their parents had been kind to them in their youth, which was why they hadn't finished him off.
When Jayden heard me speak, he chuckled softly. There was a hint of amusement in his voice as he said, "Laurel, you've become even worse than you were when you were younger."
He narrowed his eyes at me, still wearing that smile that seemed to pierce right through me. I blinked, feigning innocence, and replied with a sweet smile, "I've grown up. If I wasn't a little bad, how would you ever want to call me your little sister?"
I knew exactly why Jayden wanted me to be his "sister."
To him, Thelma had always been impossible to control. As time went on, Thelma grew increasingly resistant to living her life centered around Jayden. She didn't want to remain his puppet. But I was different—I was smart, ruthless, and yet obedient to him, whether in the past or now.
He wanted a sister who would follow his every command.
"Does Harold have some kind of leverage over your husband?" Jayden suddenly asked, his voice laced with curiosity as he leaned in slightly.
My heart skipped a beat, but I quickly masked my reaction, forcing a confused look on my face. I'd known he wouldn't just come for coffee. Jayden wasn't here to talk about small matters—he was probing into Alex's life.
"You didn't know?" I leaned back in my leather chair, nonchalantly swirling my coffee cup. "Alex's life was saved by Bailee."
"Saved?" Jayden raised an eyebrow. From the slight change in his expression, it was clear he had already known this, but he kept his surprise hidden. He gave a faint smile, barely noticeable.
I continued, "To be more precise, it was Harold who saved Alex."
I set the coffee cup down, tapping my fingers lightly on the desk, the sound sharp in the quiet room.
Jayden leaned back, his voice low as he asked, "So, do you want Alex to repay the favor, or turn against him?"
I paused for a moment before answering, feeling a knot tighten in my chest. "That's not for me to decide. It's in his hands."
I lowered my head slightly to avoid his piercing gaze.
"Gains and losses are often decided by a single thought," Jayden said, a bright smile curving his lips. But the smile had an unsettling quality, a strange twist to it. "You might as well let them be. Why waste time trying to fight them?"
He leaned back further, his hands behind his head in a carefree gesture, yet his eyes held a cold edge.
"Let them be?" I met his gaze, a flicker of anger flashing in my eyes. "And who's going to let me be?"
Jayden's smile slowly faded, his expression hardening into cold indifference. "Laurel, you should know, some things just can't be forced. There are too many obstacles between you and Alex. Why keep fighting for it? The Herrera family never really accepted you, and now you've lost the baby..."
"Yeah, there was a baby who could have called you 'uncle,'" I retorted, bitterness seeping into my voice.
Jayden's eyes momentarily softened, a flicker of thought passing through them. He suddenly stood up and walked toward me, towering over me as he asked, "Did Harold cause you to lose the baby?"
"Who else would it be? Do you think it was someone else?" I slowly raised my head, not entirely certain, but I knew Jayden could help me find out if he truly wanted to.
Jayden laughed then, a cold, mocking sound. "You've really reached the end, haven't you? It's time to teach him a lesson."
My fists clenched, my nails digging into my palms. I paused for a moment, taking a deep breath. "Don't act on impulse. He's not someone you can easily deal with."
Jayden raised an eyebrow. "Are you afraid I'll drag you down?"
"I'm your sister. Who else will help me if you're gone?"
At my words, he gave a satisfied nod.
"Don't worry. I won't do anything without knowing I can handle it," he said before turning to leave the room.
Just as he reached the door, he paused and glanced back at me. "By the way, Laurel, watch out for Thelma. She's been dumped by Isaac."