Falling For My Ex's Uncle - Chapter 440: Chapter 440

After Jayden left, it felt as if all my energy had been drained from me. I exhaled deeply, my tense body finally relaxing, and I slumped like a lifeless heap onto the desk.
The hangover from last night already made me feel weak, but the unexpected appearance of Jayden had taken a toll on me, leaving me utterly exhausted.
As I tried to focus, my mind wandered to Isaac rejecting Thelma. marry him?
A small sense of relief washed over me—at least Isaac hadn't fallen for her manipulation and hadn't let Melody control his marriage.
But a nagging curiosity lingered: who would Isaac choose to marry? Would Abigail get what she wanted? Would she be the one to
Then there was the Harvey family. They had the power to help Leah, but why were they unwilling to lend a hand to the Cole family?
Was there some deeper strategy at play? Could they be aligning with the Herrera family to take over the Cole family? Could such betrayal and greed overshadow the ties of family?
These thoughts swirled in my head, leaving me more frustrated with each passing second.
Suddenly, my phone vibrated, breaking the silence in the office with an unexpected jolt.
I grabbed the phone, answered, and immediately heard Yaeger's voice, tinged with urgency.
"Laurel, where are you?" His tone was sharp, tense—something I hadn't heard from him before.
My heart skipped a beat. An uneasy feeling washed over me, something was wrong.
"I'm at the office. What's going on?" I tried to keep my voice calm, but the tension in my words betrayed my unease.
"I need to see you," Yaeger said, his voice more insistent. "If you don't come out, I'll come to the office to find you."
His tone left no room for negotiation. Something felt off—Yaeger wasn't one to act this way, especially with me. He always maintained a certain distance from those around him, particularly women. But now, he was desperate to meet me? It made no sense.
"I'm at work right now," I quickly replied, confused and increasingly unsettled. "Why are you in such a rush?"
Without waiting for an answer, he continued, determined, "I'll come to the office if you don't come out."
I took a deep breath, one hand wearily massaging my temple, the other gripping my phone tightly. My brow furrowed into a knot as I asked, "What's the rush? Why are you looking for me so urgently?"
A wave of unease washed over me, and strange thoughts began to race through my mind. Could it be that I had gotten drunk yesterday and made a scene, hitting him in the process?
Suddenly, I noticed the injury on my knee, but my mind went blank, struggling to recall how it even happened. An even more outrageous thought crossed my mind—could I have gotten drunk, acted reckless, and then been pushed by Yaeger, banging into the table?
As soon as that thought appeared, my face flushed with embarrassment, yet it seemed absurd beyond belief.
"There's something important. If you won't come out, I'll come to you." Yaeger's tone was growing more serious, his unyielding attitude making it clear that this was no small matter.
"I'll come. Send me the address," I quickly reassured him.
I definitely didn't want Leah to spot Yaeger. If she did, within a day, the entire Herrera family would know I'd been meeting a man at work, and I wouldn't be able to handle the rumors that would follow.
I hung up and quickly tidied my slightly messy hair and wrinkled clothes, trying to look presentable despite the mounting tension. I left the office and hurried down to the parking lot, grabbing a taxi and relaying the address Yaeger had sent me.
After a short ride, I arrived at a secluded villa. I paid the driver and took a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves before walking up to the villa's front door. I pressed the doorbell, and moments later, the door opened to reveal Yaeger.
He looked disheveled, his usually neatly combed hair a bit ruffled, and his eyes bloodshot, as if he hadn't slept the entire night. As he saw me, a mix of emotions crossed his face—urgency, worry, and something I couldn't quite place.
"You finally came," he said in a hoarse voice, stepping aside to let me in.
I entered, glancing around at the simple yet elegant interior, though my mind was too preoccupied to appreciate it. I turned to Yaeger, cutting straight to the point. "What's going on? Why the rush to see me?"
Yaeger didn't answer immediately. He walked to a sofa and sat down, seemingly weighing his words. After a long pause, he finally looked up at me, his expression filled with guilt.
"I'm sorry, Laurel," he said, his voice catching slightly. "I... I don't remember everything from last night, but... I... I think I was poisoned."
My heart skipped in alarm. My face flushed with embarrassment as I realized I must have done something utterly foolish while intoxicated.
I stammered, "You... you were poisoned? How?"
Yaeger hesitated, then added, "The poisoning... it happened while you and I were together. Your knee injury? It's from that night."
My mind raced, a sense of relief flooding over me as I realized nothing worse had happened. I glanced at his arm, noticing several wounds that had been hastily treated but clearly still fresh.
"You're hurt," I said softly, my concern rising.
"It's nothing, just minor injuries," Yaeger replied, offering a small, dismissive smile. "The important thing is that you're okay."
I bit my lip, then asked, "So, you called me here to tell me this?"
Yaeger sighed deeply, rubbing his face. "I went to get checked out after last night," he said, his tone serious. "I've been poisoned, but I don't know where it came from."
I nodded, trying to remain calm. "It's alright. We just need to find a cure for the poison."
Yaeger nodded, but then, as if recalling something, he stood up and walked over to a table. He picked up a small box and handed it to me.
"This is for you," he said, his eyes filled with expectation.
I opened the box, and inside was a beautiful necklace, its diamonds sparkling under the light. I felt a wave of emotion, but also a sense of discomfort at such a lavish gift.
"This... this is too much," I said, looking up at him.
Yaeger smiled, his eyes soft. "It's not too much. Just consider it a token of appreciation," he said. "Laurel, actually, I..."
Before he could finish, the sound of an engine revving outside interrupted us. Yaeger's expression instantly hardened.
He looked at me, gesturing for me to step aside, then carefully made his way toward the door.