Falling For My Ex's Uncle - Chapter 505: Chapter 505

As a child, nothing terrified me more than my mother's sudden disappearance as she left me in the care of strangers.
These people, though somewhat familiar, always seemed unfamiliar—neighbors, colleagues, or even friends she had only met a few times but instantly connected with.
During those brief periods of being fostered by others, I never experienced anything as dreadful as being kidnapped. Still, I did endure bullying from other children, as well as cold stares and cruel words from the adults around me.
Even at that young age, I understood that fear was useless. Fear only invited more misfortune.
So, I learned to put on a facade, becoming a child who was not what they seemed on the surface.
The environment shapes children just as much as it influences adults. Early on, I learned to read people's expressions and discern between good and evil.
I understood that villains did not wear their wickedness on their faces, and those who appeared kind were not always truly kind. Only when faced with temptation was a person's true nature revealed. I also believed that genuinely kind people would struggle to survive in such a cruel world.
Later, I developed a deep fear of death—one that seeped into my bones.
But as time passed, I had an epiphany: perhaps death was not as frightening as I had thought. After all, life was not always beautiful either.
Just when I began to fear death less, I met Angela. Her kindness and warmth made me realize that such pure-hearted people truly existed in this world—I had never met one before.
"Don't worry; I cherish my life, too," I replied. My expression was complicated as I looked at Marvin, feeling a mix of gratitude for his concern and worry about the troubles looming ahead. In a low voice, I added, "Be careful in the coming days. I suspect there will be a lot of trouble."
He shrugged nonchalantly and instinctively glanced at Liam and Sophina, who were waiting nearby and said, "I'll be careful. You should be too."
Just then, Marvin's phone vibrated in his pocket. He took it out, glanced at the screen, and immediately frowned, a flash of irritation crossing his face.
I didn't need to guess—I knew it was Yvonne calling.
"I have to go. I'll contact you later," he said hastily.
I nodded. Just as I was about to turn and leave, I paused and said, "Go back and try to talk some sense into your mother."
I left the rest of the sentence unspoken, knowing we both understood what I meant.
Marvin sighed helplessly, "She's been stubborn for so long. Don't go easy on her if she ever gives you trouble."
Hearing him say such words, seemingly cutting ties with his mother, I silently nodded. But deep down, I knew he cared about Yvonne more than he let on. Otherwise, with his abilities, he would have distanced himself from all this chaos long ago.
As soon as I got into the car, Susan called, telling me that Zachary was seriously ill and had been crying for me non-stop.
My heart clenched with anxiety. Without hesitation, I told Liam to take me to the Parks family estate.
Sophina looked at me, exhaustion written all over my face, and spoke concernedly, "Laurel, why don't you get some rest first?"
I understood her real worry—she feared that I would be unwelcome if I showed up at the Parks family estate in mourning clothes. Moreover, ever since they discovered that Alex's leg injury might never heal, their attitude toward me had grown colder.
When we arrived at the Parks' residence, I knocked on the door. No one answered for a long time.
As I was about to question the silence, a car approached slowly and stopped at the gate. The moment Kailyn stepped out, the doors to the Parks' house creaked open.
"Laurel, you just left a funeral, and now you've come here? What do you want?" Kailyn questioned. Her sharp gaze was like a knife as she looked at me with disdain and hostility.
Suppressing my irritation, I calmly replied, "Zachary is sick. I came to see him."
She remained seated in her car, a sly smile flickering across her face as she sized me up. Then she sneered, "What bad luck. You know Zachary has poor health, yet you still came. Are you hoping he'll die sooner? It's not like he has any inheritance to leave you."
I clenched my fists so tightly that my nails dug into my palms, struggling to contain my anger.
Zachary was just a sick child, yet she spoke such cruel words.
But I couldn't afford to act on impulse. If I wanted to see Zachary, I had to endure this.
"I'm only here to check on his condition. If he's fine, I'll leave," I said as evenly as possible.
Kailyn scoffed, "Spare me the fake concern. Everyone knows what you're really up to. Can you use Zachary to drive a wedge between my parents? Dream on."
I met her gaze steadily and questioned, "Then why are you stopping me? What are you afraid of?"
Kailyn rolled her eyes at me and then slammed her car door shut.
Taking a deep breath, I got into my car and followed closely behind.
The atmosphere inside the mansion was stifling. As I sat alone on the sofa in the living room, I could feel the weight of numerous gazes on me—some curious, some indifferent, some filled with contempt. But none were welcoming.
"Laurel, you're here? Why didn't you let us know in advance?" Melody slowly descended the stairs, glancing at the butler standing nearby. Her tone carried a hint of reproach as she asked, "Why didn't you inform me that Laurel had arrived?"
"Mrs. Shepherd, I heard that Zachary was sick, so I came to see him," I responded.
Melody smiled, but her eyes remained cold as she responded, "It's just a little cold, nothing to worry about."
"Zachary is my brother. Is it really wrong for me to want to see him?" I asked. As I spoke, I stood up, placing a hand gently on my abdomen as I met Melody's gaze.
I saw the slight contraction of her pupils as her smile faded. She signaled the butler with a glance, and within moments, the servants quietly exited the room.
"Tell me, what is your real purpose for coming here?" Melody asked.
I smiled faintly, "What do you think?"
My visit was not just about seeing Zachary but also leveraging Melody's influence to remove those standing in my way.
Just then, a weak coughing sound came from upstairs. It was Zachary's voice.
"Laurel... Laurel..." he called out feebly, ignoring Susan's attempts to hold him back as he hurried down the stairs.
"Laurel! You're finally here. I missed you so much..." Tears welled in Zachary's dark eyes as he flung himself into my arms, his tiny body trembling. "Did you abandon me?" he asked.
I held him gently, my heart aching at how pale he looked.
"How could I abandon you? I'm here now, aren't I?" I softly stroked his forehead and asked, "Do you feel unwell anywhere?"
Zachary clung tightly to my hand and shook his head vigorously. "Now that you're here, I'm all better. Laurel, can you stay with me forever?"
As I looked into Zachary's expectant gaze, I struggled to find the right words. I could take him back to Honeydew Estate, but right now, I couldn't even protect those closest to me—how could I protect him? The safest place for him was still here, in the Parks family estate.