Falling For My Ex's Uncle - Chapter 52: Chapter 52
You are reading Falling For My Ex's Uncle, Chapter 52: Chapter 52. Read more chapters of Falling For My Ex's Uncle.
"Are you scared of losing?" Kailyn's lips curled into a smug smile, her eyes mocking as they flicked from me to Angela. "You think she's got a chance with Alex? How about 4 million dollars? If she can marry into the Herrera family within six months, I'll hand over 4 million dollars."
She winked at me. "Don't worry, I'm lowering the bar for you—just getting into the Herrera family will count as winning."
Her taunt hit like a slap in the face. The hint of guilt that had lingered inside me vanished instantly, replaced by an icy calm. I met her gaze and replied coldly, "Don't be so polite. How about adding another 1.5 million dollars? Make it 5 million. Let's see if I can become Alex's wife."
Kailyn's eyes widened in surprise, before a derisive laugh escaped her. "1.5 million, huh? Do you even have that kind of money? But no worries, I'll let you owe me the debt. After all, with your looks, I'm sure you can earn 1.5 million, but just a little heads-up—men only pay for young, pretty women."
"Don't worry about whether I can come up with 1.5 million. That's my business. Just don't cry when you lose."
I shot back casually, unfazed by her arrogance. Kailyn was even more insufferable than I had expected.
A small, bitter curiosity gnawed at me—what kind of parents raised a daughter so cold-hearted, cruel, and malicious?
Her condition was clear—if I married into the Herrera family, I'd win. She knew full well that Austin and I had already broken up.
So, who else in the Herrera family could she be referring to?
Most people my age in that family were already married and had children.
Did she really expect me to break up someone else's family within six months and then come in as the third party?
She was young, but already so calculating, and now she was calling me shameless, claiming I was fit to be someone else's mistress?
"Cry?" Kailyn laughed outright. "Who gave you so much blind confidence? Don't worry, if you really can't come up with the money, Isaac can lend it to you, but the interest won't be low."
"We'll see about that." I tossed my response over my shoulder, grabbing Angela's arm and walking away.
The resentment I'd buried for years began to simmer back to life.
"Wait, what did she mean just now?"
I took a large sip from my glass, casting a side glance at Angela.
Her brows furrowed as she slowly pieced it together. "She means she's certain you'll lose, and she thinks you'll have to pay with your body? And she's from the Parks family? Seriously, I'm impressed—she's so young and already knows all the things she shouldn't."
Angela drained her glass in one go, then turned to face me with a suspicious look in her eyes. "Laurel, you didn't even yell at me?"
"Because she said if I marry into the Herrera family, I win. I'm a little heated lately." I pressed my fingers to my temples, feeling a headache brewing. I spoke slowly, "Someone's offering me money, so why should I be polite? But..."
"But what?" Angela suddenly shot up from the couch, her eyes flashing with a dangerous glint.
"Angela, what are you doing?"
"What did that little brat mean? Marry into the Herrera family? She's clearly trying to humiliate you."
I sighed quietly, exasperated. Angela was sharp, but sometimes, she was too adorably clueless for her own good.
"Let her humiliate me. I won't lose any skin, and I get 1.5 million dollars out of it. What's the harm?" I pulled Angela back to my side, trying to keep my voice calm. "Angela, are you planning to beat her up? You need to control your temper, don't start fights with people—especially since you won't win."
"Laurel, you..." Angela stared at me, her face full of frustration. After a moment, she let out a defeated sigh and pouted. "You're right."
Angela eyed me warily.
"What were you saying just now?"
"I said, getting Alex to publicly acknowledge me in six months won't be easy."
So far, I still didn't understand what Alex was up to. Inviting me to his birthday party might have been an unexpected move because of Rosemary's slander against me, or maybe he just didn't want to ruin the party—there were other ways he could have handled it.
There was absolutely no need for him to declare in front of so many guests that he wanted to marry me into the Herrera family.
Of course, this event had also been an opportunity to clearly see Kayden's true power. After all those years of Alex being close to him, he should have known Kayden wasn't someone simple.
So, was he deliberately trying to stir things up? Was he hoping to provoke Kayden into teaching Austin a lesson?
The thought sent a chill down my spine. My hand holding the wine glass trembled slightly.
Rosemary certainly harbored ill feelings toward me, but someone as timid as her would never have dared stir up trouble at Alex's birthday party.
After all, she was just the adopted daughter of the Herrera family, and she knew that Alex already disliked Austin, which meant she was even lower in his eyes.
That was why every time Rosemary saw Alex, she behaved like a meek little lamb.
"So, what exactly is Rosemary's game? Why would she risk it all to frame me at Alex's birthday?"
Angela's voice brought me back to the present. "Laurel, what's wrong?" She placed a gentle hand on my shoulder, her eyes full of concern. "Are you feeling sick?"
I shook my head. "I'm fine. I'm just going to step outside for some air. Don't follow me, or the handsome men will be picked clean by someone else."
With that, I stood up and made my way to the door.
As I pushed it open, I was greeted by a man standing just outside.
He had his head lowered, his foot crushing out the end of a cigarette.
The sound of the door opening caught his attention, and he slowly raised his head. His eyes flickered with rare interest.
His gray suit was sharp, his face strikingly handsome. As his gaze met mine, a subtle yet undeniable glimmer of intrigue flickered in his eyes.
"Well, well. Didn't expect to see you here."
Isaac's voice was calm and elegant, devoid of emotion, yet it sent a shiver down my spine. His presence was unsettling, like the chill before a storm.
I froze for a moment before forcing a smile. "Mr. Parks, I didn't think you'd remember me."
He stepped closer, his eyes narrowing, the faintest trace of a smile on his lips. "When it comes to beautiful women, I never forget a face."
A cold wave of dread washed over me.
So, he'd known all along? Had he recognized me the first time we met?
I took a deep breath, trying to keep my composure as I met his piercing amber eyes.
Those eyes—so familiar. Just like the man in the photos.
"Thank you for the compliment, Mr. Parks. And thank you for the compensation you provided."
I extended my hand, but my pulse quickened as I felt his gaze settle on me like ice.
She winked at me. "Don't worry, I'm lowering the bar for you—just getting into the Herrera family will count as winning."
Her taunt hit like a slap in the face. The hint of guilt that had lingered inside me vanished instantly, replaced by an icy calm. I met her gaze and replied coldly, "Don't be so polite. How about adding another 1.5 million dollars? Make it 5 million. Let's see if I can become Alex's wife."
Kailyn's eyes widened in surprise, before a derisive laugh escaped her. "1.5 million, huh? Do you even have that kind of money? But no worries, I'll let you owe me the debt. After all, with your looks, I'm sure you can earn 1.5 million, but just a little heads-up—men only pay for young, pretty women."
"Don't worry about whether I can come up with 1.5 million. That's my business. Just don't cry when you lose."
I shot back casually, unfazed by her arrogance. Kailyn was even more insufferable than I had expected.
A small, bitter curiosity gnawed at me—what kind of parents raised a daughter so cold-hearted, cruel, and malicious?
Her condition was clear—if I married into the Herrera family, I'd win. She knew full well that Austin and I had already broken up.
So, who else in the Herrera family could she be referring to?
Most people my age in that family were already married and had children.
Did she really expect me to break up someone else's family within six months and then come in as the third party?
She was young, but already so calculating, and now she was calling me shameless, claiming I was fit to be someone else's mistress?
"Cry?" Kailyn laughed outright. "Who gave you so much blind confidence? Don't worry, if you really can't come up with the money, Isaac can lend it to you, but the interest won't be low."
"We'll see about that." I tossed my response over my shoulder, grabbing Angela's arm and walking away.
The resentment I'd buried for years began to simmer back to life.
"Wait, what did she mean just now?"
I took a large sip from my glass, casting a side glance at Angela.
Her brows furrowed as she slowly pieced it together. "She means she's certain you'll lose, and she thinks you'll have to pay with your body? And she's from the Parks family? Seriously, I'm impressed—she's so young and already knows all the things she shouldn't."
Angela drained her glass in one go, then turned to face me with a suspicious look in her eyes. "Laurel, you didn't even yell at me?"
"Because she said if I marry into the Herrera family, I win. I'm a little heated lately." I pressed my fingers to my temples, feeling a headache brewing. I spoke slowly, "Someone's offering me money, so why should I be polite? But..."
"But what?" Angela suddenly shot up from the couch, her eyes flashing with a dangerous glint.
"Angela, what are you doing?"
"What did that little brat mean? Marry into the Herrera family? She's clearly trying to humiliate you."
I sighed quietly, exasperated. Angela was sharp, but sometimes, she was too adorably clueless for her own good.
"Let her humiliate me. I won't lose any skin, and I get 1.5 million dollars out of it. What's the harm?" I pulled Angela back to my side, trying to keep my voice calm. "Angela, are you planning to beat her up? You need to control your temper, don't start fights with people—especially since you won't win."
"Laurel, you..." Angela stared at me, her face full of frustration. After a moment, she let out a defeated sigh and pouted. "You're right."
Angela eyed me warily.
"What were you saying just now?"
"I said, getting Alex to publicly acknowledge me in six months won't be easy."
So far, I still didn't understand what Alex was up to. Inviting me to his birthday party might have been an unexpected move because of Rosemary's slander against me, or maybe he just didn't want to ruin the party—there were other ways he could have handled it.
There was absolutely no need for him to declare in front of so many guests that he wanted to marry me into the Herrera family.
Of course, this event had also been an opportunity to clearly see Kayden's true power. After all those years of Alex being close to him, he should have known Kayden wasn't someone simple.
So, was he deliberately trying to stir things up? Was he hoping to provoke Kayden into teaching Austin a lesson?
The thought sent a chill down my spine. My hand holding the wine glass trembled slightly.
Rosemary certainly harbored ill feelings toward me, but someone as timid as her would never have dared stir up trouble at Alex's birthday party.
After all, she was just the adopted daughter of the Herrera family, and she knew that Alex already disliked Austin, which meant she was even lower in his eyes.
That was why every time Rosemary saw Alex, she behaved like a meek little lamb.
"So, what exactly is Rosemary's game? Why would she risk it all to frame me at Alex's birthday?"
Angela's voice brought me back to the present. "Laurel, what's wrong?" She placed a gentle hand on my shoulder, her eyes full of concern. "Are you feeling sick?"
I shook my head. "I'm fine. I'm just going to step outside for some air. Don't follow me, or the handsome men will be picked clean by someone else."
With that, I stood up and made my way to the door.
As I pushed it open, I was greeted by a man standing just outside.
He had his head lowered, his foot crushing out the end of a cigarette.
The sound of the door opening caught his attention, and he slowly raised his head. His eyes flickered with rare interest.
His gray suit was sharp, his face strikingly handsome. As his gaze met mine, a subtle yet undeniable glimmer of intrigue flickered in his eyes.
"Well, well. Didn't expect to see you here."
Isaac's voice was calm and elegant, devoid of emotion, yet it sent a shiver down my spine. His presence was unsettling, like the chill before a storm.
I froze for a moment before forcing a smile. "Mr. Parks, I didn't think you'd remember me."
He stepped closer, his eyes narrowing, the faintest trace of a smile on his lips. "When it comes to beautiful women, I never forget a face."
A cold wave of dread washed over me.
So, he'd known all along? Had he recognized me the first time we met?
I took a deep breath, trying to keep my composure as I met his piercing amber eyes.
Those eyes—so familiar. Just like the man in the photos.
"Thank you for the compliment, Mr. Parks. And thank you for the compensation you provided."
I extended my hand, but my pulse quickened as I felt his gaze settle on me like ice.
End of Falling For My Ex's Uncle Chapter 52. Continue reading Chapter 53 or return to Falling For My Ex's Uncle book page.