Falling For My Ex's Uncle - Chapter 59: Chapter 59

"Not the same thing," I said as I pushed open the bathroom door, undressed from my evening gown, and hopped into the shower.
When I opened the garment bag the driver had dropped off earlier, my stomach sank.
Instead of my dress, there was a men's outfit inside.
Angela leaned against the frosted glass bathroom door, gently swirling her wine glass.
I could barely make out her silhouette.
"Laurel, hurry up," she urged.
I had already taken my shower, and there was no way I was putting that restrictive dress back on.
Without hesitation, I grabbed a men's shirt from the bag, slipping it on. It had been dry-cleaned and carried a faint, refreshing mint scent.
When I walked out of the bathroom, Angela took one look at me, her expression skeptical, yet her eyes gleamed with an unspoken excitement. She asked, word by word, "A men's shirt? Where did you get it from? Are you hiding something from me...?"
I shot her a cold glance and replied, "The driver grabbed the wrong bag. Can you go ask him to bring my dress up?"
"Let your husband do it," Angela raised an eyebrow, her gaze intense. "A little night together is priceless. Maybe it's time to test if he's up to the task."
I gave her a sidelong glance, saying in a sharp tone, "Do you think he's the type to be that casual?"
Angela shook her head.
"Then am I?"
"So... it's all fire and fuel."
I sighed, "I don't want a divorce yet."
Angela didn't let up, continuing her relentless advice, "Laurel, you're already legally married. Sleep with him, get pregnant, and you'll be the future queen. You'll be my rock from now on."
"Just because one person makes it, the rest follow?"
Angela nodded eagerly, her face full of seriousness.
I couldn't help but laugh, narrowing my eyes with a smile. "What if I'm just his foot-washer, and before I even climb into his bed, I'm already out of the picture?"
Angela flinched and rolled her eyes, her voice teasing as she said, "Who would dare bully you?"
The thing was, plenty of people could. Austin's family had already worn me down, and seeing the murderously intense glares at tonight's dinner made me feel like trouble was inevitable.
It seemed Angela noticed the unease in me, as she reached out and patted my shoulder, her voice softer now. "Don't worry. If anyone dares to hurt you, I'll be the first to go after them."
I stayed silent. It wasn't that I was afraid someone would harm me—I could handle a fight. What worried me was whether those around me would get caught in the crossfire.
And what didn't make sense to me was why Alex was publicly announcing our relationship as if he were courting me.
If I were his wife, maybe people would be wary of my status. But now...
I felt a headache coming on, and, feeling lost, I grabbed the wine glass and took a long gulp. I looked at Angela, pleading with my eyes. "Please tell me you're not expecting me to leave tomorrow wearing this men's shirt?"
Angela rolled her eyes dramatically. "Hold on, I'll bring you something to wear."
She said this and rushed out the door.
I wasn't in any particular hurry.
I let out a deep sigh. Just as I reached for my phone, ready to check the message that had just lit up the screen, the doorbell rang.
Hesitant, I stood up and opened the door to find Samantha standing there.
I froze for a moment, a sudden jolt running through me.
Though a wave of anxiety swept through me, I forced myself to appear calm.
"Miss Harvey, is there something you need?" I asked, my tone soft, smiling at her.
She seemed to try to maintain her usual elegance, but when she saw me in the men's shirt, her eyes flickered with surprise for the briefest moment. It was gone in an instant, replaced by a tight-lipped smile. "I didn't expect you'd be staying right across from me."
"Is that so?" I smiled, inwardly cursing the old fox.
I had originally thought the driver had made a mistake with the clothes, but now I could tell it had been intentional.
What was Alex trying to do?
Was this some sort of revenge for Samantha's past betrayal?
But no, Alex wasn't that petty—besides, Samantha had already returned to the country. If anything, she came back for him. There was no reason for such a childish game.
As I thought about the bet with Kailyn, my chest ached.
I didn't want to lose that 1.5 million dollars. The only way out was for Alex to publicly acknowledge our relationship. But could I really rely on the old fox to do that?
And I didn't want to get caught up in the drama with the Harvey family's daughter.
If Alex used me up and discarded me... well, it wasn't hard to imagine how grim my future would be.
I regretted it now. That 1.5 million dollars seemed like a pittance.
I knew it—Alex's generosity of 1.5 million dollars a year was just a cover.
He knew exactly what kind of trap I'd walked into.
I took a deep breath, steadying myself, and looked at Samantha with a soft gaze. "Is there something you need?"
"You're Alex's girlfriend, right?" Samantha's eyes fixed on me, her expression giving nothing away—no hate, no bitterness.
I felt a little uneasy.
Samantha was tougher than I had imagined.
After all, a dog that bites doesn't bark.
Of course, calling this stunning woman a "dog" was a bit harsh.
But I couldn't think of any better analogy.
I kept my guard up, but my face remained calm. I smiled lazily and said, "You'll have to ask him about that."
I paused, adding honestly, "After all, I don't have the final say."
Samantha blinked, clearly caught off guard. But then she nodded and smiled knowingly. "Alex always likes obedient women."
Her delicate, beautiful face was painted with a smile that didn't reach her eyes. Even though it was fake, it was still breathtaking.
"Well, I won't keep Miss Parks any longer," she said, the smile fading as she looked at me coldly, her voice low but deliberate. "Just a little reminder—the Harvey family and the Herrera family have an engagement."
As Samantha turned to leave, opening the door to her room across the hall, I furrowed my brow and gave a small, knowing smile.
So this was why Alex was in such a rush to get married.
Just as I was about to turn back into my room, preparing to shut the door, it was suddenly pushed open halfway.
Before I could see who it was, a familiar scent—alcohol mixed with faint woodiness—hit my nose. Before I could react, Alex pulled me into his arms, and his lips gently landed on mine.