Falling For My Ex's Uncle - Chapter 64: Chapter 64

"It's fine, don't feel guilty. If anyone's to blame, it's me. I've been afraid of water since I was little, so I dragged Miss Harvey down with me," I said with a small smile, "I should be the one apologizing."
It looked like I was in too deep this time to clear my name—so why bother trying?
Samantha was momentarily stunned by my reply, but she quickly masked the surprise that had slipped through her polite demeanor and responded with her usual gentle tone, "It's okay. Thankfully, Alex saved me."
After saying this, she turned and shyly glanced at Alex, who had been standing silently by her side the whole time.
His beauty was breathtaking, almost otherworldly.
A cold feeling settled in my chest as a derisive smile tugged at the corner of my lips.
We reached the door to the room, and without hesitation, I opened it and walked in with Angela.
Inside, I found Angela crouched by the peephole, peering across the hall.
"Laurel, Mr. Herrera didn't come in. He just walked away," Angela said, stepping close to me, her sharp gaze locking onto mine. "It was Samantha who pushed you, wasn't it?"
I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose. "There are too many backstabbers around lately. I'll have to deal with them when we get back."
Angela slapped her thigh and jumped up from the sofa. Her eyes darkened with anger. "No, seriously, why did you admit that you pushed her? She's clearly framing you, trying to slander you in front of Mr. Herrera."
"Never mind. I have gotten used to it," I said.
"Are you really going to carry that burden so easily?" Angela asked, her voice full of disbelief.
I shrugged. "It's fine. I'm the scapegoat anyway. It's not like I care. I don't want to make an enemy of Samantha."
Angela shot me a frustrated look. "What do you mean? Are you just going to step aside and let her have it all? If this were a palace drama, you wouldn't even make it to episode three."
Angela stared at me like I had just betrayed her, as if she couldn't fathom my indifference.
I thought for a moment before responding, "I'm afraid that if I struggle, I'll die faster."
"You'll die either way," Angela said, her expression now a mix of confusion and concern. "But I don't get it. If Mr. Herrera and Samantha are really engaged, why is he marrying you? Especially after what happened last night?"
Her fists clenched in frustration.
I didn't really care much and spoke casually, "Maybe Alex is trying to force Samantha to go back home."
"How could that be? If Samantha knew that Mr. Herrera had feelings for her, why would she go so far as to frame you?"
"When two powerful forces clash, it's the small one who gets caught in the middle.," I said with a sigh. "And last night, Alex said he was going to pursue me. Samantha got jealous."
She scoffed, raising an eyebrow. "So the ex-girlfriend and the future girlfriend both fall into the water. Who does he save first?" Angela smirked. "But what she doesn't know is that you two are already legally married."
"Doesn't count if we haven't gone public," I replied.
"How can it not count? It's recognized by the state," Angela said, noticing my indifference toward my role as Alex's wife. Her voice softened, and she grabbed my arm. "Laurel, you're not upset, are you? I know Alex went too far. But your feelings for each other may not be that deep yet. But you're already married, so don't back down. You have to stick it out."
Angela frowned, thinking deeply, before grabbing my hand seriously. "First, prove your innocence. Go to Mr. Herrera, tell him you didn't push Samantha. And then, use your beauty to win him over."
At that, I burst out laughing.
"Angela, this is a life-or-death situation. You're seriously not going to think of yourself?" she said, suddenly serious. "This is no time for jokes."
"I'm fine," I said, leaning against Angela's shoulder with a faint smile. "I'm not alone. You're here, you've already avenged me."
"I was just worried that if you got involved, you'd end up killing her. Then I wouldn't be able to cover for you."
"Laurel, I know you've always been afraid of water, and there's no way you'd push Samantha into it, but I just can't prove it for you," Angela suddenly said, her eyes welling up. "It's all my fault, I shouldn't have left."
Seeing Angela's face full of guilt and sorrow, a wave of bitterness rose in my chest.
"I'm fine, really." I grabbed Angela's hand and gently squeezed her palm, slowly explaining, "The force is mutual. Next time, if you're going to hit someone, make sure you hit harder. And remember to use a tool."
Angela froze for a moment, speechless.
"I'm just kidding, don't be upset. Don't worry, Alex already knows it was Samantha's doing."
"You explained it to him?" Angela asked, scratching her head in confusion. "But wait, you were with me the whole time."
"Well, earlier in the elevator, Samantha's tiny change in expression gave her away."
"What do you mean?" Angela stared at me, still confused.
I sighed helplessly, genuinely worried that if Angela ever married into a wealthy family, her intelligence alone might not be enough to handle the scheming "witches" out there.
But then again, she could always rely on force.
"I know you're right, Angela. I've always been scared of water, so I couldn't have pushed Samantha in. But I'm not totally defenseless. I almost drowned, after all. The key point is, if Samantha and Alex were really that close, I would have sensed it. And so would he."
I paused and added, "Also, there's no reason for me to provoke Samantha. I'm already his wife."
Angela's eyes widened, then she nodded vigorously. "Right, of course! But what about the marriage between the Herrera family and the Harvey family?"
"That's still up in the air. But don't worry, I'll make sure I don't end up at a disadvantage."
As soon as I finished speaking, the doorbell rang.
Angela jumped to her feet, glanced at the peephole, and looked annoyed as she spoke in a low voice, "Keep away from gossip during the day, and don't speak of ghosts after dark."
I smiled faintly. "Open the door. If you don't, Miss Harvey might think we're afraid of her."
"I'm not afraid of her," Angela muttered under her breath.
I walked up to her, patted her arm, and said, "Laurel, go back to your room for now. I'm sure she wants to talk to me alone."
"No." Before I could finish speaking, Angela firmly rejected my suggestion.
"Don't worry, there's no water here." I raised an eyebrow and smiled. "I promise I won't lay a finger on her."
With that, I opened the door.
"Miss Parks, may I have a word with you?"
I looked at the pair of eyes that seemed to swallow everything, and the flawless face that made her look like she and Alex were a perfect match.
But I couldn't help but feel a slight pang of reluctance toward my 5 million dollars and that equally stunning face.