Falling For My Ex's Uncle - Chapter 70: Chapter 70

When Austin saw me, a flash of surprise flickered in his eyes, quickly replaced by cold disdain. He fixed me with a contemptuous stare, his voice dripping with scorn.
"Laurel, how dare you even show your face to me? I can't believe you're this shameless. You used to pretend to be so innocent, so full of love when you were with me. But now? You break up with me and climb straight into Alex's bed. Do your parents know what kind of woman you've become?"
His mocking gaze cut through me like a knife, each word digging deeper into my heart.
I couldn't even begin to reconcile this version of Austin with the one I once knew—the boy who would sit by my bed when I was sick, the one who swore he would love me forever on our graduation day. How had he turned into someone who would use such venomous words to humiliate me?
I let out a bitter laugh.
Maybe I had never really understood the man in front of me.
Lies, deceit, cruelty, and constant slander had completely destroyed whatever remnants of kindness I had once believed he possessed.
I had hoped for an amicable parting, but it was clear that would never happen now.
"Austin, was I too kind to you?" I asked, my voice cold.
"Laurel, don't be mad. Austin didn't mean it like that. He even fought Dexter Simpson for you earlier," Josue quickly intervened, trying to stop the argument.
"Oh? Really?" I raised an eyebrow and gave Josue a knowing look.
Josue was a classmate from university. Though we weren't in the same department, he often hung around with Austin. We'd crossed paths many times, but we weren't exactly close. Austin didn't like me socializing with his friends, not even the ones he called close.
"Dexter was just talking nonsense, saying you were with Alex last night. How could that be true?" Josue continued.
"Why not?" I shrugged nonchalantly, "I did sleep with him last night. If you don't believe me, you can ask Miss Harvey, who lives across from me."
"Laurel, are you really that desperate? Is there such a shortage of men in your life?" Austin suddenly stood up, his eyes blazing, as though he wanted to devour me with his gaze.
But I remained unfazed, replying calmly, "Do you not know whether I'm desperate or not? It's been six years, Austin. Have you ever touched me? Or am I just the woman you've grown bored of?"
"We've been together for six years. You think anyone would believe I never touched you?" Austin's eyes locked with mine, his voice heavy with the certainty that I wouldn't expose what had happened between us back then.
After all, he knew better than anyone what had transpired that year.
If I were to admit it, people would think that not only had Austin not rejected me, but that I was a woman with a chaotic, uncontrolled private life. It would cement the idea that I was cheap and promiscuous.
Not only would I never get into a high society family, but even a regular family wouldn't accept someone like me.
Austin took a step closer, lowering his voice as he leaned in near my ear. "Do you really think anyone will believe you?"
I let out a cold laugh and slapped him across the face.
Even Angela, who had entered just to help me, froze in shock.
"You filthy—" Austin began.
"I'm just teaching you a lesson on behalf of Alex," I interrupted before he could finish.
Austin sneered, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Laurel, you think just because you've climbed into Alex's bed, you can lecture me now? He's just playing with you, and you're taking it seriously? He has a fiancée, you know. I suggest you stop wasting your time on him. But even if you get down on your knees and beg me to forgive you, I still won't. I think you're filthy."
My fists clenched tightly, my chest aching, but I smiled through the pain. "I was young and foolish back then. I don't know what I saw in someone like you. But I do thank you. Thank you for not touching me these past few years. And that one incident... it led me to meet the right person."
"Laurel, for the sake of climbing into Alex's bed, you're willing to tell any lie, aren't you?" Austin's eyes widened slightly when I mentioned the past. Maybe he hadn't expected me to bring it up.
And that's when I realized something interesting—he seemed oddly nervous about that night.
But his nervousness wasn't about me.
It could only be about Rosemary, the woman who had called him away that night.
Austin was young and full of vigor back then.
If he truly minded that I had been with another man, and if, despite the women he surrounded himself with over the years, I knew he wouldn't have formed any real relationships with them—after all, he had a mild form of obsessive-compulsive disorder regarding cleanliness.
But how had he dealt with the loneliness?
The fact that his secretary had gotten pregnant was evidence enough that it wasn't his first time breaking his own rules.
I chuckled softly to myself at the thought.
At that moment, a familiar voice broke through my musings.
"Austin, are you okay?" Rosemary hurried into the room, her face full of concern as she looked at him, completely ignoring my presence.
As she reached for Austin's slightly reddened cheek, my mind flashed back to the photos of the two of them—so close, so affectionate. It made my stomach turn.
Brother and sister? Please. They must've been sharing more than just sibling affection for a long time now.
Suddenly, I remembered the day after that night—how I had seen a scratch on Austin's neck, a mark that had looked suspiciously like a nail mark.
At the time, I thought I might have accidentally scratched him while drunk. But now, thinking about it, I always kept my nails trimmed—there was no way I could've left such a deep scratch.
It had to have been from Rosemary, whose nails were often adorned with diamonds.
"Laurel, did you hit Austin?" Rosemary glared at me, her voice full of superiority.
I gave her a dismissive smile, my eyes flicking to Austin. I spoke slowly, "When I slapped you, it was as an elder, teaching you a lesson. You said I was just a woman you got bored of. What do you think Alex would say if he heard that? Would he think you're still hung up on me?"
With that, I turned my attention to Rosemary, whose wide, glittering eyes bounced between Austin and me, as though she was desperate to understand what was really going on.
Austin, on the other hand, fell silent, his brow furrowed as he studied me. After a long pause, he coldly said, "Laurel, do you really think Alex will marry you? If he were going to marry you, would he have let you fall into the water and not lift a finger to save you?"
"Austin, don't listen to their biased one-sided stories. I trust Laurel. There's no way she's with Alex. After all, he's an elder," Rosemary chimed in.
"Rosemary," I smiled sweetly, "If you weren't so delusional, you'd be a great actress. Such talent wasted on me." I shifted my gaze to the way she was clinging to Austin's arm, adding, "Actually, no. We're all the audience here. But you two? You're the only ones not watching."