Falling For My Ex's Uncle - Chapter 71: Chapter 71
You are reading Falling For My Ex's Uncle, Chapter 71: Chapter 71. Read more chapters of Falling For My Ex's Uncle.
When Rosemary heard my words, her face instantly faltered.
But it was Austin whose brows furrowed deeply. "Laurel, Rosemary's speaking up for you, and this is how you repay her? You're really ungrateful. Apologize."
His voice echoed in the private room, raw with anger.
Rosemary's eyes suddenly welled up, and she tugged at Austin's sleeve. "Austin, it's okay. Even though Laurel's never liked me and has humiliated me from time to time, I'm really fine. It's my fault, I should stop making her angry all the time."
Hearing Rosemary, I couldn't help but look at her with disdain. I interrupted coldly, "Don't waste your breath. I don't want to hear it."
"Laurel, enough!" Austin shot me a glare, his jaw clenched as though he was moments away from lunging at me, his fists tight, ready to strangle me.
But I knew he wouldn't act on it. There were too many people around, and a scene like that wouldn't just damage his reputation, it would embarrass the entire Herrera family.
"Austin, I know you can't forget Laurel, but she—"
Rosemary's voice cracked as she began to cry, her fake tears flowing freely.
Angela, furious, was ready to tear Rosemary apart, but I quickly held her back, keeping her from charging at the woman.
We both knew Rosemary's game. Every time she played the "innocent victim," she subtly reminded everyone of my supposed faults, of how petty and unforgiving I was.
Watching her cry, I couldn't suppress a small, amused smile.
"Rosemary, are you trying to say that Austin has been so devoted to me, and I'm the one who kicked him out for money?" I smirked.
"Laurel, why Alex of all people?" Rosemary's face twisted in confusion, her voice soft and insincere, the perfect act for an audience. She loved playing the sweet, naïve girl in front of the Herrera family.
But I wasn't buying it—not now. Not when her act was so transparently phony.
It was as if she thought I had done something so unforgivable, like I was some villain in need of a moral "come to Jesus" moment.
At that point, Austin couldn't hold back his rage. His entire body was radiating hostility. "Laurel, Rosemary and I are trying to be kind to you, but you're not only ungrateful—you're outright insulting us. A woman like you? Who would want you?"
I gave both of them a calm, dismissive look and smirked. "So, I slapped you, and now Rosemary is standing up for you. Tell me, Austin, why did I slap you?"
I picked up my glass of wine slowly, took a small sip, and continued, "It's because you slandered me."
"Do you really think anyone will believe you?" Austin leaned in closer, his sharp gaze burning through me.
I suddenly became serious, my voice icy as I met his gaze. "Yes, it was my fault."
Rosemary froze, clearly not expecting me to admit any fault.
"We, Rosemary and I, are very generous," I said calmly, accepting a second glass of wine and swirling it. "All you have to do is drink this bottle and apologize, and we'll forgive you."
I took a long, deliberate sip of my wine, savoring the bitterness of it as I stared at them both. They were looking at me, waiting for a reaction, as if they thought they had the upper hand. But I realized something—I'd been foolish to give them even a sliver of face. I had hoped for some courtesy, but clearly, neither of them cared about my dignity.
I knew Alex could deal with any rumors that came my way, but I didn't want to drag him into this mess. If I could handle it myself, I would. Besides, if I played my cards right, maybe he'd toss me some extra pocket money for the trouble.
"I admit it," I said, my voice steady. "I was young and naïve. I wasted my time on someone who wasn't worth it."
"Laurel, what are you trying to say?" Austin's handsome face twisted with impatience. His lips were pressed into a thin line, and the anger he had been holding in finally surged to the surface.
"Rosemary, you're right," I said, looking at her with a smile. "Austin really does care about me. But doesn't he care about you too?" I turned to Austin, a playful glint in my eye. "You said I was your woman for six years. Is that right? The one you got tired of?"
At that moment, a few of the onlookers couldn't contain themselves. Laughter and mocking comments rippled through the room.
"Six years? I'd be sick of her too."
"So she's the one who crawled into Mr. Herrera's bed last night? No way..."
"If this gets out, the Herrera family elders will be furious."
"I still don't get it. With so many people at last night's party, why didn't the Herrera family elders show up? Looks like they were too scared to get caught up in all this drama."
The whispers grew louder, and I could feel my blood pressure rising.
"You—stop talking nonsense!" Angela snapped, pointing at the group.
If this gossip spread, it wouldn't just ruin my chances with Alex. The Herrera family might well destroy me. No wonder Angela was so angry.
But then, an unsettling thought hit me. Was Alex trying to provoke his family? Is that why he chose me?
After all, the woman he called his mother wasn't his biological mother, and Raphael, who called him "son," didn't seem to care much about him.
If they truly cared for him, then where did those scars on his back come from? Scars that looked like they'd been made by a whip. Old and new alike.
Raphael was in his 70s, but could he really have the strength to strike Alex like that? Or could it have been his mother? But then, where would a woman get that kind of strength?
"Miss Adams, you have no shame in your choice of friends, do you? Aren't you worried about tarnishing your reputation?" a few of the socialites said, offering me what they considered helpful "advice."
"My friends have always been people of principles," I shot back without missing a beat.
Austin scoffed, his eyes full of disdain. "Laurel, you don't have to drink if you don't want to. Just kneel and apologize to Rosemary, then leave. We won't trouble you anymore. We'll go our separate ways."
He paused, then added, "Of course, if you can make me happy, I might even introduce you to some rich second-generation heirs. But who knows if they'll be interested in someone like you? After all, Alex got bored of you after just one night."
"Bored?" I drawled, dragging out the word. "So, you're saying he at least wasn't bored for the first five years, right?"
As soon as the words left my mouth, more mocking laughter erupted around me.
But I didn't care. I was focused on holding Angela back, making sure she didn't charge at the ones insulting me.
Before Austin could say anything else, I leaned in, my voice smooth and teasing. "You said I was your woman that you got tired of. Do you know where the scars on my body came from?"
But it was Austin whose brows furrowed deeply. "Laurel, Rosemary's speaking up for you, and this is how you repay her? You're really ungrateful. Apologize."
His voice echoed in the private room, raw with anger.
Rosemary's eyes suddenly welled up, and she tugged at Austin's sleeve. "Austin, it's okay. Even though Laurel's never liked me and has humiliated me from time to time, I'm really fine. It's my fault, I should stop making her angry all the time."
Hearing Rosemary, I couldn't help but look at her with disdain. I interrupted coldly, "Don't waste your breath. I don't want to hear it."
"Laurel, enough!" Austin shot me a glare, his jaw clenched as though he was moments away from lunging at me, his fists tight, ready to strangle me.
But I knew he wouldn't act on it. There were too many people around, and a scene like that wouldn't just damage his reputation, it would embarrass the entire Herrera family.
"Austin, I know you can't forget Laurel, but she—"
Rosemary's voice cracked as she began to cry, her fake tears flowing freely.
Angela, furious, was ready to tear Rosemary apart, but I quickly held her back, keeping her from charging at the woman.
We both knew Rosemary's game. Every time she played the "innocent victim," she subtly reminded everyone of my supposed faults, of how petty and unforgiving I was.
Watching her cry, I couldn't suppress a small, amused smile.
"Rosemary, are you trying to say that Austin has been so devoted to me, and I'm the one who kicked him out for money?" I smirked.
"Laurel, why Alex of all people?" Rosemary's face twisted in confusion, her voice soft and insincere, the perfect act for an audience. She loved playing the sweet, naïve girl in front of the Herrera family.
But I wasn't buying it—not now. Not when her act was so transparently phony.
It was as if she thought I had done something so unforgivable, like I was some villain in need of a moral "come to Jesus" moment.
At that point, Austin couldn't hold back his rage. His entire body was radiating hostility. "Laurel, Rosemary and I are trying to be kind to you, but you're not only ungrateful—you're outright insulting us. A woman like you? Who would want you?"
I gave both of them a calm, dismissive look and smirked. "So, I slapped you, and now Rosemary is standing up for you. Tell me, Austin, why did I slap you?"
I picked up my glass of wine slowly, took a small sip, and continued, "It's because you slandered me."
"Do you really think anyone will believe you?" Austin leaned in closer, his sharp gaze burning through me.
I suddenly became serious, my voice icy as I met his gaze. "Yes, it was my fault."
Rosemary froze, clearly not expecting me to admit any fault.
"We, Rosemary and I, are very generous," I said calmly, accepting a second glass of wine and swirling it. "All you have to do is drink this bottle and apologize, and we'll forgive you."
I took a long, deliberate sip of my wine, savoring the bitterness of it as I stared at them both. They were looking at me, waiting for a reaction, as if they thought they had the upper hand. But I realized something—I'd been foolish to give them even a sliver of face. I had hoped for some courtesy, but clearly, neither of them cared about my dignity.
I knew Alex could deal with any rumors that came my way, but I didn't want to drag him into this mess. If I could handle it myself, I would. Besides, if I played my cards right, maybe he'd toss me some extra pocket money for the trouble.
"I admit it," I said, my voice steady. "I was young and naïve. I wasted my time on someone who wasn't worth it."
"Laurel, what are you trying to say?" Austin's handsome face twisted with impatience. His lips were pressed into a thin line, and the anger he had been holding in finally surged to the surface.
"Rosemary, you're right," I said, looking at her with a smile. "Austin really does care about me. But doesn't he care about you too?" I turned to Austin, a playful glint in my eye. "You said I was your woman for six years. Is that right? The one you got tired of?"
At that moment, a few of the onlookers couldn't contain themselves. Laughter and mocking comments rippled through the room.
"Six years? I'd be sick of her too."
"So she's the one who crawled into Mr. Herrera's bed last night? No way..."
"If this gets out, the Herrera family elders will be furious."
"I still don't get it. With so many people at last night's party, why didn't the Herrera family elders show up? Looks like they were too scared to get caught up in all this drama."
The whispers grew louder, and I could feel my blood pressure rising.
"You—stop talking nonsense!" Angela snapped, pointing at the group.
If this gossip spread, it wouldn't just ruin my chances with Alex. The Herrera family might well destroy me. No wonder Angela was so angry.
But then, an unsettling thought hit me. Was Alex trying to provoke his family? Is that why he chose me?
After all, the woman he called his mother wasn't his biological mother, and Raphael, who called him "son," didn't seem to care much about him.
If they truly cared for him, then where did those scars on his back come from? Scars that looked like they'd been made by a whip. Old and new alike.
Raphael was in his 70s, but could he really have the strength to strike Alex like that? Or could it have been his mother? But then, where would a woman get that kind of strength?
"Miss Adams, you have no shame in your choice of friends, do you? Aren't you worried about tarnishing your reputation?" a few of the socialites said, offering me what they considered helpful "advice."
"My friends have always been people of principles," I shot back without missing a beat.
Austin scoffed, his eyes full of disdain. "Laurel, you don't have to drink if you don't want to. Just kneel and apologize to Rosemary, then leave. We won't trouble you anymore. We'll go our separate ways."
He paused, then added, "Of course, if you can make me happy, I might even introduce you to some rich second-generation heirs. But who knows if they'll be interested in someone like you? After all, Alex got bored of you after just one night."
"Bored?" I drawled, dragging out the word. "So, you're saying he at least wasn't bored for the first five years, right?"
As soon as the words left my mouth, more mocking laughter erupted around me.
But I didn't care. I was focused on holding Angela back, making sure she didn't charge at the ones insulting me.
Before Austin could say anything else, I leaned in, my voice smooth and teasing. "You said I was your woman that you got tired of. Do you know where the scars on my body came from?"
End of Falling For My Ex's Uncle Chapter 71. Continue reading Chapter 72 or return to Falling For My Ex's Uncle book page.