Falling For My Ex's Uncle - Chapter 78: Chapter 78
You are reading Falling For My Ex's Uncle, Chapter 78: Chapter 78. Read more chapters of Falling For My Ex's Uncle.
Angela knocked on my door again this morning, but as soon as she saw Alex, she shivered involuntarily.
"Tomorrow, I'll have the driver take you to Honeydew Estate," Alex said before leaving the room without another word.
"Honeydew Estate?" Angela's face lit up with excitement. "Does this mean I can come over and mooch off you for meals again?"
"Not afraid of running into Alex anymore?" I smiled and asked, my eyes twinkling. "Why is it every time you see him, you look like a mouse staring down a cat?"
"I do not!" Angela huffed. "It's just that my mom always said to stay on Mr. Herrera's good side. She told me never to mess with him." Angela sighed, her voice lowering. "If my mom won't even cross him, what chance do I have? I'd rather keep my distance. If I say the wrong thing, I might drag you into trouble."
"Didn't expect the Miss Adams to be so obedient," I teased.
Angela cleared her throat. "To be honest, Mr. Herrera is really handsome, but he's also too sharp—especially when he smiles."
I nodded in agreement.
"But when he's not smiling... he's pretty terrifying too." Angela suddenly went quiet, then patted my shoulder with a mischievous grin. "So, did Alex favor you again last night?"
I rolled my eyes.
"Honestly, there are probably a dozen women who want to be Alex's wife." Angela's expression turned serious. "If you get pregnant with the heir, you'll have the power to control everything."
"Stop cursing me," I shot back.
Angela paused, her eyes widening. "You don't want your own child?"
"Using a child to tie a man's heart is the most foolish thing to do."
For some reason, Alex's mother flashed across my mind.
I didn't understand what had happened between them back then, but I was sure no woman would willingly fall in love with a man who was twenty years older than her. Especially not someone of her stature—she looked like she came from a wealthy family, judging by her refined demeanor and the bracelet she gifted me.
Such a proud woman would never agree to be hidden away, a mere shadow. More importantly, how could she stand to let her own son call another woman "mother"?
"Laurel, what's wrong? Are you still worried about your mom's illness?"
I shook my head, watching as Angela's eyes reddened again. A sense of warmth swelled inside me.
Over the years I'd been away from Nifelheim City, Angela always found time to visit my mom.
Sometimes, others even mistook her for my mom's biological daughter. My mom had long considered her half a daughter, too.
After all, Angela spent a long time at our house as a kid, eating and drinking with us. She didn't care about the lavish meals on the table; instead, she'd sit with us at our little round table. She said my mom's cooking was the best.
But what could rival the chefs at five-star hotels? It wasn't the food—it was that she was terrified of being alone.
Our household was always lively during dinner, especially when my mom and Bonnie were at work during the day, and we all ate together in the evening.
Even on holidays, my grandparents would join us. We didn't have much, but it was filled with joy.
Then, when my grandmother passed away, my grandfather followed her in that same winter. My mom said it was because my grandfather couldn't bear to live without her.
I couldn't bear to lose them either.
Every time my mom spoke of my grandmother, she'd wipe away tears. I never dared cry in front of her, instead hiding my tears in the covers at night. Over time, no matter how sad I felt, I would swallow my emotions.
In the face of death, life seemed so fragile.
"I found a pharmaceutical company. They're working on a brain cancer treatment, but it's still in the experimental phase." I passed along all the details I had gathered to Angela. "I also sent you the info—please help me find out if we can get in touch with the researchers. If the drug is released, we need to get it as soon as possible."
Angela grabbed my arm as soon as she saw the name of the research hospital and company. Her face lit up with excitement. "Lucas is interning at this company!"
"Are you sure?"
She nodded enthusiastically. "Yes."
"I'm calling him now."
I quickly reached for my phone, but Angela yanked me back. "You should talk to him in person. But since the drug isn't out yet, we don't have to rush."
Seeing Angela's serious expression, I paused. "What's going on?"
"Tonight, Mr. Herrera is hosting a welcome banquet for Samantha."
"A welcome banquet?"
Suddenly, it clicked. Alex had mentioned that the driver would take me to Honeydew Estate tomorrow, but now it seemed like I was staying here for the night too?
"Didn't Mr. Herrera tell you?" Angela asked.
I shook my head and smiled. "He doesn't owe me an explanation for everything."
"But you two are married now," Angela said, standing up for me. "Everyone is already speculating who Mr. Herrera really likes."
"Anyway, Alex's real love is definitely not me."
"We've already gotten the certificate, and you two are legally married now," Angela said, narrowing her eyes. "Laurel, don't tell me you're backing out now, or worse, you want Alex to divorce you and marry Samantha?"
I stared at her, unamused. "Alex won't marry Samantha."
"Really? Then why is he throwing her a welcome banquet?"
"Honestly, they're well-suited to each other in terms of looks and background," I said calmly.
Angela slapped my forehead lightly. "Laurel, have you forgotten who you are? If you don't think about yourself, at least think of your mom. What will she think if she finds out about Alex's affair with Samantha?"
Suddenly, the weight of her words hit me. I had nearly forgotten this detail. Given Samantha's personality, if Alex threw this banquet for her, there would likely be media coverage. Any casual photograph could easily be blown out of proportion, and if my mom saw it, she would be furious.
I rubbed my forehead, a frown creasing my face. "Looks like I can't leave just yet."
"Leave? You're Mrs. Herrera now!" Angela pressed her lips together, her eyes revealing unease. "Honestly, I feel like Mr. Herrera might not want to host this banquet for Samantha."
I calmly popped a strawberry into my mouth and nodded slowly. "Let him do it. He's not being forced into the marriage bed."
"Laurel, don't you care about Mr. Herrera's reputation at all?"
I smiled slightly, my tone laced with sarcasm. "Does he have one?"
Just then, Alex and Isaac walked in. Angela shot up from her chair, her once-dull eyes suddenly sparkling with excitement.
"Tomorrow, I'll have the driver take you to Honeydew Estate," Alex said before leaving the room without another word.
"Honeydew Estate?" Angela's face lit up with excitement. "Does this mean I can come over and mooch off you for meals again?"
"Not afraid of running into Alex anymore?" I smiled and asked, my eyes twinkling. "Why is it every time you see him, you look like a mouse staring down a cat?"
"I do not!" Angela huffed. "It's just that my mom always said to stay on Mr. Herrera's good side. She told me never to mess with him." Angela sighed, her voice lowering. "If my mom won't even cross him, what chance do I have? I'd rather keep my distance. If I say the wrong thing, I might drag you into trouble."
"Didn't expect the Miss Adams to be so obedient," I teased.
Angela cleared her throat. "To be honest, Mr. Herrera is really handsome, but he's also too sharp—especially when he smiles."
I nodded in agreement.
"But when he's not smiling... he's pretty terrifying too." Angela suddenly went quiet, then patted my shoulder with a mischievous grin. "So, did Alex favor you again last night?"
I rolled my eyes.
"Honestly, there are probably a dozen women who want to be Alex's wife." Angela's expression turned serious. "If you get pregnant with the heir, you'll have the power to control everything."
"Stop cursing me," I shot back.
Angela paused, her eyes widening. "You don't want your own child?"
"Using a child to tie a man's heart is the most foolish thing to do."
For some reason, Alex's mother flashed across my mind.
I didn't understand what had happened between them back then, but I was sure no woman would willingly fall in love with a man who was twenty years older than her. Especially not someone of her stature—she looked like she came from a wealthy family, judging by her refined demeanor and the bracelet she gifted me.
Such a proud woman would never agree to be hidden away, a mere shadow. More importantly, how could she stand to let her own son call another woman "mother"?
"Laurel, what's wrong? Are you still worried about your mom's illness?"
I shook my head, watching as Angela's eyes reddened again. A sense of warmth swelled inside me.
Over the years I'd been away from Nifelheim City, Angela always found time to visit my mom.
Sometimes, others even mistook her for my mom's biological daughter. My mom had long considered her half a daughter, too.
After all, Angela spent a long time at our house as a kid, eating and drinking with us. She didn't care about the lavish meals on the table; instead, she'd sit with us at our little round table. She said my mom's cooking was the best.
But what could rival the chefs at five-star hotels? It wasn't the food—it was that she was terrified of being alone.
Our household was always lively during dinner, especially when my mom and Bonnie were at work during the day, and we all ate together in the evening.
Even on holidays, my grandparents would join us. We didn't have much, but it was filled with joy.
Then, when my grandmother passed away, my grandfather followed her in that same winter. My mom said it was because my grandfather couldn't bear to live without her.
I couldn't bear to lose them either.
Every time my mom spoke of my grandmother, she'd wipe away tears. I never dared cry in front of her, instead hiding my tears in the covers at night. Over time, no matter how sad I felt, I would swallow my emotions.
In the face of death, life seemed so fragile.
"I found a pharmaceutical company. They're working on a brain cancer treatment, but it's still in the experimental phase." I passed along all the details I had gathered to Angela. "I also sent you the info—please help me find out if we can get in touch with the researchers. If the drug is released, we need to get it as soon as possible."
Angela grabbed my arm as soon as she saw the name of the research hospital and company. Her face lit up with excitement. "Lucas is interning at this company!"
"Are you sure?"
She nodded enthusiastically. "Yes."
"I'm calling him now."
I quickly reached for my phone, but Angela yanked me back. "You should talk to him in person. But since the drug isn't out yet, we don't have to rush."
Seeing Angela's serious expression, I paused. "What's going on?"
"Tonight, Mr. Herrera is hosting a welcome banquet for Samantha."
"A welcome banquet?"
Suddenly, it clicked. Alex had mentioned that the driver would take me to Honeydew Estate tomorrow, but now it seemed like I was staying here for the night too?
"Didn't Mr. Herrera tell you?" Angela asked.
I shook my head and smiled. "He doesn't owe me an explanation for everything."
"But you two are married now," Angela said, standing up for me. "Everyone is already speculating who Mr. Herrera really likes."
"Anyway, Alex's real love is definitely not me."
"We've already gotten the certificate, and you two are legally married now," Angela said, narrowing her eyes. "Laurel, don't tell me you're backing out now, or worse, you want Alex to divorce you and marry Samantha?"
I stared at her, unamused. "Alex won't marry Samantha."
"Really? Then why is he throwing her a welcome banquet?"
"Honestly, they're well-suited to each other in terms of looks and background," I said calmly.
Angela slapped my forehead lightly. "Laurel, have you forgotten who you are? If you don't think about yourself, at least think of your mom. What will she think if she finds out about Alex's affair with Samantha?"
Suddenly, the weight of her words hit me. I had nearly forgotten this detail. Given Samantha's personality, if Alex threw this banquet for her, there would likely be media coverage. Any casual photograph could easily be blown out of proportion, and if my mom saw it, she would be furious.
I rubbed my forehead, a frown creasing my face. "Looks like I can't leave just yet."
"Leave? You're Mrs. Herrera now!" Angela pressed her lips together, her eyes revealing unease. "Honestly, I feel like Mr. Herrera might not want to host this banquet for Samantha."
I calmly popped a strawberry into my mouth and nodded slowly. "Let him do it. He's not being forced into the marriage bed."
"Laurel, don't you care about Mr. Herrera's reputation at all?"
I smiled slightly, my tone laced with sarcasm. "Does he have one?"
Just then, Alex and Isaac walked in. Angela shot up from her chair, her once-dull eyes suddenly sparkling with excitement.
End of Falling For My Ex's Uncle Chapter 78. Continue reading Chapter 79 or return to Falling For My Ex's Uncle book page.