Taken By My Fiancé's Uncle - Chapter 145: Chapter 145

Lorraine was a bit dazed when Eugene hugged her.
On the bus, her mind raced with all sorts of reasons why he might have called her over. The biggest one could be that he was going to ask her to leave.
After all, with Queenie in her current state, his choice should have been obvious.
But to her surprise, he just walked right up and, in front of everyone, pulled her into his arms with that domineering attitude of his. 'I just can't figure him out anymore,' she thought.
She pressed her hands against Eugene's shoulders. "Eugene..." she mumbled, wanting him to put her down.
Eugene thought he was hurting her, so he eased his grip slightly but still kept Lorraine securely in his arms as he settled into a nearby chair.
Eugene glanced down and asked, "Why did you come here barefoot?"
'I thought he had forgot,' Lorraine said to herself.
Lorraine shrank her feet, tucking them under her denim skirt like a guilty child. She stole a quick glance up at Eugene and fell silent.
Seeing her so flustered, Eugene couldn't bring himself to scold her any further.
"Where did you go this morning?" he asked.
"School," answered Lorraine.
She paused for a moment and then quickly checked her pocket. To her relief, the key to the palatial stone manor was still there.
Eugene saw Lorraine heave a sigh of relief and looked puzzled. "What's with that look?"
"Before heading to the medical college, I stopped by my dorm room. One of the girls went abroad to study, so now there's actually an empty bed," Lorraine said softly, her voice tinged with a bit of excitement.
Eugene froze. "What exactly do you mean by that?"
Lorraine lowered her head, fumbled in her pocket, and then silently pressed the key into Eugene's palm.
Eugene's face tensed with restrained anger, but when he saw Lorraine looking so wronged and submissive, he couldn't bring himself to lose his temper.
Her young, innocent face couldn't hide any emotion at all. In those clear eyes, he saw both disappointment and a lingering reluctance, but she stubbornly refused to say a word.
His lungs burned with suppressed rage as he clenched his jaw. "Are you really leaving like this? Then what was last night supposed to mean?" Eugene demanded.
Just last night, he'd lavished tenderness on her, all in hopes she would stay obediently by his side.
But she only cared about her own pleasure. Clearly, she hadn't comprehended a single thing he'd asked of her.
"Well... A reunion after a long time?" Under the pressure of Eugene's intense gaze, Lorraine nervously blurted out whatever came to mind.
"So you're saying we had sex to celebrate?" Eugene snapped, his words dripping with sarcasm and frustration.
"I-I guess so?" Lorraine murmured, her head dropping even lower.
Eugene never expected her to actually admit it. He clenched his jaw, his face darkening with barely restrained anger. "So now you can cook?"
"I've picked up some cooking skills. There was no cafeteria up in the mountains, so I had to learn to cook for myself," she said.
'Why is he asking that?' Lorraine wondered.
"Can you make soup?" Eugene asked.
"I've picked up a thing or two from Mrs. Molton, so I suppose I can manage," said Lorraine.
Eugene took out his wallet and stuffed it into Lorraine's hand. "The card has no PIN. Be a good girl—go buy some groceries, cook dinner, and make some soup to bring over."
Eugene thought with a sigh, 'If I don't give her something specific to do, that little head of hers will just keep overthinking all day."
Lorraine froze for a moment, clearly aback. "B-Bring it over? For Queenie?" There was a hint of pleasant surprise in her voice.
'Wait... Is he actually letting me take care of his family? Does this mean we won't have to part ways just yet?' Lorraine's pulse quickened as she pondered.
Eugene watched as Lorraine tried to contain her delight, and felt a sour ache he couldn't put into words.
Eugene reached out and gently stroked her hair. "Go on now," he said softly.
"Got it." Lorraine sprang to her feet, clutching her backpack straps as she turned to leave.
Suddenly, Lorraine felt a warm hand grasp her wrist. Eugene had pulled her back, and she stumbled right into his embrace.
'What's he doing? There are so many people here... He wouldn't actually try to kiss me in public, would he?' Lorraine thought, her heart racing.
Lorraine squirmed in his embrace, but Eugene only tightened his grip.
She sighed in resignation, stood on her tiptoes, and pressed a fleeting kiss to his lips. "Happy now?"
Eugene chuckled, feeling the first glimmer of warmth in his heart that day. "What were you thinking? I just meant to remind you—buy a pair of shoes first before heading to the supermarket," he teased.
"Mm..." Lorraine said with an annoyed pout, replying in all seriousness, "Fine then. Let's just pretend I never kissed you."
Eugene's little jab at Lorraine had backfired spectacularly, leaving him with a kiss she now refused to acknowledge.
In a sudden surge of possessiveness, Eugene swept Lorraine into his arms and pulled her into the stairwell. He kissed her hard before finally letting her go.
As he recalled how her lips were still flushed and slightly swollen when she left, a deep sense of satisfaction washed over him.
Just as Eugene turned to head back into the ward, a familiar voice caught his ear. "I'm here on behalf of the Pedler family and Norah to check on you. Hope you get better soon."
Eugene's heart tightened as he pushed the door open and stepped inside. There, seated by the hospital bed, was Ian.
Ian sat motionless, his slender fingers cradling a bouquet of pink irises, exuding effortless elegance.
Queenie had woken, her brow still etched with weariness. In a frail voice, she murmured a faint "thank you" to Ian.
Eugene walked over, took the bouquet from Ian, and set it on the far windowsill. "She shouldn't be seeing visitors right now. Since you're already here, Mr. Pedler, I won't be offering you any hospitality. You know the way out."
Eugene utterly despised everyone from the Pedler family.
The Moore family was large and complicated, but at least there was still a glimmer of warmth within.
But the Pedler family was like a perfectly engineered machine, every member just another gear in its cold, mechanical workings. They were heartless, cold-blooded, and yet inextricably bound together.
"Eugene..." Queenie murmured with a faint frown.
Ian smiled nonchalantly, "I have one last gift for you. After that, I'll take my leave."
With that, Ian raised his hand and snapped his fingers crisply.
The Pedler family assistant, waiting outside, immediately entered, retrieved a photograph from his briefcase, and said respectfully, "Ms. Godfrey, wish you a quick recovery."
He then presented the photograph to her with both hands.
Queenie took just one glance at the photo, and tears instantly welled up in her eyes. "It's Kye... My Kye..." she choked out.
The timestamp on the photo showed it was just yesterday.
Kye was wearing a prison jumpsuit, standing alone in the yard during yard time. Though still as handsome as ever, his temples were already streaked with gray, and he had grown alarmingly thin.
Her hands trembling, Queenie took the photo and clutched it tightly to her chest. Tears streamed down her face and soaked the pillow beneath her.
For over a decade, this was the first time she had "seen" him.
Seeing that the photo had been delivered, Ian stood up and gave Queenie a slight nod. He said, "I'll take my leave now. If you need anything, please don't hesitate to let us know."
"Thank you," Queenie whispered, her trembling fingers tracing the back of the photo over and over.
Ian smiled at her with gentlemanly grace.
Seeing Queenie like this, Eugene felt a heart-wrenching ache.
Ian summoned Eugene out into the hallway.
The two men walked to the end of the quiet hospital corridor. Ian took out a pack of cigarettes and offered perfunctorily, "Want one?"
Eugene shook his head.
Ian plucked a cigarette from the pack, placed it between his lips, and lit it with practiced ease. He took a slow, deliberate drag, letting the smoke curl languidly in the air.
Veiled in smoke, the two men stood there in silence, their expressions hidden from each other.
One possessed the quiet majesty of a lion, the other the graceful poise of a panther. They both exuded a subtle air of dominance that equally enthralled the women watching from afar.
Ian demanded, "Norah has been here for quite some time, and you just left her stranded in the mountains like that. Do you have anything to account for this?"
Eugene said dismissively, "She went up on her own."
Ian chuckled softly. "That does sound like her—always the picture of a well-bred lady, but the moment it concerns you, she throws caution to the wind."
Eugene remained silent.
Ian extended his hand, his gaze sweeping the surroundings.
His assistant immediately stepped forward, bowed slightly, and cupped both hands to receive the tapped-off ash. Then, without a word, he retreated soundlessly.
The assistant performed the action with practiced ease, and Ian didn't give it a second thought.
Turning back, Ian continued, "Before I came here, the elders of the Pedler family voiced some concerns. They said you rarely visit Norah in Jonalesburg, while she, on the contrary, jumps at every chance to come here to visit you."
Eugene pressed his lips together and remained silent.
Ian took the cigarette from his lips and blew out a smoke ring. "We understand. Children grow up and build their own family. You just can't keep them at home.
"So the elders sent me to ask you: when do you plan to set a date for the wedding? After that, whether you two want to stay here or move back to Jonalesburg, it's entirely up to you."
Lorraine headed to the supermarket with Eugene's credit card, first buying herself a pair of shoes before making her way to the fresh produce section.
She was so caught up in her errands that, before she knew it, evening had already arrived.
Lorraine returned to the palatial stone manor with her groceries, then pulled out a small notebook and meticulously recorded the price of each item she'd bought—vegetables, meat, and even the smallest bunch of scallions—one by one.
Watching her so focused, one'd almost think she was already running the household.
Eugene stepped out of the bathroom and was greeted by this sight. He couldn't help but think, with an affectionate smile, 'My little manager.'
Lorraine looked up, startled. "You... You're back already?"
Eugene had just stepped out of the shower, a towel slung low around his waist, his sculpted physique on full display. The sight made Lorraine's cheeks flush and her heart race.
Even though they'd seen every inch of each other before, she still couldn't get used to seeing him like this.
"My mom is at the hospital, keeping watch. We're taking shifts," Eugene explained. He hadn't slept for a whole day and night, and his mother, worried about him, insisted he go home and get some rest.
"Mm..." After a moment's thought, Lorraine jotted down the final entry in her notebook. She bounced over to Eugene with a cheerful grin and said, "Here, take a look."
"What?" Eugene chuckled.
"My expense log. See what I spent on groceries today, and the shoes too..." explained Lorraine.
Eugene flipped through the notebook. Every single expense was meticulously recorded: fish, meat, vegetables, and even scallions—all noted with perfect clarity.
The last entry was for a pair of shoes she'd bought.
It was just a pair of plain white sneakers, only 10 dollars—not fancy, not even good-looking. Yet she wore them so naturally, as if it didn't matter at all.
"Is she really so determined not to take advantage of me?" Eugene wondered.
"Keep looking. I'll start cooking," Lorraine chirped, grabbing two large bags and darting into the kitchen. "I'll make soup first. You take it to Queenie."
Her ponytail bounced playfully behind her as she hurried away.
Eugene couldn't help but sigh at her stubborn independence.
'Why does she insist on keeping such clear accounts between us? Doesn't she want to take more from me? If only she were a bit more demanding and asked for more... maybe then I wouldn't feel this overwhelming urge to give her everything,' he thought.