Taken By My Fiancé's Uncle - Chapter 43: Chapter 43

Lorraine's heart skipped a beat. She raced upstairs, slammed the door shut, and pressed her back against the wall. Her breathing was all over the place, and she was so nervous she could barely think.
After taking several deep breaths, she managed to calm down enough to open the package. Inside were meticulously organized stacks of papers.
On top was a pre-prepared divorce agreement. The document stated that once she signed and mailed it to Moore Group, their lawyers would handle her divorce from Stephen.
Underneath was an acceptance letter from a medical college in Lesvinton. Her name and photo were right there on the first page.
Even her passport and visa were all set, along with a check—not a huge amount, but enough to cover tuition and living expenses. And the flight was in just three days.
'Eugene's team worked lightning-fast,' Lorraine thought. Clutching the papers, she sank onto the couch.
Time seemed to blur before she reached for her phone to send a thank you. But scrolling through her contacts, she realized she didn't even have Eugene's number.
She thought for a moment and started typing a message to Lorenzo. [Lorenzo, this is Lorraine. Can you tell Eugene thanks for me?]
At Moore Group, under the watchful eyes of the employees, Lorenzo walked into the CEO's office carrying an insulated lunchbox.
"I feel like your employees are looking at me like I'm the future Mrs. Moore," Lorenzo said, setting the lunchbox in front of Eugene. He then pulled up a chair and sat down. "They're totally checking me out—even the guys can't stop staring."
Eugene sat behind his desk, wearing a steel-gray shirt. Upon hearing Lorenzo's words, he glanced up, his eyes sharp and cold, pen hovering over the paperwork.
Lorenzo shivered and dropped the jokes. He quickly opened the thermos and pushed it forward. "Your cold medicine—specially made."
"My cold has already cleared up."
"Can't hurt to boost your health, right? You've been taking this since you were a kid. My grandpa specifically told me to make sure you have it. Don't get me in trouble, okay?"
The Eaton family had been doctors for generations. Lorenzo's grandpa, who'd been the Moore family's physician and watched Eugene grow up, always had a soft spot for him.
The smell of the herbal brew was really off-putting. Eugene set down his pen and leaned back. "Why don't you take it?"
"I'm not sick."
"Might help with that non-stop talking of yours."
Lorenzo was speechless. 'Man, that's really harsh. Can I just quit being friends with this guy already?'
Suddenly, his phone buzzed. He pulled it out and opened the message. His eyes lit up. "It's Lorraine. She's so adorable. She actually—"
Before Lorenzo could finish, Eugene snatched his phone and dunked it into the herbal brew with a massive splash. Droplets flew everywhere.
'How brutal!' Lorenzo glared. "You're buying me a new phone."
Eugene sat back down, poker-faced. "Tell Finance to get you one."
"Wait, how could you do that?" Lorenzo protested. After a pause, he added, "Oh, I caught a glimpse just now—Lorraine mentioned you in her text."
Eugene's deep eyes narrowed. He plunged his hand into the boiling broth to fish out the phone.
"Dude, that's scalding!" Lorenzo yelped
The phone emerged dripping wet, its screen completely dead. Eugene stared and asked, "Think it'll work?"
"Are you serious?" Lorenzo covered his face helplessly. "It's just a phone. It's not like it's gonna come back to life or something!"
"What did she say about me?" Eugene asked, casually drying his fingers with a tissue from the desk.
"I didn't get to read it before you turned my phone into the herbal brew."
Eugene went silent.
"Doesn't that hurt? Your hand looks pretty red. Want some burn cream?" Lorenzo asked with concern.
Eugene pulled his own phone from the drawer and tossed it over. "Text her back. Find out what she said."
Lorenzo wanted to argue, but Eugene's intense stare shut him down. He sat and scrolled through contacts. "Her number's not saved here."
Eugene's eyes flickered, and then he rattled off a string of numbers.
"So that's why you didn't save it. You had it all memorized," Lorenzo said, realization dawning on him.
Eugene just gave him a sharp look.
"I'll do it right now!" Lorenzo ducked his head and typed: [Hey Lorraine, it's Lorenzo. My phone died earlier. What did you want to say? Didn't catch it clearly.]
Lorraine had been checking her phone nervously after sending her text. She didn't know if that simple "thank you" could reach Eugene. But it was all she could manage.
Suddenly, her phone buzzed. She swiped it open, only to find out Lorenzo hadn't read her earlier text clearly. After a moment, she typed back: [Never mind. If you didn't see it, forget it. Are you at work?]
A text notification sounded. Lorenzo beamed, about to open his phone.
Eugene snatched it mid-air. He stood tall. "You can go now."
Lorenzo's face fell. "Seriously? I haven't even read Lorraine's message. What if it's something important? Hey—stop dragging me—"
Before he could finish, the office door slammed shut, nearly taking off his nose. He flinched and left.
Eugene returned to his desk and opened the message. After a moment, he typed: [I just wrapped up work and I'm chilling. What were you trying to say earlier?]
After sending the text, he started watching the clock. Time seemed to drag on forever. When the reply finally came, he took a deep breath and opened it.
It read: [Oh, you must be exhausted after work! Get some rest! I won't bug you!] The message was so polite it was painful, dripping with over-the-top consideration.
Eugene's rage boiled over, his knuckles turning white from gripping the phone. He tossed it onto the table, watching the screen dim slowly.
After texting "Lorenzo," Lorraine headed downstairs.
Selena was busy cooking in the kitchen, while Sheila lounged on the couch watching a movie. Matthew was still stuck at work.
Lorraine walked over and plopped down next to Sheila. "Your internship is coming up soon, right?"
"Yeah, why?" Sheila gave her a curious look. "You already knew about this. Why bring it up now?"
Lorraine replied, "I want you to come shopping with me tomorrow. I need to grab some gifts for Selena, Matthew, and you."
Sheila turned off the TV and shook her head seriously. "Why buy gifts? You got cash to burn? Don't waste the money.
"My parents are loaded—don't be shy about using their money. As for me, I'll start my internship soon. I'll be bringing in some dough."
"Come with me, please," Lorraine said. "I need to get some gifts for other people too. I'm afraid I won't pick the right ones. It's to thank those who helped me when I was in the hospital. I'll feel super guilty otherwise."
Sheila studied her for a moment, then shrugged. "Fine. But skip my gift. Just get something for the others."
Lorraine's wallet was basically empty, which left her with few options for buying gifts. The next day, she went to the market with Sheila.
They quickly grabbed cozy house slippers for the Stuard parents. Later, Lorraine picked out nice black notebooks for Isaac and Daryl.
Then came Lorenzo's gift. Lorraine bit her lip, hesitating. "A fancy pen? Or maybe a neck massager? I'm totally stuck."
"A pen? Doctors write a lot, right?" Sheila said, her mind elsewhere. Something felt off about Lorraine—like she was picking farewell gifts. It made Sheila uneasy.
"Doctors get crazy neck and shoulder pain too," Lorraine said, checking out the small massager. "This one's got infrared heat."
"Do doctors even have time to use massagers? I heard they're crazy busy."
"But..."
Just then, the shopkeeper walked over with a friendly smile. "If you're having trouble deciding, why not ask the person who'll receive the gift? If you buy something they pick, they'll definitely love it."
"Oh, you're right!" Lorraine smacked her forehead. "How did I not think of that? Can I snap some pics?"
The shopkeeper nodded. "Sure thing."
Lorraine gathered both gifts and had Sheila take photos. She pulled up "Lorenzo's contact" and sent a text: [Which one do you like better?]
Eugene stepped out of the shower, a towel wrapped around his hips. His phone screen lit up, and he casually glanced down—then froze mid-towel-dry when he saw the sender.
He opened the text message—and the freshly photo popped out without warning: Lorraine was wearing a light blue trench coat with a collar lined in pink fluff. Her fair face was nestled in the fluff, her smile bright, her eyes wide and gleaming.
Eugene bit his lip, throat tightening as a warmth spread through his body. After a moment, he typed back: [Both look good. Who are they for?]