Taken By My Fiancé's Uncle - Chapter 45: Chapter 45

The wholesale market was eerily quiet after dark. Because of the rain, business was slow, and the vendors were dozing behind their stalls. No one even bothered to give Eugene and Lorraine a second glance.
Lorraine trailed Eugene in a daze, matching his steps exactly.
'Rich folks usually wouldn't be into the stuff here. He probably won't find anything he likes,' Lorraine thought to herself, secretly checking her wallet and feeling relieved.
Just then, Eugene's voice cut through the silence. "I want this."
Lorraine froze, clutching her wallet tighter as she peered over. He'd stopped at a handicraft booth, pointing at a set of wooden dolls.
It was a pair of pink wooden dolls in light blue princess dresses—one big, one small. Their hair cascaded over their shoulders, framing two identical blank faces.
"Are you serious right now?" Lorraine rubbed her eyes, thinking she must have been mis.
"Mm," Eugene replied firmly.
"You don't have some weird obsession, do you?" Lorraine asked. She couldn't understand why he would buy something only teenage girls would love.
Eugene shot her a sideways glance. "Shouldn't you know me best?"
Lorraine's ears burned bright red. She scrambled for cash, desperately wishing she could take back her words.
Eugene turned his head, his eyes scanning the market.
"What else do you want?" Lorraine grimaced at the few coins the vendor handed back. "I'm basically broke. No more shopping."
Her wallet held a couple of crumpled bills and some loose change. If he picked anything else, she wouldn't be able to afford it.
"Didn't find anything else." Eugene turned back, watching the vendor hand him the dolls but didn't take them. "Put them in a bag."
The vendor scratched his head. "We're out of bags. You can hold them—they're tiny."
"No," Eugene said flatly, his expression hardening.
Feeling a bit embarrassed, Lorraine reached for the dolls and said, "I can carry them."
Eugene blocked her hand. "We need a bag," he insisted.
The vendor opened his mouth, and then weirdly nodded at Eugene's stare. "Alright, alright, wait a sec. I'll find one for you."
He turned to search while mumbling under his breath, 'God, why do I feel like I just want to do whatever he says?'
Lorraine was puzzled by the vendor's sudden change in demeanor. She just stood there, waiting silently.
Eugene remained perfectly still, totally unbothered by the rundown surroundings.
After a while, the vendor finally pulled out a crumpled plastic bag from under his stall. "Last one—it's still clean. Take it."
Only then did Eugene grab the bag and the dolls. "Let's go," he said softly to Lorraine.
"Okay." Lorraine followed him out of the market. The rain was still coming down, and no sign of it letting up anytime soon. Frustrated, she stopped under the awning.
"Where to?" Eugene asked.
"Sheila's place. It's close." Lorraine looked down nervously as rainwater soaked her shoes. The spring chill cut right through her.
Suddenly, something landed on her head. She stared blankly as Eugene placed the plastic bag over her. "What are you doing?" she asked.
Eugene carefully adjusted the bag's handles. "There. This'll keep you dry."
Lorraine wanted to roll her eyes, but instead felt a strange warmth spread through her chest. 'Was he looking for an umbrella just now? How considerate.'
Despite looking ridiculous with the plastic bag on her head, she kept it on. She glanced at her reflection in a glass door and asked, "Do I look like I'm about to rob a bank?"
Eugene remained silent.
"Or maybe an astronaut!" She struck a dramatic pose, somehow pulling it off. "What do you think?"
Eugene was at a loss for words. He took a deep breath and muttered, "Let's go."
"Where to?"
"Sheila's place, right? I'm heading that way too. We can walk together."
Clueless about where he lived now, Lorraine believed him. She nodded and followed along.
Eugene slipped the wooden dolls into his coat pocket, positioning himself slightly ahead to block her from the sharp spring wind.
They walked through the fine drizzle, rain clinging to his hair like a misty halo—as mysterious as the man himself.
Behind him, Lorraine shuffled along in her plastic bag hat, looking like a tiny mushroom.
Streetlights pierced through the rain as night settled in. Water droplets sparkled like tiny diamonds on his black coat before shattering on the ground.
They walked in silence, she following in his shadow. Their breathing synced for a moment, then scattered like leaves in the spring breeze.
Soon, they reached Sheila's place. Eugene stopped and turned to her.
"What's up?" Lorraine asked, staring blankly. 'Wait, how did he know exactly where Sheila lived? He never once asked for directions.'
"You're home," Eugene replied.
Lorraine glanced at the house number and suddenly realized where she was. Nodding, she said, "Oh, right. I'll head in now."
Eugene remained silent, simply stepping aside to let her pass.
Lorraine kept her head down, carefully stepping around the small puddles. Black leather shoes came into view, drawing nearer and nearer. Her heart began to race wildly.
Thump-thump—her heart raced so fast it might explode. Her hands clenched into tight fists as she approached him. Then—their shoulders barely brushed.
His scent swept past her nose, then vanished, leaving only the crisp smell of rain-soaked air.
As she reached the door, she wavered, wondering if she should look back. Just then, his voice sounded from behind her—"Lorraine."
Instantly, her hesitation disappeared. She spun around, meeting his eyes while trying to keep her gaze steady. "Yeah?"
"It rains a lot in Thotoria. Don't forget to grab an umbrella," Eugene said, his lips curving up slightly.
It was a genuine smile, more breathtaking than anything Lorraine had ever seen. In that moment, she felt like fallen stars were realigning themselves along the curve of his lips.
She was totally smitten—couldn't even manage a simple "thanks." All she could do was watch numbly as he walked away.
The night wind swept past, either stirring the chaos in her heart or trying to smooth its wild waves. She stood there for what felt like forever, completely unable to move.
A car pulled up, and Sheila stepped out from the backseat. "Why are you standing here like a zombie? Lorraine?" She waved a hand in front of her friend's blank eyes and gave her a light shove.
"Oh! I-I'm just getting some air," Lorraine stammered, snapping back to reality.
"Getting air with a plastic bag on your head? Are you okay?" Sheila stared and reached to remove it.
Lorraine quickly backed away, keeping the bag out of Sheila's reach.
Sheila stopped, completely confused.
"I'm going inside!" Lorraine bolted upstairs. She shut her door, patting her burning cheeks and touching the plastic bag. Though cool to the touch, it felt scorching in her hand.
After fussing with the bag for a few minutes, she finally removed it and carefully dried it. Then she folded it like a precious memento and tucked it into her suitcase—her Thotoria umbrella.
Two days later, the sky was a perfect, cloudless blue.
Isaac was reporting to Eugene in the CEO's office, and he noticed that Eugene was distracted.
He then spotted the pair of wooden dolls on the desk. They looked comically out of place, completely clashing with the office's sleek, minimalist style.
Maintaining his professional composure, Isaac reported on Moore Group updates before adding, "Ms. Shaw is flying to Lesvinton today. I booked her a first-class seat on the best flight."
"Noted," Eugene mumbled, continuing to sign documents without looking up.
Isaac began to recite the details. "The flight number is..."
"Why are you telling me this?" Eugene frowned.
"I thought you'd want to know," Isaac said, lowering his eyes.
Eugene set down his pen. "Are all her arrangements in Lesvinton care of?"
"Everything's set. The landlady's an old friend—she'll keep an eye on Ms. Shaw."
"You can go if that's all."
"Okay."
As the door clicked shut, Eugene took a deep breath, his gaze fixed on the wooden dolls sitting on his desk.
Lorraine had quietly slipped out of the Stuard residence at dawn, leaving behind only a brief note about her destination.
She knew Sheila too well—she would definitely try to talk her out of leaving. And the last thing she wanted was to see Sheila break down in tears. Goodbyes were always brutal.
Lorraine arrived at the airport alone. There were all strangers, but she didn't mind.
After checking in, she waited until 9:00 AM. The airport speakers suddenly came to life with a sweet voice—"Passengers for Flight FK231 to Thotoria, boarding will begin in one hour. Any passengers who haven't cleared security should do so immediately."
Lorraine stood up and glanced back at the city she'd stayed in for two decades. She'd thought about leaving before, but never imagined it would happen so quickly.
Gripping her small suitcase tightly, she squared her shoulders and walked toward the security checkpoint with determined, steady steps.