Taken By My Fiancé's Uncle - Chapter 53: Chapter 53

The plane touched down on a small island in the South Indarican Ocean.
Lorraine had barely stepped off the plane when a wave of heat nearly knocked her over. It felt like her whole body, after a long, cold winter, had suddenly come alive, every pore opening up under the salty, humid sea breeze.
Eugene pulled her straight into the car and tossed her a strappy maxi dress. "Put this on."
The peacock green dress felt soft and luxurious, with a unique design that screamed expensive. Lorraine pinched the fabric. "You bought this for me?"
"Who else would it be for? You think I'd wear it?" Eugene shot her a cool look, not bothering to hide how little he thought of her question.
Lorraine hugged the dress, giving an awkward smile. "Well, if you really want to try it on, I won't stop—"
"Just hurry up and change," Eugene cut her off. He pushed open the car door and stepped out to chat with Nathan and the others nearby.
Lorraine slipped out of her spring clothes and into the dress, pairing it with white flat sandals. To her surprise, there was a small pink phone tucked inside the bag with the dress—clearly meant for her.
She turned it on and saw full bars. Immediately, she thought of Sheila. She quickly called to let Sheila know where she was.
Sheila squealed in shock. Soon, she calmed down and asked, "He really took you to an island?"
"Yeah." Lorraine absentmindedly traced circles on the car window with her pinky, her eyes drifting to Eugene. "Why do you think he brought me all the way out here? He even bought me a pretty dress."
"Vacation, obviously. But isn't he supposed to be super busy? Why would he take time off just to be with you?"
"I have no idea. I joked about keeping him, and then he said he'd show me what 'keeping someone' really means. Next thing I know, we're here."
Sheila pondered for a moment and said, "Wow, Lorraine, you've really gone to the dark side. But honestly, if this is what being bad looks like, you're killing it. He's actually taking you on vacation!"
"Really?" Lorraine sounded a little unsure.
"Of course! What guy could stand the idea of being supported by a woman? Even as a joke, that's a tough pill to swallow.
"Here's my take: Eugene brought you here to show off, to let you see what he's really capable of. Basically, he wants you to know you could never afford to keep him—only he can take care of you."
'That makes a lot of sense.' Lorraine suddenly felt enlightened. "Sheila, you're a genius."
"Obviously. Just remember to relax and have fun. And don't forget to bring me back a souvenir." Sheila blew her a kiss through the phone before hanging up.
The last bit of anxiety in Lorraine's heart faded away. She finally let herself soak in the vacation vibes, gazing out the car window—blue skies, turquoise sea, palm trees, and sandy beaches, and clouds as fluffy as cotton candy. Everything was just so beautiful.
There were street vendors on the roadside selling sodas, bubbles fizzing up in clear glass bottles. Lorraine glanced at Eugene, and her heart felt like it was bubbling over too, so light she could almost float away.
She pushed open the car door and walked toward him. But the moment he looked over, she froze, suddenly feeling shy. She tugged at the dress he'd bought her, wondering if it looked good on her.
Eugene stood there, and since he saw her coming, his gaze had locked onto her and never moved away for a second.
"Eugene, listen to me... Eugene?" Nathan called out twice. Getting no response, he followed Eugene's gaze, and instantly, he understood and fell silent.
The peacock-green spaghetti-strap maxi dress wasn't exactly revealing, but it was definitely not conservative either. Lorraine's bare, delicate arms and the way the dress hugged her slim waist made it impossible not to let one's imagination wander.
Especially her skin—it was so perfect, almost glowing, looking so soft it seemed like it would bruise at a touch.
Eugene suddenly regretted just grabbing a random dress off the rack—he really should have picked more carefully.
Seeing him stay silent, Lorraine got even more flustered. With about ten feet still between them, she nervously tugged at her strap. "Does it not look good? Maybe I should just go change back into my old clothes."
As soon as she finished, she turned and dashed back to the car, not daring to look at Eugene again.
Nathan and Lorenzo caught the look in Eugene's eyes—that raw, predatory hunger a man gets when he's totally fixated on a woman.
Lorraine got back in the car, feeling a bit embarrassed. She decided she wasn't going to wear that dress anymore.
She reached behind to unzip it. But before she could even touch the zipper, her hand was grabbed from behind.
Eugene had come over at some point. By the time she turned around, he'd already closed the car door.
"Don't take it off. There's nothing else for you to change into right now," he said calmly before telling the driver to get going.
"But it looks terrible," Lorraine muttered, a little downcast. Coming all the way to the tropics was probably a once-in-a-lifetime thing, and it felt like such a waste to wear a dress that wasn't stunning.
She'd been about to take off the dress, so the strap had slipped down her shoulder. Eugene stared at her for a moment, then reached out and gently pulled the strap back up.
His warm fingertips brushed against her smooth skin, making her shiver. He paused for a second before finishing what he was doing.
Then he pulled his hand back and pointed out the window with a touch of elegance. "Compared to them, you're a beauty."
Lorraine turned to look—there were lots of local women walking along the street, their skin rough and dull.
Lorraine couldn't help but laugh. She definitely didn't mean any offense, but somehow, she felt better. 'Alright, I'll just wear it. Even if it isn't fancy, that's okay,' she thought.
She looked down and smoothed out the wrinkles in her skirt. "Alright, I'll just wear this one," she said, then turned and leaned against the car window, focusing on the scenery outside.
"Mm," Eugene replied softly, his gaze softening as he watched the back of her head.
They arrived at the hotel's overwater villa. The deep blue sea flowed right beneath their feet—so close, it felt like they could reach out and catch the waves.
Lorraine was stunned by the breathtaking view for a long time before she finally remembered to ask, "What's this place called?"
Just for a moment, she wanted to know the name—hoping she could tuck this memory away for the future. As for whether Eugene would be part of that memory, she didn't dare think about it yet.
"It doesn't have a name," Eugene said, coming out of the room after changing. He wore a white linen shirt and light khaki pants, looking effortlessly stylish and refined.
"No way," Lorraine protested. "A place this beautiful has to have a name."
"It doesn't," Eugene replied, standing shoulder to shoulder with her at the railing, eyes on the endless blue waves. "It's a stateless island, and a bunch of countries are fighting over it. But so far, no one's claimed it."
"I see." Lorraine let out a soft sigh. "It's such a pity—a place this beautiful, but it doesn't even have a name."
Suddenly, Eugene handed her a neat stack of cash, looking at her gently. "Here, take this. Go shopping and buy yourself something you like."
Lorraine was caught off guard, feeling both surprised and a little flattered. "W-why are you giving me money?"
"Did you bring any?" Eugene asked back calmly.
Lorraine checked her pockets—empty. She couldn't afford to be polite anymore, so she just took the money. "So I'm going shopping now? What about you?"
"The bodyguards who came with us will go with you. Don't worry. Just go wherever you want. I'll be here, waiting for you to come back."
Lorraine stepped out onto the street, still feeling a little out of it. Eugene's words earlier hadn't sounded wrong, but something about them just didn't sit right with her.
'We're supposed to be on vacation, so why won't he come out and explore? Do rich people just get bored with places like this? That's gotta be it,' Lorraine thought. Since she couldn't force him, she decided to go have fun on her own.
She ducked into every shop she passed, and most of the time she just browsed. But after wandering around for half the day, she still managed to snag a few little treasures.
She picked up a coconut shell carving for Sheila, plus some quirky little trinkets. She figured if she put these in Silverlake Villa, they'd definitely look cute and make the place feel cozier.
The street wasn't far from the hotel. After finishing shopping, Lorraine strolled back slowly, the bodyguards trailing behind her.
As the sun dipped lower, the crowds on the street started to thin out. The sound of the waves grew clearer, their gentle rhythm washing away any last bit of restlessness in her heart.
Lorraine walked lazily through the golden afterglow, almost at the hotel—when suddenly, the bodyguards tensed up, instantly forming a human shield around her and hiding her in the middle.
"What's going on?" Lorraine asked, confused. She tried to peek out, but she just wasn't tall enough. "Seriously, what's happening?"
"Ms. Shaw, please don't make a sound," the lead bodyguard said in a low, serious voice. "We need to move."
Not far away, the roar of engines suddenly filled the air, rumbling like a tidal wave and making the ground tremble beneath their feet.
"What on earth is happening?" Lorraine was completely lost. 'On such a peaceful island, what could possibly happen to make these well-trained bodyguards so nervous?'