Taken By My Fiancé's Uncle - Chapter 94: Chapter 94

Zackery entered the room; Raquel and Elsie stood up immediately. Elsie beamed as she hurried over, "Welcome home, Dad. Was work tiring today?" She took his briefcase and handed it to the maid. Then she slipped her arm through his and walked together toward the sofa.
Raquel quickly told the maid to bring hot coffee, and then squeezed in close beside Zackery. With Elsie on his other side, they sandwiched him between them.
"Now that we've got Eugene in our corner, need I say more?" Zackery boasted, his voice dripping with pride, as if they'd already formed a real bond with Eugene.
Elsie and Raquel exchanged a guarded glance. Raquel gave an almost imperceptible shake of her head, hinting to Elsie to keep silent. Raquel said smoothly, "That's wonderful. With your brilliant mind and Elsie's dedication, things will only get better from here."
"That's for sure. Speaking of which, what were you two talking about earlier? Getting back at who?" Zackery brought up the topic again, clearly not having forgotten that remark he'd overheard.
"It's nothing—" Raquel tried to stonewall him but Elsie cut in sharply.
Elsie scoffed bitterly, "It's Lorraine again. Dad, why don't you do something about her? She'll ruin everything for us sooner or later."
"Enough, Elsie! Lorraine is your sister. Watch your tongue," Raquel hastily scolded. She was well-practiced in this kind of performance; in front of Zackery, she always played the role of a decent stepmother.
Zackery had just a sip of coffee when he heard Lorraine's name. His face darkened. "What the hell has she done now?" he spat. For Lorraine, all he could offer was exploitation and cold indifference.
"Dad, you wouldn't believe it. When I went to see Eugene today, I actually saw her in his office, shamelessly throwing herself at him. Can you believe Lorraine would—" Elsie blurted out, her voice trembling with outrage.
With a loud crash, Zackery hurled the cup to the floor, shattering it into pieces. Raquel and Elsie recoiled in terror, trembling uncontrollably. Elsie's mouth hung open, the rest of her words frozen in fear.
The atmosphere in the room grew tense and cold. Raquel glanced at Zackery's stormy face, her mind racing as she quickly pieced things together, a secret thrill flickering in her heart.
Putting on her gentlest voice, she cooed, "Zackery, don't get so worked up. It's not worth risking your health over this. Maybe Lorraine didn't mean it."
"Did you see it with your own eyes? Lorraine was throwing herself at Eugene?" Zackery ground out, each word dripping with venom.
Recalling the humiliating encounter in Eugene's office, Elsie nodded vehemently. "It's true, Dad. She admitted it herself. I swear; I'm not lying to you."
Raquel sighed dramatically, feigning concern, "Oh dear, I just don't know what's gotten into Lorraine. Ever since Stephen upset her, she's been acting out. But honestly, as a divorced woman, she should know better. How could she possibly think Eugene would be interested? What a mess this is."
Zackery's face turned ashen, a cold glint in his eyes. He turned to Raquel and growled, "Call her. Tell her to come home right now." He had to give Lorraine a lesson; she almost ruined his plans.
Raquel said quickly, "Don't worry. I knew this was too important to delay. I've already called Lorraine and told her to come home. After all, today is the anniversary of Mary's passing."
"Mm." Zackery was no filial son; all he cared about was money. To him, his mother's death anniversary was just another day. "As long as she comes back."
The black Bentley moved smoothly along the wide, straight road at a steady pace. Lorraine sat in the passenger seat, her hands pressed against the window as she gazed out. Her clear eyes were clouded with a hint of confusion.
The city outside was a dazzling spectacle of lights and endless streams of traffic, yet for all its vibrancy, it never truly felt like home to her.
As the car moved forward the buildings lining the road grew increasingly familiar. Lorraine's heart, which had only just calmed, tightened with uncontrollable tension. She knew this was the fear that had accumulated in her body over the years, now rising to the surface once again.
Eugene kept his eyes on the road but still stole a glance at her, noticing the shift in her mood. His thin lips pressed together slightly. "You're nervous," he observed.
"Uh... yeah." Lorraine turned slightly, her gaze lingering softly on Eugene's handsome profile. Even with Eugene by her side, that old fear and aversion in her subconscious still crept up and spread.
Eugene noticed her gaze but said nothing, letting her look her fill. It wasn't until the car was about to pull into the Shaw residence that he slowed down, turned to her with a teasing smirk, and asked, "Like what you see?"
"Y-yes, you're... handsome," Lorraine stammered, nodding instinctively. Maybe his voice was just too gentle and captivating. The moment she realized what she'd said, her petite face flushed crimson, cheeks burning with embarrassment.
"Y-you don't get the wrong idea. I-I'm just... just really nervous. Please, don't misunderstand," Lorraine stammered, her tongue tied and her voice trembling, soft, sweet, and unintentionally captivating.
Eugene's throat went dry and tight. Before he knew it, he hit the brakes and brought the car to a stop. Cupping Lorraine's face in his hands, he teased with a confident smile, "Misunderstand what? That you have a thing for me?"
Lorraine hurriedly waved her hands, about to speak, but Eugene's finger pressed gently against her soft pink lips. Her lips, still moist, left a glistening trace on his fingertip. The tingling sensation shot through Eugene, making his heart flutter.
"N-no, that's not what I meant at all. We're almost there. Just drive, please." Lorraine wanted to bite her tongue. 'Why did I have to blurt out something so embarrassing?' she thought, mortified.
Lorraine's hands pressed against Eugene's chest as she turned away, her eyes stealing a glance at the Shaw residence ahead. A wave of sadness welled up in her heart.
The simmering tension between them finally shifted. Eugene watched Lorraine closely, his expression unreadable as he struggled to keep his growing desire in check. 'Just get her through this,' he thought, 'and then I won't hold back.'
Eugene let his thumb linger on Lorraine's smooth cheek, gently caressing her. Finally, he let out a deep sigh and said, "Don't be afraid, okay?" With that, he withdrew his hand, stepped on the gas, and drove on.
As dusk fell and the sky darkened, the streetlights hadn't come on yet. The Shaw residence loomed like a menacing beast, its pale fangs bared, waiting to ensnare its prey.
Lorraine glanced at the house, a trace of timidity still lingering, but she truly wasn't afraid anymore. Eugene's simple words were the perfect comfort.
She couldn't take her eyes off him; a gentle smile bloomed in her clear eyes, her lips curving sweetly as dimples appeared on her cheeks.
As the car pulled through the gates of the Shaw residence, Lorraine opened the door to get out, only to be pulled into Eugene's arms.
He captured her lips in a lingering kiss, savoring the moment before gently pinching her rosy cheek and letting her go. "I'll go park the car. Wait here for me," he murmured.
Lorraine nodded and stepped out of the car, watching as Eugene went to park. A soft smile played at the corners of her eyes and lips.
'He told me to wait. Is he worried they'd give me a hard time if I go in alone?' she wondered. 'He really is a man of his word.' Her slender fingers twisted together as she stood there, waiting quietly, feeling at ease.
"Oh, the princess finally graces us with her presence," sneered a maid.
Lorraine cast a sideways glance at the woman, and then lowered her eyes without a word. This was Raquel's lackey, her most devoted lapdog, loyal to the core.
Sure enough, that annoying maid had barely stepped inside when Raquel and Elsie came rushing out from the living room doorway.
Raquel called out with feigned warmth, "Lorraine, you're back. Hurry inside. It's windy and cold out here. What are you standing around for? Come on."
"Too guilty to go in? Don't think you're that lucky, Lorraine. Dad's waiting inside. You can't just stand there and get away with it," Elsie sneered and then grabbed Lorraine's wrist and yanked her forward.
Lorraine was visibly reluctant and wrenched her wrist free. "Let go. I can walk alone," she snapped.
Raquel leaned in close to Lorraine, her sharp nails digging viciously into the soft flesh of Lorraine's waist with a cruel twist, her eyes glinting with malice. "Better be. Your father's patience is wearing thin," she hissed. "Get your ass inside, now."
Raquel and Elsie forcibly dragged Lorraine toward the living room. From a distance, Eugene caught sight of the scene and immediately quickened his pace.
In the living room, Zackery sat on the sofa, engrossed in his newspaper. He didn't even look up at the sound of footsteps. A chilling aura radiated from him, thick enough to freeze the air in the entire room.
Lorraine was shoved in front of Zackery. Her nerves stretched to the breaking point as she stood rigidly before him.
Zackery slammed the newspaper onto the coffee table so hard that the expensive cup set nearly went flying. Lorraine's eyelid twitched involuntarily, her heart skipped a beat, and her hands at her sides slowly curled into tight fists from nervousness.
Zackery barked, "Look who finally decided to show up! If Raquel hadn't called, would you have even bothered coming back? Too caught up chasing after Eugene to even remember your grandmother's death anniversary. Is that all you care about now?"
Just the mention of Lorraine made Zackery see red. He'd had it all planned out. If she married Stephen, the Shaw family's factory problems would have been solved at a stroke, and they'd be rolling in wealth, status, and luxury for years to come.
Not only did she throw hysterical tantrums, bawling her eyes out and making a scene over the divorce, but now she was shamelessly throwing herself at Eugene.
Someone of Eugene's status would never be interested in a divorced woman like Lorraine. He was just toying with her; she couldn't possibly bring Zackery any real benefit at all.
Elsie was Zackery's trump card. He'd never let anyone jeopardize that.
Lorraine bit her lip in silence. She knew that arguing back now would only invite harsher scolding, or worse. Even the cup set filled her with dread. With Zackery, she was always just one wrong move away from being beaten or having things smashed around her.
"Answer me! Are you mute?" Zackery sat bolt upright, fixing her with a venomous glare. His massive hand snatched a cup and smashed it violently in front of her. "On your knees!"
The cup exploded into jagged shards. The soft overhead light cast cold, lingering shadows over her, while the broken porcelain reflected an eerie, bone-white gleam that chilled Lorraine to the bone.
Before Lorraine could resist, Elsie sprang up from the sofa and shoved her down hard by the shoulders. "Dad told you to kneel. Are you deaf?" Elsie snarled.
Lorraine tried to resist, but Raquel, quick as a snake, delivered a sharp, well-hidden kick to the back of Lorraine's knee. Her legs buckled helplessly, forcing her down.
"Stop." Eugene's cold, commanding voice rang out from the doorway. The air itself seemed to freeze as his palpable fury swept through the living room.