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Chapter 15
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His uncle's sweetheart Chapter 16
Ethan left the office, letting the door swing shut behind him as he strode on down the hall, a barely subvocalized smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. Dinner tonight huh? His mind whirled noiselessly. But he'd be stupid- no, beyond stupid to let his defenses down just because he finally saw a small chink in Rafael's armor. The invitation itself had been a surprise if not suspicious. But Ethan was not the man to refuse a challenge, at least under such high stakes.And it tugged at something deep within—one part anticipation, another unease: dinner with Rafael and Bernice. Actually, he had been playing a very long game, one of diligent tactics working toward weaving his own threads that finally were to bring Bernice down and put him in with Rafael. This night could be the turning point, but only if he played his cards right.He left the building, heading for his car, as anticipations of the night overwhelmed the weariness from making inroads in the thinking process. As he drov
His uncle's sweetheart Chapter 17
"You've got it all wrong, Rafael," said Liam with a very slightly smirking expression as he leans back in his chair.The late afternoon sun diffused to a golden glow that now bathed Rafael's study, the two men seated there facing one another. A vastly colorful contrast to his entry.Rafael's arms crossed and he looked war on him. "Wrong? I saw you with Bernice, Liam. You can't tell me that wasn't something."Liam only laughed, shaking his head'. "Oh, I'm not denying we were together. But it's not what you think." He reaches into his pocket, then pulls out his phone. "Here, take a look at these."He took the phone gingerly when Liam offered it to him, his other arm still tense on his chest, fingers curled a bit, as if he might snatch it away. He glared suspiciously at the pictures running across the screen, squinting a little to try and get through the information. One picture showed Liam and a nice-looking lady, both wide-smiling at the camera. One of them showed them holding a baby
His uncle's sweetheart Chapter 18
That explanation Rafael had been awaiting long, very impatiently. Bernice and Liam fixed their eyes keenly on him with expressions one could hardly explain but they looked full of hope.Ethan's jaws parted to speak, but no words came forth. His mind was totally blank; which eluded him. For the first time in his life, Ethan felt speechless, and he knew he was in deep trouble.He counted off the seconds, each one dragging into infinity, for Ethan to find a way to wriggle out, but he found none. No clever lie, no smooth excuse could get him out of this.Finally, Rafael spoke, wrestling his voice into hardness. "I don't know what you're playing at, Ethan, but I'm no fool. If you have something to say, say it now. Otherwise, I'll make sure you regret ever crossing me.".Ethan's mind echoed with the reality: he'd been cornered, trapped in every sense of the word, like a rat, and there was no getting out of the consequences of what he had done. Game over. Ethan had known it."Ethan," Rafael'
His uncle's sweetheart Chapter 18
That explanation Rafael had been awaiting long, very impatiently. Bernice and Liam fixed their eyes keenly on him with expressions one could hardly explain but they looked full of hope.Ethan's jaws parted to speak, but no words came forth. His mind was totally blank; which eluded him. For the first time in his life, Ethan felt speechless, and he knew he was in deep trouble.He counted off the seconds, each one dragging into infinity, for Ethan to find a way to wriggle out, but he found none. No clever lie, no smooth excuse could get him out of this.Finally, Rafael spoke, wrestling his voice into hardness. "I don't know what you're playing at, Ethan, but I'm no fool. If you have something to say, say it now. Otherwise, I'll make sure you regret ever crossing me.".Ethan's mind echoed with the reality: he'd been cornered, trapped in every sense of the word, like a rat, and there was no getting out of the consequences of what he had done. Game over. Ethan had known it."Ethan," Rafael'
His uncle's sweetheart Chapter 19
He burst into the apartment, slamming the door with each breath roaring out of him in angry spurts. "Bernice!" he growled, his fists balled at his sides. "That despicable, scheming woman! My Goshh!! Olivia, I swear, I'm going to make her pay!"Olivia glanced up from where she sat on the couch, arched brow in place as she took in Ethan's tempestuous expression. "What happened? Why are you so mad?”Ethan walked back and forth across the room, shaking with anger. He couldn't really keep it in check. "Rafael made me apologize to Bernice." He spit the words out like blowtorches. "On my knees! In front of her and Liam. Like I was nothing. Nothing!" He shook his fists in the air.Olivia's eyes flew wider open in incredulous disbelief. "On your knees? You've got to be kidding! That bastard had you!""I'm damn serious" Ethan hissed again, his voice low through each syllable, laced with venom. "I was humiliated, Olivia. She just stood there, looking down at me as though I were some bug to crus
His uncle's sweetheart Chapter 20
Ethan smiled wider, unable to check his excitement at what they had in store. "Once this is all said and done, Bernice is going to be nothing more than history. Rafael is going to be left high and dry, and we're going to get exactly what we want."Olivia smiled back at him, her lips parting to mirror him. The two were reveling in the success of this pending victory way too early. "Let's work our magic, Ethan. Bernice is going to be blindsided."The smile on Olivia's face widened, and as the night carried on, she leaned back in her chair more and more. "By the time we're done, Bernice is gonna be ruined. And Rafael… he'll have nobody else to turn to but us.""I am going to start following her closely. Waiting for the tiniest indication that she might be up to something and then we strike," Ethan nodded, plotting in his head. "We'll make sure that she's got something hidden or will; either way, we win." Olivia's eyes literally sparkled with excitement as she narrated.It was pretty inv
His uncle's sweetheart Chapter 21
How in the name of God did this happen, Gabriel? " The voice is kept low, a sort of undercurrent beneath the quiet drag of Rafael's pacing through the length of his study; his fingers crush the phone in a white-knuckled grip.Gabriel Greenwood, the managing director of Rafael's company, was taut on the other end of the line. "I don't know, Rafael. We're still wading through the details, but it would appear that someone here got their hands on our plans and sold them to Barrington Enterprises. This morning, they launched the product. Our exact design."Rafael pounded his fist across the desk, scattering sheets of paper. "This isn't some minor setback, Gabriel. That was to be our crowning glory. We have been working on it for months. How could somebody on the inside betray us like that?""I understand your frustration, Rafael. Believe me, I am as angry as an enraged bull. We've already started a full-scale internal investigation. The IT department is all over it digging up every digit
His uncle's sweetheart Chapter 22
"You really think the managing director of Barrington will do something so low?" Bernice stood up from the chair and paced around the study room, her voice quivering."I wouldn't put it past him, Bernice. Barrington's been salivating for an opportunity like this. But for somebody to hand him our plans on a silver platter? That I did not see coming."She had moved up to the edge of his desk and stood level with his face; her heart fluttered a thousand beats. "And you're quite sure it's an inside job? That it could be someone we know?"He ground his teeth, flashing his eyes with anger as fists clenched. "It has to be. Barrington didn't just stumble upon our designs. It was handed to them, and I'm going to get to the bottom of it.""Who do you think it could be?" Bernice asked now, leaning in closer to him. "Perhaps Gabriel or even someone in IT?"Rafael shook his head. "Gabriel is loyal. I worked with him for years; he is every bit as angry about this as I am. The IT are on our side, wo
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His uncle's sweetheart Chapter 108
Bernice grasped the wheel as if to hold it for dear life, the minute she pulled into Rafael's office parking lot. Today was supposed to be routine-quick, business-focused, in and out. Yet, for some reason, that old tension that always hung in the air where Rafael was concerned seemed to ratchet a notch higher today. She steeled herself and exhaled in an attempt to keep her cool through whatever new turn this meeting might take.She entered the office, heel to toe, clicking softly on shining marble floors, and prepared herself by silent rehearsals for yet another strained-for-civility professional encounter. But as she went into Rafael's office, what greeted her was not the now-familiar figure behind the large desk but the large, empty room: the leather chairs there, the mahogany desk stood as it ought. But without Rafael's presence, the room sounded silently unread, unfinished.Frowning around. Where was he? So engrossed in steeled words and curbed emotions, she was quite caught of
His uncle's sweetheart Chapter 107
"Why are you being so hard, it doesn't have to be this way," Rafael was saying in a low tone as he relaxed back into his chair, the intensity pulling at her stomach. "We've shared… a lot more than just business, haven't we?"She met his gaze steadily, hiding the frustration bubbling just below the surface. "Rafael, please," she said calmly. "Why don't you get it and just stop making this harder than it already is."He huffed, his head tilting as if he was studying her. "You make it sound so cold. I'd hoped…” He let the silence hang a little too long."I'd hoped we might find a way back, somehow. Clear the air. If not now, then perhaps… over dinner?""I don't think that's such a good idea. I'd rather keep things professional," Bernice shot back.“Professional,” he repeated, a bite to his words as he leant forward almost scoffing. "Is that really the way you want to play this?"Bernice's fingers closed over the edge of the table. "It's how it needs to be, Rafael. You made your choices.
His uncle's sweetheart Chapter 106
Alexander's head had whipped toward the hall the instant Ethan's cell phone had buzzed on the coffee table."Ah, I need to take this," Ethan muttered, snatching up his phone and moving toward the door. He turned back to Alexander, his brow furrowing briefly with suspicion. "Be right back."Take your time, Alexander said with a wave of his hand, even as he settled back into the couch in that same nod of the head, waited for the door to click shut behind Ethan before springing up himself in one swift second, his expression going from one of relaxation to one of focus in that same swift second.Here it was.Alexander padded down the narrow hall, his eyes flashing to either side into the rooms on both sides. Light of foot and keen-eyed, scanning for any sign that might hint at where the burner phone was. It would not be out in the open; Ethan was too careful for that. But a man could get sloppy when he thought he was safe, and Alexander had no intention of leaving without a closer look.
His uncle's sweetheart Chapter 105
"Alexander, I have an update," Detective Marcus said, the sound of his voice crackling through the phone, the seriusness of his tone a prologue to the weight of the news he was about to deliver. "We figured out the phone used to contact the kidnappers."Alexander's hand tightened on the phone as he traversed the expanse of his study. "And?""It was a burner phone. Disposable. Untraceable beyond the initial purchase, but enough to confirm someone's trying hard to cover their tracks."Alexander exhaled low and narrowed his eyes. "So Ethan and Olivia think they can outsmart us. It only makes me sure they're hiding something."For a couple of seconds, Marcus didn't say another word, his voice low. "Be careful, Alexander. If they are in this, they are playing with fire already."Alexander's jaw clenched. "I know that, and that's just what makes me have to keep pushing. Thanks for the update, Marcus."As Alexander tucked the phone back into his pocket, he hung up the call. New determinatio
His uncle's sweetheart Chapter 104
"Ethan," Alexander said, his tone silky, deliberate, as he sat down opposite him, easing his body into the leather chair with a casualness that didn't quite fit the discussion about to take place. "We don't get to sit down like this often. Thought it'd be nice to… change that."Ethan's eyes fluttered, shoulders guarded. "I didn't realize you were interested in spending time… outside of business."Alexander hunched his head forward and loosed a low husky laugh; the sound broke up in a relaxed clap of hands. "Business, business," he muttered wryly, flashing Ethan a sly smile. "Seems that's all I ever talk about these days. I figured you'd understand-the need to unwind a little."Ethan nodded shortly, eyes narrowed at Alexander guardedly. "I don't have many people I. trust, to put it mildly.”Alexander lifted an eyebrow; his face slackened just enough to show empathy. "Oh, I get that. I've heard enough about Rafael's dynamic relationships to understand loyalty is hard to come by around h
His uncle's sweetheart Chapter 103
"Business, Rafael," Bernice's voice cut, keen as a knife, as she looked up from the table, her eyes like steel. "That's what we are here to discuss-the partnership. Nothing else."Rafael leaned back in his chair, one corner of his mouth tugging upwards in a smirk as his eyes lingered on her. "Oh, but Bernice," he said innocently, "you make it sound so. impersonal. We have history. Surely that entitles us to a bit of friendly conversation?"She didn't bat an eyelid. "This is a business meeting, not a reunion.”Rafael's head leaned in, but that smirk never faltered. "You always did know how to cut straight to the point." A soft clearing of a chuckle emitted from him at the rhythmic tap of his fingers against the table. "Can't deny that's something I missed about you."She bit back, choking down her urge to roll her eyes as her gaze fell onto the stack of documents in front of her. She was ready for this, knew all of Rafael's games. It didn't make a difference to being incensed over it.
His uncle's sweetheart Chapter 102
"Tell me, Bernice," Rafael's tone was indolent, but his eyes flashed with something darker as he leaned back in his chair, never once looking away from her. "Are you really ready to work with me?"Bernice met his gaze, her eyes unflinching. "That depends. Are you?"A smirk played on his lips, his eyes masking their true expression. "You were always… amusing. I've missed that about you."She cocked her head to one side, undisturbed by his words. "I don't miss anything about you, Rafael."He chuckled low in his throat. "We'll see about that."Alexander stood across the room, his jaw clenched, while this all transpired. Every time Rafael so much as looked in Bernice's direction, his entire being bristled. He hadn't wanted her to agree to this, and every second she spent in Rafael's presence felt to him a willful and calculated attack on his own resolve.Bernice sailed through the conference in detached grace, her voice flat and professional, her face a mask of resolve. When Rafael ventur
His uncle's sweetheart Chapter 101
"Rafael has agreed to the deal," Gabriel began, his voice cool, even, as he spoke to Alexander and then Bernice in the silence of the posh restaurant's private room. The next words to leave his lips, though, were laced with the weight of a complication neither could easily disregard. "On one condition—he wants to work directly with you, Bernice."Alexander's eyes narrowed and his hand tightened around the edge of the table. "Of course he does," he muttered, speaking low enough that his frustration did not escape.She sat silent, composed, her face unreadable. She had expected this move from Rafael; it was just the kind of strategic play she had anticipated. Rafael didn't want a simple business arrangement; he wanted an opportunity to draw her back into his orbit, to see if he could unsettle her."Is that all right with you, Ms. Bernice?" Gabriel asked as if he hadn't seen the clenching of Alexander's jaw or the way Bernice's fingers rested tautly upon her thighs.Alexander turned a s
His uncle's sweetheart Chapter 100
Bernice shut the door of her hotel room, feeling this weird mix of triumph and something unsettling, like a ghost she thought she'd long since buried was whispering just behind her. She took a deep breath, leaning her head back against the door, replaying the events of the day in her mind-the meeting, Rafael's silent, searching gaze, and the way she had remained poised and unwavering. She'd hardly let herself look at him, hardly allow him to register as more than another face across the table.But of course, it wasn't that simple.She muttered to herself, as though the silence could be broken by firm resolve. "It doesn't matter anymore. None of it matters."But she knew it wasn't quite true. She could still remember the incredulous look that had crossed his face that night, the fire of his anger blazing in his eyes. And how he had cut her out of his life without a single question, without letting her explain what had happened. She didn't know today how that stranger had been in her
