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Chapter 47
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His uncle's sweetheart Chapter 48
"Bernice, please, join us on stage!" Olivia's voice rang out clear and sweet though the subtle edge in her tone was unmistakable.Applause exploded in the room; all heads turned to the front row seats where Bernice and Rafael were seated. Her heart clipped a beat as her fingers involuntarily strangled the champagne flute. She turned sideways to Rafael, who grinned- its ignition systems already fired halfway out of his seat- oblivious to the cauldron churning under her skin."Come on, honey," he said, extending his hand to Bernice. "They're honoring us.Bernice hesitated, the little voice in her head yelling this was all wrong. She could feel Olivia's gaze on her, that false smile pasted on her face. Yet what was she to do? To refuse to go up there would simply raise more eyebrows. Giving a taut smile, Bernice placed her hand in Rafael's and stood, her heart racing in her chest."Thanks, Olivia," boomed Rafael as they approached the stage, his voice carrying across the hall. "You peopl
His uncle's sweetheart Chapter 49
"And to the happy couple!" trilled the voice of the master of ceremony, as the waiter reached towards them, carrying a silver tray with two crystal glasses filled with champagne. There were bubbles dancing in the light as they were presented to Rafael and Bernice.Bernice hauled a smile out, though her mind wasn't back yet. The earlier words of Olivia kept gnawing at her mind. Subtle mockery, veiled insults during the speech seemed pointed, deliberate. She turned her head to look at Olivia now standing at the far end of the room, radiant, chatting effortlessly with her guests. Olivia smiled too perfectly, too calculatedly."Another toast?" Rafael grinned, reaching for his glass. His laughter was loud, carefree, and utterly oblivious to the storm that churned beneath. "We can't refuse such a fine drink on this special night."Bernice wrapped her fingers around her glass hesitantly. She had learned long ago to trust her instincts, and right now they were screaming at her. Something was
His uncle's sweetheart Chapter 50
"Where am I?" Bernice's voice trembled as she slowly opened her eyes, blinking through the dimmed light of the unfamiliar room. Her head pounded and her limbs felt heavy as though she had been drugged. The soft satin sheets under her felt foreign, the smell of the room unfamiliar. Panic set in pretty fast when she realised she wasn't alone.She sat bolt upright, her breath catching in her throat. A man lay beside her, shirtless, his dark hair tousled as if they'd shared a night together. Bernice's heart was racing while her stomach turned with nausea, trying to piece together how she'd gotten there."No… this cannot be happening…" she muttered to herself, tugging the sheet up tightly to her body. The head was cloudy; the last thing she had remembered was dizzy at the wedding reception. She had gone to rest …and then everything went black.He stirred beside her, turning slightly in her direction. His smirk sent a run of chills down her spine. "Good morning, beautiful," he drawled low a
His uncle's sweetheart Chapter 51
"Was this what you wanted, Olivia?" Ethan's voice came low, some discomfort laced in his tone, and they stood in shadows as they watched the aftermath unfold across the grand ballroom.Olivia sipped her champagne, the sparkle in her eyes lively as she glanced around the room. "What are you talking about, Ethan? We won. Bernice is out of the picture. Isn't this what we've both wanted all along?"Ethan squirmed in his seat as he watched the whispers take flight like a wildfire among the guests. The wedding reception, which got underway only a few hours ago, had degenerated into an out and out scandal. He could already hear the gasps of surprise, murmurs of incredulity, and quiet snickers of speculation over Bernice's alleged affair. It was precisely what Olivia wanted, but it was far from his liking.I never thought this would go this far," Ethan muttered, clenching his fists at his sides. "You drugged her, Olivia. You set her up to ruin her life. This is no game."Olivia simply rolled
His uncle's sweetheart Chapter 52
Bernice sat on the edge of the bed in a small, unfamiliar room. The tiny hotel that was far from the grand mansion she once called home was cold and suffocating. She stared at her phone, hands trembling, praying just for a message, a call, any presence of Rafael. But the screen was blank, deafening silence.She had been exiled, cast out of the mansion and out of Rafael's life, with nothing but the clothes on her back. The scandal had spread like wildfire, and now everyone believed she had betrayed Rafael. It didn't matter that she had absolutely no recollection as to what transpired that night, her words against the damning image of her waking up beside a stranger.Why won't he just listen to me?" she said to herself, her grip on the phone tighter. "Why won't he just believe me?"A tear rolled down her face and in that same instant, she managed to wipe it away. She couldn't afford to be weak now, not after all Olivia and Ethan had done to her.There was a knock at the door, and Bernic
His uncle's sweetheart Chapter 53
"Perhaps it is time to end this." The thought had been running in Ethan's head for days on end. There was this guilt, acting like a seesaw in his head, with what he and Olivia did to Bernice weighing it down with every minute passing by. It had gotten out of hand far more than he had ever thought it would. One thing is deceit; and another, ruining someone's whole life.His fist crashed down onto the table in frustration. "Why am I even feeling this way?" he growled. "Bernice deserved it. Didn't she?"The more he told himself that, the less obstinate that tight knot in his stomach seemed. Olivia really must have been all right with the way things played out since she moved on like nothing had taken place. Ethan wasn't wired that way, though. He wasn't heartless, at least not wholly.He must see Bernice if only to reassure himself that she deserves what is coming to her.******The restaurant was dimly lit; the few people at the tables seemed to fade out into the shrouding atmosphere, a
His uncle's sweetheart Chapter 54
"I don't even know who I am anymore."This was a whispered utterance from Bernice as she stared up at the ceiling of Liam's apartment. The room was dimly lit, silently evasive into the muted sounds of the city outside. She sat on the couch edge, arms tightly wrapped around her as if holding together the pieces of a shattered life.Liam sat opposite her, both his eyes locked onto hers in equal measures of sympathy and frustration. He'd seen Bernice fall apart before, but this time it was different, deeper, it seemed, the damage having been wrought."You're still Bernice," Liam said softly. "But you are not the same person you were with Rafael. You've changed."A harsh, contemptuous snort blew out of Bernice as she shook her head. "Changed? I lost everything, Liam. My home, my husband, my dignity. And to think where to begin piecing it all back together is just something I don't know."Liam leant forward, his elbows on his knees as he looked down at her. "Perhaps it is time for a clean
His uncle's sweetheart Chapter 55
Bernice sat on the little wooden table in the small, new apartment staring out of the window at the quiet town below. The street was still; morning's hum as quiet as her thoughts.“How did it all go wrong?” How did I let my guard down? she'd left it all behind, and somehow that problem found its way to where she was,miles away from Rafael, Ethan, and Olivia. But yet still they etched themselves in her brain, every single betrayal fresh as an open wound.The ringing in her hand snapped her back into focus as her phone bleated Liam's name across the screen."How're you holding up?" His voice came through steady, yet laced with concern.Bernice let out a heavy sigh. "I don't know, Liam. I thought it would be easier, you know, once I got away from there, but-" Her voice fell silent as her eyes scanned the small apartment now called home. "It still seems like they are here. Like I am still mired in the middle of their deceptions.""You've only been gone a week," he whispered. "It's going t
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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
