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Chapter 70
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His uncle's sweetheart Chapter 71
Bernice sat at her desk flipping through the reams of documents that called for her attention. Huge windows behind her let in the inrush of golden rays of sunlight, making the room appear open and friendly. Her responsibilities weighed heavy upon her, yet lightness had entered her chest, one that had never felt this long. The news conference with Alexander had gone through without a single hitch, and the after reception was nothing short of overwhelming.She leaned back in her chair, the faintest curl of a smile playing along the edges of her lips as she picked up the latest article written about her and Alexander's partnership. New Beginning it read. And indeed, it did feel like one.Immediately, her phone vibrated in her pocket, yanking her out of that reverie. She looked down at the screen and instantly felt her heart hitch at the greeting name."Liam?" She answered the call, her voice smelling strongly of shock and excitement. "I wasn't expecting to hear from you soon!”A warm bo
His uncle's sweetheart Chapter 72
Bernice had been floating over the phone while the ringing was still on. Her pulse raced to every beat as stretched nerves were taut and her mind racing till she pressed the green button and took the phone to her ear."Yes?" she said with steely steadiness, giving barely a glimpse of anxiety coiled in her stomach.There was dead silence but for the heavy breathing on the other side. She missed a heartbeat as she clutched the phone tighter. "Who is this?" she asked, firm but laced with silent kinds of fear.Still nothing, except that ominous sound of someone breathing very seriously and slowly. A chill ran up her spine as with a sudden rush, she replaced the receiver, dropping the phone onto her desk as though it had seared her.She leaned back in her chair, setting her eyes on the phone as her mind went over all the possible reasons that could be: prankster, wrong number, something more sinister. She inhaled a deep breath to quiet the runaway heartbeat. It's nothing, she told herself
His uncle's sweetheart Chapter 73
“Tell me you've found something, and that I didn't waste my money on you," Olivia snapped her eyes bored into the PI that sat across from her and Ethan.The PI, middle-aged with thinning hair and sharp eyes smirked slightly as he slid a manila folder across the table. "You'll be pleased to know that your money was well spent, Mrs. Fernandez.”Ethan stumbled forward, his hands shaking somewhat as he opened the folder. He pulled out a sheath of photographs and his eyes widened at the images. "This… this can't be right."She snatched the photos from his hand, her heart racing as she flipped them over. The first few were of Bernice, glowing and happy, laughing with a man Olivia did not know. Then there were the photographs of the twins: two little children, boy and girl, playing in a park, holding hands, running around with brilliant happy faces.Twins," she whispered, voice tight with shock. "She has twins."The PI nodded. "A boy and a girl. They're about Two years old. Ethan's face wen
His uncle's sweetheart Chapter 74
"Did I tell you how beautiful you look tonight?" Alexander was saying in that husky low voice of his, his eyes never leaving Bernice across the table set with candles.Bernice smiled; her cheeks colored. "Only about a dozen times. But I'm not complaining. It's been a while since I had an excuse to dress up."Alexander beamed, eyes shining with approval. "You should have more excuses then. I'm sure we can think of a few."She gave a low throaty laugh and shook her head. "You always know what to say, don't you?""I'm just telling the truth," he said, leaning across the table, his hand engulfing hers. His thumb stroked over her knuckles. "It's nice to see you smile like this, Bernice. It had tingled in her heart as he spoke, things that hadn't crossed for so long. she had walked this circle of pain and distrust until now; Alexander was here to take the weight off her chest. She looked where their joined hands and took a deep breath.She leaned in closer to him and whispered, "I never th
His uncle's sweetheart Chapter 75
"Mommy, I want ice cream!" Luca's excited voice rang on as Bernice held his small hand tightly, his twin sister Mia clinging on the other side of her. They were just a block away from the house after picking up the kids from daycare. She hunched down, her face breaking into a smile as she looked down at her watch. "Probably after dinner, sweetie. Why don't we make some at home ourselves?"Luca puckered up but nodded, his disappointment fleeing as he launched into a detailed chatter of his day at daycare. Bernice's heart swelled up with happiness. It was in these moments, when everything was normal and safe, that she lived for.The moment it was torn apart.A black van had screeched up beside them. Something in Bernice screamed that she should run now, though it was too late. The side door of the van opened and two masked men sprang from it. The next thing that happened, before she could even think to react, was that one had already snatched Luca from her arms in one rough, swift mot
His uncle's sweetheart Chapter 76
"Don't do anything stupid, Bernice." Alexander's voice was taut as a thread, cutting through the silence in the room.Bernice barely heard him. She was glued to her phone's screen. Her mind was caught in the endless loop of the video. Luca sat on a chair, blindfolded, crying. Sobs racked his lean shoulders up and down. Every word deeper and deeper in the knife to her heart. That cold, dispassionate voice then ordered her to go to an address they would be mailing only to her and warned her about one thing: the minute she called in police, Luca was dead."I have to go, Alex." Her voice came flat, emotionless, as if fear and guilt so far had managed to completely numb her."No way," Alexander said, his hand slapping down onto the table. "You go nowhere. We have to get the police involved, trace that message. We can't just walk into a trap!""Don't you understand?!*" Bernice shrieked, her voice breaking. "They'll kill him if they see any police. My baby is out there, alone and terrified,
His uncle's sweetheart Chapter 77
Bernice stared at her phone display, the ominous flashing of the message from the kidnappers, words that were twisting within her stomach like a knife.“Luca…” she whispered, the feeling of helplessness weighing heavy on her chest. The world around her suddenly was unreal, as if she were living some kind of nightmare she could not wake up from. Of course, calling the police terrified her. What if it only served to make matters worse? What if Luca was harmed?"Mama?" a tiny shaking voice called out from the next room.She took one deep breath and pulled it together. "Yes, sweetie?" Her voice was even while she wiped her tears, but it quavered enough to give her away.Mia toddled into the living room, her big brown eyes wide with concern. She clutched her stuffed bunny tightly and stared up at her mother, her lip wobbled. "Mom, I miss Luca.” She said, her voice shaking. “When will he come back?”But the sight of her two-year-old daughter just made Bernice burst into tears; her heart si
His uncle's sweetheart Chapter 78
"Bernice! Open the door!"The voice was insistent, a fist coming down in a series of pounds against the front door. Bernice jumped and her heart ran a race down to the door. She pulled it open and felt instant relief well up inside her at the sight of her cousin."Liam!" she exclaimed, flinging her arms around him. "Thank you for coming.""Of course," he said, embracing her tightly as he entered the house. "We're going to get Luca back. I promise."“Anything?" Anxiety etched its way into her tone as she led him toward the living room.“Not yet, but I've reached out to some contacts," he said. "We'll figure this out, together.Just then, Mia toddled into the room, rubbing her eyes in sleepiness. "Uncle Liam!" she squealed, running toward him."Hey, little buddy," Liam said, dropping onto his knees. "How's my favorite girl today?"The smile fell in an instant as Mia looked around. "Where's Luca?" she asked in that tiny voice that quivered a little.Bernice knelt beside her, a wave of fr
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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
