A surrogate for my ex's uncle のすべてのチャプター: チャプター 31 - チャプター 40

IVY I followed the directions to the office they had arranged for me. It wasn’t large, but it was cosy—well-furnished and equipped with everything I might need during my stay to oversee operations. Despite their efforts, I wasn’t impressed. I doubted anything associated with Leon could ever win my approval. My lack of enthusiasm stemmed from the fact that this office was provided by Leon and Hailey. I scrutinised the room for a moment before scoffing, “They can put in their best effort, but it will never be enough for me.” Meanwhile, I sensed Leon and Hailey waiting outside, anxious for my reaction. Hailey nudged Leon, who seemed lost in thought, preoccupied with his ex-girlfriend. “What’s going on, Leon?” she asked in a low voice, her frustration evident. “Hey, keep your voice down,” Leon cautioned. “We need to maintain the act until she leaves.” Hailey scoffed. “What do you mean? I can’t work with that woman! You know I can’t stand her!” Leon took her hand, fixing his

CHAPTER 33 CASPER It’s barely been twenty-four hours, and the whole coast has been cleared. Leon made sure to take down all those photos and sweep away the negative narrative hovering over my name. As I scroll through the internet, my lips curl into a proud smile at how cleverly he handled it. At least now I won’t be running around like a headless chicken, answering the constituents of Parliament about why I broke such vague family rules. And as for Xavier? I’ll be sure to give him a taste of his own medicine. Did he really think he could get away with that? But for now, I choose not to focus my energy on him. My parents’ death anniversary is just a few hours away, and the whole province will be mourning their past king and queen. This will be the first time I attend the anniversary for the world to see. In previous years, the royal family mourned privately, but that changed three years ago when my grandmother decided to open it to the public. Since then, I haven’t been able to at

CHAPTER 35 IVY However, I think it's time we sought professional help. I didn't care how they were going to do it; I just wanted Casper to receive some medication to help him cope. I kept my eyes glued to him as he talked and smiled at the vase. Suddenly, his hands dropped, and his eyes were red-rimmed. "You think I'm going mad, don't you?” he turned to me.” I knew it! You all think I'm insane, just like my grandmother does, right?” I maintained a neutral expression. "I think you're struggling, Casper. And that's okay. We can get through this together." "Shut up!” he commanded. “I knew I couldn’t trust any of you! You think I, Casper Forbes, am mad?” Just as I suspected, he really needs help. This is how people who are mentally unwell often believe they’re fine, lashing out at anyone who tells them otherwise. It brought back flashbacks of my previous job, where I tended to those with severe mental health issues. My gaze swept across the room as we stood in silence, watching hi

CHAPTER 37. IVY My heartbeat quickened with each knock. The words that echoed in my mind were Cotti’s: “No one must know about this.” I may not have known Casper for long, but I understood his dream of claiming his rightful place as the heir. A louder bang on the door propelled me forward with unexpected confidence. I wasn’t sure what I was doing, but I didn’t care. I gently turned the doorknob and pulled the door open, revealing the two figures standing before me. My eyes widened as I recognized Xavier and Leon. They didn’t offer a simple greeting, but that didn’t matter. I quickly pulled the door back and slammed it shut, hoping to hide the damage Casper had caused. Xavier's gaze swept over me with disdain before he spoke. “Where is my brother?” “Sleeping!” I retorted. Both their brows shot up in unison. “What do you mean, he’s sleeping?” Leon asked. I met his gaze. “I mean he’s resting. He has a high fever.” Xavier scoffed. “High fever? This must be some sort of joke!” He s

CHAPTER 39 CASPER Sipping a chilled glass of red wine to calm my nerves, I made my way to the couch, trying desperately to push away the memories of the last few hours. For a moment, I imagined myself in Ivy's shoes. What must she be thinking? Perhaps she believes I’m some kind of mad prince! But the way she looked at me while I was asleep, the way she gently played with my face, gave me a glimmer of hope. I sighed and poured myself another glass of wine—probably false hope, but still. Ivy is not someone whose thoughts are easily decipherable, and I’m pretty sure she doesn’t see me in that light either. So, I’m not entirely ashamed of what happened earlier. The truth is, Ivy is all I care about—how she felt seeing me in that state. In the grand scheme of things, she’s the only one who matters. I couldn’t care less about anyone else, even though I know I must be the talk of the country right now. The blogs and articles are likely having a field day concocting creative stories to