My First Love Died, Now My Step Uncle Wants Me-Chapter 150: Struggling to Endure

The bathtub was already filled with hot water, with red rose petals floating on the surface. A faint, sweet scent of roses drifted through the air. Everything seemed as peaceful as a painting.

Nina Wynn was still wearing the clothes she’d left in yesterday. As she took them off, she discovered her knee was scraped raw. Dried blood had stuck the fabric to her skin, and peeling it off took a layer of skin with it.

But she seemed to feel nothing, only frowning slightly as she slipped into the water.

Caleb Rhodes carefully checked the rest of her body and found only this one new wound, with no other strange marks.

His heart relaxed slightly. He sat her on the edge of the tub, took a soft towel and some special essential oil, and began to clean the wound bit by bit.

Her skin was fair and her hair was jet-black. The wet strands clung to her creamy white neck and cheeks, making her features look exceptionally delicate and her eyes especially innocent.

As she gazed at Caleb Rhodes like that, he felt his body gradually tighten.

He wasn’t even halfway done cleaning the wound when the atmosphere in the bathroom shifted.

Suggestive gasps continued for a long, long time before Caleb Rhodes finally carried her out of the bathroom.

The dining table was laden with several of Nina Wynn’s favorite dishes, all steaming hot.

Nina Wynn’s mind was preoccupied with Roy and other matters. She only took a few bites before pushing her utensils away.

Caleb Rhodes pushed a small bowl of sweet osmanthus soup in front of her. "Eat some of this."

Nina Wynn’s body ached so much it felt like it would fall apart. She was listless and had no energy, forcing down two mouthfuls before stopping.

Seeing her like this, Caleb Rhodes knew he might have been a bit too rough earlier.

He reached out and stroked her damp hair. "Does it hurt a lot?"

Nina Wynn lowered her head, fiddling with the small silver spoon in her hand, and gave a slight nod.

Then, in a tiny voice, she said, "In the future... can you not go for so long? I can’t really take it."

The thought of how she had silently followed Finn Prescott to Plainsgate yesterday caused a dark, violent impulse to rise in Caleb Rhodes.

His voice turned cold. "If you ever dare to do that again, the punishment won’t be like today’s. Nina Wynn, my patience isn’t as great as you think."

Nina Wynn lowered her gaze and fell silent.

Caleb Rhodes’s eyes fell on her hand. Her injured pinky was still slightly different from her other fingers, looking a little stiff when she bent it.

He had always adored her hands, yet he had been the one to cause this irreversible damage. It was something he would probably never be able to forgive himself for.

His gaze dimmed. He lifted her onto his lap, his large hand taking hold of her soft one, and gently caressed her pinky.

"Be good. Eat a little more. After you’ve eaten, rest for a bit, and then we’ll go back to Elysian City."

Nina Wynn immediately looked up. "Roy isn’t better yet."

Caleb Rhodes leaned down and kissed her forehead, murmuring, "We’ll go back for two days and then return. Roy has people here looking after him. Nothing will happen."

Nina Wynn didn’t want to leave Roy. "I don’t want to go," she said softly.

Caleb Rhodes looked at her small face, which seemed to have gotten even thinner, and his eyes glinted. "You’re really not going?"

Nina Wynn nodded. "I want to stay here and watch over Roy."

Caleb Rhodes’s voice was grave. "But this is something I’ve been preparing for months. If you don’t go and see it, you’ll regret it."

Nina Wynn looked at him, confused.

Caleb Rhodes caressed her delicate cheek and said slowly, "Nina must attend tomorrow night’s banquet. If you miss it, it won’t be nearly as exciting."

With things having come to this, Nina Wynn knew her resistance was futile.

Once Caleb Rhodes made a decision, he never changed it.

He was merely informing her of his decision now.

Sure enough, before dusk fell that afternoon, Caleb Rhodes took Nina Wynn back to Elysian City.

By noon the next day, just as Nina Wynn was getting up, a gown was delivered for her.

It was a haute couture runway piece from H Brand, a bubble skirt gown of a remarkably simple and elegant design.

The hem fell to her knees, and a ring of tiny, delicate diamonds adorned the waist, making the dress simple yet noble.

Along with it came a cashmere shawl in a matching color, its unique diamond brooch hinting at a hefty price tag.

But Nina Wynn had no interest in any of this. Her mind was entirely focused on Roy, and she had already called his caretaker several times that morning.

She waited like this until the afternoon, when two stylists arrived.

These two were the most famous makeup and hair stylists in the Capital Set, typically working exclusively with A-list celebrities.

They never expected that the legendary Master Rhodes himself had personally requested them the night before, a fact that left them absolutely thrilled.

In the Capital Set, being associated with the Rhodes Family was something countless people could only dream of.

Serving and pleasing a hundred top celebrities couldn’t compare to forging even the slightest connection with this powerful Crown Prince.

To be handpicked by this Crown Prince meant that after this job, their own value would skyrocket.

Early that afternoon, the two met up and arrived at the entrance of Caleb Rhodes’s traditional courtyard house.

A courtyard house in the best part of Elysian City might not be as large as someone else’s villa, but such a residence represented absolute power and wealth.

As soon as they reached the gate, someone came out to lead them inside.

They didn’t dare to look around, obediently crossing the Chinese-style courtyard and entering a dressing room.

They had assumed they would be working on Caleb Rhodes’s fiancée, Rosalind Lowell, but to their surprise, the person who entered was a young girl who looked to be about seventeen or eighteen.

The girl wore a simple white sweater and matching trousers, which made her look very slender.

Ink-black hair cascaded down her back, covering almost half of it and making her appear even more frail and delicate.

And because her hair was so black, her skin appeared all the more fair—as exquisitely white as the finest porcelain.

Under the soft light, she stood quietly before the vanity, her features as delicate as a painting. With her dark hair and red lips, every single strand of hair seemed to radiate beauty.

Even for people like them, who were accustomed to seeing beautiful faces, the person before them was a stunning sight.

However, they quickly composed themselves.

This young woman was not Rosalind Lowell, nor was she the eldest daughter of the Rhodes Family. Although they hadn’t worked with those two, they had at least seen them in person.

And while those two were certainly considered beautiful, they couldn’t compare to the one before them now.

The two quickly snapped back to reality and began discussing ideas with Nina Wynn, preparing to create her makeup and hairstyle.

But who would have thought that just as they were halfway through, the legendary Crown Prince himself would return.

It was the first time either of them had seen him in person. Though they had met their fair share of important figures, they were still so overwhelmed by Caleb Rhodes’s oppressive aura that they didn’t dare to look him in the eye.

Moreover, they soon noticed that something was off.

From the moment he entered, the gaze of this Valorian Crown Prince had not left the young girl.

His eyes radiated sheer possessiveness and a desire for control, as if he wanted to devour the girl whole.

And sure enough, after just a few minutes, the butler found an excuse to ask the stylists to step out for a moment.

Before leaving, one of them couldn’t resist sneaking a glance back.

He saw the Crown Prince pinning the young girl against the vanity, kissing her with abandon. The girl had her neck tilted back to accommodate him, but she seemed to be enduring it with great difficulty.