My First Love Died, Now My Step Uncle Wants Me-Chapter 77: Do You Like Him?

Another bout of unrestrained intimacy.

After holding her in his arms for a while, Warner Zimmerman arrived with the clothes.

It had to be said, Warner Zimmerman was exceptionally thoughtful.

The clothes he brought were a perfect fit for Nina Wynn.

It was a cream-colored cashmere skirt set, soft and wonderfully warm, paired with a light blue cashmere overcoat that made Nina Wynn’s skin look exceptionally delicate and fair.

There was no jewelry, just a sapphire butterfly clip pinned in her hair.

It was a very special clip with a somewhat vintage design. The sapphire was a remarkably translucent blue. Warner Zimmerman took it from a slightly worn wooden box and pinned it in her hair with extreme care.

Nina wasn’t particularly interested in such things, but she could tell the clip was incredibly expensive and wanted to take it off.

But before she could move, Caleb Rhodes’s hand shot out and clamped around her wrist. "Hm?"

The single syllable was heavy with pressure and a clear warning.

Nina’s heart trembled at the sound, and she pulled her hand back.

She said awkwardly, "Isn’t it a little too flashy?"

Caleb Rhodes, however, was quite satisfied. He stroked her dark hair. "It suits you."

’The little thing is so thin, but her hair is black and glossy. She looks lovely wearing this clip Mother used to use.’

Caleb kissed her hair and enveloped her small hand in his. "Let’s go."

The weather had turned a bit cold. Caleb had put on a trench coat in a matching shade over his suit, making his presence feel even more imposing.

As he pulled her along, Nina felt they looked like powerful figures from a movie walking the red carpet. She couldn’t help but chuckle softly. "Uncle, you have such a powerful aura."

Caleb, apparently oblivious to his own good looks and intimidating presence, glanced at her. His tone was flat. "Are you afraid of me?"

Nina suddenly found him terse and dull. She refused to say another word, keeping her head down and following closely behind him.

After a few steps, Caleb stopped abruptly. His voice was a little cold. "Nina Wynn, anyone can be afraid of me, but not you."

Nina didn’t understand why he would suddenly say that.

’But the truth is, I’m not just afraid of him. I’m scared to death of him.’

But how could she dare say she was afraid? She could only lower her gaze and whisper, "Uncle, I wouldn’t dare."

Caleb’s gaze instantly turned icy. He frowned, his voice cold. "It’s useless even if you are."

With that, he let go of Nina’s hand and strode toward the main hall.

Nina was bewildered, not understanding why he was suddenly angry. She could only hurry to keep up.

He was tall with long legs and a wide stride. In just a moment, he had left Nina twenty or thirty meters behind.

Caleb stopped when he reached the door of the private room.

Just as he was about to turn, the door to the opposite room opened, and a young woman walked out.

The woman had long, flowing hair, an elegant air, and an exceptionally delicate beauty. Her beautiful eyes gazed at Caleb Rhodes, full of affection.

"Caleb!"

Her pronunciation wasn’t perfect, like a foreigner’s.

Caleb frowned the moment he saw her. "Haruko?"

Tears immediately welled up in the eyes of the woman called Haruko. She stepped forward to take Caleb’s arm, her voice choked with emotion. "Caleb, I’ve missed you so much."

Caleb discreetly pulled his arm away and turned to look behind him, but no one was there.

He frowned, his gaze shifting to a pillar around the corner.

Sure enough, the tip of a small, white lambskin boot peeked out from beside the pillar, along with a pair of soft, white hands clasped together anxiously.

"Come out!"

Caleb’s voice was as cold and deep as ever, but Nina detected a trace of displeasure in it.

She hadn’t meant to hide behind the pillar, but the area was empty, and it was the only thing that offered any cover.

She didn’t even know why she was hiding. But it felt like hiding was the only way to avoid the awkwardness.

’After all, a beauty is throwing herself into his arms. It’s more appropriate for me to pretend I don’t see it.’

When she heard Caleb call "Come out," she figured he must be talking to her. The stunning beauty was, after all, standing right next to him.

She hesitated, wondering if she should emerge, when Caleb’s voice rang out again, "Nina Wynn!"

This time, it was laced with obvious displeasure.

Nina bit her lip and had no choice but to slowly walk out.

She kept her head down, walking quietly toward Caleb, feeling the beautiful woman’s astonished gaze on her the entire time.

"Caleb, who is she?"

’A beauty is a beauty,’ Nina thought, feeling inadequate. ’Even with her imperfect pronunciation, her voice is so soft and lovely.’

Seeing Nina walking so slowly, Caleb grew impatient. With a sharp look, he took two steps back, reached out, and scooped her into his arms.

His large hand once again enveloped hers. His voice was cold, deep, and displeased. "Who told you to hide?"

Nina said in a small voice, "You have a friend here. She needs to talk to you."

Just then, Haruko stared at them, her body trembling. "Caleb, who is she?" she asked in disbelief.

"I’m his niece!"

Before Caleb could speak, Nina looked up at Haruko. Her voice was soft but firm. "He’s my uncle."

Haruko’s gaze fell on their intertwined hands. She shook her head, her voice choked with tears. "Caleb, I know you’re engaged to Miss Lowell, but I don’t mind. I’ll wait for you. Even if I only see you once a year, as long as you’re willing to have me, I’ll keep waiting. But why..."

"Why can she be with you, but I can’t?"

The coldness in Caleb’s eyes deepened. Without even glancing at Haruko, he squeezed Nina’s wrist punishingly, so hard that a cold sweat nearly broke out on her skin.

He said coldly, "Miss Ida, since you know I’m engaged to someone else, stop pestering me. I’m not interested in you."

Haruko’s eyes remained fixed on their hands, and she looked like she was about to burst into tears. "I’ve waited for you for so many years. Why did you choose her and not me?"

Caleb said icily, "We were just schoolmates. I don’t need to explain anything to you. Move!"

Haruko had waited here a whole day for him; she wasn’t about to leave.

She stepped forward and grabbed Caleb’s arm. "Caleb, please, take me. I’m willing to come after her. I’ll be your fourth or fifth mistress, it doesn’t matter, just please spare me a glance..."

Just then, the door to the private dining room opened, and a handsome man in a suit and silver-rimmed glasses appeared in the doorway.

He was startled at first by the scene outside, then he smiled and said in less-than-perfect Celestria, "Caleb, you certainly are a lucky man. The girls all admire you."

Caleb threw off Haruko’s hand, his voice ruthless. "Ian Dawson, I’m warning you. If your sister harasses me again, the partnership between the Nash Group and your Ingram Family is over."

Ian froze for a moment, his expression turning ugly, but he quickly recovered with a humble smile. "Yes, yes. It was my oversight."

"Someone, escort the young miss back to her room to rest."

Two people immediately came out of the room and started pulling Haruko down the hallway.

Haruko cried as she kept looking back at Caleb.

Although her sobs weren’t loud—one could even say she cried delicately—the sound was the most sorrowful, most heartbroken Nina had ever heard.

The look Haruko gave Caleb as she glanced back made Nina’s heart clench violently.

It was filled with the deepest love, the darkest despair, and a hint of madness.

Nina’s heart leaped. That look felt strangely familiar.

She shifted her hands uneasily, her voice barely a whisper. "Uncle, I’m a little scared."

Caleb pulled her into the private dining room and sat her down in the seat next to his. "What happened last time won’t happen again," he said in a low voice. "Eat your meal. Don’t run off."

The private room was large, clearly designed for business functions.

The dining table was long and elegant.

The people sitting next to them were clearly Caleb’s subordinates, their greetings of "President Rhodes" rising and falling.

Across from them sat Ian’s people. They exuded the shrewd yet deferential air characteristic of Niporians, making them easily distinguishable from Celestrians.

But Nina was in no mood to pay attention to any of that. Her mind was consumed by the look in Haruko’s eyes as she was led away.

She felt extremely uneasy, a different kind of unease from her fear of Caleb. She had a persistent feeling that something terrible was about to happen.

Although she had been looking forward to the Japanese cuisine, the earlier incident had completely ruined her appetite.

She forced down a few bites before saying to Caleb, "Uncle, I don’t feel well. I want to go back."

Seeing her plate was practically untouched, Caleb frowned and said in a deep voice, "Is it not to your liking? I find it average as well. I’ll have Warner Zimmerman make you something else when we get back." 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎

Nina kept her head down and gave a soft "mm."

Seeing her listless and a bit lethargic, Caleb thought she might be sick again. He reached out and touched her forehead but didn’t feel anything unusual.

"Feeling sleepy?"

Nina lowered her eyelids, the anxiety in her heart growing. She whispered, "Uncle, can we go back?"

For the first time, when expressing her wishes outside, she used the word "we."

Caleb was a little surprised.

Had she made this request in the past, he definitely would have agreed.

But today he was the host. Even though he disliked his guests, his ingrained etiquette and the reality of the situation wouldn’t allow him to leave at this moment.

He said in a low voice, "I’ll have Willson Lawson take you back."

Nina bit her lip, her small, soft hands twisting together. After a long moment, she whispered, "I want you to come back with me."

Her voice was soft, with a hint of pleading, and this was definitely the first time in a long while that she had asked him for anything.

This softened Caleb’s heart halfway. His voice softened as well. "Be good. Let Willson Lawson take you back first. I’ll be back in a little while."

Nina softly said a single word, "Okay."

When she reached the door, she couldn’t help but turn back to look at Caleb. She kept watching until he seemed to sense something was wrong and got up to walk toward her, only then did she step out.

Outside the door, Caleb squeezed her soft, delicate hand. "Are you not feeling well?" he asked in a low voice.

Nina shook her head, then suddenly stepped forward and hugged Caleb’s waist, her voice trembling slightly. "Uncle, I’m a little scared."

Caleb froze for a second, then felt his heart melt completely. He ruffled her hair and murmured, "Don’t be scared, Nina. This isn’t the hotel from last time. This hotel is mine, and Willson Lawson is a national Sanshou champion. So, something like that won’t happen again."

Nina shook her head, her mind filled with the last look Haruko had given.

Devotion, despair, not a sliver of hope.

She clutched Caleb’s clothes and whispered, "That woman, Haruko..."

Caleb thought she was jealous. "She’s just a schoolmate, nothing more."

Nina didn’t speak. She leaned against his chest, listening to his strong heartbeat for a while. The panic in her heart subsided a little. She slowly let him go. "Uncle, you should go back in. They’re still waiting for you."

Seeing she still seemed dispirited, Caleb caressed her small face. "I’ll take you back."

Nina rubbed her cheek against his hand and shook her head. "No need, Uncle. It’s very safe here."

It was indeed safe. For the past few days, she hadn’t heard the voices of Crystal Rhodes or Zyler Rhodes, nor had she encountered any people or things she disliked.

Everything was under Caleb Rhodes’s control.

Caleb turned to Willson Lawson. "Take her back."

Willson Lawson nodded and looked at Nina. "Miss Wynn, let’s go."

’Honestly, this seems a bit excessive,’ he thought. ’The Third Lord Master keeps too close an eye on her.’

’No matter how big this hotel is, how big can it be? It’s just a short walk. Does she really need an escort?’

However, he didn’t dare voice his thoughts and simply followed behind Nina.

When they were about one or two hundred meters from the suite, Nina suddenly stopped.

She stared at the small pavilion ahead, motionless, her expression dazed.

Willson Lawson thought she had seen something strange and followed her gaze.

He saw the Niporian woman, Haruko Ida, standing in the pavilion watching them.

Her gaze was strange, making Willson Lawson a little uncomfortable.

Just as he was about to speak, he heard Nina’s voice. "Manager Lawson, is this woman, Haruko, Uncle’s girlfriend from abroad?"

Willson Lawson shook his head. "I’m not too clear on that. Although I was abroad with him for two years, I was mainly in charge of affairs here in Celestria."

Nina looked at Haruko and thought she was as beautiful as a painting, even more so than any movie star. She was definitely the most beautiful woman Nina had ever seen.

She murmured, "She’s so beautiful. Why doesn’t Uncle like her?"

’If a woman this beautiful ends up like this, my own retribution will only be that much more severe.’

Caleb had just admitted that he was engaged to Rosalind Lowell.

’So, right now, my status is just his pet, a homewrecker that anyone can curse. I’m not even as good as this woman.’

Willson Lawson didn’t see her pale face. He just frowned and said, "She’s Niporian. The Third Lord Master dislikes Niporians the most, including her family and her brother. He dislikes all of them."

Nina fell silent.

’This woman... she only loves Caleb, but he’s so incredibly heartless toward her.’

’Just like... just like Father was back then. So heartless.’

Just then, Haruko started walking toward Nina.

In just a few steps, she was in front of Nina. She looked at Nina, tears still glistening in her eyes.

"Are you Caleb’s new girlfriend? Could I have a few words with you?"

Her voice was extremely humble, almost begging.

Nina was reminded of her mother all those years ago, begging that homewrecker in the same way. Her mother, who came from a good family and was a graduate of a prestigious university, had humbled herself to be trampled on, all for a man.

’Do women who fall in love for real never get a happy ending?’

Seeing Nina’s silence, Haruko thought she was refusing and quickly said, "Just a few words, I beg you."

Nina looked up at her. "Okay."

Willson Lawson frowned and was about to intervene, but Nina said, "Manager Lawson, I’ll just say a few words to her in that pavilion. You’ll be able to see me. Is that okay?"

Willson Lawson glanced at the pavilion, then sized up Haruko. He concluded there was no real danger. "Alright. But don’t let the Third Lord Master know about this. He really detests this Niporian woman."

Although he kept his voice low, every word reached Haruko’s ears.

Haruko’s body trembled violently. Then she said in a low voice, "I’ll wait for you over there."

When they reached the pavilion, before Nina could speak, Haruko said, "I’m sorry to have troubled you."

Nina shook her head and studied Haruko closely.

Up close, she thought Haruko was even more beautiful. Under the lights, she had an ethereal beauty, as if she didn’t belong to the mortal world.

"You love my uncle?"

Haruko nodded. "Yes. I was fifteen when I first saw him, and I swore I would marry no one else. But he doesn’t like me. I’ve backed down time and again, waited for ten years, and still, I can’t even get a single glance from him."

"Later, I found out he had a fiancée in his home country, so I planned to wait for him my whole life as his mistress. But he won’t even give me that chance."

Her voice was exceptionally bitter. "I know he doesn’t like us Niporians, but I can’t change that. I am a Niporian, a member of the Ingram Family."

She lifted her head and looked in the direction of Caleb’s private room.

Nina thought her eyes were completely lifeless.

A wave of panic washed over Nina. Just as she was about to say something, Haruko spoke. "Do you love him?"

Nina froze.

’Do I love Caleb Rhodes?’

She didn’t dare answer that question.

Haruko continued, "Don’t love him. It’s too painful. You’re still so young, you’ll have plenty of boys you can like in the future. Don’t love a man with no heart. You know, when he was studying at our university, so many people liked him, but no one could move his heart. He doesn’t have one."

"He’s given his entire heart to that Miss Lowell. He only loves Miss Lowell. We’re nothing to him."

Haruko murmured, "But I want him to remember me. I want him to remember me for the rest of his life."

"The living can’t compete with the dead."

She slowly started walking toward Caleb’s private room.

In the cold wind, Haruko was dressed thinly, without a coat, looking exceptionally frail.

Nina watched her back, opened her mouth, but couldn’t say a word.

Her mind was filled with those six words: "The living can’t compete with the dead!"

Her whole body began to tremble. A terrifying unease clutched at her throat. She wanted to rush forward and grab Haruko, but her feet felt rooted to the spot.

She wanted to scream, but no sound came out.

The bright red blood and the mangled state of her mother’s body after she fell swirled in her mind. The pain made it almost impossible for her to breathe.

After an unknown amount of time, someone suddenly shouted, "Someone’s up there! On the roof!"

Nina’s head snapped up. She saw Haruko, dressed in white, standing on the edge of the fourth-floor roof.

In the darkness of the night, Nina couldn’t see her expression, but she knew Haruko was determined to die.

"The living can’t compete with the dead!"

Her mother had said the exact same words before she died.

Nina felt ice-cold all over. Looking at the figure on the roof, she could almost see a pool of blood on the ground.

"BANG!"

After the gunshot, the person on the fourth floor instantly fell, landing in the small garden not far from her.

Nina snapped back to her senses, took a sharp breath, and rushed forward.

Haruko lay in a pool of blood. A bullet had pierced the center of her forehead, leaving a small, crimson hole. It was a gruesome, terrifying sight.

Nina stood frozen, seeing that Haruko’s once-beautiful eyes were wide open but now completely lifeless.

She stared blankly at Haruko’s body. The scene before her eyes overlapped with the image of her mother’s death. The images crashed violently in her mind, so much so that she could no longer hear the voices around her, and her vision of her surroundings began to blur.

She stood there, her insides burning with anguish while her body felt ice-cold, until a hand steadied her.