3: The mysterious uncle

Kimberly couldn’t tear her eyes away from the black suited, jaw-dropping man walking toward them.

He moved with a lazy, terrifying grace, completely indifferent to the chaos around him.

‘Don’t tell me… that’s Theo’s mysterious uncle?’ Kimberly gasped internally, utterly dazzled. ‘The book was not exaggerating. He is sinfully, criminally gorgeous.’

Without realizing it, a shameless grin crept onto her face.

“What on earth is going on here?!” a booming voice shattered her trance.

Jeffrey Kruger, her father-in-law, marched into the courtyard, looking like a storm cloud.

Clinging frantically to his arm was a weeping Lucy, who immediately whimpered, “Dad! Look at what she did! She attacked us!”

Right beside Jeffrey stood Theo Kruger, the unfaithful, spineless husband, and Vivian instantly slithered over to stand beside him like a tragic victim.

Jeffrey’s gaze locked onto Kimberly, practically vibrating with rage. “Kimberly Holland! Why did you lay a finger on them? Explain yourself!”

Kimberly completely ignored him.

In fact, Jeffrey and Theo were currently blocking her view of the handsome masterpiece standing behind them.

Annoyed, she scoffed loudly and stepped forward.

“Get out of my light,” she snapped, shoving past her father-in-law and husband as if they were nothing more than inconvenient furniture.

But as she reached toward her prize, her wet flip-flop slicked against the wet marble.

‘Whoa…’

Her ankle gave out, and she pitched forward.

Before she could smash face-first onto the pavement, a heavy, rock-solid arm caught her mid-air.

Kimberly gasped, clinging instinctively to his broad shoulders for balance.

Their eyes met and time practically ground to a halt.

The evening breeze blew, the dramatic tension soared, and Kimberly’s inner monologue immediately broke out into applause.

‘Oh, wow. A classic, clichéd rom-com fall. I’m actually living the novel trope right now.’

Instead of showing embarrassment, Kimberly looked straight into his intense, darkened eyes and let out a breathtaking, dazzling smile.

Around them, the crowd’s jaws dropped.

Kim stared at the man with a dreamy, enamored gaze. ‘He’s insanely handsome… completely my type.’

“Hi,” she purred, her heart doing a shameless little flip in her chest. “Are you Uncle Finnick Kruger?”

She offered him her best, picture-perfect innocent smile.

Finn Kruger stared at the soaked, smiling girl clinging to his chest. His expression remained completely deadpan, completely unbothered.

“Let go,” he said, his voice a deep, icy baritone.

Without waiting for her to comply, he casually lifted her off his arm by her shoulder like an unruly kitten and set her aside, causing her to wobble awkwardly on one foot.

He didn’t even give her a second glance, exuding an air of unreachable, terrifying charisma.

Kimberly pouted instantly, crossing her arms. ‘Tough crowd. Looks like I made a terrible first impression.’

“Hmph!” Jeffrey Kruger scoffed, breaking the silence as he gestured toward her. “Finnick, meet your niece-in-law, Kimberly Holland.”

Finnick threw a fleeting, indecipherable glance in Kimberly’s direction, but said nothing.

“You just returned from abroad, so you haven’t had the misfortune of meeting her yet,” Jeffrey continued, his tone dripping with disdain before rounding on Kimberly. “This was supposed to be a welcome banquet for your uncle, and you turn it into a circus! What a total disgrace! Everyone, inside. Now!”

Jeff scoffed as he stormed inside.

Kimberly simply rolled her eyes, following the crowd with an amused strut.

Moments later, a high-tension family tribunal assembled inside the grand living room of the Kruger Villa.

Finnick sat draped across a single leather armchair, staring off into space with supreme indifference, looking like a king forced to sit through a kindergarten play.

On the main sofa to his left, Jeffrey sat beside a scowling Theo.

Standing in the center of the room, drying off, were Kimberly, Lucy, and Vivian.

Lucy took center stage immediately, pointing a dramatic finger at Kimberly. “Dad! She was throwing a violent tantrum because Theo dotes on Vivian! She didn’t just throw me into the pool, she deliberately beat up a pregnant Vivian!”

Theo’s eyes flared with sudden fury.

He slammed his palm onto the marble coffee table with a thunderous CRACK, springing to his feet.

“What?!”

He darted to Vivian’s side, taking her hands with exaggerated tenderness. “Vivian, are you alright?! Did this crazy woman hurt you?”

Kimberly practically gagged at the theatrical display, letting out a loud, mocking scoff.

Vivian pouted, sniffling softly as she shook her head like a fragile flower in the wind.

Reinforced by her tears, Theo spun toward Kimberly, his face contorted in rage as he pointed a trembling finger at her nose.

“You wench! Who gave you the nerve to touch her?! If anything, anything, happens to Vivian’s baby, I swear to God I’ll kill you with my bare hands!”