LOGINIt was a post about the brook Uncle Theo had found me by back then. As it turned out, it was along the route Callum's lookalike passed by every day during his morning run. While he had been preparing for the athletics meet that day, he learned that the brook had been emptied of its water and that a skeleton had been found in the riverbed.Supposedly, it would take seven days for the DNA test results.A bad feeling rose in me as I thought about it.…I dreamed I had gone back to the village I used to live in and saw a younger Uncle Theo. He told me I was the brook while he was the fish swimming in it. Like we used to in the past, we sat on the grass by the brook. Suddenly, a crazed man rushed out from behind us and snatched me up with one arm before running off.As he sprinted, he kept rambling on about something like "50 thousand dollars" and "a fool's wife".Despite the familiar, affectionate way he carried me, all I felt was sheer disgust. It made me nauseous."My dear d
After 15 years, I had long since learned everything there was to know about Uncle Theo and our home.As I climbed the stairs, I allowed my mind to wander. I figured the thought of having him all to myself had first taken root when I was still quite young.Back then, many women had wanted to become my "aunt" and would try to bribe me with candy. As I accepted their treats, I would purposely act as though I were divulging a secret, murmuring into their ears, "But I saw a man entering Uncle Theo's room last night!"Then, I would take great pleasure in watching the mix of emotions flickering across their faces. I used to tell myself I did it because I wanted Uncle Theo to suffer for being so strict with me.In hindsight, I realized the sheer level of joy and smugness I felt then was nothing like the sort of feelings one should have toward their family. It was a sense of possessiveness instead. I simply didn't know better at the time.Now, however, I understood that I just didn't wan
After an exhausting day, I was practically running on fumes. Hence, now that I was in Uncle Theo's arms, I went limp as all strength seemed to leave me."Uncle Theo, my legs are so sore."The arms holding me tensed before he pretended to sigh. "I'll give you a massage when we get back."If it weren't for the fact that I could feel how tense his arms were, I would've believed he was actually fine.I twisted around so that I could embrace him."Before that, I have a question. Can you answer me, Uncle Theo?""What is it?"I tilted my head back and up. Seeing that, he cooperatively lowered his head to hear me better. As his ear came closer to me, I noticed how it was slowly turning red at the tip."My question is…"I couldn't stop myself from gulping. Uncle Theo was incredibly handsome, and I couldn't bear the thought of some other woman snatching him away from me.I closed my eyes and swayed slightly in his arms. Greedily breathing in his pinewood scent, I snaked my arms around
After taking me in, Uncle Theo had to go around the village begging for oatmeal so he could feed me.Even when he burned his hands and soot stained them, he was still grinning. He even went as far as risking a cow's wrath to steal me some milk.I had only been three years old. When I recovered enough, the first word out of my mouth was "Uncle".Interesting, wasn't it? Instead of "Mom" or "Dad", I called a 13-year-old "Uncle".The boy, not even as tall as the logs he was burning, froze in surprise. Then he began laughing so hard that tears sprang to his eyes.It had been 15 years since then, and I had never once stopped addressing him as "Uncle Theo".Back then, he was so poor that he resorted to stealing a loaf of bread and being chased across the entire village. Yet he hadn't abandoned me.But now, he didn't want me anymore.…Clinging to the 18 male hosts Mandy had hired, I bawled my eyes out.Sipping on a cocktail, she laughed at how pathetic I was. "Oooh, looks like you l
Uncle Theo practically dragged me to the underground parking lot. Even just standing there, he exuded an imposing air that seemed to press down on me physically."Get in the car."Before I could react, I felt my body go weightless. In the next second, everything around me seemed to spin as he picked me up and shoved me into the back seat of the car.The cuff of his sleeve swept past my collarbone as he cupped the back of my head tightly."Why?"A storm raged in his eyes as he stared at me sharply, as though he would devour me whole.The car suddenly jerked as it went over a bump in the road. My heart leaped into my throat as I scrambled back in a hurry until my back pressed against something cool—the car door."Come here!" he ordered, his voice shaking. His hands were clenched by sides. "What, are you so unwilling?"Though his lips were quirked up, the smile didn't reach his eyes. Instead, all I could see was the pain and indignance in them.I had never seen Uncle Theo behav
The next second, it was as though a thought had struck Uncle Theo. He suddenly pulled his hand out from under my shirt and gripped it tightly.He looked like he was struggling to hold himself back as he said hoarsely, "I haven't asked you yet, but can I?"A loud gunshot rang through the air. It came from the TV, which was playing what looked like a spy movie in which both leads were hiding their real identities.One of them asked, "Who are you?"I was so shocked that I leaped out of Uncle Theo's lap. "F-Forget about the massage."Still a little out of it, I rushed back to my room and sat down on my bed. I clutched the hem of my shirt. I could still feel the lingering warmth of his palm on it. This was where his hand had slipped in earlier…My heart skipped a beat as waves of embarrassment and frustration crashed through me. Even so, I couldn't stop myself from fantasizing about his display of strength just now.Why had I become like this?At that moment, my screen lit up with







