Semua Bab Married My Ex's Uncle In My Second Time: Bab 101 - Bab 110

Anna“Are you crazy? You can’t go there!” Damian’s voice cuts through the room like a whip, anger and concern laced in every word.“Actually, we’re both going,” Alaric replies dryly, arms crossed as he leans against the desk. “He asked for us both.”I don’t even try to stop the eye roll. The situation would be a lot funnier if I didn’t wholeheartedly agree with Damian.This was definitely a trap.We’d been ruthless lately—strategically acquiring Elias’s properties, shutting down his companies, exposing his shell businesses one after the other. He had to be desperate. Cornered animals don’t beg—they bite.“You really think he’s just going to surrender?” Damian scoffs, pacing now, eyes blazing. “After everything? The attacks, the manipulation, trying to ruin your company—hell, trying to ruin all of us?”“He sounded tired,” Alaric says quietly, his gaze distant, thoughtful. “Not defeated. But… done.”“Of course we won’t go in alone,” Alaric adds, his voice low but firm. “There’ll be back

I don't know how long we stayed like that—Alaric pressing down on Damian’s wound, me whispering prayers.The sound of backup finally crashing in loudly to my ears. Yells. Footsteps. Barked orders. But all I could see was Damian's paling face.“Medics!” Alaric shouted hoarsely, his voice raw. “Someone call an ambulance! We need a medic now!”At some point someone knelt beside us, a blur of uniform and supplies, hands taking over. I didn’t let go of Damian’s hand until they pried it from mine to load him onto the stretcher.“Stay with him,” Alaric said, voice shaking but firm. “Don’t let him go under.”I nodded numbly, stumbling after them as they wheeled him out. Alaric stayed behind to coordinate the clean-up, but I couldn’t tear my eyes away from Damian’s blood on my hands.The gun—the one I had fired—was still tucked in my waistband. I’d killed a man today. A man who nearly destroyed everything we loved.But all I could think was…Please, don’t let this be the price we pay.The wall

After hours of sitting in that cold, too-bright waiting room, it's as if time blended into itself. I’ve counted every tile on the ceiling. I’ve memorized the rhythm of every footstep that passes by the hall. I’ve heard more whispered more prayers than I can remember. And then finally, the door opens. A nurse steps out, her face soft with something resembling a smile. “He’s awake,” she announces quietly. The air leaves my lungs in a whoosh. I see Mrs. Ashford’s hand fly to her mouth as Mr. Ashford pulls her into a trembling embrace. Ellie lets out a choked sob, her shoulders sagging with relief. Alaric, beside me, closes his eyes for a moment, and takes a deep breath as if releasing a tension wound tightly beneath his skin. “But,” the nurse continues gently, “he’s still weak. He can only handle one or two people at a time.” Of course. We all nod, silently agreeing. Mr. and Mrs. Ashford go first. They disappear behind the door, and for ten long minutes, we wait in thick silence.

I stare up at the sleek glass building in front of me, its mirrored panels catching the morning sun like armour. My reflection stares back—poised, professional, and a tiny bit terrified."You’ve got this," I tell myself, shifting my folder to my other arm. I’ve done everything I could to prepare. Hours of brushing up on industry questions, perfecting my resume, and tailoring my pitch. And countless mock interviews with Alaric—him sitting on the edge of his desk in his lazy, arrogant sprawl, firing hard questions with a smirk just to watch me squirm.I smile to myself at the memory. It’s because of him I feel even remotely ready.Still... this is different. This isn’t his world. This is mine.I smooth a hand over my skirt, exhale slowly, and whisper under my breath, “You’re smart. You’re capable. You belong here.”And then I walk inside.The receptionist greets me kindly, and I’m led to a waiting area that smells like fresh coffee and expensive polish. I take a seat, crossing my legs a

The week passes in a blur of logins, onboarding emails, and meetings where I try my best to nod like I understand everything—thankfully, I understand more than I expected. They’re still easing me into the workload. I’m mostly shadowing my mentor, assisting with research, preparing data summaries, and sitting in on team meetings. It's nothing too intense yet, but I make sure to look alert, take notes, and ask smart questions. I want to earn my place here, not just coast on charisma and a polished resume.And thankfully, despite the awkward start, I haven’t had to interact with Lisa much. We're in different departments, mentored by different analysts, and our desks are thankfully on opposite ends of the floor. The only times I catch a glimpse of her are during lunch breaks, when I feel her eyes on me from across the cafeteria like some low-budget thriller villain.I’ve learned to ignore it. She can stare all she wants.Friday rolls in before I know it. I’m just finishing up a small repo