Lahat ng Kabanata ng One Night Stand With My Ex’s Uncle : Kabanata 141 - Kabanata 150

Anna's POVNora's eyes flickered briefly before she took a deliberate sip of her wine. The crystal glass caught the light, casting ruby shadows across the pristine tablecloth."About two years ago, we met at an industry cocktail event," she said, her voice unnervingly calm. "Kieran slipped something into my drink."My stomach clenched as though I'd swallowed ice. I recognized the flat affect in her voice-the protective numbness that comes from retelling a trauma you've learned to package neatly for others."A woman like me can't survive among these powerful men without some form of protection," Nora continued, absently tracing the rim of her glass. "I recorded everything-his behavior, his words, his... attempts. All of it.""Wasn't that dangerous?" I whispered, my appetite suddenly gone.Nora's lips curved into a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "Of course it was. I understand these aren't people I can afford to antagonize. The recording is just insurance, not a weapon. I never thoug

Anna's POV Oscar Porter appeared, thrusting a thermometer at me. "Put this under your arm." "I'm already better," I lied, taking it anyway. After checking the reading, Oscar raised an eyebrow. "99.3. Somehow you managed to catch a cold in the Caribbean. That's quite the achievement, Anna." I studied the unlikely pair, curiosity momentarily overshadowing my misery. "How did you two end up here together? Just to bring me medicine?" Catherine launched into an explanation, words tumbling out rapid-fire. "Uncle Marcus skipped Christmas in America again. Grandpa William was counting on seeing him and got really upset. None of us dared leave Murphy Estate-we've been stuck there keeping Grandpa company. When I called you, Rachel told me you've been sick for days. I figured Caribbean medicine couldn't compare to what we could bring, so I begged Grandpa to let me come. Ran into Oscar at the airport—he was coming here for vacation anyway." "Meeting some friends here," Oscar added.

Marcus's POV I stared at my phone beneath the polished conference table, reading Anna's message for the tenth time: "It's fine." Two simple words that twisted in my gut like a knife. The dismissive finality of her response to my rejection of continuing our arrangement left me uncharacteristically unsettled. In the gleaming conference room, twenty executives waited for my reaction to the presentation. I forced my attention back to the spreadsheets displayed on the wall-to-wall screen, my expression betraying nothing of the storm brewing inside me. Who was I to Anna Shaw? In public, "Uncle Marcus" - the family friend, the respected elder. In private, a nameless lover she knew only by a hotel room number. If I lost both versions of myself in her eyes, what would remain? My finger hovered over the screen. _Tomorrow night?_ I typed, then hesitated. Was I being pathetic? Desperate? I deleted the message, then typed it again. "Mr. Murphy?" The analyst's voice faltered. "Co

Catherine's POV The elegant foyer of the auction house buzzed with Skyview City's elite as I checked my phone for the tenth time in five minutes. No messages from Anna. My stomach twisted into a tight knot as I watched Samuel guide Nora away from that asshole Sawyer Walker. Joseph hurried to his brother's side with that placating expression he always wore when damage control was needed. "Samuel's just a hothead with a poisonous mouth. He tries to verbally destroy anyone he doesn't like." Sawyer's face remained locked in that stony mask of humiliation. Joseph glanced at his watch, clearly trying to change the subject. "What time is it? Why hasn't Anna shown up yet?" The question sent a fresh wave of anxiety through me. Anna was never late especially not for something this important. The Skylake District auction was everything she'd been working toward for months. "I don't know," I admitted, my voice tighter than l'd intended. "She texted earlier saying she was on her way."

Anna's POV "Anna Shaw?" A familiar voice called out my name, cutting through the stunned silence that had fallen over the auction hall. "Yes, it's me." I nodded in response, keeping my expression deliberately calm despite the storm of emotions raging inside me. Murmurs rippled through the crowd. "She finally showed up." "Can't believe she's reporting George Simpson at a time like this." "That's either incredibly brave or incredibly stupid." These whispers washed over me like a gentle breeze-irrelevant compared to the plan occupying my mind. The auction had been interrupted at precisely the right moment, and I couldn't allow anything to distract me from my objective. Catherine rushed to my side, her eyes frantically scanning me for injuries. "Are you okay? What happened with the accident?" I could see the genuine concern in her eyes, but explaining everything would have to wait. Right now, the only thing that mattered was ensuring Skylake District didn't end up in Georg