Semua Bab My Step-Uncle's Plaything: Bab 11 - Bab 20

Alice“My dear, can you come with your Uncle Lemuel and me?” My mother’s voice pulled me out of my thoughts as I lifted my gaze from my food. Even with the “deal” I had gotten myself into because of Lance’s so-called proposal, I made sure to act normal around her.“Where are you going?” I asked. It wasn’t a problem for me since my Saturday was free—well, except for my date with Javier.“To the wedding dress shop. I want you to choose what you’ll wear as my maid of honor.” My mother smiled beautifully, her cheeks slightly flushed. She still looked shy about marrying Uncle Lemuel.I shook my head lightly before answering. “Is it okay if Javier comes with us? We were supposed to have a date today.”My mom studied my face carefully. She wasn’t exactly fond of Javier. She thought he was a bit of a playboy.Even then, she never once told me to break up with him. She always tried to treat him politely whenever he visited.I couldn’t blame her. At the start, I was the same toward Uncle Lemuel

Alice“Let me grab this one for you,” Javier said as he reached for a champagne-colored gown from the rack. He lifted the fabric delicately, letting it flow between his fingers, studying it like he was already imagining how it would fall against my body.“You’ll look amazing in this,” he added, sounding proud—almost smug—about his choice.I bit my lip, not because of the gown, but because of the way he said it. As if he wanted to take care of me. As if he wanted to show me off.And that familiar sting of guilt crawled into my chest again.But before the guilt could swallow me whole, his hand brushed against mine. Quick. Light. Barely there.Yet enough to pull me back into the moment.“Come on,” he murmured gently. “I want to see you in this.”I followed him, carrying the gown as we headed toward the fitting room area. There were rows of cubicles, mirrors everywhere, bright lights reflecting across the walls… but my world felt like it was spinning because of two things:Because of Javi

AliceLance’s eyes sharpened—no, not just sharpened. It was like a spark ignited, a flare of danger that made my chest tighten. Something in his gaze—dark, deliberate, unreadable has set my every nerve on fire. I didn’t know if I should be terrified or… weak in ways I had no right to feel.Slowly. Torturously slowly. Each inch of his movement was deliberate, precise, as if he were measuring the effect on me. My skin suddenly felt too sensitive, like it could catch fire at the slightest touch.He leaned toward me, close enough for me to feel the heat of his breath brushing my ear, and my pulse jumped into a frantic rhythm. I tried to pull back, but there was nowhere to go. The fitting room had shrunk, compressed into a tiny cage, with him standing, impossibly close, blocking the only exit.“Tell him no,” he whispered, and the low rasp of his voice slid across my skin like liquid temptation. “We're not done here yet.”Shit.The tone of his voice was teasing, playful even, but I was trem

Alice“Oh, please, you two go on without me,” Shirley said dramatically, rolling her eyes and flicking her fingers. “I did not dream of becoming a third wheel, okay?”Javier had just arrived outside the gate where we were waiting for him. His smile was still fresh, carrying his presence—always calm, always comforting. He walked over to us and, almost instinctively, reached for my hand, like it was pure reflex.“You’re not a third wheel,” he said, glancing at Shirley. “You’re Alice’s best friend, so you’re my friend too. You’re included.”Shirley smiled—the kind of smile that clearly meant she was flustered even if she’d never admit it.“Oh wow, Javier. You’re really sweet. No wonder I fully approve of you,” she said, pretending to lightly punch my boyfriend like she was in some cheesy K-drama.I was happy.Truly.Who wouldn’t feel that way?Javier held my hand a little tighter, as if silently telling me, "I’m right here". I felt the warmth of his palm, the gentle brush of his thumb ag

Lance “Alright,” I said as I slowly set the tablet down on the table, “I want to see the final design of the VR headset. Make sure it looks elegant. The kind that even non-gamers would feel tempted to wear. But at the same time, it has to be user-friendly. It should be lightweight, breathable, and comfortable even after long hours of use.” The meeting room fell silent for a few seconds before everyone across from me nodded almost in unison. I could see it in their eyes—they knew I was serious. There was no room for half-baked output in this project. This wasn’t just another product. The company’s reputation was on the line. “Clear?” I added, meeting each of their gazes head-on.