My First Love Died, Now My Step Uncle Wants Me-Chapter 106: Curling into His Embrace

Before Caleb Rhodes could speak, the young woman stepped forward and wrapped her arms around his waist. She pressed her face against him, her voice small and soft. "I’m a little scared."

Now that he was closer, Dylan Collins could see that the young woman’s features were incredibly delicate, as beautiful as a painting.

A man like Dylan Collins, who had indulged in worldly pleasures for years and was accustomed to seeing stunning beauties, had never seen someone so pure and delicate. He couldn’t help but stare.

The young woman was dressed in just a simple white T-shirt and lounge pants, making her appear thin and frail, stirring a sense of protective affection in anyone who saw her. 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

Her ink-black hair was loose, resting against the nape of her neck, which only accentuated the fairness of her skin and the picturesque beauty of her features.

Not only was her face delicate, but her hands were small, and her bare feet were small, too. She looked so exquisite, so fragile, it made one want to squeeze her, to toy with her.

He only stared for a moment too long before a palpable chill washed over him.

He turned to see The Valorian Crown Prince staring at him coldly, the warning in his eyes sending a shiver down his spine.

Dylan Collins, realizing his gaffe, quickly averted his gaze.

Caleb Rhodes retracted his gaze, then lifted Nina Wynn and placed her on a chair. "You need to wear slippers even if it’s warm inside. Otherwise, you’ll catch a fever."

As he spoke, he took the pink, fluffy slippers from the butler and put them on her feet before checking the gauze on her hand.

Seeing that blood was still seeping through, he frowned. "Have Dr. Chapman come over to take a look and re-dress it. Also, have him remain on standby here for the afternoon and evening."

The implication was clear: he was preparing for the possibility that Nina might develop a fever later in the day.

The butler acknowledged the order and excused himself.

Only then did Nina Wynn notice there was someone else in the room. Thinking back on her actions, she felt her face flush with embarrassment. "Caleb," she whispered, "you should get back to your work. I’m fine."

With that, she tried to get down and leave.

Caleb Rhodes paid the other man no mind, simply scooping her up and walking out.

With a stranger present, Nina Wynn stayed still in Caleb’s arms, burying her face. Only after he had carried her outside did she whisper, "There was someone else in there. He saw us."

Caleb’s voice sounded a little cold. "So what if he saw? Did you think you could hide this forever? Besides, we’re both unmarried, and you’re not actually part of the Rhodes Family. What is there to be afraid of?"

Nina Wynn fell silent, letting him carry her into her room.

Back in the study, Dylan Collins was still reeling from shock.

It was widely rumored in The Capital Set that the Third Lord Master was cold-hearted and aloof, with no interest in women. The only one ever linked to him was Miss Lowell, Rosalind Lowell, who had waited ten years for him only to get an engagement.

In reality, anyone with discerning eyes knew that an actual wedding was still a long way off, if it was to happen at all.

But even so, Miss Lowell had firmly established her title as Caleb Rhodes’s fiancée.

Therefore, even though the Lowell Family had declined and was no longer in its prime, people still flocked to curry favor with them because of their connection to Caleb Rhodes.

He never imagined that today, in the Crown Prince’s own study, he would witness such a shocking scene.

The Crown Prince, rumored to be uninterested in women, was coddling a young woman as if she were the apple of his eye, and he had been fiercely warned for merely looking at her for a moment too long.

Dylan Collins quickly snapped out of his shock and asked Willson Lawson cautiously, "Nancy, who is that young woman? I’ve never seen her before."

Willson Lawson replied meaningfully, "Don’t ask questions you shouldn’t. Just focus on your own work."

Dylan Collins, confident in his good relationship with Willson Lawson—they were usually on very friendly terms—dared to press further. "Isn’t the Third Lord Master with Miss Lowell? How can there be someone else?"

Normally, Willson Lawson wouldn’t answer such a question, but Dylan Collins was a reliable man, and they got along well. So, he relented. "It’s just as you saw. My Third Lord Master never said he was with Miss Lowell. That was all just speculation from you lot."

The realization dawned on Dylan Collins. He slapped his forehead and chuckled. "Look at me, so slow on the uptake. I’ve been sending gifts to the wrong person all these years."

"Thanks for the heads-up, brother!"

Willson Lawson said, "Do a good job with today’s task, and the Third Lord Master will be sure to reward you."

Dylan Collins smiled obsequiously. "I wouldn’t dare, I wouldn’t dare. It’s my honor just to be able to do something for the Third Lord Master. How could I ask for a reward? By the way, could you give me a hint? Which prominent family is that young lady from?"

Willson Lawson understood that the man was beating around the bush, trying to find a way to curry favor with Nina Wynn. He frowned. "You’d be wise not to pry into her affairs. It will displease the Third Lord Master. As long as you handle today’s business properly, he will naturally recognize your loyalty. That’s more effective than a hundred gifts."

He paused, then added, "You were really bold just now, staring at her like that. Don’t do it again. Otherwise, not even I can protect you."

Dylan Collins was taken aback. Recalling Caleb Rhodes’s warning glare, a chill ran down his spine, and he broke out in a cold sweat.

Wiping the cold sweat from his forehead, he asked, "When will the Third Lord Master be back?"

Willson Lawson glanced at the door. "He probably won’t be back. You should hurry up and get this done. We need the results by tomorrow morning at the latest. The sooner, the better."

"Yes, yes! I’ll do my best to be quick!"

Dylan Collins backed out of the study as he spoke.

Nina Wynn spent the entire afternoon painting in the conservatory.

She was painting sunflowers again, with the same background of two young men walking forward, arm in arm.

But for some reason, she couldn’t get it right today. She painted for hours but couldn’t even finish one small piece.

While she painted in the conservatory, Caleb Rhodes worked in his study. Neither disturbed the other.

As dusk began to fall, Nina Wynn got up and went to Caleb Rhodes’s study.

Caleb Rhodes was in a meeting. On the other side of the camera were his regional managers, reporting on market conditions.

Ordinarily, if Caleb Rhodes was in a meeting, Nina Wynn would never have entered and disturbed him.

But this time, it was as if she couldn’t see or hear anything. She opened the door, walked over, and, ignoring the fact that his computer was still on, sat right down on Caleb Rhodes’s lap, curling herself insistently into his embrace.

She didn’t say a word, just found a more comfortable position and pressed her face against him.

The previously bustling meeting fell silent instantly. Everyone stared in shock at their boss on the screen.

Caleb Rhodes wrapped his arm more tightly around Nina Wynn and murmured, "What’s wrong? Did you finish painting?"

Nina didn’t speak, only snuggled deeper into his arms.

She looked exhausted, and her body was limp. She was like a tired little cub that could no longer walk, seeking a place to sleep in the arms of a grown beast.

Caleb Rhodes sensed something was amiss. He reached out to feel her forehead, and the heat that met his hand made his heart clench.

Scorching!

He stood up and said to the camera, "That’s all for today."

Then he closed the laptop and carried Nina Wynn out the door.

The old doctor, who had been waiting there all this time, saw that Nina was running a fever again and couldn’t stop frowning and shaking his head.

This fever seemed different from the previous ones.

Nina wasn’t crying or making a fuss. She just stared quietly at Caleb Rhodes, clinging to his clothes and refusing to let go.

Moreover, the medicine wasn’t working. By midnight, her temperature had already climbed to nearly 104 degrees.

Even though she was delirious with fever, she seemed to be waiting for something and refused to sleep.

At midnight, Caleb Rhodes took a phone call. He then came in, wrapped Nina in a blanket, and started to walk out.

As he walked, he murmured to her, "If you don’t want to sleep, then don’t. I’ll take you to see something you want to see."