My First Love Died, Now My Step Uncle Wants Me-Chapter 15: Allure

Nina Wynn didn’t dare to move a muscle. She kept her eyes shut, pretending she hadn’t heard anything.

Caleb Rhodes stared at her pale little face for a moment, then suddenly bent down and lifted her into his arms.

Nina was so scared her heart felt like it would stop beating. She was about to open her eyes when Caleb placed her back on the bed.

He shifted her further onto the bed, then took off his shoes and lay down beside her.

The hospital bed was small, and being squeezed together was hardly a pleasant experience, especially since Nina was already terrified of Caleb Rhodes.

Now, Caleb’s distinctly masculine scent completely enveloped her. Every breath she took was filled with his presence. His body was pressed tightly against her back, and she felt as if his body heat would scorch her skin.

But she didn’t dare to move at all, her body as stiff as a board.

’I never would have dreamed that Caleb Rhodes would get into my bed—and a tiny hospital bed at that! Isn’t he a neat freak?’

Nina was so nervous she wanted to cry. Her palms were slick with sweat.

But Caleb acted as if nothing was out of the ordinary, starting to read the news and even sending a few messages.

Time ticked by, second by second. Nina went from being on the verge of a breakdown to forcing herself to calm down, until finally, exhaustion, aided by the medication, took over. She fell asleep without even realizing it.

When a person relaxes, their body softens. Her hand unconsciously slipped down to rest on Caleb’s knee.

Caleb Rhodes squeezed her hand. It was slender, small, and very soft.

He couldn’t resist lifting it to take a closer look.

Her nails were cut short, with no polish or anything of the sort, looking very clean. The pads of her fingers were round and pink, which he found somewhat cute.

Suddenly, Nina snatched her hand back and rolled over to face Caleb, her limbs draping disobediently over his body.

Then, she mumbled softly, "Evan, wait for me..."

The hair at her temples was still damp, sticking to her face. Its darkness made her skin appear even more fair and delicate.

Nina’s features were exceptionally delicate, and her skin was very fair. The faint mole just above her lip always gave her a hint of allure.

Yet, her eyes were inherently shy. Her pupils were jet-black, and when she looked at someone intently, it was as if with deep affection, making her particularly captivating.

Caleb’s gaze lingered on her face for a moment, his eyes growing deeper.

His hand gently touched the mole above her lip as he spoke in a low voice, "Evan? Still thinking about that cat?"

Caleb still remembered the cat.

A small, black-and-white tabby. He didn’t know where she’d found it, but she kept it hidden in the storeroom in the backyard. On the rare occasions he caught her feeding it, her face would go white with fright. She would quickly hide the cat behind her and whisper, "Evan, run!"

At the time, he hadn’t paid much attention to the cat. He only remembered her panicked expression, like a small cub trying to hide its toy. It was oddly endearing.

But he had too much going on back then, too busy. The feeling was always fleeting.

It wasn’t until the incident three years ago that he realized the kid had grown up. 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

He had actually wanted to give her an explanation after what happened, but that very night, bad news came from Aridia, and he had to leave in a hurry.

’She’s at the Rhodes Family estate anyway, and the kid wasn’t even eighteen yet. It was fine to wait.’

Three years passed in a flash. When he returned, the kid seemed even more afraid of him.

Suddenly, Nina stirred, her body subconsciously snuggling closer to him as if seeking a source of warmth.

Caleb watched her for a moment, then pulled the thin blanket from beside the pillow and draped it over her.

When Nina woke up, the sky was already bright.

The fresh aroma of millet congee filled the air, making her feel as if she hadn’t eaten in days. She was starving.

However, Caleb was standing by the window on a call, so she had no choice but to continue feigning sleep.

"Is it serious? What did Mr. Lowell say?"

"Have her cooperate with the psychologist for now. I’ll go see her later."

"Finn, stay out of my business."

...

His voice was very low, but Nina still heard everything.

Apparently, Rosalind Lowell had an episode last night and cut herself with a knife. Now she was refusing to cooperate with the doctors, and Caleb was going to see her later.

Nina was actually quite envious of Rosalind.

The Little Princess was born with a silver spoon in her mouth, doted on by everyone. Even a cold-hearted man like Caleb Rhodes cherished her. ’A person like that must have saved the galaxy in a past life.’

’It’s just strange,’ she thought. ’Rosalind seems like such a cheerful person. How could she have depression?’

Lost in thought, Nina let out a faint sigh.

Hearing the sound, Caleb ended his call and turned to look at Nina, who was still pretending to be asleep.

"Since you’re awake, stop pretending. Get up and eat something."

Nina couldn’t keep up the act any longer and had to open her eyes.

The first thing she saw was Caleb’s tall, slender figure.

He had changed into a black shirt at some point. The simple, high-quality fabric made his aura even more sharp and imposing, making him all the more intimidating.

Nina didn’t dare to look at him. She lowered her head, picked up the food container from the bedside table, and cupped it in her hands, taking small sips of the congee.

Caleb pushed the side dishes from the container toward her. "I just had this sent over. This is all you can eat for now. I’ll have something else brought over when you’re better."

Nina said softly, "Thank you, Uncle Caleb, but you really don’t have to do this in the future. I can manage on my own."

Caleb stared at her soft, pale hands cupping the container, his eyes dark.

"Manage on your own, and end up with a perforated stomach?"

Nina buried her head even lower.

The container was actually still very hot, and her palms had long since started to ache from holding it, but she didn’t feel she could put it down, so she just endured the pain.

Caleb stared at her and continued, "Does Lana Shaw know your stomach is in bad shape?"

Nina’s body stiffened. She didn’t want to answer, but with Caleb watching her, she had no choice but to nod. "She knows."

Caleb could tell at a glance that she was lying, and his eyes grew colder. "If she knew, why did you wait until your stomach was perforated before seeing a doctor?"

He pinched her small chin and gritted his teeth. "Nina Wynn, is lying fun?"