Page 105 of One Nightstand With My Ex's Uncle

LUCAS’ POV.

I walked to it, and picked the first one up. It was one of Derel going to school. Derella had been cropped out because the only part of her which I could see was her wrist. The wrist that carried her treasured bracelet.

I checked more of the photos, and they all had Derel in them. Some were the ones he had taken himself, or had taken with the help of professional photographers. While the majority were photos of him unaware.

It seemed to me that they had been watching, and taking pictures of him unawares.

“What are these?” I asked, holding up the photos. Mina bit her lip, looking busted. So Tenor had actually been right? I dropped the photos on the desk, and saw a few envelopes.

I picked those up too, and opened a few of them.

In the same envelope was a photo of Derel smiling brightly.

In that too, was a photo of Derel playing basketball.

I dropped the envelopes. Reading them made me sick.

“Is this some kind of… wait. You’re a stalker? You’re in high school? A high school stalker?”

“No. I’m not any of the two.” She replied quietly.

“Then why are these in your room? Aren’t they yours? Oh, are you planning on pretending you have a crush on him, and then go on to disgrace the family with some blockbuster plan you have in your head?” I asked, and she looked at me confused.

“Blockbuster? Actually, these are not mine.” She said, waving her hand over them.

I stared hard at her.

“They’re really not mine.”

“So, whose desk is this?”

“Sandra’s. But they’re not hers either.” She replied, and I clenched my teeth together. I packed the letters, and photos angrily, and stormed out of her room.

“Where are you taking them to?” Mina asked, coming after me. Tenor glanced at the envelopes and photos in my hands, and moved aside. “Mr. Granger. Let me explain.” Mina continued.

It wasn’t hers, nor was it Sandra’s. It just magically appeared there.

But she didn’t want me to take them out because she was ashamed of writing love letters to a high school kid.

Or maybe it was a part of their grand plan.

They were going to find a way to put Derel in a bad light, and affect the family.

The girls were all around doing different things when they saw me coming down, and as a result, they quickly scrambled together.

I let the envelopes, and photos fall in the center of the room.

“Who does these belong to?” I asked, and Mina opened her mouth to speak, but I raised a hand, shutting her.

The girls took turns looking at it, and finally Sandra recognized the letters.

“It’s for my little sister.” She said, looking at me with confusion.

“Your what?”

“My sister writes these everyday, and sends them to me, thinking I can give one to Derel everyday.” She replied softly.

“Oh really?” I scoffed.

“Yes. She has a huge crush on Derel, but won’t tell him because he’s a lot older than she is.

She always bugs me to find a way to mail them to him, and she won’t stop sending the letters to me.

” She said, but her words didn’t sound like they had an ounce of truth in them—Not at that moment when I was worked up, trying to find out who could be trying to destroy my family.

“Unfortunately, I have to meet that sister, before I can believe you. I will repeat the warning again. If any of you does anything that will stain my family or company’s honor, you will define deep regret with your heart and soul.

” I warned, and they looked terrified. “You. When your sister returns from school. We will meet at the café close to the company. I must see her first before I believe your story.” I said, and left the house.

As I walked out, I loosened my tie because it felt choking. Who among them could be willing to destroy the family? Who among them gave me the bad feeling?

Just then, someone came out after me. It was Jenny.

She was holding a warm bottled beverage.

“It’s cold. You shouldn’t leave without taking something.” She said, handing it out.

“No, thanks.” I replied, making to leave.

“I won’t do anything to damage the company.

I really won’t because I worked so hard to get here.

If any of the girls misbehave, I will try my best to put them in place.

I have nowhere to go, but lots of people to protect, so please, don’t dismiss us in anger.

” She said, and I turned to see tears in her eyes.

I took out my phone, and checked the time on it. Then bit my lip hard, as my anger rose again.

Almost there. How I hated the feeling of being almost there. I felt so sure that I had caught the person who wanted to disgrace my family. It couldn’t be Tenor herself, could it?

I couldn’t even trust any of them. Not even the one who was always easily scared. Jenny was still standing there, even when I got into my car, and I wondered if her eyes were a tap. She only had to open, and the tears would come leaking out.

“Go inside. It’s cold.” I said to her, before driving away.

~

Later that evening, Sandra, Derel and I met with her little sister, who was probably the same age as Sadie.

Her face was completely red, from blushing, and her large eyes bounced on everywhere, except Derel’s face.

“You… didn’t send the letters yet, did you?” She said to Sandra in a low voice.

“No.” Sandra replied.

“Then why are they staring at me?” She asked in an even lower voice.

“Just wait.”

“Do you know her?” I asked Derel.

“No.” He replied, staring at the girl.

“I know him.” The little girl said, looking at her cake.

“He’s a Junior, and he loves to wear anything and everything from Louis Vuitton.

He wears a shoe size eleven, and his height is 5’9.

He loves bread, and is usually spotted eating different kinds of bread.

His favorite color is red, and he loves the fall.

He’s always staring in admiration at the autumn cherry trees.

His current ex is Rosaline Burgundy. She’s a senior.

He was born on the twenty-ninth of March, and is obsessed with playing the guitar.

He has three uncles, one aunt, one sibling, and three cousins.

Well, I don’t really know much about him though.

” She said, taking a scoop of cake, and leaving our mouths slightly open.

Derel stared at her like he would stare at a kindergarten child solving calculus. Even Sandra was shocked.

I sighed. Sandra wasn’t lying.

“What’s your name?” I asked her.

“Sophie, and I didn’t write any letter to Derel.” She said, chewing slowly.

“It’s wrong to take photos of people without their permission.” I said, softly.

“Then how do I get his photos?” She asked, looking up at me, with big eyes.

“What do you need my photos for?” Derel asked, and she turned a deep shade of pink.

“I’m having class right now. Bye.” She said, excusing herself. She ran out of the restaurant, and I watched her, unable to resist a little smile.

It was evening. Her classes hadn’t ended? A cute lie.

“I’m sorry if she made you uneasy by keeping such pictures.” Sandra apologized to me and Derel.

“No, it’s fine. She’s just a kid.” I replied, getting up from my seat.

“How did she know so much about me? I didn’t even know I liked bread that much.” Derel said, as we walked away. “Now I see that I actually like bread, and I’ve eaten different kinds of bread. Why do people love stalking me?” He asked, and I shrugged.

Sandra was off the hook. She was able to prove that the pictures had indeed been her sister’s.

~

“Is it an hobby to sit in the kitchen late at night?” I asked, as I walked into the kitchen.

“Oh, good evening. I was just having tea.” Emily replied. “Would you like some tea?” She asked, and I nodded, sitting opposite her.

“Why are you having tea alone?” I asked, as she served me.

“I’m frustrated, but drinking isn’t my style. I hate being drunk.”

“What makes you frustrated?”

“John. My blood boils every time, but my hands are bound. I can’t do anything. It sucks.” She said, and I watched the tea flowing into my mug.

“What did he do this time around?” I asked, and she sighed, dropping the kettle.

“I don’t even want to think about it. He just keeps doing crazy, and annoying things.

I know he has an ulterior motive, but he won’t say.

Today, he gave me a bunch of flowers in front of all the employees at Lunch.

” She said, looking annoyed, and I was supposed to feel happy that she didn’t like it, but found out that I was jealous instead.

Jealous because I couldn’t give her flowers in public. I couldn’t do what John could freely do. If I had found her first, would things be different?

“I can still forgive the flowers. That’s still acceptable, but the jerk… jeez!”

“What did he do?” I asked, even though I didn’t want to know.

“He kissed me.” She said, and I could see her cheeks redden a little. “In a restaurant. People were watching, and I couldn’t do a thing.” She said, staring hard into space.

That was worse. Indeed, worse than the flowers.

“I wished to hit him right there. But I couldn’t. I had to let him be, and let it go.” She added.

“You seem to have liked it.” I said, raising my cup to my lips.

“Like it?” She asked, with both hands on the table, as her eyes widened. Then she scoffed. “Every part of it was disgusting.”

I chuckled. The way she had forced out the word ‘disgusting’ was enough to pacify me.

“Why would you think I liked it?” She asked, raising her cup to her lips.

“Because your cheeks are red.” I pointed out.

“That’s because I’m embarrassed. I’m talking about something I don’t want to remember. Do you think faces only heat up when people talk about someone they like?” She asked.

“I wouldn’t know. So, since you’re a lady, why don’t you start by telling me all the things that make ladies blush?”

“Oh.” She said, with a wide smile. “First things first…” She began.

Emily and I talked late into the night, and I decided not to go to work the next day because I was definitely going to sleep in.

Just as I had known, I slept in, and it was Tray’s call that woke me up.

I picked it.

“Hey.” I said, drowsily, rubbing my eyes.

“Everything is going crazy, Lucas! Where the hell are you!?”

“What, what?” I asked, lazily.

“Don’t tell me you’re in bed when Derel’s pictures are all over the internet.” He said, and I sat up immediately.

“What kind of pictures?” I asked in alarm, and I heard the sound of him hitting something.

“Pornographic pictures.”