Page 55 of One Nightstand With My Ex's Uncle

EMILY’S POV.

“What do you expect me to say?” I asked, as she continued to look at me.

“I just said I like Lucas.” She replied, looking at me like it ought to ring a bell in my head.

“And what does your liking Lucas have to do with me? Is it any of my business? Do you need my consent to like him? Tell him if you like him, not me. I’m going inside. I don’t feel too good.” I snapped, turning around and leaving her standing by the pool.

I hadn’t meant to be annoyed, but how could I help it? I was in such a fix that I could not help myself. ‘Stuck’ was the word for me. The only thing I could do if I wanted to keep myself out of danger was try to sleep with John again, which was impossible.

There was no way I could stoop myself that low to sleep with him, or pretend he owned the child. It meant I just had to deal with whatever was going to come my way, and that alone was an headache.

I didn’t need to hear her romantic feelings for the man whose baby was growing within me.

Back in the house, I went on with my work, trying desperately to seem fine, but I couldn’t seem to do that.

Depression seeped in to the corners of my heart, and it felt like all hope had been squeezed from me. I didn’t want to eat, speak, move my fingers, or even leave the spot I was in.

I just wanted to stay stuck staring into space till eternity.

Without anyone minding or bothering me. I didn’t even realize I had gone so far in my head, and stopped typing, until I heard my name.

I turned towards the voice, and saw Lucas standing over me.

“Do you need rest?” He asked, and I nodded immediately, looking back at my laptop, trying to avoid the tears that had suddenly sprang to my eyes.

I closed it, and got to my feet, stumbling. Lucas had a hand out to hold me, but I steadied myself, and gave a brief, weak smile, hugging my laptop to my chest.

Climbing up the stairs was a task in itself. My head was pounding, and it felt like it’d explode. It was probably my body demanding food, water and rest, but I didn’t feel it.

It needed those things, but I couldn’t bear those things.

When I got to my room, I closed the door slowly behind me, dropped the laptop on my desk, and walked lazily to my bed, sitting on it.

I was about to start crying when I realized there was someone I could actually talk to.

Taking out my phone, I dialed Dahlia’s number, and she picked it on the third ring.

“Emily.” She said, breathing hard, although I could hear her delight to speak to me.

“Hey Dahlia, are you busy right now?” I asked.

“Taking some vegetables after hiking a mountain isn’t called busy in the countryside.” She replied, with a chuckle.

“You’re in the countryside?”

“Yes. Nellie got married, and relocated to the countryside. I came to stay with her because she said she was going to need a lot of advice from me.” She replied, still breathing hard.

Nellie was her first daughter. I had never met her, and didn’t know much about her. It was because Dahlia rarely spoke about her children.

“Really? Extend my congratulations to her. I wish her a happy married life.”

“Which you’d have very soon. Alright. Let’s hear why you called me.” She said, and the sounds of her breathing began to reduce.

“When you’re done working…”

“You’re my excuse to sit on a log of tree with the stream rushing close to me, and the breeze cooling me. So, go on. Are you okay?” She asked, and I began with a sigh.

“I don’t want to always trouble you…”

“Then who else would you talk to? Hm? Who else would you rather talk to? Go on. What’s the problem? Has John returned?”

“No. I’m… I’m pregnant for Lucas.” I said, looking at my belly, which became instantly blurred due to my tears.

Dahlia didn’t say a thing for a full minute. She was probably shocked to the bone.

“What?” She exclaimed mildly, as if she was talking to herself.

“I… I got the report from the doctor. Lucas almost found out, but I begged the doctor not to tell him.” I cried, trying to keep my voice low.

“Oh my God. That… that is going to be so…”

“I don’t know what to do. What am I going to do? In three or four months, I’ll be all bloated up. Everyone would know. John would definitely know it isn’t his. Lucas might deny it, and I’ll probably be embarrassed, and my life will be made hell. The shame will kill me before anything.” I rambled on, and Dahlia listened.

“I hope you are not contemplating abortion.” Dahlia asked, with sadness wracking her voice.

“No, no. I can’t murder a living being.” I replied.

“It will all be for the best, Emily. Whatever happens, I am here with you. I will pray for you. You shouldn’t be so devastated. If it’s a visit you need, I will come visiting.”

“I’m going to be fine, Dahlia. I just wanted to tell you.”

“We will be fine. I promise you that. I will be here, so tell me anything, and everything that goes on with you, okay?”

“I will, Dahlia. Thanks for everything. Wish Nellie my congratulations, okay? Everything that happens, I’ll relate with you.”

“Right after this call, go to the dining room, and eat. I’m very sure you haven’t eaten.” She said, and I laughed, raising my hand to cover my mouth.

“Why would you conclude that?”

“Whenever you’re depressed, you always refrain from eating. Now go downstairs, and make a video of you eating. I will watch it all. Now.” She said, and I laughed again.

“I will make the video.” I replied, playing with my clothes.

After the call with Dahlia, I went to the kitchen, and made a video of myself eating, and laughing at the stupidity of it. She was probably going to notice how lean I had become, but she was going to be happy I was laughing.

As the days passed, I avoided Lucas seriously. When he came up from the other side of the hall, I exited the other.

My dinner was always brought to me upstairs. The only thing I ate happily in the dining was breakfast and Lunch since he was always at work.

There were exceptions to that though. He had some days when he stayed home, and those days, I did well to stay in my room.

About a week later, a little knock came on my door, I rose out of bed feeling tired, and groggy, and the knock came again impatiently.

Before getting there, I already knew who was knocking.

“What the hell are you doing?” Sadie asked, with her hands on her little waist, as I opened the door.

She was dressed in an elegant black dress, which had white netting at the chest, and long white sleeves, and a black collar.

The dress was short, and pleated, making her short legs look slightly less short.

Her heels were also the kind of heels adults wore, only they were of a smaller size.

Her bun sat perfectly on her head with golden pins, and her scowl was what perfected her look of the wicked Cousin-in-law.

“What the hell am I doing?” I asked.

“You’ve been avoiding Lucas for days. Do you think I wouldn’t notice? Oh, you’re trying to play smart, right? You’re trying to avoid my matchmaking.”

“Why are you so obsessed with your stupid matchmaking?” I asked, getting annoyed.

“Because it’s what kids my age love to do these days. I need to present my friends evidence of matchmaking you two together.”

“I thought your friends already think we’re your parents.”

“Not those friends, dumbass!” She snapped.

“Sadie, I’m not in the mood to…”

“Get downstairs immediately. The family’s leaving for a lunch outing.” She commanded, and stormed off, with her heels sounding like an angry model walking away from her duties.

“Damn!” I exclaimed, pushing my door shut with the loudest slam it could produce.

My breath came out faster, and my hands alighted on my hips as my chest heaved heavily.

She made my blood boil. No, I couldn’t tolerate her. Without her in the house, it would make things less miserable.

Couldn’t she play matchmaker with Katie? Katie would gladly accept it. After all, she liked Lucas.

~

In half an hour, I was dressed in a flair wine dress, with off-shouldered sleeves. For about ten minutes, I stared at the heels I was supposed to wear, not wanting to wear it at all, but eventually having to.

They definitely wouldn’t have me in a suit on an outing, would they? I didn’t want to be uncomfortable, and I was already dressed as formal as I could. Even a normal secretary didn’t wear suits when going on dinner or lunch outings that had to do with meeting clients.

When I went down the stairs, I saw Alpha Raymond, Alpha Will, and Lady Genevieve talking with Lucas.

Derella was coming in, with Derel behind her, saying something that made her smile.

“Hello, Emily.” Alpha Will greeted, and beckoned me to come over to them.

“Good morning.” I greeted them all.

“You look splendid.” Alpha Will complimented me, and I gave an appreciative smile.

“A little leaner, and whiter.” Lady Genevieve pointed out.

“Must be the stress. Maybe she’s the lazy type.” Alpha Raymond grunted.

“Just like Mira who’s nowhere to be found this morning.” Lucas chipped in, and just then, Lady Mira showed up.

“I’m so sorry. Everyone’s here already. Even Sadie.” She said, then touched my shoulder. “Why, you’re looking beautiful today. Was she already informed she’s going as John’s Fiancée, and not his secretary?” She asked, and I looked at Alpha Will.

“Yes, you’re going as John’s Fiancée. We are meeting with a family that John was supposed to marry into before he talked about you. They’re not mad, but still we have to show them good reasons for accepting you into our family. You’re to be on your best behavior.” He explained, holding a glass of wine, and I nodded.

I was to play the good wife-to-be with another man’s baby in my belly.

Shortly, we set off, and I rode in the car with Lucas. It was silent, and I hated the awkward silence, yet I didn’t want to say a word. He didn’t too.

He seemed to notice I didn’t want any chitchat.

We got to a pretty extravagant building which seemed to be a restaurant, with lots of floors.

The cars lined up after each other, and as I got out, I saw the family stepping out of their respective cars with their children.

What a formidable family they were.

We all walked into the building, and the waiters and waitresses lined in two respective lines, as they bowed to us; we walked between the path they set for us.

I had never experienced that kind of respect and feeling of fulfilment in my life. I felt like a politician.

We took elevators to the last floor, where there was a single long table. We took our different seats, and I was seated in between Derella and Sadie.

We waited for some minutes, and I listened to everyone talk.

“They’re here, they’re here.” Alpha Raymond announced, smoothening his tie, and everyone raised their chins, acting prim and proper. I did the same, even though I wished John had let them know we were no longer together.

That way he could be married off to someone else.

The family came in and I could see they weren’t much. There was a man, a woman, a granny, and a male and female who looked to be around my age.

We all stood up, and bowed. I recognized the man as the Alpha of the Craggstone Pack. It was no wonder they wanted John to marry their daughter perhaps. So they could have an alliance.

It was probably why they disliked me. I wasn’t wealthy, and didn’t have a pack to support me.

The girl had long brown hair that was as smooth as silk. It fell to her waist, and she had a pretty comb on her head that made her look like a graceful Queen in her white blazer dress.

And then as they approached us, something horrible happened.

I gagged.