My First Love Died, Now My Step Uncle Wants Me-Chapter 72: He Is Her Man

The man was powerful and imposing, the woman graceful and charming.

Nina Wynn watched, captivated.

As the two reached a corner, Vivian Landon suddenly turned back and smiled at Nina Wynn.

It was a smile so brilliant it could mesmerize anyone.

Nina Wynn froze for a moment, then quickly lowered her head.

When she looked up again, Caleb Rhodes and Vivian Landon were gone.

A gust of wind carried the faint sound of music, but when she listened closely, it seemed to vanish.

’It suddenly felt like the whole world was bustling with activity, and I was the only one with nothing to do.’

She slowly walked back to the private courtyard and saw the butler trimming more than a dozen pots of newly transplanted white roses.

Nina Wynn handed her the small bunch of irises she had just picked in the garden.

The butler looked at Nina Wynn, her expression still blank. "Miss Wynn, should I put these in a vase?"

Nina Wynn shook her head. She gently touched the pale purple petals of an iris and said softly, "They’re for you."

The butler paused, stunned for a moment, before saying, "Thank you."

Her face remained blank, her tone devoid of emotion.

Nina Wynn added, "The meaning of the iris is ’a silent tongue, but an elegant soul.’"

A rare flicker of emotion crossed the butler’s eyes. She set down her shears. "Miss Wynn, would you like to replace the white roses with other flowers? Sunflowers, perhaps."

Nina Wynn shook her head. "Is the Rhodes Family holding a banquet here today?"

The butler replied, "Third Lord Master just secured a major project. He’s holding a press conference here, and there will be a dinner banquet this evening."

Nina Wynn nodded and went inside.

’No wonder so many people are here,’ she thought. ’It’s such a grand affair. Even the Joyce Family came.’

In the bedroom, Nina Wynn took out her phone. She stared blankly at her WeChat balance for a moment, then stood up and changed her clothes.

She changed into a white, sporty sweatsuit. It was a bit thick and seemed too warm for the current mild weather.

The butler gave her an extra glance as she headed out. "Are you cold? Why wear so many layers?"

Nina Wynn kept her eyes downcast. "It’s a little chilly where it’s windy. The thicker material will block it."

The butler said nothing more.

After leaving the main gate, she navigated a few turns and slipped into the public restroom closest to the hotel’s back entrance.

When she emerged, she was wearing a knee-length, pale blue dress.

The style was slightly more elegant, making her look like one of the guests attending the banquet.

As she walked out the back entrance, the guard only glanced at her a few times without stopping her. He clearly hadn’t recognized her.

Nina Wynn breathed a sigh of relief and hurried into the supermarket across the street.

When she came out again, she was carrying a plastic bag, and a rideshare vehicle pulled up in front of her.

Two hours later, Nina Wynn arrived at the apartment complex where she used to rent.

Of course, she didn’t have a key. She spent seventy yuan to hire a locksmith from downstairs, and he had the door open in less than a minute.

She hadn’t been back in two months, and a layer of dust covered everything.

She pulled a cardboard box out from under the bed, took out all the documents inside, quickly packed her art supplies, and then called Hugh Chapman.

When she arrived, Hugh Chapman was already waiting downstairs. The moment he saw her, his face took on a pitiful expression.

"Sister, where on earth have you been? I don’t believe a single word of what you told me. Don’t even think about trying to fool me!"

After two months apart, the boy had grown taller, and his resemblance to Evan Chapman was even more striking. Even while wearing a nineteen-yuan oversized T-shirt and standing in the dilapidated stairwell, he looked exceptionally delicate and refined. The moment those eyes, which bore a slight resemblance to Evan Chapman’s, filled with hurt, Nina Wynn’s heart melted completely.

They talked for a while, and despite Nina Wynn making up countless excuses, Hugh Chapman refused to believe she had been hospitalized. He was adamant that the Rhodes Family had locked her up.

Nina Wynn finally showed him her wound, which made him reluctantly believe her.

Nina Wynn handed him her bank card. "There are tens of thousands of yuan in here. Use it for now. I’ll figure out a way to get the money for the surgery."

Hugh Chapman’s expression soured, and he refused outright. "No. I’ll figure something out myself. Besides, it’s not like they’ll find a matching bone marrow donor anytime soon."

He pulled Nina Wynn into a hug, his voice low. "Sis, you’ve been through so much all these years. From now on, I won’t let you suffer anymore."

He’d had a growth spurt recently and was now taller than Nina Wynn by more than half a head. Hugging her like this, he almost completely concealed her.

Nina Wynn failed to notice the possessiveness in his embrace. Nor did she see that his eyes, in that moment, lacked their usual clean, bright clarity.

"Sis, after how the Rhodes Family treated you, you can’t go back. Your aunt isn’t a good person, either. When she took you in, it was really so she could—"

"Hugh Chapman!"

Nina Wynn patted his fluffy hair. ’It doesn’t feel as cute as it did when he was little,’ she thought. ’It’s almost prickly now.’

"That’s enough, Hugh. She’s my aunt. She’s the only family I have left."

Hugh Chapman’s voice dropped, the obsessive glint in his eyes intensifying. "Sister, *I’m* your only family now."

"Okay, okay, you’re my family too. Can you let go of me now? You’re squeezing so tight I can barely breathe."

Hugh Chapman finally let go, but not before nuzzling his head against her shoulder. "Sister, you won’t even let me hug you for a little longer. You have no idea how much I’ve missed you these past two months. I went to wait for you outside the Rhodes estate so many times."

His voice was full of hurt. Nina Wynn’s heart softened, and she patted his back. "All right, now. You’re a grown man, about to graduate high school, and you’re still acting like a little kid."

Hugh Chapman buried his head in her shoulder again, his body hunched over in a posture of extreme attachment. "Sis, please don’t go back to the Rhodes Family, okay? I have a job now. I can support you."

Nina Wynn pushed him away, her expression displeased. "You haven’t even taken your college entrance exams. What are you doing with a job? Quit! You need to focus on your studies!"

Hugh Chapman grabbed her hand, his gaze gentle and his smile breathtakingly bright. "I’m a private tutor for a rich kid. It’s five hundred a night. Sis, don’t forget, I’m a top student. I’m just as smart as my brother."

Nina Wynn frowned. "I don’t care. Quit."

Hugh Chapman argued, "Sis, you know I don’t have evening study hall. I’d just be sitting around anyway. I might as well tutor for a couple of hours. It won’t affect my studies at all, and the family lives right around here."

Nina Wynn fell silent for a moment before reluctantly agreeing.

She stayed for a little while longer, then got up to leave.

Just after Nina Wynn left, a red Ferrari screeched to a halt, blocking the entrance to the complex.

Hugh Chapman emerged, now wearing his school uniform.

A woman was leaning against the car door, smoking while she waited for him.

Despite the chilly weather, the woman was dressed in a crop top and hot pants. Though her face was naturally pretty, it was painted with garish lipstick, and her nails were lacquered red, giving her a slightly tawdry look.

When she saw Hugh Chapman, her expression went vacant for a second. Then, she blew a smoke ring in his direction and smirked. "Nice uniform. Get in!"

Hugh Chapman’s face was cold, his eyes like ice, as if the gentle, warm person from moments ago had been nothing but an act.

He had just reached the car door when the woman grabbed his arm, her eyes narrowing. "What’s with the long face again? Give me a smile! I’m paying for a good time, not to stare at your gloomy mug."

Hugh Chapman stared at her coldly. "Then don’t pay. I never asked you to."

He turned from the car and started walking away.

The woman clicked her tongue and hurried after him. "Hey, I was just kidding! My little prince, I’m the one begging to pay for your time. I was wrong, okay? I admit I was wrong, can’t we just leave it at that?"

Only then did Hugh Chapman stop walking. "Where are we going today?"

The woman hooked a finger in his uniform collar, stood on her tiptoes, and planted a kiss on his cheek. Her voice was seductive. "To the mountain villa. I’ve got a tent set up. We can watch the stars tonight."

Hugh Chapman said nothing. He simply pulled her hand away and got into the car.

A flicker of disappointment crossed the woman’s eyes, but she quickly followed him.

Soon, the car vanished down the rundown alley.

Nina Wynn had arranged to meet Noelle Landon at a restaurant they used to frequent.

Noelle Landon looked much thinner, and her spirits seemed low.

She asked briefly about Nina Wynn’s two-month disappearance but didn’t press for details.

Nina asked if she was in some kind of trouble, but Noelle just shook her head and changed the subject. "Is Zyler Rhodes still bothering you?"

A flicker of disgust crossed Nina Wynn’s eyes. She shook her head. "He’s probably getting engaged to Ivy Lawson. She’s extremely possessive and has a horrible temper. He’s basically walked into a hornet’s nest. He won’t have time to bother with me anymore."

With that, she handed the documents she’d brought to Noelle Landon. "These are my identification papers and the will my mother wrote back when she was still lucid. I... It’s not safe for me to keep them where I am. Can you hold onto them for me for a while?"

Noelle Landon looked through the papers and noticed the household registration booklet and property deed were missing. "Where’s your household registration and the deed to the house?"

Nina Wynn sighed softly. "My aunt has them."

Noelle Landon said, annoyed, "What’s she doing with your household registration and property deed? Your family’s house might be a little old and small, but it’s inside the Third Ring Road. It’s worth a fortune now. Your mom’s will was perfectly clear: she was supposed to look after the property until you turned twenty, then transfer it to you. You’re twenty now, so why hasn’t she given it to you? Is she planning on keeping it?"

Nina Wynn’s gaze dimmed. She shook her head. "I doubt it. She’s with the Rhodes Family now. A single set of her jewelry is worth more than that house."

Noelle Landon poked her on the forehead and said through gritted teeth, "You need to wake up! How many years has it been since she paid you any attention? You’ve been earning your own tuition since you were thirteen, and when you started renting your own place, she never once checked in on you. Nino, I don’t mean to overstep, but what good is an aunt like that? It’s obvious she plans to keep your house."

"I heard they’re planning to demolish that neighborhood for redevelopment. You’d better get the property transfer sorted out as soon as possible."

Nina Wynn gazed out the window and murmured, "It’s going to be redeveloped?"

’Are my only warm memories going to be swallowed up too?’

Noelle Landon hummed in affirmation, then glanced at Nina Wynn, her eyes darting away. "So... what’s your relationship with the Rhodes Family’s Third Lord Master, Caleb Rhodes? Are you on speaking terms with him?"

At the mention of Caleb Rhodes’s name, Nina Wynn stiffened. Before she could say a word, a black Rolls-Royce glided to a stop right outside their window.

The car door opened, and a young man with an overwhelming presence stepped out. He wore an expensive, custom-tailored suit, exuding an air of cold, noble authority.

The instant their eyes met, she clearly saw the hostility and chill within his gaze.

Nina Wynn froze completely. Staring at the sudden appearance of Caleb Rhodes, she momentarily forgot Noelle Landon was still sitting across from her.

Just then, Noelle Landon let out a low gasp. "Holy crap, he’s gorgeous! What kind of luck do I have today, seeing a specimen like that outside some little roadside diner?"

"Tsk. This guy... why does he look so familiar? Is he a celebrity or something?"

"Oh my god, he’s looking at me!"

"Is he coming in?"

Through the glass, Caleb Rhodes’s gaze rested on Nina Wynn’s pale face for several seconds before shifting to Noelle Landon.

Then, he strode toward the entrance.

Nina Wynn shot to her feet, snatched the documents off the table, and shoved them into Noelle Landon’s hands. Her voice was frantic. "Quick, put these away!"

Noelle Landon was still mesmerized by Caleb Rhodes’s devastatingly good looks. "Damn, he’s so handsome... wait, why are you in such a rush? It’s not like anyone’s going to snatch them."

Nina Wynn grabbed her friend’s backpack and stuffed all the documents inside.

Noelle Landon had no idea what she was doing. Just as she was about to ask, she saw the man from outside had reached their table.

And he was sizing her up.

She stood up and stammered, "S-Sir, can I... can I help you with something?"

’This guy’s gaze is so damn intense,’ she thought. ’It’s cold and dark, and his aura is so oppressive he barely seems human. He might be gorgeous, but his temper is probably atrocious.’

’Compared to him, Fletcher the Dog seems so much better.’

While her thoughts were racing, the man unexpectedly sat down right next to Nina Wynn.

Nina Wynn remained standing, her face ashen. Her soft hands clutched the hem of her dress as she whispered, "Uncle... y-you... why are you here?"

Caleb Rhodes glanced at her, his voice frigid. "Nina Wynn, where do you think I should be?"

Sweat beaded on Nina Wynn’s palms and forehead.

’I thought Caleb Rhodes might find me today, but I didn’t think it would be this fast. Thank God I’m not at Hugh’s place.’

At that thought, she seemed to relax slightly. Keeping her eyes lowered, she said in a small voice, "The Rhodes Family is having a banquet at the hotel, so I came out to chat with a friend. We haven’t seen each other in a long time."

Caleb Rhodes’s icy gaze landed on Noelle Landon’s face.

His gaze, sharp as an ice pick, scrutinized Noelle Landon. The oppressive aura of a man in power made her feel as if she were facing an enraged Fletcher the Dog all over again.

She swallowed hard and looked at Nina Wynn. "Nino, who is he? Why did you call him ’Uncle’?"

Just then, Caleb Rhodes retracted his gaze. He grabbed Nina Wynn’s soft hand and gave a sharp tug, pulling her down to sit beside him. She stumbled, nearly falling into his lap.

He glanced at the dishes they had ordered, and his brow twitched almost imperceptibly. His voice was like ice. "Nina Wynn, you refuse to eat the food Warner Zimmerman prepared for you, yet you come out to eat this garbage?"

Noelle Landon flared up, her face flushing with anger. "Nino, who the hell is he?"

’So rude!’

’Does he think he’s all that just because he’s handsome?’

Before Nina Wynn could speak, Caleb Rhodes answered. "I’m Caleb Rhodes."

His voice was glacial. He stared unblinkingly at Noelle Landon and enunciated each word with chilling precision. "I am Nina Wynn’s man."

The words struck like a bolt from the blue, leaving Noelle Landon staring, her mouth hanging open in a perfect ’O’.

Nina Wynn’s face went sheet-white, and she shot to her feet.