Chapter 38: Chapter 38

JUNE

“And if it is? Tell me, is there anything wrong with having a love mark?” I folded my arms, challenging him with my brows raised. “You spent the night with your 'girlfriend' didn't you?” I gave Edith a dark look, feeling the urge to rip her hair off her scalp.

The woman just has the guts to look so innocent?!

“How dare you?!” He took a step towards me, looking so murderous, it caused me to take a step back. Kristin has been pissed, but never like this.

“Just because she's your niece doesn't mean you've got to yell at her,” Mark said, taking Kristin's focus off me, and back to him. “She has chosen me as a boyfriend, Kristin. Just get over it. She's not a child that you have to worry about her all the time. She's old enough to —”

The punch that came from Kristin as he closed the distance between them, caused me to yell as I ran to Mark's side and held him.

“Are you okay, Love?” I gently asked, placing my hand under his jaw, which was red and swollen, making me feel guilty about this.

Though it's his idea, I can't help feeling bad about this. Mark doesn't deserve to go through all this just because he's trying to help me.

“I'm good, June. You don't need to worry about me,” he smiled, angering me with the damn expression. It gave me this urge to knock him on the forehead until he realized that nothing was good about this.

“No, I can't!” I turned towards my uncle, who was fuming in anger. “It seems you are tired of me,” I placed my hands on my waist. “You want me out of your house so badly, right? Don't worry, I'm moving out today.”

It seems like I'm not needed in the house any more. Not only is he dating that bitch, but it seems like she intends to move in with him.

Why else would she rush to his house the moment she heard that I wouldn't be returning?

“What the hell are you talking about, June? Did he put you up to this?” He looked helpless.

“Mark didn't put me up to this, you did,” I pointed at his chest. “Don't worry, you can freely live here with your girlfriend, I don't care!”

I marched towards the house and placed my palm on the sensor, almost imagining it giving a red alert signal because my uncle decided to change it. But it didn't do that.

The door opened, and I stepped in, going straight to my room to take as much of my clothes as I would need in a week, so I could return to—

The door opened, and Kristin rushed in, closing the door behind him.

“Doll, what the hell are you doing?” He closed the distance between us.

“Packing,” I didn't turn to look at him as I continued to pack my clothes.

“I won't let you step out of this house.” He placed his hand on mine and tried to stop me from packing, but I slapped his hand off me.

“Don't you ever try to touch me, Kristin! I'm leaving, and that's final!” I returned to what I was doing, stuffing clothes into my small travelling bag, without even looking at them.

I will have to go through them when I'm in a better mood. For now, I need to get out as fast as I can.

“Mark has changed you, June. You are not the little doll that always runs to your uncle whenever you are hurt. I don't recognize you any more,” he said in a broken voice, almost getting me to turn to face him, but I didn't give in to the temptations.

I need to make him see that I'm a woman he can trust and not someone he can treat like a child. I'm not the damned child he always treats me as.

I zipped my bag, and carried it up, turning to leave.

“Okay, I give up, baby girl,” he sighed. “If dating Mark is what you want, then, I can turn a blind eye to it.”

I froze at his words because I wasn't expecting it. Kristin is a headstrong man, who always loves it when things go his way. I wasn't expecting him to agree to this. Not at all. But he did.

“I will let you do anything you want, doll. All I want is for you to stay here with me. You are the only one I have.”

As much as his words made me wish to dance for joy, I couldn't help my thoughts when they went towards Edith, who was likely waiting for him downstairs.

“And Edith?”

“What of her?” He looked confused, blinking as if he was trying to know why I suddenly mentioned Edith.

“Isn't she part of your family? Aren't you dating her?” I raised a brow, trying not to let my emotions show on my face. "Didn't you tell me that over the phone?"

He sighed, looking like he didn't wish to have this conversation with me, “You know, doll... there is something I need you to know.” He sighed again.

“What? Are you getting married to her?” I asked, trying to sound sarcastic, but my emotions showed in those words.

He chuckled, “Why do you have such imaginations, baby girl? I'm not dating Edith. It was just a ploy to get you home and—”

“You sly man!” I poked him in the chest. “You lied to get me home!” Now, this is the most shocking news I have ever heard all my life.

Who would have thought my uncle knew how to play with other people's emotions?

“But it didn't work,” he sighed, smiling a bit. “You were such a headstrong baby, making your uncle worry about you all night,” he accused with a frown on his face.

“Hey! You were the one who made me leave! And let's not forget that you spent the night with your girlfriend. So I don't think you were worried that much about me,” I frowned.

“She's not my girlfriend, Doll. And I didn't spend the night… I was worried about you to care about anything else. You have to believe me, doll. I will never lie to you.”

“About Mark?”

He grimaced, “You can date him, provided I get to call some shots in your relationship. You will have to follow my orders and—”

“Will it even be classified as a relationship if you call the shots?” I folded my arms, dropping my bag in the process, to face him, pleased but trying not to show it.

“Nah, but at least I will have some peace of mind. You are my darling, and I hope you know that,” he leaned down and kissed me on my forehead, acting like the uncle I grew up to know. “I love you, doll. I hope you know that,” he murmured.

His words caused me to slowly glance up at him, “Enough to get you to end your relationship or whatever it is you have with Edith?” I raised a brow at him.

He looked conflicted by my question, looking like he didn't wish to answer. But he sighed, “You see, Doll, I —”

“Kristin? Are you up here?”

And the bitch decided to interrupt.

With a curse, Kristin turned towards the door. “I will be back, doll, I need to do something—”

He made to leave, but I stopped him, causing him to turn to face me, with his brows raised.

“What's wrong? Are you okay? I will—”

“Cut your ties with her if you wish for me to stay here,” I let go of him and stepped back, satisfied that I had gotten it across to him.

He looked as if he wanted to say something, but a call from the bitch caused him to turn, “We will talk about this when I return.” He left my room, gently closing the door behind him, while I plopped to the floor, with my palm on my chest, over my heart, thinking of our conversation, but that ended abruptly when my eyes landed on the underwear on the floor, almost under my bed.