My First Love Died, Now My Step Uncle Wants Me-Chapter 11: A Child of the Rhodes Family

Caleb Rhodes steadied her, his gaze fixed on her ashen face. His voice was as cold as ice. "Nina Wynn, do you know how you’re going to die?"

Nina Wynn’s lips moved, but she couldn’t form a complete sentence. She just softly called out, "Uncle."

Though she was incredibly drunk, a sliver of clarity remained in Nina Wynn’s mind.

She knew the man before her was Caleb Rhodes. She knew it, and she was terrified, but she had absolutely no control over her body.

Being drunk was an agonizing feeling. Her stomach burned as if it were being roasted over a fire, yet her limbs were ice-cold and limp.

Nina Wynn leaned against Caleb Rhodes, her hand subconsciously clutching his shirt to keep from sliding to the floor.

It was as if he were her only life raft; she had to cling to him tightly to keep from drowning at sea.

The reek of alcohol on her made Caleb Rhodes’s brow furrow, but his hand still gripped her waist.

"Can you walk on your own?"

His voice was crisp and cold, as cool as his body, and it stirred a strange sense of longing in the feverish Nina Wynn.

Yet she was also terrified of him, wishing she could be as far away from him as humanly possible.

She clutched his clothes and slurred, "I can..."

But the word had barely left her lips before her entire body began to slide down uncontrollably.

A surge of anger rose in Caleb’s heart. ’Still lying, even now?’

He swept her into the crook of his arm. Boneless, half of Nina Wynn’s body draped over his arm, her feet lifting off the ground. Like a little koala clinging to a tree, she looked strangely cute.

Several school administrators had followed them and were already standing outside the door. They were stunned to see a girl in a school uniform draped over Caleb Rhodes’s arm.

"President Rhodes, and this is...?"

Caleb Rhodes’s gaze lingered for a second on Nina Wynn’s bloodless face. He tightened his arm, tucking her head against his chest to hide her face.

"One of the Rhodes family’s children," he said, his voice flat.

The administrators exchanged astonished glances. They hadn’t realized there was another member of the Rhodes Family at their school.

They knew Caleb Rhodes’s niece, Crystal Rhodes, was a student, but the famous girl had barely been on campus for the last year or two. How could another child from the Rhodes Family suddenly appear out of nowhere?

They tried to see the girl’s face, but Caleb had already shielded it, leaving only the back of her head visible.

Caleb had no intention of revealing Nina’s identity. His hand held her waist firmly as his piercing gaze swept over the school administrators. "To think your school has stooped so low as to force students to entertain clients with drinks. How utterly disgraceful."

His words were few, but they carried immense weight. A cold dread washed over the administrators.

Caleb Rhodes had the full backing of the Rhodes Family—a family that stood at the apex of the nation in both power and wealth. Forget a few lowly school administrators; for them, even replacing the mayor of Elysian City would be a simple matter.

But Caleb had no intention of giving them a chance to explain. He said to Willson Lawson in a low voice, "You stay and handle things here."

Then, with his arm around Nina, he walked straight past them.

Nina was half-draped over Caleb’s arm all the way to the parking lot.

Just as Caleb opened the car door, Nina whispered, "Uncle, I think I’m going to be sick..."

Caleb looked at her ashen face and frowned. He helped her over to a nearby tree. "Wait here. I’ll be right back."

The moment Caleb left, Nina couldn’t hold it in any longer. Clutching her churning stomach, she was violently sick.

She was somewhat relieved that Caleb had walked away and wasn’t there to stare at her in such a pathetic state.

After retching for a while, her stomach finally settled a little. Nina slowly shuffled to the side to rest.

She closed her eyes, her body feeling increasingly heavy.

But even in this state, she still wanted to run. A deep-seated fear of Caleb made her unwilling to spend a single second longer with him.

This section was a public parking lot for the school, open to visitors, so there were many cars from off-campus.

Nina glanced in the direction Caleb had gone. Seeing no sign of him, she shuffled along a row of cars and hid behind a large G-Wagen.

The vehicle’s tall frame completely concealed her, leaving only the faint scent of alcohol lingering in the air.

She huddled by the G-Wagen’s wheel, listening for any sound.

A few minutes later, the sound of steady footsteps grew closer, and she heard Caleb call out in a low voice, "Nina."

Nina didn’t dare make a sound. Like a thief terrified of being caught, she barely dared to breathe. Her cold palms were now slick with nervous sweat.

Her attention was fixed entirely on Caleb. Even from dozens of meters away, she clearly heard him open and close his car door, and then she heard him call Willson Lawson.

Then, it sounded like Caleb had begun searching for her, car by car. Those familiar footsteps grew closer... and closer.

Nina’s eyes flew open. She nervously clutched the tire, not daring to take a breath. She couldn’t bear to imagine what would happen if Caleb caught her—would he tear her limb from limb?

Her mind flashed back to that afternoon three years ago, when she had been cornered just like this, feeling suffocated. She wished the ground would open up and swallow her whole.

Soon, the footsteps stopped in front of the G-Wagen. In the dim light, she saw Caleb’s tall, imposing figure cast a long shadow. Her body began to tremble uncontrollably. Even from his silhouette alone, she could feel his immense, oppressive presence.

The shadow drew nearer, and the suffocating scent of cedar began to fill the air.

Nina huddled in the shadow of the G-Wagen’s wheel. In the darkness, she was like a young animal hiding in a corner, secretly watching the massive predator that was about to devour her, her body trembling with tension.

Just as Caleb’s figure was about to come into view, the G-Wagen’s door was suddenly pulled open. A large, strong hand yanked her up. Before Nina could even react, she was shoved into the vehicle.

The G-Wagen’s door was then gently pushed shut, and through the remaining crack, every word of the conversation outside drifted in.

"Master Rhodes? So it really is you. I heard you were back. I just didn’t expect to run into you here."

Caleb’s voice was cold and steady. "Who are you?"

The man let out a low, magnetic chuckle. "Master Rhodes goes abroad for three years and suddenly doesn’t recognize me? I suppose the great are always forgetful."

"You’re a Prescott? Cole Prescott’s younger brother... Finn Prescott?"

The man clicked his tongue. "The Third Lord Master lives up to his name, figuring that out so quickly. Yes, I’m Finn Prescott. What are you doing here, Third Lord Master? Looks like you’re searching for someone."

Caleb’s voice was, as always, perfectly unruffled. "One of the family’s children is missing. I came to take a look."

Finn said, "Oh? How old is this child? Maybe I can help you look for them?"

Caleb’s gaze fell on the slightly ajar car door behind Finn. He stared at it for several seconds, his eyes so sharp they seemed ready to bore through the metal and see what was inside.