My First Love Died, Now My Step Uncle Wants Me-Chapter 93: Holding the One You Love

The overpowering kiss lasted a long time. Caleb Rhodes didn’t let go until Nina Wynn felt like she couldn’t take it anymore.

It was already very late when they arrived home.

Nina Wynn had fallen asleep in the car and was carried into the house by Caleb Rhodes.

She slept fitfully all night and started running a fever in the middle of the night.

Nina Wynn always ran a fever after a traumatic incident, so Caleb Rhodes had been prepared for it when he brought her home that evening.

Dr. Chapman came to check on her but didn’t say much. After prescribing some medicine to reduce the fever, he left with the usual advice: get plenty of rest and try not to add to her stress.

By morning, the fever had subsided, but she felt even more drained.

After breakfast, she slept until the afternoon and only then began to feel slightly better.

Caleb Rhodes wasn’t usually home at this hour. Remembering the things he had put away, Nina Wynn paced around his study several times.

’I can’t believe I can’t find the safe!!’

She had lived in this courtyard house for so long, exploring nearly every part of it until she knew every nook and cranny. But after searching all this time, she still hadn’t found the safe.

’All of my important things are in his possession now. I have to find a way to get them back!’

She once again searched every corner she could think of but still couldn’t find the safe. Unwilling to give up, Nina Wynn started casually asking Miss Zimmerman about Caleb Rhodes.

She asked about his hobbies, if he had a habit of collecting things, and where he usually kept his collection.

Miss Zimmerman maintained her cold expression, giving only brief answers to her questions. Nina couldn’t get a single piece of useful information out of her.

Though Nina Wynn was anxious, she could only be patient.

It began to snow around four or five in the afternoon. Holding Roy, Nina Wynn stood at the window watching the snowflakes, once again falling silent.

She wore a long-sleeved, cream-colored knit set. The color made her skin look as white as snow, further accentuating her ink-black hair and her fine, delicate features.

The weather grew colder each day, and she was physically frail. Seeing her standing motionless for so long, Miss Zimmerman draped a cashmere shawl over her shoulders, even though it was warm inside the house. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎

The soft cashmere shawl’s craftsmanship and quality indicated its extraordinary price; it was truly both warm and exquisite.

’Just like the man who chose it,’ she thought. ’Noble and handsome. The rare moments of gentleness he shows make you want to throw yourself at him like a moth to a flame.’

’The longer I stay by Caleb Rhodes’s side, the more dangerous it gets. It’s gotten so dangerous now that I feel like I have to run away.’

After securing the shawl around her, Miss Zimmerman spoke in a low voice, "Zyler Rhodes has been waiting outside for two hours. Would you like to see him, Miss Wynn?"

A hint of coldness, almost imperceptible, flashed in Nina Wynn’s eyes. "Does my uncle know?" she asked lightly.

"He doesn’t," Miss Zimmerman replied.

Nina Wynn lowered her head, her gaze dropping. "You’ll tell him, won’t you, Miss Zimmerman? I feel like a prisoner under twenty-four-hour surveillance."

Miss Zimmerman’s expression was neutral, betraying no emotion. "I don’t report everything. Trivial matters and unimportant people aren’t worth mentioning."

"Do you want to see him, Miss Wynn?"

Nina Wynn didn’t speak, just stared silently out at the courtyard.

The snow was coming down hard. In just a short time, a thin blanket of white had settled over the courtyard, cloaking it in a magnificent, cold beauty.

’Just like its owner,’ she thought.

After a long silence, Nina Wynn said, "I’ll see him."

She put down Roy and went into the walk-in closet.

She emerged wearing a visibly soft, pale gray cashmere coat with a hood trimmed in a circle of pure white fur. The outfit gave her a colder, more aloof air, yet it also enhanced her youthful appearance.

Without an umbrella, she walked straight out into the snow.

The moment she stepped outside, she saw Zyler Rhodes’s car parked under a nearby tree. He wasn’t inside but leaning against the car in the blowing snow, smoking. The ground by his door was littered with cigarette butts, a sign he’d been waiting for a long while.

Zyler Rhodes not only looked somewhat like Caleb Rhodes, but their tastes were also similar.

The moment Nina Wynn appeared in his sight, dressed like this, his eyes immediately lit up.

He approached, pleasantly surprised. "Nina, I thought you weren’t going to come out. Looks like I didn’t wait for nothing."

Nina Wynn took a step back, putting a little distance between them. "Why are you here to see me?"

Zyler Rhodes thought she looked even more beautiful today than she had yesterday, but the aura of detachment around her was also stronger. He felt that Nina Wynn was slipping out of his grasp.

A potent mix of disappointment and innate male possessiveness made him act impulsively. He strode forward, grabbed Nina Wynn’s arm, and pulled her toward the car. "It’s cold out here. Let’s talk inside."

Nina Wynn wrenched her arm free. "That’s not necessary. We can talk right here. My uncle says you have a fiancée, and he told me to keep my distance."

Her voice was still soft, but within that softness, there was a hint of resilience.

Zyler Rhodes glanced at Miss Zimmerman, who stood watching from the doorway. He was reluctant to back down but didn’t dare try to drag Nina Wynn away by force.

So he said, "I went to see your aunt. She lost the baby. She’s taking it very hard."

Nina Wynn’s heart clenched. A dull, numb pain spread through her chest.

Her face remained impassive. "You must be happy she lost her baby."

Zyler Rhodes frowned. "I know what you’re getting at. I may not like her, and I certainly didn’t want her to give birth to a son, but that child would have posed no threat to me!"

"Given her status, any son she bore would never have been officially recognized. So don’t think I was the one who wanted to get rid of her child. I wouldn’t stoop to something like that!"

Those words sounded extremely familiar, almost identical to what Caleb Rhodes had said last time.

For generations, the Rhodes Family had prioritized marriages between social equals. Nina Wynn understood that much.

But for some reason, her heart felt heavy and ached a little.

She lowered her gaze and said quietly, "You people from the Rhodes Family... you really know how to ruin a person."

Zyler Rhodes’s brow tightened. "Nina, don’t say that. I know I did things that made you unhappy before, but I’ll make it up to you. I’ve already bought a place in downtown Aethelburg—a luxury, single-story apartment over four hundred square meters. It’s fully decorated, the furniture has been ordered, and it’s all just waiting for you."

’Here we go again!’

Suppressing her profound disgust for him, Nina Wynn let a cold light flash in her eyes. "My aunt and I are just your playthings, aren’t we? My aunt was officially married into your family, yet her son would have been treated no better than an illegitimate child. In that case, what would a child born to someone like me be? Less than an animal?"

Zyler Rhodes quickly interjected, "No, it’s not like that! You’re different. I genuinely like you. That’s why I won’t touch Ivy Lawson, let alone have a child with her."

Before Nina Wynn could reply, he continued, "I know you’re having a hard time accepting my engagement to Ivy Lawson, but please, just bear with it for a little while. Once we have a child, everything will fall into place."

Nina Wynn’s eyes were downcast, her long eyelashes hiding all the emotion in them.

’Zyler Rhodes, you walked right into this. You brought this on yourself!’

She said softly, "If you’re going to get engaged to her, then please don’t come looking for me. My uncle is already helping me find a nice guy. Elysian City is a big place; it shouldn’t be hard to find someone decent."

Zyler Rhodes grew frantic and grabbed her hand. "You don’t need to say these things just to make me angry! I’ve already made concessions. I haven’t even spoken to her in days. What more do you want?"

With that, he took out his phone, pulled up his call history, and pointed. "See? I haven’t been answering Ivy Lawson’s calls."

A flicker of light crossed Nina Wynn’s eyes. She took the phone, glanced at it, and quickly committed the number to memory.

Zyler Rhodes was pleasantly surprised, taking her focus as a sign that she genuinely cared.

He squeezed Nina Wynn’s hand, refusing to let go. "Nina, I don’t like her. You’re the only one for me now. Just stay at my uncle’s place for a little longer. Once he’s engaged, you’ll have an excuse to move out, and then we’ll go to Aethelburg."

Nina Wynn froze, her body tensing. "When is my uncle getting engaged?"

Zyler Rhodes, lost in the happy delusion that Nina Wynn truly did have feelings for him, failed to notice her reaction.

He said gleefully, "Probably after the New Year. The family elders are already discussing the arrangements. My uncle’s engagement is a different matter from mine. As a junior, my celebration has to be low-key. But my uncle’s will be a huge, grand affair. All the guests will be big names."

Suddenly, as if remembering something, he added, "Oh, right! My uncle is with Rosalind Lowell on Mount Caelus as we speak. He bought her a villa there—one with a starlight ceiling. It’s quiet and beautiful, with a view over half of Elysian City. A perfect place for someone in poor health like her to recuperate."

"So, as long as Miss Zimmerman keeps her mouth shut, you don’t have to worry about him finding out I was here."

Nina Wynn didn’t pull her hand away. Her eyes remained downcast as she said softly, "He treats Miss Lowell so well."

Zyler Rhodes assumed she was envious and chuckled. "No need to be jealous. It’s just a villa with a starlight ceiling. That’s nothing. If you like them, I’ll buy one for you."

Nina Wynn shook her head. "That’s not it. I just mean... my uncle must really love Miss Lowell."

Zyler Rhodes nodded. "Of course. They grew up together, they’re childhood sweethearts, and their families are a perfect match. Everyone in Elysian City knows they’re a pair. If Miss Lowell hadn’t made that mistake a few years back, they’d have been married long ago. They might even have a few kids by now."

Nina Wynn fell silent.

The wind and snow intensified, chilling Nina Wynn’s hands until they were ice-cold. A cold ache began to spread through her heart, too.

She murmured, "They seem so close... I think they had a friend named Jonah. Did he grow up with them, too?"

Zyler Rhodes frowned. "Why bring up a dead man? Jonah Fletcher... he was Stephen Fletcher’s older brother. The three of them—my uncle, Rosalind, and him—grew up together. He died in an accident a few years back. My uncle was devastated for a long time afterward."

Nina Wynn didn’t look up, but the look in her eyes grew deeper and more intense.

She murmured, "Did Jonah Fletcher love Rosalind?"

"So I’ve heard," Zyler Rhodes said. "Jonah Fletcher loved Miss Lowell, but she and my uncle were a couple. In fact, my uncle and Miss Lowell were about to get engaged right when it happened. Jonah’s death drove them apart for several years. Because of it all, Miss Lowell made some mistakes back then, too."

He paused before sighing, "It’s tragic when people in love can’t be together. My uncle and Miss Lowell clearly love each other, but the death of their friend has stood between them. It’s dragged on for years, and they still haven’t gotten back together."

As he spoke, he tightened his grip on her hand, gazing, mesmerized, at her exquisite face. "Nina," he whispered, "let’s not be like them—in love but unable to be together. Just bear this for a few more days. As soon as I have everything arranged, we’ll leave for Aethelburg. And don’t worry, Ivy Lawson won’t last long in the Rhodes Family. The moment you’re pregnant with my child, I’ll bring you home to the family estate."

Nina Wynn didn’t say anything and slowly pulled her hand back.

"You should go, Zyler," she said. "Don’t come back for a while. My uncle will be angry if he sees you, and that won’t be good for you."

Reluctant to leave, Zyler Rhodes reached for her hand again. "Nina, you really do care about me. My uncle has been angry lately—he even pulled his investment in my new company. But it’s fine. He’s my blood-related uncle; he won’t really back out. Once I get things sorted, I’ll take you out."

Nina Wynn avoided Zyler Rhodes’s touch and turned to walk back inside.

The snow was falling even harder, and she quickly disappeared from Zyler Rhodes’s sight.

Once inside, Nina Wynn meticulously washed her hands and changed her clothes.

Before dinner, she called Caleb Rhodes.

She rarely contacted Caleb Rhodes on her own initiative. The call connected almost instantly. His voice, as deep and cold as always, came through the line. "What is it?"

Nina Wynn clutched her phone, listening intently to the sounds from his end. "Uncle," she said in a small voice, "Miss Zimmerman made your favorite dishes. Are you coming home for dinner?"

"I have something on tonight. I won’t be back."

Nina Wynn’s hand paused. She said softly, "Should I have her save some for you?"

"No need. I won’t be back tonight. Be a good girl, Nina. Remember to take your medicine on time. And if you can’t sleep, call me."

Nina Wynn bit her lip. "Uncle," she said quietly, "it’s snowing so heavily. It must be beautiful to watch the snow from a room with a starlight ceiling."

Caleb Rhodes sounded genuinely busy, his voice hurried. "If you want to watch the snow, we can go to a hotel with a hot spring room tomorrow night. Tonight won’t work."

Just then, another voice, loud and clear, cut in through the receiver. "Caleb, you dog, you’ve got good taste! The view here is incredible. Lying here at night, holding the one you love, and, you know... doing stuff... man, that would be the life!"

"Who are you even talking to? Rosalind and the others are waiting upstairs. Let’s go, the wine’s had time to breathe..."

Nina Wynn gripped the phone tightly, her palms sweating. She was silent, not saying a word.

Caleb Rhodes gave her a few more instructions and then hastily hung up.

Nina Wynn put the phone away and went to the sunroom.

The painting with the sunflower background was still unfinished. She worked on it for several more hours until midnight, when she finally made her last brushstroke.

The sunroom was well-heated, but as she rested her head on the workbench and watched the snow for a while, she still felt a chill.

She wrapped the small blanket tighter around herself and dialed Caleb Rhodes’s number.

This time, it wasn’t Caleb Rhodes who answered the phone, but an unfamiliar male voice.

"Who is this? Don’t you know what time it is?!"

Nina’s hand tightened. "I’m looking for Caleb Rhodes," she said quietly. "He’s my uncle."

The man on the other end gave a suggestive chuckle. "Ah, Crystal Rhodes, is it? Your uncle’s not available."

"But this is his phone," Nina corrected.

The man’s tone turned deliberately suggestive. "Your uncle and your future aunt are enjoying their wedding night. Are you sure you still want to talk to him?"