Dating My Ex-Uncle

Vera's POV I checked the time on my phone for the fifth time in ten minutes. 7:45 p.m. Lucien should be home soon. A smile spread across my face as I adjusted the flowers on the dining table. Red roses, his favorite. Beside them sat a beautifully decorated chocolate cake I had spent hours baking, along with the dinner I had prepared specially for him. Today was his birthday, and I wanted everything to be perfect. I had even taken a day off work just to prepare this surprise. Lucien had been complaining about how busy he was lately, barely having time for himself, so I thought bringing the celebration to his apartment would be the perfect idea. I stepped back to admire the decorations. The living room looked beautiful, with balloons, fairy lights, and a birthday banner hanging above the television. I had put so much effort into everything. Perhaps this year, he would finally understand how much he meant to me. My phone vibrated. I quickly picked it up, hoping to see a message from him, but it was only a notification from work. I sighed and placed it aside. Just then, I heard the sound of a key turning in the lock. My heart leaped. I quickly picked up the small gift box I had prepared and moved towards the entrance. "Surpri..." The word died on my lips. Lucien walked into the apartment with his arms wrapped around another woman, their lips locked in a passionate kiss. For several seconds, I couldn't move. The gift box slipped from my fingers and landed on the floor. "Lucien!" They finally pulled apart. His expression changed when he saw me, but not into the guilt or embarrassment I expected. Instead, he looked irritated. "What the hell are you doing here?" he demanded. I stared at him, struggling to understand what I was seeing. "What am I doing here? Lucien, it's your birthday. I came to surprise you." He glanced at the decorations before letting out an annoyed laugh. "Are you seriously doing this?" "Doing what?" My voice came out weaker than I intended. "Who is she? Why were you kissing her?" The woman beside him smiled, looking me over from head to toe. "Oh, so you're the maid?" she asked, pretending to be surprised. "You prepared all this? How thoughtful." I turned towards her. "Maid?" Lucien rubbed his forehead impatiently. "Vera, you need to leave. I'm busy, and I never asked you to prepare anything for me." I looked at him, hoping he would at least explain himself. "Lucien, we've been together for years. You can't just bring another woman here and expect me to..." "Expect you to what?" he interrupted. "You're making a scene in my apartment." "Then tell me what is going on!" He stepped closer and shoved my shoulder, forcing me backwards. "I don't want anything to do with you anymore, Vera. Can't you understand that?" My lips parted, but no words came out. He continued, his voice growing colder. "Look at yourself. You're nothing but an ordinary worker who spends her time trying to be a housewife. What exactly do you have to offer me? I need a woman who matches my status, someone I can proudly show off, not someone who will become a liability." The woman beside him chuckled. "Lucien, let's not waste our evening." He immediately turned towards her, his expression softening. "You're right, darling." I watched him take her hand. Was this really the same man I had loved? The same man I had defended whenever people questioned our relationship? The same man I had sacrificed so much for? My eyes burned, but I refused to let the tears fall in front of them. I picked up my handbag and walked out without another word. The moment I stepped outside, the tears came. I cried as I walked down the street, barely noticing the people passing me. Every step reminded me of how foolish I had been to believe that Lucien loved me. He had never even remembered my birthday. There had been times when I waited all day for a simple message from him, only to receive nothing. Yet here I was, spending my entire day preparing his favorite meal and decorating his apartment. And the worst part? I had once aborted a pregnancy because he told me he wasn't ready to become a father. He wanted to focus on his career, and I believed him. I convinced myself that losing that child was a sacrifice we had to make for our future. But what future? What had I gained from giving up so much for a man who couldn't even respect me? By the time I reached my apartment, my face was wet, and my legs felt heavy. Sia, my best friend and roommate, rushed towards me the moment she saw me. "Vera? What happened?" I tried to answer, but another sob escaped. She pulled me into her arms. "Who did this to you?" "Lucien," I managed to whisper. Her expression hardened. "That bastard? What did he do this time?" I told her everything, from the birthday surprise to finding him kissing another woman. I couldn't even finish without breaking down again. Sia listened quietly before shaking her head. "I knew that man was no good for you. I've told you countless times, but you wouldn't listen." "I loved him, Sia." "And what did he give you in return? Humiliation? You even sacrificed your own happiness for him!" I covered my face. "I don't know what I did wrong." "Nothing, Vera. You did absolutely nothing wrong." She sat beside me and held my hand. "But you need to stop crying over him. He doesn't deserve your tears. You need to gather yourself and make him regret treating you this way." I slowly lifted my head. "Make him regret?" "Yes. Why should he get away with everything while you suffer? You need to take your revenge." For a moment, I said nothing. Then an unfamiliar thought crossed my mind. Lucien had always been afraid of one person in his family. Someone whose approval he desperately wanted, someone whose opinion mattered more to him than almost anything. His uncle, Roman Sterling. A powerful man Lucien never dared to challenge. I wiped my tears and sat up. If Lucien believed I was beneath him, perhaps it was time to show him otherwise. A slow smile formed on my face. "You're right, Sia." She looked at me curiously. "About what?" I took a deep breath. "If Lucien wants to throw me away, then I'll make sure he regrets it. I'm going to date the one man he would never want me to have." "Who?" I looked straight at her. "His uncle. Roman Sterling.”