A Secret Crush On My Step-Uncle

Her Secret

Elise's POV.

"Annabel, is there something that you're hiding from me?" My manager asked.

I jerked out of my reverie and looked up at him.

"Why would you ask that?" I inquired with a straight face.

He sighed and lowered his gaze before speaking. "I understand that you don't like talking too much about your past but if there's anything that can be dug out and used to ruin your reputation then please tell me."

"Anna, I can't help you, if you keep hiding secrets from me. I won't be able to save your reputation if everything goes downhill. So, whatever you've done or has happened to you…" He paused.

"Maybe you've spent some time in prison or you hurt someone in the past. Were you a bully in school and that crazy woman was your victim?"

When I heard that guess from him, a chuckle escaped my lips. I couldn't believe that he would think of Nicola as the victim.

People truly have a strange way of seeing things.

"Have I ever shown any trait of aggression before?" I asked with my gaze on him. "Look around you, from the knife on the floor to the shattered glass. Tell me, who in his or her right senses would term that woman a victim?"

"I apologize for making that assumption but what else do you want me to think?" He asked, stretching forth his hands in confusion. "She can't just attack you without a reason and she looked, even spoke like there was something in her possession or information she was aware of that could be used against you."

"Anna, I'm just looking out for you." He said and I could sense the sincerity in his words.

People say the eyes are a mirror to the soul, well the eyes could also hold deceit but looking into his, all I saw was sincere concern.

"Many celebrities get their lives ruined because they weren't able to keep their past a secret. So, tell me, what is yours?"

I exhaled deeply and thought for a while, whether to tell him the truth or withhold that information from him.

"Anna."

"Go check outside, if someone is eavesdropping," I instructed and he went to the door.

He opened it slightly, poked his head outside, and looked left and right before entering back inside and closing the door behind him.

"There's no one there." He responded and crossed his arms.

"Fine, I'll tell you the truth. Let's start with my name." I said and received a frantic look from him.

His eyebrows were furrowed at me and his eyes were squinting.

I ignored his expression and I continued. "My real name is Elise Sinclair, that name should ring a bell. "

"Elise Sinclair." He muttered my name and his fingers went to his chin. He thought about it for a while then suddenly snapped his fingers as he realized it.

"Are you that girl whose name was trending for seducing her uncle?" He asked with his eyes widened at me. "I might have been a manager at that time and a social media person but I never paid attention to the topic at that time even though it was quite popular." He added.

"Since you didn't recognize me that day. I decided to choose a new name for myself and apart from that. It was a way to signify a new beginning for myself." I said with a little smile forming on my lips.

"So that's what she has against you?" He raised his eyebrows at me for confirmation.

"Yes, that's what she has against me and I guess that some blogs might still have news but no one would believe her because people would doubt that I could ever rise to fame," I said, having a slight knowledge of how people think.

"They must think that you joined a prostitution ring or something… I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that." He quickly apologized for saying nothing wrong.

"You're right. They would have such a mentality, especially shallow-minded people. That's why I told you that there's nothing to worry about." A smirk appeared on my lips. "She has no evidence against me."

My manager clicked his tongue and turned his back on me for a few seconds.

"We shouldn't be too overconfident. I'll find those blogs that have the stories and try to bring them down. I have my ways."

He said and faced me.

"Alright." I flashed a smile at him. "Thank you for not judging me as well."

"He was your step-uncle. There was nothing terrible about your relationship. I don't understand why they take everything to a whole new level" He scoffed and rolled his eyes.

This was one of the reasons I liked Jones. He had this carefree attitude.

"I guess there's nothing more to tell." I shrugged my shoulders and stood on my feet.

I faced forward, forgetting the mirror had been shattered.

"Oh goodness." I chuckled, staring at the wall.

I heard the door open and turned to see my makeup artist walking inside. I wondered where she had gone.

"Where did you go?" Jones asked before I could say anything.

"I had some stomach issues and it was quite messy—"

"Rachel, please save the details," I said, scrunching my nose.

"I'm sorry." She apologized with a smile.

"But that wasn't the real reason for my delay."

"What was it?"

"A handsome man approached me and asked if I could go to some cafeteria with him. I agreed because his voice was deep and charming, he sounded like how those crazy writers describe the voice of a fictional and sexy male character…" I watched her trail off and close her eyes for a second and probably reminisced on her encounter with the stranger man.

"And what happened next?" I asked, curiously.

"We went to the cafeteria and we ordered glasses of Americano…"

"Rachel, go to the point," I cut her short, impatiently.

" Oh sorry." She apologized again."I thought he truly liked me but to my dismay, he began asking questions about you. Like who you were?"

"What was his name?" I asked, more curious to find out who the man was.

"He called himself, Damien. When he mentioned his full name, it certainly rang a bell."

I was too infuriated and vindictive to listen to the rest of her infatuations about Damien.

He never stopped being a wretched bastard. He saw a woman that was quite mysterious and she caught his attention. That was the kind of man Damien was.

Well, I was going to teach him a lesson that he would never forget. So the next time he lays his eyes on a woman, he will respect boundaries.

I was certain that when I was done with him, he wouldn't even think of being with another woman. He would be seeking death instead because his life was going to take a drastic, unexpected, and tragic turn.

"Jones, where is my phone?" He turned his attention to me for a second then rushed out of the dressing room.

"I hope that you didn't reveal anything to him because he's handsome and so unrealistic…" I inquired, squinting my eyes suspiciously at her.

"Miss Annabel, you're breaking my heart by saying this. How could you think that I would expose your identity because some man suddenly takes a stupid interest in me…" She took her hand to her chest, acting heartbroken.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to doubt you," I muttered and my hand went to the zip of the dress I was wearing.

"Please stay outside and collect my phone from Jones. I don't want him to barge in." I instructed.

She went outside and left me inside to change into my former clothes. After changing, Rachel entered back in and gave me my phone.

Being a model didn't just give wealth and fame but also power. I had people that could dig up information about anyone.

So, I called one of those people and asked them to dig out every dirty detail about Damien. I wanted them to leave no stone unturned. From his family to his personal life and his company.

I needed every bit of information that could ruin and disgrace him. I wanted him to feel what it was like to be abandoned!

__

I arrived at the mansion and was welcomed by a woman in her late forties.

"You came earlier than I thought, I'm glad to see you here," I said and rushed upstairs before she could respond.

She rushed after me and took me to a room. She opened the door and I entered inside to see the best and most precious gift that I had in my life, my lovely daughter.