Wed To The Forbidden Uncle

CH 13

"This..." Michelle hesitated. They had agreed to celebrate both birthdays together today.

"Mommy~" Zara continued to plead.

In the end, Michelle couldn't resist her daughter, whom she had cherished for eighteen years. She sighed and patted Zara's head. "Alright, alright, wait here. I'll talk to your dad."

She found Callan and pulled him to the window.

"Honey, I've been thinking. We can't celebrate Mercy's birthday with Zara's. How can an adopted child just happen to have the same birthday as our own? What if someone starts questioning their backgrounds? Zara just became Nola's apprentice; we can't have any slip-ups now."

Callan hesitated, "But what about Mercy...?"

Michelle continued, "Look, we can't be sure the investment is because of Mercy. Those rich young men rarely mean it seriously; they might just be playing around."

Callan was nearly convinced, "But what if Mercy throws a fit later?"

Michelle assured him, "Don't worry, I'll talk to her. Just follow my lead."

"Alright," Callan nodded, agreeing to her plan.

Michelle went to find Mercy. "Mercy, sweetie, my stomach's acting up and I can't find Zara. Could you go to the car and get my stomach medicine?"

Seeing Michelle clutching her stomach in apparent pain, Mercy nodded and agreed. But after searching the car for a while, she couldn't find the medicine, so she went to a nearby pharmacy to buy some.

Ten minutes later, Mercy stood below the stage.

The woman who had been in agony moments ago was now standing on stage, beaming with affection as she placed a specially made little crown on Zara's head.

Watching the family of three happily cutting the cake on stage, Mercy felt like an outsider. Her grip on the pill bottle tightened, her fingertips turning white with the pressure. Just moments ago, Zara had shot her a smug glance. The stairs to the stage were guarded by several staff members, watching her as if she were a thief.

The start time had been moved up. Again. Although it was Zara's doing, Mercy knew she wouldn't have dared to act so boldly without their parents' approval. Sometimes, Mercy wondered who Callan’s real child was. But after multiple paternity tests, there was no denying the truth. In the end, it was just parental favoritism.

They treated the fake daughter like a precious gem while ignoring their real daughter. When she first returned home, Michelle had even told her to be considerate of Zara, fearing that learning the truth about her origins would upset her.

Mercy found a sofa and sat down, hugging her arms tightly. The coldness in her heart spread to her limbs, making her want to curl up and find some warmth within herself.

The hall was buzzing with excitement and the people on stage were basking in attention, but none of it had anything to do with Mercy. A commotion at the entrance suggested someone important had arrived.

Dexter entered wearing a misty blue suit, his cufflinks sparkling on his wrist. His handsome face was expressionless, yet his presence was enough to make knees weak. The socialites around couldn't help but steal glances at him.

His commanding aura was softened by the bouquet of vibrant roses he held, adding a touch of warmth. Everyone speculated that the flowers must be for the birthday girl, making the young ladies even more envious of Zara.

Dexter glanced at the stage, seeing only Callan, Mrs. Rivers and Mercy's sister. He scanned the room but couldn't find Mercy among the crowd.

"Where's Mercy?" Dexter's voice held a note of displeasure. How could they start cutting the cake without her?

Gavin looked further into the distance and suddenly exclaimed, "Boss..."

Following Gavin's gaze, Dexter saw Mercy huddled in a corner, curled up on the sofa. The sight of her alone and isolated tugged at his heartstrings.

He shoved the roses and birthday gift into Gavin's arms, instructing in a low voice, "When you go on stage, make sure to give the birthday gift to the second daughter of the Rivers family. If they refuse, just bring it back."

Gavin immediately understood and nodded before walking off.

Dexter pushed his wheelchair over by himself, taking off his suit jacket and draping it over the girl.

Mercy's body, chilled for so long, shivered as the warmth of the jacket enveloped her. She looked up in confusion, her eyes slightly red and glistening with unshed tears, trying hard not to cry but failing to hide her red eyes.

A surge of anger rose in Dexter's heart. The person he had always cherished and protected, how dare they treat her like this!

"Uncle, you're here," Mercy said in a cheerful tone, trying to force a smile to reassure him.

"Sorry, I'm late."

Not just today, but for all those years of your life.

He pulled her into his embrace, gently stroking her hair with tenderness, as if she were a fragile treasure.

"Uncle..." Mercy choked, and the tears she had held back finally fell.

Her warm tears soaked through his shirt, burning his chest with pain, and he instinctively held her tighter.

Just then, Gavin's voice echoed from the stage.

"Mr. Rivers, this is a birthday gift from our president to Miss Rivers. It's a Supreme VIP membership card for Phoenix Pavilion. She can choose any of the latest dresses from Phoenix Pavilion for a whole year, free of charge."

The crowd erupted in astonishment.

"Oh my gosh, that's Phoenix Pavilion! It's like having your own private wardrobe!"

"Even if I could pick two or three items a year, I'd be over the moon."

Callan looked at the membership card Gavin handed over, feeling a bit stuck. If she accepted it, everyone would know that Mercy was also celebrating her birthday today, but she hadn't gone on stage. Yet, if she refused, it would seem like she was rejecting Mr. Dexter's goodwill.

Someone in the audience suddenly caught on to the situation.

"Wait a minute, isn't today the birthday of the eldest Miss Rivers? Why is the gift being given to the second Miss?"

"Yeah, but I heard that the Rivers family's two kids were actually switched at birth, so their birthdays are on the same day."

"Is that true? If so, the Rivers family is really something, throwing a big party for the wrong daughter while ignoring their real one."

If both had celebrated together today, people would have just thought it was a coincidence and not given it much thought. But Zara had to make a scene out of it.

Listening to the murmurs from the crowd, Zara's face turned pale. She tugged on Michelle's sleeve, "Mom..."

Michelle snapped back to reality, forcing a smile as she looked at Gavin. "Gavin, Mercy's birthday isn't today. I think there might be some mistake with the information you received. Is this gift perhaps meant for...?"