My Uncle Made Me His Ex’s Replacement

Chapter 3

I stayed at the hotel for two days, but continued going to work each day to complete my handover.

On my final day, just as I finished organizing the transition documents, my phone lit up with a message.

Adrian: Bring in a cup of water. Remember to add two spoonfuls of honey.

Until my resignation became official, I still had a job to finish.

I carried the cup into his office and found Vivian lying on the sofa with her head in Adrian's lap.

His palm covered her lower abdomen, massaging it gently. Even his voice had softened. "Does it still hurt? Do you want another blanket?"

I hesitated for half a second.

The month before, my period cramps had left me unable to stand straight. The secretary asked if she should get me a car to the hospital. Before I could answer, Adrian put down the report in his hand.

"Then who's taking minutes at this afternoon's meeting? Ivy, don't let this affect your work."

Later, he left a box of painkillers on my desk. I'd held onto that small gesture for a long time. I even made excuses for him, telling myself he just didn't know how to show he cared.

It turned out he knew perfectly well how to care for someone.

He just didn't care about me.

I set the water on the table and lowered my gaze. "Your water, Mr. Reed."

As I turned to leave, Vivian stopped me. "Wait."

She rose from the sofa and walked over. "I hear you're Adrian's niece?"

Before I could answer, her palm cracked across my face. My ears rang. My head snapped to one side, and the tray in my hand struck the edge of the table.

"Vivian, what are you doing?" Adrian shot to his feet.

But Vivian's eyes had already filled with tears. She grabbed his hand before he could say more.

"She's your niece, yet she lives in your house and deliberately buys matching couples' things with you. How can you say she doesn't have those kinds of feelings for you? A niece seducing her own uncle—doesn't she have any shame? She even dresses and styles herself exactly like me. She's blatantly copying me to tempt you!"

Adrian looked at me. He hesitated, yet he neither defended me nor explained that he was the one who had bought me those clothes.

A moment later, he put an arm around Vivian and wiped a tear from the corner of her eye with his thumb. "Even if she does like me, that's her business. You're the only person I've ever been waiting for."

Vivian leaned against his chest, but the corner of her mouth lifted. "Then make her leave. I don't want a woman who imitates me anywhere near us."

Adrian frowned, seeming about to speak.

Vivian snatched the cup from the table. With a flick of her wrist, she splashed the water across my forearm and chest, then let the cup fall and shatter on the floor.

"Ow!!" She was the one who screamed. Holding up a hand touched by only a few drops, she immediately threw herself into Adrian's arms and played the victim.

He saw her reddened fingertips and his expression turned grim.

"Ivy, you've worked for me for four years, and you still can't even bring me a cup of water?"

The skin on my arm rapidly turned red. Wet fabric clung to the burn. I sucked in a breath from the pain, my lips trembling. "I—"

"You're upset because she came back, aren't you?" He didn't wait for an explanation. He called Martha in. "Cancel Ivy's bonus for this month. Write her up for negligence and make sure HR documents it."

Martha stared at my soaked clothes and burned skin, speechless.

Adrian grew even more impatient. "What are you waiting for?"

Martha hesitated. "But Mr. Reed, Ivy has already completed—"