Dumping My Fiancé For His Uncle

"What is wrong with you to call off the marriage with the Hendrix family?" Ivy Rowland pointed at Thea, scolding, right after Thea got back to the Rowland mansion. "The Hendrix family is big league. Can't you just pretend nothing happened? Ditching the engagement will drag our name through the mud," Ivy continued.

Thea, feeling hot under the collar and as uncomfortable as ever, pulled a face and shot back, "Mum, if Emmalie was in my shoes, would you have made her stick it out?"

Ivy, slightly irked, retorted, "Always dragging Emmalie into this when you mess up. Do you think she'd be as lost as you? She even told me yesterday how much she missed you. What's with the attitude now?" Thea couldn't help but scoff, "That's all Emmalie's sweet talk to keep you in the dark."

Ivy, trying to cool down, snapped, "Enough. Pull yourself together. Emmalie will be back tonight, and you're not skipping the welcome-back banquet tomorrow. The Hendrix family's on the guest list, too."

Thea suddenly stared at Ivy, her eyes tinting red. "Mum, I think I'm sick. Can we go to the hospital?"

Ivy just gave her a cold stare, visibly annoyed. Thea managed a weak smile, fighting back tears, and hurried upstairs to be alone with her thoughts.

Ivy's voice trailed after her, filled with frustration. "I can't believe I raised a daughter who plays sick whenever things get tough. Why couldn't it have been her that got lost?

"My sweet Emmalie has been through so much, and here I've been, pouring my heart into raising Thea, only for her to turn out so selfish and moody. Anyway, Emmalie's coming back. Let's go check on the soup I made for her in the kitchen." Thea's limbs were numb and cold, just like her heart. Ever since that thing happened when she was sixteen, she had become the family's black sheep, always on the fringes.

There was a time when being sad wasn't really in her vocabulary because she had someone by her side, someone who'd smile at her like the sun breaking through the clouds. His eyes sparkled whenever he looked at her. He made her promises.

"Thea, I'm sticking by you forever."

"Think of me as your family now,"

"I'm going to love you for all my days, and I won't let anything hurt you, not even a little."

Back then, Thea thought she was over feeling sad. She brushed it off like it was nothing. But old memories had a way of crashing back in, like a tidal wave she didn't see coming. Suddenly, she was hit with the realization that those old hurts hadn't healed. They were still there, aching.

Now, with what little strength she had left falling apart, she found herself curled up in a ball at the corner of the stairs, hugging her knees and just letting the tears flow.

*****

The next day, Thea turned heads at the banquet with her choice of a dark green evening dress.

Her wild, curly hair flowed behind her like seaweed, paired with these striking red lips that popped against her pale skin. Her features were gentle and understated, yet this chilly, detached vibe came from her eyes. That mix of red lips with the green dress was bold. Only Thea could rock something that gutsy.

Ivy, hanging out with a bunch of noble ladies with Emmalie by her side, spotted a bold figure lurking in the background, and her eyes popped wide open.

Right when she was about to lose it, someone gently grabbed her from behind, pulling her back.

"Mum, there's no need to get on Thea's case. With so many people around today, it's only natural she'd want to spruce up and look her best," Emmalie said, her doe-like eyes blinking.

Ivy gave a helpless tap on her nose. "You're the only one who really spoils Thea in her moods. Honestly, I'd worry way less if she could be as sweet as you."

Immediately, everyone around chimed in, praising Emmalie for being a good daughter.

The Rowland family had two daughters and two sons.

The youngest daughter, Emmalie, had a rough start, getting kidnapped as a kid, but she bounced back incredibly, turning out super smart and well-mannered.

She even snagged a VP position at the International Piano Association at a surprisingly young age.

The eldest son had climbed his way up to become a young vice president at the Rowland Group, while the other son was the family's surprise packet, having set up a new venture overseas. Then there was Thea. She became the black sheep, notorious for her troubling past with bullying both at school and at home.

Emmalie, noticing the tension, sighed and said with a hint of irony, "Seems like Thea isn't too happy. Guess I should go and smooth things over."

Thea, always on alert, had seen Emmalie approaching, set her glass down, and turned to leave.

Whenever Emmalie headed over, it almost always ended in some "accidental" drama, like a mysterious fall or a "why did you push me?" scenario. Thea was heading to the restroom to freshen up her lipstick. It was only when she reached the restroom that she heard a strange wailing sound. Thea paused, sneaking a peek around the corner with a mix of curiosity and caution.

She spotted a well-built woman tumbling into a man's embrace. The lady's face was flushed red, her halter dress slipping to reveal more skin than intended.

The man stood with his back to Thea, his tall and slender figure all that was visible.

Thea clicked her tongue in disapproval, ready to walk away, but then she overheard the woman's soft plea. "President Hendrix, I think I've hurt my leg. Could you check it for me?"

'Wait, President Hendrix?' Thea did a double-take. The only "President Hendrix" in the Hendrix family was Jake's enigmatic uncle, Nicolas Hendrix. 'Him, at a party like this? Unheard of. What's he doing here?' Thea wondered. Mulling over his known temper and dark reputation, Thea decided she wanted no part of this drama. She was sneaking off when her phone blared.

Flustered, she killed the call before looking up and locking eyes with Nicolas.

The light cast his features into sharp relief, the shadows accentuating his face and the brooding look in his eyes. Known for his icy demeanor, Nicolas seemed even more intimidating now.

Caught, Thea stammered, "Uncle Nicolas, I, uh, just got here. Didn't see a thing..." Immediately, she wanted to facepalm. 'Great, that probably made things worse,' she thought.

Nicolas simply shifted his gaze away, his face a mask of indifference, and coldly told the woman in his arms, "Get lost."

The woman's face lost all its color. Nicolas spun around and strolled off, his indifferent gaze briefly meeting Thea's. It was quick, but enough to give Thea chills.

After he had left, Thea quickly touched up her lipstick and headed out.

As soon as she stepped outside, Ivy, with a frosty expression, grabbed her arm. "So, you couldn't even drop a hello when your sister got back into town, and you've been ignoring my calls. What's up with that?" Thea rolled her eyes and replied with a sneer, "Weren't we supposed to be clearing the air with Jake today? Why would I be chasing after Emmalie?"

Despite Ivy's frustration at Thea's attitude, she insisted Thea should seek out the Hendrix family.

Jake's expression turned even sourer as he saw her gutsy outfit. The tension was palpable as their eyes met, but Thea quickly looked away.

She made it a point to warmly greet every Hendrix family member, except Jake, of course.

Some elders joked, "Thea, it's normal for young couples to fight. They always make up afterwards."

With a laugh, Thea playfully asked, "Want to guess what Jake had done?"