My First Love Died, Now My Step Uncle Wants Me-Chapter 70: It Won’t Be Bitter If You Hold It

Chapter 70: Chapter 70: It Won’t Be Bitter If You Hold It

Crystal had only taken two steps before Warner Zimmerman yanked her back.

Caleb Rhodes stared at her coldly, the warning in his eyes unmistakable. "Crystal Rhodes, I told you, you have no right to meddle in my affairs. Also, apologize to Warner Zimmerman! Now!"

"No!"

Crystal’s body trembled with anger as she refused to apologize.

As far as she could remember, her uncle had doted on her since she was a child. He granted her every wish and never punished her, no matter what mistakes she made.

But since his return this time, her uncle was like a different person. Not only did he rarely visit the Rhodes Family estate, but he was also cold to her. He wouldn’t reply to her texts and sometimes wouldn’t even answer her calls.

Today, he had gone too far by not even letting her into the room, and now he was demanding she apologize to a servant.

’Absolutely not!’ 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

"Apologize!"

The coldness in Caleb Rhodes’s eyes deepened as he grabbed Crystal’s wrist. "Crystal, you’re becoming more and more impolite. Didn’t Big Brother hire someone to teach you proper etiquette?"

The grip was extremely painful. Crystal struggled and burst into tears. "Uncle, you’re so mean! You’re hurting me! Hurting me for an outsider!"

"I won’t apologize! I’m not going to apologize to some lowlife!"

"Shut up!" A clear flicker of impatience crossed Caleb’s eyes, his tone sharp. "What do you mean, ’lowlife’? You run around doing whatever you please just because your father has some influence. Keep this up, and sooner or later, you’ll bring disaster upon the Rhodes Family!"

With that, he flung her hand back, and Crystal collapsed onto the floor.

She stared at Caleb in astonishment, unable to believe that the uncle who had always doted on her would suddenly treat her this way.

Suddenly, as if she understood something, she glared hatefully toward the room and raged, "You were never like this before! It’s because of the woman in there, isn’t it? Who is she? Did she say something bad about me behind my back? Is that why you’re treating me like this?"

"Uncle, you’re not even married and you’re already keeping a mistress on the side..."

"Someone!" Caleb cut off her wailing, his voice sharp and frigid. "Throw her out!"

Bodyguards immediately rushed in from outside, grabbing Crystal and dragging her away.

Crystal never expected Caleb to get truly angry with her. Panicked and furious, her spoiled-brat temper flared. She shook off the bodyguards’ hands, rushed to the table, and swept everything onto the floor in one motion.

That included the basket with the kitten inside!

The kitten was thrown to the ground. It let out a series of pitiful mews, tumbled a few times, and shakily got to its feet.

Rage flared in Caleb’s eyes. "Get out!"

The bodyguards quickly grabbed Crystal and hauled her outside.

Just then, a slender, delicate figure rushed out from the main hall, running straight toward them.

Before Crystal could get a clear look at who it was, the bodyguards tossed her out the door.

She tried to look back to see who it was, but the door slammed shut. In that fleeting moment, she felt the figure looked familiar, but she couldn’t place who it was.

But what upset her more was that the uncle who had doted on her since childhood had just heartlessly thrown her out for some cheap mistress.

Furious, she rushed back and pounded on the door. "Open up! I want to come in!"

She only managed two knocks before the door opened, and two bodyguards came out and dragged her away.

In the instant the door was open, she saw her uncle—the man she had worshipped like a god since she was a child—holding that person in his arms, seemingly coaxing them.

Caleb was tall and completely blocked the other person from view, so she couldn’t see who it was. But now, she felt even worse than before.

She knew her uncle well. He had been cold and heartless since he was young, had never spoken a soft word to anyone in his life, and rarely got close to people. Yet now, he was carefully comforting someone, a clear sign that he was utterly bewitched by that little vixen.

The feeling of being cast aside washed over her. She wanted to charge forward, but she couldn’t break free from the two tower-like bodyguards and was quickly escorted from the hotel.

Nina Wynn picked up the kitten from the floor.

The little kitten was truly tiny. It must have been hurt in the fall, as it kept mewing nonstop in Nina’s hands.

Her heart ached as she gently wiped the dust off its fur and placed it back in the basket. But as soon as she set it down, the kitten fell over again, this time crying out even more pitifully.

Nina’s heart sank. She picked up the kitten and examined it again.

She noticed something seemed wrong with the kitten’s right hind leg.

It was limp, as if it had no strength. When she gently prodded it with her finger, the little thing let out a piercing cry.

She instantly concluded that the kitten’s leg was broken.

She was terribly distressed. Her fingertips began to tremble, and her eyes reddened. She looked up at Caleb Rhodes without a word.

Caleb frowned, pulled her into his arms, and reached for the kitten. "Is it hurt? Let me see."

Nina quickly hid the kitten behind her back. Her chest heaved, and her gaze, fixed on Caleb, became fierce in a defiant, pouty way.

She looked incredibly angry.

Caleb’s brow furrowed, his expression turning icy. "Are you blaming me?"

Nina didn’t speak, merely staring at him, her eyes like little daggers. She looked nothing like her usual soft, easily bullied self.

Neither of them were talkative, and as they stared at each other in silence, the atmosphere grew cold.

Caleb’s gaze was especially cold and dark, and now even his jawline was clenched tight.

It was a sign of his impending rage.

Seeing the tense atmosphere, the butler spoke up. "Miss Wynn, the kitten may be injured. A kitten this small needs a specialized vet. It would be best to get it to a clinic as soon as possible."

As he spoke, he stepped forward to take the kitten cradled in Nina’s palm.

Nina clutched it, unwilling to let go, but the kitten’s cries grew more frantic, making her own heart tremble.

The butler added, "Please, let me take it. I’ll send it to the veterinary hospital immediately. If we wait too long, it might be untreatable."

Only then did Nina slowly loosen her grip.

The butler placed the kitten in the basket, quickly called someone in, and ordered them to take it to the hospital at once.

Even after the kitten’s cries had faded, Nina’s gaze remained fixed on the door.

Seeing her like this, Caleb suddenly felt a pang of regret.

Nina seemed to care more about that kitten!

From the moment she came out until now, her eyes had been only for that little kitten!

Alarm bells rang in Caleb’s mind. He would absolutely not allow this!

He looked at her, the coldness in his eyes intensifying. "Nina Wynn, from now on, you are forbidden from seeing that cat again!"

At his words, Nina flinched, staring at Caleb in disbelief. Her lips moved, but no sound came out.

But the hand hidden behind her back clenched into a tight fist.

Caleb’s voice was cruel. "You refuse to behave. When you learn to be obedient, I’ll consider letting you have it back."

Nina lowered her head, her thin bangs falling across her smooth forehead, making her look somewhat innocent. Her voice trembled. "You said you wouldn’t take it back."

Caleb said heartlessly, "And I also said that wrongdoing comes with punishment."

Nina’s fist clenched even tighter.

’I didn’t do anything!’

’Crystal was the one who did something wrong! She was the one who stormed in, crying and screaming! She was the one who knocked the kitten to the floor! She was the one who made Caleb angry!’

’But now I’m the one being punished!’

’He said he would give me what I wanted, and all I want now is that little kitten. But after giving it to me, not only is he taking it back, he’s also making me suffer the punishment for Crystal’s mistake!’

’He’s no different from the rest of the Rhodes Family, after all.’

’Selfish and cruel. They treat me like a pet—no, worse than a pet. At least when a pet receives a reward from its master, it doesn’t have to give it back!’

Her hand behind her back was clenched tightly, and her voice was choked with emotion. "I didn’t do anything wrong. You can’t take it back!"

Caleb’s gaze fell to her small, bare feet, then moved up to her face, which was slowly losing its color. He narrowed his eyes. "From the very beginning until now, have you done so few wrong things?"

Nina took a step back, biting her lip so hard it nearly bled.

’Is he counting what happened before, too?’

’Then why did he give me the kitten in the first place? Just to let me grow fond of it, to want it, only for him to mercilessly snatch it away?’

’Is this how he does everything? Is this how he treats feelings, too?’

’Just like how he clearly has Rosalind Lowell, yet still insists on toying with me. A person like him... how is he any different from Crystal Rhodes or Zyler Rhodes?’

She suddenly remembered the rumors about him in Elysian City over the years.

’The Rhodes Family’s Third Young Master is naturally cold-hearted. In all these years, Rosalind Lowell was the only one who ever caught his eye. All the other women rumored to be with him later disappeared without a trace.’

’He probably played with them until they were broken, then discarded them.’

’After all, he’s so adept at taking whatever he wants by force.’

Seeing the bleakness slowly surface in her eyes, Caleb’s expression grew colder. He held out a hand to her. "Come here!"

Nina took a step back, then suddenly turned to leave.

Caleb narrowed his eyes, lunged forward, and snatched her to his side, forcing her to turn and face him.

For a split second, Caleb saw a flicker of disgust in her eyes. He froze, then a dangerous look flooded his gaze. "You dare to despise me?"

Nina lowered her eyelids, not speaking, not looking at him.

Seeing her reaction, the malice in his eyes deepened. He grabbed her chin. "Since you’re so disobedient, I’ll just have the kitten thrown out. No point in treating its injuries!"

Nina’s body trembled, her nails digging into her palms. She slowly raised her eyes to meet Caleb’s. "Uncle, I don’t despise you. I wouldn’t dare."

Caleb tightened his grip, forcing the words through his teeth, "You wouldn’t dare, or you don’t?"

Forced into a corner, her eyes reddened. Her voice was barely a whisper. "I don’t. And I wouldn’t dare."

As she spoke, her chest rose and fell slightly. Her voice was soft, the defiant fierceness from before completely gone. She was as docile as a little canary—obedient and well-behaved.

Caleb seemed very pleased with this state. He stared at her for a moment, then suddenly bent down and bit her lip.

It was a kiss as forceful and domineering as a storm, leaving Nina breathless. Soon, she tasted the thick tang of blood.

She shivered from the pain.

’After all this time, she had actually grown somewhat used to his kisses. They were forceful, but he never hurt her.’

’This kind of chaotic, biting kiss had only happened at the very beginning. She never thought it would start again today, and it seemed to be getting worse.’

He gripped her waist tightly, pulling her against him with enough force to seemingly merge her into his own body.

But she didn’t cry out in pain. She just tilted her head back, enduring his inexplicable rage.

After what felt like an eternity, Caleb released her, then bent down, lifted her, and placed her on a chair.

His breathing was unsteady, and his voice was a little hoarse. "Nina Wynn, don’t provoke me. It won’t do you any good."

Nina kept her gaze lowered and said nothing.

Caleb reached out and lifted her chin, his tone frigid. "Answer me!"

Nina’s eyelashes fluttered. Her voice was low and soft. "Okay."

Apparently satisfied, Caleb sat down beside her, took a wet wipe from the small table, and began to meticulously wipe away the non-existent dirt from her feet.

When he saw two new bloody scratches on the tender soles of her feet, his brow furrowed almost imperceptibly. His voice seemed to soften slightly. "Don’t run around the courtyard barefoot anymore."

Just then, the butler brought in the brewed herbal medicine.

There were two small, fine white porcelain bowls filled with a dark liquid that looked incredibly bitter.

"The temperature should be about right, Miss Wynn. Please drink it."

Nina’s face paled at the sight of the medicine, and she instinctively shrank back.

Caleb picked up a piece of candied fruit with a small spoon and offered it to her. "Hold this in your mouth. It won’t be so bitter."

Nina obediently took the fruit. The sweet taste filled her mouth, but it still couldn’t mask the medicine’s extreme bitterness.

She didn’t understand why there was suddenly an extra bowl of medicine, and why this one was even more bitter and nauseating than before.

Every second, every single thing that happened by Caleb’s side felt like a form of torture.

Seeing Nina obediently finish the medicine, Caleb seemed somewhat pleased. He lifted her onto his lap, took her small foot in his hand and squeezed it a few times, then nodded to the butler. "Bring it over."

The butler quickly emerged from the room with an exquisite box.

This time it was a black wooden box, simple in design but clearly extraordinary. The pale blue diamonds encrusted on the lid alone were priceless.

Nina didn’t reach for it, only saying softly, "Uncle, please don’t give me any more gifts."

The butler held the box out to her, his expression somewhat grave. "Miss Wynn, this is no ordinary gift. Please, take a look."

Caleb’s voice also softened a little. "Open it and see."

Nina reached out and opened the box.

Inside was a complete set of pale blue diamond jewelry.

The necklace was formed from a full circle of teardrop-shaped diamonds. The bracelet matched the necklace in style. Even in the dim light, the transparency and iridescent shimmer of the diamonds were apparent.

The stud earrings were more unique, crafted from two oval, slightly irregular, raw-looking diamonds. Their pale blue luster was stunning.

The ring was a simple and common style: a massive pigeon’s-egg diamond, also gleaming with a pale blue light.

Caleb picked up the ring, glanced at it, then took Nina’s hand and tried to slide it onto her finger.

Nina instinctively pulled her hand back and hid it behind her.

Caleb’s gaze instantly turned cold. "Nina Wynn!"

"Your hand. Give it to me!"

Nina refused to bring her hand out. She felt a primal fear.

’Accepting things from Caleb always came at a price. Or, once she grew to like something, he would take it away.’

Caleb wouldn’t let her be. He forcefully tried to grab her hand, but she refused to yield. In the struggle, the box fell to the floor with a CLATTER.