Falling For My Ex's Uncle

Chapter 5 Ella's POV

I had refused to attend the next three events our family had been invited to , and I could tell by mum's mood when her and dad had returned they hadn't been good events.Mum had let me , and she had also cursed Caleb to the moon and back and some words she called him would make a sailor blush. maybe someone had said something to her , but she never told me if they had. Or maybe he had been there and that had put her in a mood. If I asked, she smiled and brushed it off. And then she would get ready and attend the next one that an invitation landed for, with a smile on her face and excitement in her step.

I threw myself into work with dad and tried my hardest to become a secluse. But mum letting me skip them out of sympathy soon wore off. She said we needed a united front , that we had earned our way into society and we would be accepted one way or another. So on the fourth event, two months after the whole embarrassing heart break event. I was dragged to go. I told her we were probably just still invited to these events for them all to have someone to laugh at and make fun of. I had seen the hurt cross her face. But as she had pinned my hair up at the back, I was in a foul mood ,because of the fact I was being forced to go when I didn't want to. I didn't want to see his face. Didn't want to see any of their faces.

Even dad had started to look like he hated these things. In all honesty, I think he just hated the fact I was hurting. He had even pulled me to the side this morning and asked if I was sure I would be OK. This event was an afternoon garden party at one of their flash houses. Something to do with someone's retirement in one of the big firms here. Dad apparently did some work for the company. None of the projects I was on , but that was why we were invited. It seemed these people made up an excuse to throw a shindig. I had smiled and told dad I was OK. But since that night he had rushed to my rescue, seeing the news the same time as I had. He had known where I was going to be that night. I had told him while working that day , him and Caleb had been getting on. Caleb popped his head in the door when he picked us up for our dates and made a point to speak to my mum and dad. Mum had loved him for that and dad had respected him. It was on one of those occasions that dad had asked where he lived, so he knew where to come get me.

Dad hated to see me upset and that night I had been completely broke. If not for me being so upset, I think he would have gone and confronted Caleb. When he had gotten me home , my sobbing had woken mum up and that night, like when I was a child and had a nightmare, I slept between them. Sandwiched in with both of them hugging me. Mum at that point hadn't even a clue what had gone off.

The next day, when I had told her that was when the blasphemy had happened. It had taken me time to realize the reason why I was so upset. It hadn't been him cheating. It was the humiliation. And dad knew that. That was why he defiantly would have gotten me out of going to this if I had said to him I didn't want to go. But I knew I couldn't hide forever. I would eventually start moving up dads company. It was where my passion lay. I didn't want to work anywhere else or do anything else. I just wanted to learn the ropes and carry on with daddy's legacy. To do that , I couldn't hide that these clients would be my clients one day and mum was right , they would respect us. They had to. I will help daddy build a company bigger than any of theres and then they would have no choice,

Plus, he was winning right now. My hiding away for two months made it look like he had gotten to me. So , I put on a white flowing summery dress , mum pinned my hair up and I did my make-up and plastered on a fake smile. Dad drove us there , not wanting to drink today, because he still had a project to work on tonight when he got home. As we drove the hour to this place outside of the city , I noticed he kept glancing at me in the rear view mirror.

When I caught him I would smile , but when he wasn't looking I was freaking out. And having to make myself breathe regularly. My heart pounded so loud I could hear it in my ears and feel my heart beat in my finger tips. I couldn't let him win. I couldn't be the reason my dad lost clients or my mum didn't get her dream. Why she would want to be friends with these women I will never know.

After the last event though she had told me she had made a new friend , it was one of the new girlfriends of a widowed man named Sally. Mum said she was new on the scene like us and she was lovely. Maybe mum will find some friends here. The nicer ones of them hopefully.

Pulling up the place had a fence all the way around , but it looked like it backed up onto a lake. A man with a clip board stood at the gate and gestured for my father to stop. He rolled the window down and the man asked for our names before his eyes scanned the clipboard and then nodded. " Yep, just ID to confirm Sir please ". We have learnt to carry it with us. Security at these things was always tight , so I pulled mine out of my bag and with a shaky hand I handed it to mum as she turned around to grab it off of me. Her eyes went to my unsteady hand and her gaze snapped up at me.

She looked concerned but I shook my head and tightly smiled at her. " Here " I said , and she had reluctantly taken it and passed both mine and hers to my dad to pass to the man. We drove in after he had checked them and he pointed us to a space to park the car. As dad handed the man our keys, mum came straight to me when we got out. " Ella, are you OK ? Have I pushed you too soon " she asked worriedly. I shook my head at her " I'm fine mum ", I whispered back so dad wouldn't hear. She reached up and pushed a piece of hair behind my ear. " Ella, don't let a boy like him beat you down, OK , your beautiful. And being here today will prove just how stupid he was to mess it up with you. No other girl in there will compare to you baby ", she smiled at me sweetly.

I took a deep breath and linked my arm with hers. " He's just an a**shole mum , I am well rid " she laughed at my words and when dad saw us both laughing as he walked back up to us, I visibly saw his shoulders relax and he smiled. There that was my parents fooled , now to fool the rest of them I remembered thinking.

When I say it felt like all eyes turned to us as we walked in , that would be because most did. But mum had not let me stand and be the object of their stares for long , she had pulled me into the crowd and towards the drinks table. She handed me a glass of champagne and took one for herself. She had that determined look on her face again and I was worried what that meant.

Only to find out it meant she would pukka us around almost everyone to network. I knew it was to show people we are unaffected, maybe on the surface anyway. But when Mum introduced me to Sally , I instantly liked her. She had leaned in to my ear and whispered " That Caleb, I heard, had an STI last week, as well as Lorna. I know this because I work at the private doctors they attended, so shhhhh dont tell anyone. Maybe it was from all the or*ys she is organizing for him to keep him happy, huh. I heard she hates doing them and wants him to herself , but now she has created a rod for her own back. She is green with jealousy looking at you right now , she knows she is nowhere as pretty as you dear. So , turn around and flash her a smug smile because you managed to escape that i***t boy and she is stuck being a hoe for him. " she pulled back and winked at me , the man whose arm she was on was smiling fondly at her and even rolled his eyes a little at her antics.

I turned and looked over my shoulder and she was right. There they were Lorna and Caleb with arms linked. Caleb was talking with someone and Lorna was looking this way. I smirked at her and her eyes narrowed before she put on a sly smile and placed her hand on Calebs' chest, moving closer to him. Only for him to look down at her frowning and then he looked at her face and followed her line of sight , his eyes landing on me. He smirked my way and I turned my gaze away from him as my heart pounded.

I quickly excused myself to the bathroom. Mum had wanted to come but I told her I was OK. To stay with Sally , I knew it looked like I was running again. But I wasn't. I just needed a second to have a word with myself. I walked quickly through the crowd and into the toilets that had been set up and closed myself into a stall.

Sitting down, I cursed myself for letting them affect me. I heard two women walking in talking and hoped like hell it wouldn't be a repeat of the last time I was in a stall. Luckily, they were talking about something else and not me and my family. "I thought we would see Tanner here " one of them said. Then a female with a squeaky voice answered her " He has only just got back apparently from his time abroad setting up a new business. The plane landed just an hour ago. I can't wait to see his face again at these parties. Dam that man is all sorts of fine " they both laughed.

" He is , in that sinfully sexy sort of way. The last five months have been a long five months not seeing him" she said in a swooning way. " Maybe he will be ready to settle down or atleast look at a girl now he is back. Honestly , his eyes have never once lingered on any girl long enough to say he is interested. It is like he doesn't even see you , but then again, with a gaze intense as his, maybe you only need a second. One that lasts longer than that may make you combust " she giggled again.

Then they left , and I was just about to leave too. Opening the stall door though, I was met with Lorna's evil gaze as she leaned up against the sink. I froze , as we stared at one another.