C14 He Personally Changed the Note!

A dinner at the old house?

Doesn't that mean meeting the parents?

Evelyn wasn't ready and declined, "Uncle, I'd rather not go."

After a moment, she added, "Uncle, how about next time? I'll pick up a gift, and then we can visit them together."

Leslie held her hand, feeling the warmth of her slender fingers. They were long, unadorned, and naturally beautiful, now slightly hot and damp with a fine layer of sweat.

Was she scared?

Seeing her sincerity, Leslie didn't push and replied with a gentle smile, "Okay."

Just like that, he agreed?

Evelyn had braced for a tough sell.

She was pleasantly surprised.

Then it hit her. They might have signed a marriage agreement, but parental approval was still a hurdle to clear.

A sudden thought made her snatch her hand back and dash to the bed to find her phone.

She anticipated a barrage of missed calls.

Indeed, there were nineteen.

Evelyn said, "Uncle, I need to go home and clear things up with my family."

Her mood was somber, heavy with complexity.

Convincing her family felt harder than acing an exam.

Meanwhile, Leslie's gaze fell to his hand as its warmth ebbed away.

Somehow, Evelyn's every word and deed had begun to sway his emotions.

After a brief silence, his voice turned cool, "I'll come with you."

The thought of last night's events sent a shiver of fear through him.

If it had been any later...

The thought was too much, and his anger roiled.

Seeing his discomfort, Evelyn returned to his side, crouching by his wheelchair.

She reached for his hand, her voice tender, "Trust me, Uncle. I'll persuade them."

Evelyn was no stranger to family disagreements.

She didn't want Leslie to witness her family's unpleasant side.

It was just too unsightly.

They argued for a while.

But just as Evelyn was about to relent and let Leslie accompany her, he interjected, "Remember, call me if anything comes up."

He grasped her hand in return, his back arching slightly as he brought his handsome face close to hers. Their eyes met, and a subtle, pleasant scent of tobacco wafted into Evelyn's nostrils. Against the backlight, Leslie seemed even more attractive. It was as if God were the perfect sculptor and he, Leslie, was the exquisitely chiseled masterpiece. He radiated the composure and reserve of a mature man, exuding an indefinable sense of safety.

The sight overwhelmed her, causing her to momentarily lose her composure. Evelyn found herself at a loss for words. Under her astonished gaze, Leslie's lips curved into a satisfied smile, his eyebrows lifting ever so slightly. He reached for the phone in her hand, still aglow with its screen unextinguished.

He scrolled to his contact entry, labeled "Prince Charming," and began to edit the name: "Hubby." But before he could finalize it, he erased it and typed in "Uncle" instead. Initially, he hadn't been fond of the moniker. Yet, over time, it had grown on him, sounding more endearing with each passing day. Moreover, it was a name uniquely his.

Driven by curiosity, Evelyn leaned in for a closer look. The label "Uncle" flushed her ears with warmth. To mask her embarrassment, she rose to her feet and said, "Uncle, I think I'll head back now."