Chapter 108 - Breathless

"I'll be honest with you, child." He ran his hand over his black hair. Single strands of hair on his temples were shimmering white, like thin cobwebs on a dark night. "I am not at all pleased that you married that man. I was very disappointed in you when I heard about this terrible affair." His voice hummed sweetly, like a lullaby, but something else was hiding underneath. "Poor Pascal..." For a second her uncle held her gaze with his before he took a sip from his teacup. The fresh aroma of peppermint wafted in the air. The tea her uncle always drank. Once he confessed to her that he didn't really like the tea. But the taste of peppermint reminded him of a person he could never forget. So he drank this tea to remember the woman who loved peppermint tea with each sip he took. Otherwise, he felt he could forget her.

"You broke that poor boy's heart, my dear. You should have seen him. He looked like a little pile of misery. The heartache had worn him down."

Hah! Rather the grief of losing one's fortune! Was it Pascal's fault that her uncle treated her like that? What fairy tales that bastard had been spreading behind her back?!

"Uncle..." She was tired of mincing matters. She owed Pascal nothing. The truth had to come out. "I don't know what Pascal told you. I only know what my eyes have seen. He and Nadine have a relationship..."

" Hogwash!" He cut her off abruptly. "I don't know what you think you saw. But you and Pascal are childhood sweethearts. Do you really think he would cheat on you out of a heartbeat. He loves you with all his heart."

Yes! He'd already had been cheating on her! Why wouldn't her uncle listen to her? Who knows how long they were doing it behind her back. The only thing Pascal loved was the money he'd get by marrying her. That's all he loved about her. Finally, he was ready to walk over dead bodies. In order to get everything he longed for. Nadine and the de Clermont fortune.

"You two have always been such good friends. You and Pascal. Nadine is like a sister to him, but he loves you, my child." No! You don't kiss a sister in that lewd way. Lily felt like she was in the middle of a porno shoot!

"Uncle, it's not true. I saw them kissing when they thought nobody was watching. I don't know how far they went after." Lily whispered breathlessly.

"Lillian, my dear." His grip was iron as he reached for her hand. "I do not approve. Your behavior was very shameful. You have sullied our family names with your actions. Pascal's a good boy. He'd never do anything so vile. "He loves you with all his heart." Her uncle whizzed.

"Uncle!" She called out in horror. Did he really accuse her of lying?! Did he really had so little faith in her?

"No, Lillian! I'm disappointed with you." He shook his head. "I don't want to hear your excuses. You are hurting my feelings. How can you be so brazen and drag the name of dear Pascal through the mud like that. He was always so good to you. And how do you repay him... No! I don't want to hear any more about it. He doesn't deserve this." Once again, he shook his head. Lily gritted her teeth. It wasn't new that nobody would listen to her, that people didn't believe her, that she was even being called a liar. She would endure it and then forget it. As usual!

"For God's sake, my dear child... I want to forgive you. You must have acted in your childish ignorance."

Lily was silent, kept everything on the edge. Inside, she had closed herself off. Her heart needed protecting.

The uncle who was once so close to her was now miles away from her heart.

He reached out his hand and brushed across her hair. A gesture so familiar to her... who had given her warmth and security in the past...

Now.

She felt nothing.