CHAPTER 9: CHAPTER 9: DON’T CALL ME UNCLE, I’M NOT MUCH OLDER THAN YOU

Renee Winslow had a bold idea in her mind, maybe Jack Yates didn’t want to frame her, but had those kinds of thoughts about her. However, she quickly suppressed these absurd thoughts.

Who is Jack Yates?

He’s like a towering mountain that even Caleb Yates has to look up to. Caleb Yates is already a prominent figure at their school. How could someone as intimidating as Jack Yates be interested in an ordinary college student like her?

Although she denied her own guess, she still did not dare to be careless. Even if there was only a one in ten thousand chance, she had to be on high alert and stay vigilant at all times.

Thus, throughout the entire morning, she was on edge. Whenever Jack Yates appeared, she would find an excuse to dodge him, whether it was to look at the cat, drink water, or hide in the bathroom pretending to use the toilet. Throughout the morning, she was as nervous as a little white rabbit in a wolf’s den, constantly frightened, feeling like she would have a heart attack from fear.

Renee Winslow avoided Jack Yates all morning, but by noon, she couldn’t escape anymore because she had to have lunch, and at this time she had no choice but to face Jack Yates.

The two sat facing each other at the dining table, and Renee Winslow fully understood what it meant to feel worse than death, wishing she could explode right there.

Imagine having a meal with a gloomy, cold man, and this man is the uncle of her supposed boyfriend; who can remain calm? Who can eat under such circumstances?

Anyway, she couldn’t eat; she had no appetite.

Jack Yates calmly picked up the chopsticks and handed them to her: "Eat."

Renee Winslow reached out to take the chopsticks, but was so nervous that her hands trembled and couldn’t hold them steady, causing the chopsticks to fall to the ground with a crisp sound.

Jack Yates picked up another pair of chopsticks and handed them to her, his lips curved slightly, his deep voice carrying a hint of amusement: "Afraid of me?"

Renee Winslow waved her hand repeatedly: "No, no." She hurriedly took the chopsticks and softly thanked him, "Thank you, uncle."

She intentionally called him uncle, wanting to emphasize the generational gap between them.

Jack Yates said nothing, his gaze penetrating as he looked at her, then picked up a pair of chopsticks and struck them against the table.

Renee Winslow’s heart trembled, feeling as though those chopsticks were not hitting the table, but striking her heart.

She bit her lip and decided to be bold once more, smiling as she asked, "Uncle, when does Caleb Yates finish work?"

Jack Yates raised his eyes, his gaze sharp as a knife: "Missing him?"

How could Renee Winslow possibly miss Caleb Yates? Before today, she had been thinking about how to make Caleb Yates dislike her, how to break free from Caleb Yates.

But now, she had to pretend to like Caleb Yates in front of Jack Yates, and also had to deliberately show a longing for Caleb Yates.

If Jack Yates really had any such thoughts about her, Caleb Yates would be the best shield. Maybe, out of consideration for Caleb Yates, Jack Yates would show some restraint.

If Jack Yates didn’t have those kinds of thoughts about her, then her lie wouldn’t harm anyone.

Therefore, she shyly nodded, admitting that she missed Caleb Yates.

Jack Yates lowered his eyes: "He’s working overtime today and will be back very late."

Renee Winslow’s hand holding the chopsticks trembled slightly: "Oh."

Jack Yates stopped speaking and lowered his eyes, eating.

But Renee Winslow couldn’t eat; she had no appetite at all.

Jack Yates put down his chopsticks, pulled out a napkin to wipe his mouth, leaned back in his chair, and looked at her with sharp eyes: "Do you understand him?"

Renee Winslow’s heart sank: "Uncle, what do you mean by asking that?"

Jack Yates tapped the table with two fingers: "Don’t call me uncle, I’m not that much older than you."

Just ten years older.

Renee Winslow pursed her lips, quietly replied, "I’m following Caleb Yates..."

Jack Yates interrupted her coldly: "You haven’t married him, you don’t need to follow him to call me uncle."

Renee Winslow’s cheeks warmed, and she lowered her head in embarrassment.

Jack Yates gazed at her deeply, placed his hands on the wheelchair armrests, and wheeled himself away.

Renee Winslow stood up: "Mr. Yates, what do you mean? If you just don’t want me to be with Caleb Yates, I can leave now. If you’re..."

Jack Yates: "You should eat first."

-

Renee Winslow didn’t see Jack Yates all afternoon, she didn’t know whether he went out or deliberately avoided seeing her. Originally, she should have felt relieved, but she didn’t feel at ease at all, and her mood became even heavier.

At 5:30 in the afternoon, Jack Yates appeared in the living room again.

Renee Winslow was sitting on the sofa petting a cat, and upon hearing the wheelchair’s movement, she quickly stood up holding the cat.

"Mr., Mr. Yates." She greeted cautiously.

Jack Yates wheeled up to her, looking at her calmly: "Sit down and talk."

Renee Winslow forced herself to overcome her fear and sat down; however, she barely sat on the edge of the seat, sitting upright like an obedient school student.

Jack Yates reached out to touch the kitten in her arms, his voice low as he asked: "Have you ever had a cat?"

Renee Winslow shook her head, truthfully replied: "No."

Jack Yates: "I haven’t either."

Renee Winslow: "..."

Jack Yates withdrew his hand, his fingertips seemingly inadvertently brushed her leg.

Renee Winslow shivered, only to feel like an electric current had passed over her leg, a tingling sensation spread through her heart, she looked up, surprised at Jack Yates.

Jack Yates parted his legs, right knee pressing against her thigh, left leg stretched out blocking her, his originally cold and proud demeanor instantly turned wanton.

Renee Winslow glanced at his carefree sitting posture, her cheeks inexplicably flushed, she hurriedly turned her head away, not daring to look at him.

Jack Yates withdrew his left leg, the heel pressed against her slipper, the hanging pant leg was closely touching her pale slender ankle, and with a gust of wind, the black pant leg ambiguously swept back and forth over her ankle.

Renee Winslow was terrified, uneasily sank into the sofa, her whole body embedded in it, tightly gripping the sofa’s edge with both hands, tensed like a startled bird.

Jack Yates extended his hand to continue petting the cat on her leg, his broad palm covered the entire cat’s body, his long fingers lightly scratched the cat’s neck, his strong firm arm inadvertently brushed against her leg.

Renee Winslow’s heart thudded loudly, beating faster and faster, her breathing becoming more urgent, her face growing redder, from face to neck.

Even though Jack Yates hadn’t said a word or done anything outrageous, his powerful chilly aura made her fearful, besides his aura, the strong hormonal scent emanating from him scared her, it was a strange, indescribable panic, feeling both fearful and confused.

"Mr. Yates." She finally couldn’t hold it anymore, pressed down on his hand, "Mr. Yates, what are you trying to do?"

Jack Yates’ arm dropped, resting directly on her leg, his elbow supporting her knee, looking deeply at her: "What do you think?"

Renee Winslow’s heart jumped fiercely, her eyes flushed as she looked at him, completely unsure how to respond.

At this moment, Caleb Yates’ voice sounded outside the door.

Renee Winslow was so scared she quickly stood up and ran out.

Caleb Yates saw her safe and relieved, grabbing her hand: "Renee."

If it was usual, Renee Winslow would have already shaken off his hand, but this time she instead grabbed his hand back, tightly gripping it, looking at him with an uneasy expression.

Caleb Yates patted her head, suppressing the anger in his eyes: "Don’t be afraid, I’m here now."

Renee Winslow’s voice carried a hint of sobbing: "Caleb Yates, take me back to school..."

Before she finished speaking, Butler Pierce came out: "Young Master Sanders, The Third Master wishes you to go to his study."

Caleb Yates released Renee Winslow’s hand, soothingly patted her shoulder: "You go walk in the garden first, I’ll be there shortly."

Renee Winslow nodded, turned around, and went to the garden.

Study.

Caleb Yates stormed into the study, tongue against his teeth, with a roguish demeanor, tugged on his tie, coldly laughed as he asked: "Third Uncle wouldn’t be..."

Jack Yates lifted his eyelids, his gaze sharp as a knife.

Caleb Yates seemed to have had his throat choked, his questioning stuck in his throat.

Jack Yates smashed a plastic bag with a few colored pills into his face: "This was found at the bar you co-own with Jonah Tierney."

Caleb Yates hurriedly bent down to pick it up, asking in shock: "When did this happen?"

Jack Yates focused his gaze: "Have you touched it?"

Caleb Yates’ voice changed in fright: "No! Third Uncle, I swear I’ve never touched such a thing!"

Jack Yates asked coldly: "In this bar, how many shares do you own?"

Caleb Yates: "I invested three million in pure capital. Jonah Tierney invested one million, responsible for overall operations. We split fifty-fifty."

Besides, the Yates Family’s status and background were also protection for this bar, otherwise, how could it open so easily in The Quadrangle?

Jack Yates picked up a cigarette pack, tilted it to shake out one to hold in his mouth.

Caleb Yates hurried forward to pick up a lighter, ready to light it for him.

Jack Yates coldly looked at him: "Put it down!"

Caleb Yates awkwardly put down the lighter, smiling uglier than crying: "Third Uncle, how’s the bar now? No, I mean, has it been proven whether it was framed or what?"

Jack Yates: "It’s already confirmed it was the bar staff selling it."

Caleb Yates’ legs went weak, nearly kneeling: "Third Uncle, you must help me! I swear I’ve never touched that stuff! Damn, it must be Jonah Tierney, that bastard, doing this behind my back."

Jack Yates lowered his gaze to light the cigarette, tossed the lighter onto the table, his sexy sharp lips held the pale gold filter tip, his long and cold fingers took down the cigarette, opened his mouth, blew out half a smoke ring, the other half exhaled through his nose.

In the hazy smoke, his deep sharp eyes were like a dark cold pool, mysterious, dangerous.

Caleb Yates supported the table’s edge with his hands, pleading: "Third Uncle, Third Uncle, you must help me!"

Jack Yates nonchalantly flicked ash: "Go to Nordland for two months, just to escape the heat."

Caleb Yates grinned: "Alright, thanks, Third Uncle."

He turned to leave, stopped at the door, looked back at Jack Yates, hesitated a moment, and asked: "Third Uncle, why are you telling me this now, such a big thing."

Jack Yates replied indifferently: "I just found out too."

Caleb Yates pressed his tongue against his cheek, smirked: "Third Uncle, you’ve always been self-disciplined, principled, and rule-abiding, everyone says you are the true gentleman of The Quadrangle, we are just pampered wastrels living off our fathers. So, Third Uncle would never be as absurd as Emperor Thatcher, right?"

Jack Yates squinted, deeply inhaled the smoke, his voice icy and deep: "What are you afraid of?"