Chapter 1: Moving into His Den

"Uncle Julian, be gentle... it hurts."

Willow Avery sat in the consultation room of the Institute of Integrative Medicine, her spine stiff and her face burning with a heat she couldn't suppress.

She stole a glance at the hand resting on her wrist.

It was long, pale, and elegantly structured with distinct knuckles.

Following that hand upward, she saw the broad shoulders beneath a crisp white lab coat, a prominent Adam’s apple, a sharp jawline, and features that were as refined as they were cold and ascetic.

Counting today, this was only the third time Willow had seen him.

The second time they met, he had pinned her down on a bed of tangled sheets, his searing lips grazing her ear.

His calloused fingertips had traced every inch of her.

From her waist down to her thighs...

He hadn't spared a single inch.

"Any boyfriend?"

The man’s low, steady voice snapped Willow back to reality.

She shook her head obediently, her voice barely a whisper. "No."

"Sexual history?"

A sudden wave of numbness surged through Willow's core.

It felt as if she had been transported back to that night.

The man who appeared so pure and detached on the outside had been exceptionally ruthless when he held her that night.

Her gaze involuntarily drifted elsewhere, her lips turning white from biting them. "Just once... two days ago..."

"Mm."

Julian Kingston responded indifferently, withdrawing his hand from her pulse.

"Minor abdominal pain caused by a slight luteal rupture. I'll prescribe some medication. Take it twice a day and get plenty of bed rest."

The sound of a keyboard clicking filled the air and then stopped as a printed prescription was pushed toward her.

"Thank you."

Willow hesitantly took the thin sheet of paper.

Just as she stood up timidly, Julian spoke again.

"Come back for a follow-up in a week."

"...Huh?"

Willow let out a soft exclamation of surprise and then hurriedly pursed her lips.

Why did she need a follow-up?

Was it that serious?

She thought about the news she had seen online before coming here...

Stories about older men acting innocent while hiding their medical histories to deceive college students.

Willow pondered carefully in her heart.

Uncle Julian was eight years older than her.

And he was very skilled in bed—extremely experienced.

He fit the description perfectly.

"Uncle Julian..." She was quite intimidated by him, but for the sake of her health, she summoned her courage to ask, "Do you... do you have a disease?"

Julian's hand, which was about to press the patient calling button, paused. His cool, thin gaze fell upon her. "What do you mean by that?"

The moment the words left her mouth, Willow realized how ambiguous they sounded.

She quickly waved her hands in denial. "I don't mean that you're sick in the head. I mean..."

She struggled to organize her thoughts for a while before looking up at Julian again.

Coming face-to-face with his somewhat oppressive features—

Everything she wanted to say vanished from her mind.

And yet, the man was waiting...

In a fit of desperation that sent blood rushing to her brain, she pointed toward his groin and gritted her teeth. "Down there... is there a disease?"

Julian, dressed in his white lab coat, froze.

He paused for a moment and asked, "Do you want to examine it?"

Willow covered her steaming face with both hands, so embarrassed she wanted to find a crack in the floor to crawl into.

It was bad enough that she had blurted out something so frantic.

She couldn't believe her uncle actually offered to strip for her to check.

This was too absurd...

"I can't," she murmured in response. "How could I look at you there?"

"What are you thinking?" Julian pinched the bridge of his nose. "I've never had a girlfriend, and I took safety precautions that night. Since you're worried, I'll go for a check-up and show you the results when they come in."

Willow’s head felt like it had exploded.

So, he didn't mean he was going to take off his clothes.

What on earth was she talking about!

She bent down in a ninety-degree bow, her voice sounding like she was about to cry:

"I'm sorry, Uncle Julian. I didn't mean to offend you."

"It's not an offense," Julian's voice remained calm and light. "We did much more offensive things that night."

Hearing this, Willow’s eyes turned red with fright.

Two days ago, during a class party at a club, she had been pressured into drinking a few glasses. In her blurred state, she had wandered into the wrong resting room upstairs. Upon entering, she had clung to Julian, kissing and biting him.

She had stripped off his clothes and pulled his hands toward her waist.

She hadn't blacked out; she remembered it clearly.

She was the one who had been proactive.

Even though they weren't related by blood, Julian was indeed her uncle in every practical sense.

She had offended him thoroughly.

Terrified that Julian was about to settle the score, she felt incredibly guilty. With her head down, she bolted for the door. "Uncle Julian, I have a class. I have to go..."

She even bumped her head while opening the door.

Julian heard the thud and subconsciously lifted his eyelids.

The young girl was clutching her forehead, and he could vaguely hear her frustrated gasps.

She was remarkably vivid and interesting.

He shook his head helplessly at the sight.

Scared to this extent, yet she had been bold enough to seduce him after drinking that night.

Just then, Adrian Cross from the neighboring department strolled in slowly with a water cup. "Oh, our Traditional Medicine department is really picking up. Even young people are coming here. I've already seen several patients for irregular cycles today. The one who just ran out with a bright red face—she was here for a consultation too, right?"

"What kind of prescription did you give her to make a girl that embarrassed..."

As he spoke, he walked to Julian’s desk and slid the mouse to pull up the patient records.

When Adrian saw the screen, he exclaimed, "Damn, nineteen years old, luteal rupture. Which man was such a beast?"

The "beast" himself, Julian, remained silent for a moment before nonchalantly changing the subject. "Are you here just to chat?"

"No," Adrian finally remembered his purpose. "Your family called you. They couldn't get through, so they called me. Remember to call them back."

As he left the office, he was still lamenting, "Poor little girl."

Julian's fingers paused slightly as he picked up his phone, then he dialed his father's number.

"Dad, is something wrong?"

"A granddaughter of an old friend of mine finds it inconvenient to stay at school. She's going to stay at your place. She arrives tonight."

Grandpa Sterling gave a couple of feigned coughs. "I'm getting old and there's a generational gap with these youngsters; I'm afraid she won't be comfortable. Take good care of her, or I'll hold you accountable."

Fearing his youngest son would refuse, the old man hung up immediately after delivering the notice.

Julian stared at the darkened screen and pinched the bridge of his nose.

His father's friend's granddaughter...

Most of them were still in elementary school.

Having to take care of one would indeed be a hassle.

...

Willow rushed all the way out of the hospital gates.

Just as she caught her breath, the phone in her bag rang abruptly.

Seeing the caller ID, she answered.

"Willa," Arthur Avery's voice came through the receiver, leaving no room for argument. "Starting today, you don't need to live in the dorms anymore. I've had your grandfather arrange things for you. You're moving into your uncle's house. Move in before this afternoon."

Willow hadn't recovered from the shock at the hospital yet. she nodded. "Okay."

But, which uncle would this be?