Goodbye Uncle, Goodbye Love

It was early winter. The heating hadn't kicked in yet, and the house felt like a walk-in freezer.

I rubbed my frozen fingers and stared at the dim glow of my laptop screen. For the first time in my life, I felt a strange sense of peace.

My screen was flooded with messages from my advisor. He was practically begging me to consider the study abroad program.

"You have a natural eye for color, Phoebe. You have your own vision. If you go, you'll reach heights you can't even imagine here."

"This is the last call for applications. I really hope you'll reconsider."

This was the third time he had reached out. Each time, his tone grew more urgent.

Before, I had turned him down without a second thought. I did it all to stay by Caspian Sterling's side.

But now...

I picked up my phone and stared at the news headline I had already read a dozen times.

Caspian Sterling, the man I had loved for seven years and my legal guardian, was getting engaged. And it wasn't to me.

He finally didn't need me anymore.

Maybe it was the cold in the room, but it felt like the blood in my veins was turning to ice. My chest felt tight, a dull ache throbbing behind my ribs.

I took a deep breath and finally typed a reply.

"Okay, Professor. I'll come in tomorrow to fill out the forms."

I spent a few minutes looking up flight information before closing my laptop.

When I headed downstairs, I ran straight into Caspian. He was just getting home from a business dinner, smelling faintly of expensive cologne and wine.

He froze when he saw me. His eyes immediately dropped to my bare feet on the cold floor.

He started lecturing me instantly, but he didn't stop there. He walked over, scooped me up, and carried me to the sofa.

"You never wear shoes. Then you cry to me when your stomach aches from the cold. Stay put."

I watched him in silence. He grabbed my slippers and brought over a heated pad, tucking it around me.

He didn't go back to his own business until he was sure I was warm.

For a second, my nose stung. This warmth felt so real, so solid.

How was I supposed to believe it was all just an illusion? I didn't want to let go.

"Caspian."

"I've told you before, call me Uncle Caspian. Show some respect."

It was always the same line. Every time I felt a spark of hope, he used that title to shove me back behind the safety line.

This time, I didn't listen. I kept my head down, my voice barely a whisper.

"Caspian, you're getting engaged, aren't you? I saw the news."

He paused for a heartbeat, then gave a small, casual nod. "Yes."

"Do you... do you love her?"

"That's adult business, Phoebe. Don't ask questions you're too young to understand."

"I'm asking you. Do you love her?"

I told myself that if he gave me even a hint of a 'no,' I would stay. I would throw away my dignity, forget about Paris, and keep clinging to him like a shadow.

But Caspian frowned. He looked at me like I was being ridiculous.

"Why else would I marry her? Do you think I'm playing out some clich arranged marriage drama?"

The room went dead quiet. The only sound was the north wind howling outside, mimicking the hollow sound in my heart.

I dug my nails into my palms. I couldn't stop the last question from slipping out.

"What if one day you couldn't find me anymore? Would you be sad?"

He was losing patience now. He turned away, heading for the stairs without a backward glance.

"Stop asking stupid, meaningless questions. Don't throw a tantrum like a little girl."

"I'm busy lately. I don't have the energy to deal with your moods."

The door slammed shut upstairs. The sound echoed through the house, killing the last flicker of hope in my soul.

I looked up at his closed door, my vision blurring.

"It's not a tantrum. I'm actually leaving."

"Caspian... I don't want to love you anymore."

The next morning, I gathered my documents and prepared to head to the university.

As I reached the bottom of the stairs, I locked eyes with Caspian. He was sitting at the breakfast table, looking effortless in his suit.

"Where are you going? I thought you didn't have classes today."

"Oh, the Art Club has an event. They're short-handed and asked me to help out."

It was a clumsy lie. If Caspian cared even a little, he would remember I told him weeks ago that I'd quit that club.

But he didn't remember. He just nodded.

"Fine. Let me finish my coffee and I'll drive you."

"No thanks. I already called an Uber."

"Then call me when you're done. I'll be in that area for a meeting later. I can pick you up."

"I'm okay, Caspian. You're busy. I can just get a ride back."

I closed the door before he could argue. The cold wind bit at my face, and I realized Caspian probably felt something was off.

In the past, I would have done anything to spend an extra ten minutes in his car. I wanted everyone to see us together.

Today, I was running away.

He probably figured I was just being dramatic. He likely thought I'd be back to my old self in a few days.

On the other side of the door, I hurried down the street and opened my ride-share app.

I hadn't actually called a car yet. I just couldn't spend another second in that house with him.

I had loved him for seven years. Every time he showed me a crumb of kindness, I crawled right back to him.

I was so close to breaking. I couldn't let myself waver again.

At the university, I went straight to Professor Miller's office. He was thrilled I'd changed my mind.

He promised to expedite my paperwork so I'd have time to pack.

"Actually, Professor... can you put me at the top of the list? I want to get there as soon as possible."

"And, could you keep this a secret for now? I want to tell my family myself. A surprise."

Professor Miller smiled and tapped his pen against his chin.

"You young people and your surprises! Fine, I'll keep your secret."

I thanked him and left the office. As soon as the door closed, my fake smile crumbled.

Family? What family did I have left?

When I was fourteen, my mother was dying. Before she passed, she sent meDher illegitimate daughterDto the Sterling estate.

She thought the Sterlings could give me a better life than a dying woman with nothing.

But shortly after I arrived, my father died in a freak accident.

His legal wife hated my guts. The rest of the Sterling relatives just saw me as a burden. Nobody wanted to deal with me.

At my father's funeral, they passed me around like a hot potato.

I stood there with tears in my eyes, wanting to tell Mrs. Sterling that I didn't eat much. I wanted to ask her to just let me stay.

But when I looked at her, she exploded in a rage.

"What's with that face? You're just like your mother, acting innocent to get sympathy!"

"If it wasn't for her, my husband would never have ignored me all those years! That home-wrecker deserved to die, and so do you!"

She grabbed a heavy metal chair and swung it at me with everything she had.

I curled into a ball, waiting for the pain. But it never came.

Instead, I heard a sickening thud and a heavy groan. Then, the metallic scent of blood filled the air.

Caspian Sterling, who was only twenty-one at the time, had used his own body to shield me.

The sharp metal edge had sliced a deep gash across his back. I felt his blood drip onto my face.

Through my sobbing, I heard his voice.

"This kid is pretty cute. I'll take her. I'll raise her."

"I'm Caspian. Based on the family tree, you'll call me Uncle."

Thinking back to that day still made my heart tremble.

Caspian had been badly hurt. That wound on his back had left a permanent scar.

When I was younger, I used to touch it. He would laugh and call it a hero's medal for protecting his princess.

But what about now?

Would he still talk about that scar with pride? Or would he just hold his fiance's hand and tell her it was a relic of a past that didn't matter?

My eyes burned as I thought about their future.

I wandered aimlessly across campus. When I realized where I was, I sighed.

My feet had a mind of their own. They had carried me to the Wall of Fame.

A massive portrait of Caspian hung there. I had traced every line of that photo with my eyes a thousand times.

I had studied like a madwoman just to get into the same university he attended.

And now, I was here to say goodbye.

"You think the photo doesn't do him justice, right? I told him to change it, but he refused."

"Men and their taste. I'll never get it."

The voice startled me. I turned to see a woman walking toward me with a bright, confident smile.

I didn't need an introduction. I knew exactly who she was.

This was Zora Vance. The woman Caspian was about to marry.

"You must be Phoebe. Hi, I'm Zora. I'm your uncle's associate... and his girlfriend."

"He mentioned you were a student here, so I thought I'd try to find you. Lucky me."

Zora smiled and reached out for a handshake, but she pulled her hand back just as I reached for it.

My hand hung awkwardly in the air for a second before I pulled it back. I could feel the waves of malice coming off her.

"Small world. Sorry, I have to go. The club is waiting for me."

"Don't run off! It's our first meeting. Let's grab lunch. Caspian is coming to pick me up anyway, we can all go together."

I looked down. I remembered Caspian saying he'd be in the area.

He wasn't here for work. He was here for her.

I tried to refuse, but Zora grabbed my arm and practically dragged me toward the parking lot.

The whole way, she talked about how she and Caspian met.

She told me stories of their 'secret' mutual crush. She said they only recently admitted their feelings.

Then, she told me I had to be at the wedding.

"How about you be my bridesmaid? You've been with Caspian so long, you must want to see him finally find happiness."

"I told him we should keep our relationship quiet for a bit. I didn't want you to be upset."

"But he's such a typical man. He just announced it. He told me not to worry about you. So, I'm apologizing for him."

"Besides... the idea of someone loving their own uncle is so disgusting. That would never happen with you, right?"

"Right, Phoebe?"

Every word she said felt like a stone being dropped into my stomach.

Finally, the weight was too much. My heart shattered into a million pieces.

I stayed silent the whole way. I had always been small and thin, and next to Zora, I felt like a child.

I realized I couldn't pull my arm away from her grip, so I stopped fighting.

Zora noticed my sudden submission. She smirked and ruffled my hair like I was a disobedient pet.

"Look at you, being so well-behaved. Caspian said you were a handful."

I hated being touched by anyone who wasn't Caspian.

It was a physical reflex. I jerked my arm away, accidentally hitting Zora's hand.

I didn't realize how much force I used. A red mark immediately bloomed on her pale skin.

That was the exact moment Caspian's car pulled up. He saw everything.

"Phoebe! What the hell are you doing!"

I froze as Caspian jumped out of the car. He rushed over to check Zora's hand.

There was barely anything there, just a faint pink mark, but he looked furious.

"Where are your manners? Bullying someone on the street? Is this how I raised you? Apologize. Now."

"Oh, Caspian, it's fine. Phoebe is just a kid. She has a bit of a temper, don't yell at her."

Zora's 'kindness' only made me look worse.

I looked at the two of them. A protective man and his understanding girlfriend.

I was the only villain in their perfect world.

I wondered if Caspian had forgotten.

Years ago, I got into an argument with a classmate. When Caspian heard about it, he defended me without question.

He had said he knew my heart. He said I would never hurt someone without a reason.

He was right back then. But those words didn't apply anymore.

Maybe this was what they called emotional desensitization. You face the pain until the love burns out.

You watch the person you love hurt you until you finally hit the wall and stop caring.

I felt like I was forcing myself through that process right now.

I pulled down my sleeve, hiding the purple bruises Zora's grip had left on my arm.

I looked at Zora and spoke quietly. "I'm sorry."

It was soft, but they both heard it.

Caspian's anger seemed to evaporate instantly. He looked stunned.

He probably expected me to scream. He probably expected me to throw a fit because he was siding with another woman.

But I didn't. I just bowed my head. No fight, no drama.

He had gotten exactly what he wantedDfor me to behave. So why did he look so unsettled?

Zora broke the silence with a fake laugh.

"See? All good. Your uncle is just protective, Phoebe. He didn't mean to snap at you. Don't take it to heart."

"Let's all get lunch, then we'll drop you home."

"Caspian, you promised to take me to that seafood place you liked. Let's go there."

Zora walked to the car and naturally opened the passenger door.

Caspian glanced at me. When he saw I wasn't reacting, he nodded.

"Fine. Whatever you want."

The drive to the restaurant was long. I get motion sickness easily, so it wasn't a fun ride.

I curled up in the back seat and closed my eyes. But I couldn't block out the sound of them laughing.

"Going back to campus brought back so many memories. My old professor asked why you weren't with me."

"He knew I liked you back then! Everyone knew but you! You're such an idiot."

Caspian laughed, his voice sounding softer than I'd heard it in years.

"I liked you just as long. I just never said it. I guess we're even."

They were reminiscing about their youth. Meanwhile, I was in the back counting on my fingers.

Caspian is seven years older than me. When he took me in, he was a college student.

So, the whole time I was growing up, he was secretly in love with her.

He never told me. I never knew there was someone else in his heart.

If he had told me sooner, maybe I wouldn't have confessed. Maybe we wouldn't be in this mess.

The movement of the car made my head spin. My stomach turned, and I couldn't take it anymore.

I tapped the back of Caspian's seat.

"I'm not hungry. Can you just let me out? I'll walk home or take a cab."

Caspian looked at me through the rearview mirror. But my face was buried in my arms, so he couldn't see how pale I was.

Zora chimed in, sounding 'concerned.'

"Phoebe, I know your uncle spoils you, but we've come so far. It's a bit rude to want to leave now..."

"Is it because of what we were saying? Is that making you uncomfortable? Okay, I'll stop. We can talk about something else."

She didn't finish the thought, but the implication was clear. She was painting me as a jealous brat.

Caspian's face darkened immediately.

He had just thought I was being mature. Now, he figured I was just playing games to get attention.

He pulled the car over to the curb and unlocked the doors.

"Since when did you get so entitled? If you don't want to listen, get out. Walk home."

I felt like I was going to throw up. I wanted to explain that I was sick, but then I saw his scowling face in the mirror.

The words died in my throat. He already believed Zora. Anything I said would just sound like another lie.

I didn't say a word. I just opened the door and got out.

Caspian probably just wanted to scare me into apologizing. He didn't think I'd actually walk.

But I started walking in the opposite direction without looking back.

"Caspian, don't be like that. She's your niece."

"My niece?" He scoffed, watching me in the mirror.

"She doesn't treat me like an uncle."

"Let her go. She's old enough to find her way home. She needs to learn a lesson. Maybe she'll stop having these inappropriate thoughts if she has to walk for a few hours."

The roar of the engine drowned out his last words. The car sped away, leaving a cloud of dust behind.

I stopped walking and turned around. The dust stung my eyes.

I wiped away the tears and felt something inside me break. Seven years of stubborn hope just... dissolved.

The walk back to the Sterling estate took me over three and a half hours.

By the time I got back, Caspian was already home and finished with dinner.

He was sitting on the sofa, frowning as he watched me limp through the front door.

"Are you an idiot? I told you to walk, so you actually walked the whole way? You don't know how to call an Uber?"

I didn't even look at him. I just walked past him and muttered three words.

"I get motion-sick."

He forgot again.

Ever since things got tense between us, he had been forgetting every little detail about me.

Maybe it was better this way. It made it easier to stop clinging to his fake kindness.

I went upstairs in silence. When I peeled off my socks, I saw that both my heels were covered in bloody blisters.

The skin had rubbed raw, and it looked nasty.

I was cleaning the wounds when I heard a knock. I said 'come in' without thinking.

Caspian walked in with a bottle of antiseptic and some bandages.

"Don't do it yourself. Give me your foot."

He sat on the edge of the bed. When I didn't move, he reached out to grab my ankle.

"What are you doing? Let go!"

"I don't need your help. Leave the medicine and get out!"

"Did you hear me, Caspian? Get out!"

A sharp slap echoed through the room. Everything went still. We both looked at each other in shock.

I had hit him. Caspian's head was tilted to the side, his eyes wide with disbelief.

"Phoebe?"

I had so many angry things I wanted to scream at him. But when he used that nickname, the fight left me.

I still couldn't bring myself to be cruel to him, even though he was an expert at being cruel to me.

My palm stung from the slap. My hand was shaking, but I didn't look away.

"Caspian, what am I to you? Just some object?"

"You're the one who told me you liked me. Then you rejected me."

"You're the one who acts all sweet to me, then gets engaged to someone else to 'fix' me!"

"Are you training a dog? What do you want from me?"

My voice cracked, but Caspian just stared at me. There was something in his eyes I couldn't read.

"What are you talking about? I've always treated you like this."

"And I told you, I was drunk when I said those things. Don't take it seriously."

"You're my niece. That's what you were, what you are, and what you'll always be."

His bluntness killed the very last spark of hope I had left.

I looked down. My voice was cold and fragile.

"Then do me a favor. Stop being nice to me. Not even a little. Let me move on."

Caspian stood there for a long time. Finally, he set the medicine down and walked out.

"Fine. If that's what you want."