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Echoes of Unrequited Love (Xaviera and Hogan) novel Chapter 41

Chapter 41 

Hogan and I finally parted ways on a sour note.. 

But this time around, I wasn’t freaking out

Sure, Hogan was a tough cookie, but with Cecilia in the picture, he’d got his Achillesheel 

Had a dreamless night, and when I woke up, my phone was buzzing with a few unread 

messages

They were from Tina

We hit it off at Darren’s birthday bash and added each other

[Xaviera, are you and Darren actually an item now?

She was fishing for some juicy gossip

It seemed that she caught wind of that post too

I had no choice but to run through the whole spiel I gave Cecilia yesterday, and ended it with [Do me a solid and clear the air with the rest of the gang, will ya?

Tina was a peach, and she agreed right away

But thinking about how all this might affect Darren, I was still feeling edgy, so I gave him a ring

This is why you’re blowing up my phone first thing in the morning?Darren asked in his usual laidback tone, sounding a bit miffed, Xaviera, do you really think I’m that petty?” 

Darren.” 

And besides, to be linked with you, Xaviera, is an honor for me.” 

Darren cut me off, his voice as warm and comforting as the autumn sun at its zenith

I’m tied up at the moment, you go on with your day.” 

I quickly hung up

Of course, I wasn’t trying to brush Darren off on purpose. I had to check in on my uncle todayit was his second day here in Rivertown

He was staying in a nofrills residential area in the eastern part of Rivertown

When I got to the staff dorm with some fruit, his colleague told me my uncle had the morning shift and was already out patrolling the commercial street

I politely handed out some snacks to everyone and then headed to the street corner to look for him

I hadn’t gone far when I heard my uncle’s intermittent voice. My heart skipped a beat, and I hurried over

There was this middleaged woman with dyed yellow hair, red lips, and dressed to the nines in Chanel style, pointing fingers at my uncle

When did our neighborhood lose its class? Are we hiring security guards or inviting trouble?” 

My usually meek uncle was nervously clasping his hands, apologizing to the woman while stuttering. I just thought nnobody wanted it, II’m not a thief.” 

His dark skin glistened with sweat, and his eyes were filled with embarrassment

Uncle!” 

My uncle Jason turned at the sound of my voice, and a genuine smile briefly crossed his simple face before he looked down again, clearly uncomfortable

Jason had a stutter his whole life

Probably worried about embarrassing me, he hung his head low, looking like he was caught redhanded

I stepped in front of him and asked the woman, Ma’am, seems like there’s been some misunderstanding?” 

She tilted her chin up arrogantly, And you are? Related to this thief?” 

Her calling him a thiefdrew a small crowd

Ma’am, you’re calling my uncle a thief. Got any proof?I glanced at the cardboard boxes at her feet, speaking with authority

The woman probably didn’t expect me to push back so hard. She pointed at me and said, Denying it, huh? I had my cardboard boxes sitting right outside my door, and he just takes. them without a word. Isn’t that stealing?” 

I got the picture right away

Jason had been a pushover his whole life, always on the receiving end of bullying; he’d never stoop to petty theft

I glanced over at the snack shop and said, Ma’am, this is a commercial street. The area where you dumped your cardboard is managed by the property company. Since my uncle works here. he’s naturally obliged to keep the street clean. As for stealing.” 

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