Chapter 2

Juniper

“A divorce?” Tristan repeated, the words sounding cursed and offensive. Beside him, Rayna grinned. She was clearly enjoying this.

  “You never mattered to me anyway. If a divorce is what you want, a divorce is what you’ll get.” He said harshly, his response piercing into my heart like ice daggers.

 “You don’t care about him at all,” Rayna put in, addressing me for the first time since she came into the hospital. Wait, into the hospital. Did Tristan bring her to the hospital to have her checked up and only dropped by to see me out of convenience? What was I saying? He didn’t drop by to see me. He came to order me to take the fall for what I had no idea of. To spend six months in prison. Rayna went on, her body leaning coquettishly against Tristan now. Their actions made me nauseous. They weren’t even trying to hide it. They were rubbing their affair in my face.

“If you care about him, you’ll help him clinch the contract with the Vangough conglomerate,” she said, and I instinctively froze. Vangough? Was he trying to get a contract with my father’s company? He should dream on.

 “My lawyers will draft the divorce papers. They should be ready soon. And you have no choice. You must do this for Rayna.” He said coldly and pulled her towards the door.

  “Ouch!!” Rayna shrieked, falling to the ground and pushing Tristan into panic mode.

  “What’s wrong? Babe, babe,” he crouched to his knees, suit and all, and examined her legs.

  “It’s nothing to worry about,” she bemoaned. “I tripped and fell.” She said.

  “We should get the doctor to see you,” my husband said, rising to his feet and scooping her into his arms. She buried her head within his arms as he took her out of the room.

  “You don’t have to worry, Tristan. It’s nothing.” She protested.

  “No. You’re a model as well as an actress. You can’t afford to get the slightest injury.” He said firmly. Something in my chest twisted.

  I unintentionally cut myself once with a knife, and Tristan, who was about to get a glass of water, stared at the droplets of blood on the floor with sheer disgust. The look frightened me.

  “Stop being clumsy and clean the floor.” He ordered that evening.

  Almost halfway through the door, Tristan turned and looked at me, still carrying Rayna, who had a provocative smirk on her face.

  “Rayna took care of me during those years when I was in coma, Juniper. You might’ve saved me from death that night with your mediocre skills, but she took care of me, and I’m forever grateful to her. If you don’t own up to pushing her into the pool, I’ll deal with you myself.” He threatened, and with that, he left the ward.

  My body went stiff. I knew what he was referring to, but I couldn’t make any sense of it.

  “You stayed by his side throughout his coma, yet another woman is trying to claim the credit?” Ellen’s voice sounded, and I raised my head to see my friend walking into the ward, an angry expression on her face. She was dressed in expensive, limited clothes, her demeanour screaming of elegance. I was surprised—pleasantly so.

  “When did you arrive in LA?” I asked, trying to adjust my position, but wincing. She rushed over to my side, chiding my actions.

  “Relax, Juniper. You’re an expert doctor, yet you seem to forget common knowledge.” Her voice was hard, but her eyes were soft.

  “I’m divorcing Tristan,” I divulged, and she nodded.

  “As you should. Have you called your father?” She asked. I shook my head and gestured for her to hand me my phone, which was on the bedside table.

  “I’ll do so now. I wonder what he’ll think of me.” I lamented, self-scorn washing over me as I bowed my head. Her hand patted my hair.

  “Well, you don’t have to think further. You can talk to him directly.” She said in a light voice. My head whipped up as my father came into the ward, two guards flanking him on both sides. His hard face softened at the sight of me, and two huge drops of tears stood in my eyes. I was ashamed.

  “Father,” I began, the words choking me.

  I wanted to hug him but wondered if he'd disapprove. Then he smiled, a wide one that took me back to my childhood.

  “Oh, dear Juniper,” he came forward.

  “Father,” I croaked again.

  “Don’t be silly, child. Call me Dad like before.” He sat next to my bed, and a strange happiness filled me. I didn't realize how much I'd missed him, missed my best friend, my career as a doctor, and my previous life. But seeing him here, his face handsome as before, eyes filled with pride just for me, recalling how Tristan had humiliated me in front of his lover, the tears finally rained down.

  “How dare he make you cry?” My father growled in anger. I sniffled. It was time to stop being weak, stop holding myself back, and make my life all about Tristan. I was going to make him pay for every pain he caused me. I wondered how foolish I'd been in the past.

  “Tell me, how do you want him to be punished? No one makes a Vangough cry and goes scot-free.” He said, his words dropping the ward into a chilliness that wasn't there before. I knew he could do it. He could make Tristan vanish in a single night without raising even a single finger. My father was as powerful as that. But that wasn't what I wanted. Whatever punishment Tristan deserved, I was going to mete it out to him myself.

  I shook my head. “I want to become the owner of the Vangough conglomerate.” I said, determination flashing in my eyes.

 My father laughed heartily. “Vangough has always been yours, my daughter. Everything I own. All my empire. A mere conglomerate is all you want?” He asked dotingly.

  “Don’t you want to be the doctor you've always been? Though after all these years, I don't think you still–”

  “I’m still as talented as I was in the past, Dad. Besides, I can always take up a position as Chief medical director,” I met his gaze. "Dad, I’m done playing house. I want my seat back at Vangough. And I don't just want to be a doctor. I want to oversee everything."

 My father’s eyes lit up. "The lioness in you has finally woken up. It’s all yours, Juniper. The Tristan Corps contract is on my desk—should I shred it?"

 I smiled coldly. "No. I want to be the one to tell him it has been denied.” Then I chuckled. “That’s what I want for now.” I replied.

  “Erm…” my father hesitated. My expression turned serious. He never hesitated, except it was a serious matter. He exchanged glances with Ellen, and she exited the ward alongside his guards. Though I didn't think he really needed them. My father was once in the military and had achieved the rare title of Falcon Captain before his retirement and his burst to wealth and powerful status. There was no one stupid enough to try and harm him here.

  “About your engagement to the son of the Callum family,” he let his words hang, and I was transported to the past. Gosh, I'd really made too many stupid decisions all for the sake of Tristan. “They’re still sour about it, but they want this alliance to move forward.” He informed me. I was shocked.

  The Callum family was on par with ours in terms of status, power, and wealth. Four years ago, I should've married the first son of the family—a handsome guy whom I assumed was arrogant like all wealthy people were. Besides, I was terribly in love with Tristan. I ran away, and my father threatened to erase my name from the family registry.

  “He didn't get married within four years?” I asked in disbelief.

  “You sound interested.” My father observed. I was silent for a heartbeat, and then I gazed into the distance. I caused my father heartache. If marriage to Xavier Callum was all it'd take to make him happy again, I would do it.

  “Yes, Dad. I accept the marriage to Xavier.” I said.

  Surprise colored my father's face. “Are you sure? You don't have to accept it if you don't want to.” He pointed out. I smiled softly.

  “I’m doing this wholeheartedly.” A half lie. After making Tristan pay, I wanted him to see that I was the one who made him rise above his peers by marrying him. The great and international contracts which he had, the current status, and even his own life, was all because of me. My presence. Without me, he was nothing. He'd be back to who he was before we got married. Only a CEO in name, but not in power.

  My father called Ellen in, and I stared at the distant space.

  “Take me back to the house. I need to get my things.” I said.

 “But, Juniper,” she started to protest, but seeing the firm look on my face, she hesitated and took me back to the house.

  There was no one at home when Ellen led me in. I headed straight for Tristan’s study, where important documents were kept, and took out some files. I spotted a lighter by the side and grabbed it. My actions were detached, unfeeling, and fast as I tore the papers, turning them into shreds.

 I sat at his desk, my fingers still scrolling across the laptop. I was staring at the screen—the medical formulations I had formed that gave Tristan Corps its edge. Just with three clicks, I had revoked the last access he had to the encryption.

 When Tristan burst in with Rayna, he saw me calmly closing the laptop. "What are you doing here?" he yelled.

 "Well, I am just recovering my intellectual property," I said, standing up despite the pain disturbing my spine. "You married me for my ‘faint’ skills, Tristan, right? Let's see how your company survives without them.”

  “You bitch!” he thundered, rushing forward as if to grab the documents. His eyes burned with hatred as they landed on me, and he advanced towards me, trying to yell at me even louder.

  “I advise you not to. Rayna mentioned your intention of getting a contract with the Vangough conglomerate. Yell at me and all your chances are ruined.” I warned him. Then he stilled, hand freezing midway. He was in a daze and looked at me in disbelief. But that only lasted for seven seconds. Rayna burst into a mirthful chuckle from beside us, obviously amused.

  “You’re so delusional, Juniper. Tristan mentioned it, but I thought he was joking. You? A worthless nobody. Do you even know what the CEO of the Vangough conglomerate looks like? You expect us to believe that you have connections with them?” she mocked, laughing harder this time.

  I remained unshaken, watching them act out as fools. I imagined the expression on their faces when they found out that I didn't just have connections with the Vangough conglomerate. I was the new owner and daughter of the entire empire’s founder.

  “You shut all my access off. Now you even tore the papers to pieces. Is it because I've been lenient with you?” Tristan questioned, tone laced with fury. I was getting a bit weak, and needed to sit down. But I'd be damned before showing a hint of weakness to these people.

  “Does it matter? I helped you get them, and now, we’re getting a divorce. It's only fair that I take back what I earned for you. If it hurts you so much, you can earn them back..” I was taunted. His face blackened in rage. "You think some of your digital locks or tricks… will stop me? I’ll make you regret the day you met me.”

 I didn't close my eyes. I stood my ground, staring him down even as my heart pounded hard against my ribs.

 My eyes widened a bit. I was not completely able to move around carelessly, and Ellen wasn't within hearing distance. I told her to wait for me in the car. So, I straightened my head and stood still, confident in myself.

 Suddenly, Tristan stepped forward, his hand reaching out to push me toward the door. "Get out of my house, Juniper. You're nothing but a—"

 But before his fingers could even reach my shoulder, a hand caught his wrist like a magnet.

 The sound of a designer watch hitting the floor overwhelmed the entire space. "I wouldn't do that if I were you," a deep, sweet voice vibrated through the room. I didn't close my eyes.

 I looked up only to run into the presence of Xavier Callum. He didn't look like a man who was bitter about a broken engagement. He was just the man who had been waiting four years for this moment.

  “Dare to hit her again, and watch how I dislocate your limbs from your body,” my savior said, pushing back a silent rage, and making my heart skip a beat at his claim.

 What was he doing here?