Chapter 3

Juniper

“I knew it! You were a whore all along!” Tristan spat, snapping out of his daze and trying to pull his hand away from his assaulter. “A whore?” I laughed, the sound of my voice cold and sharp. “Tristan, you’ve spent four years sleeping in a separate room while I was busy building your empire. If I were a whore, I’d be the most expensive mistake you ever made. But luckily for me, I’m just a woman who finally remembered her own value.”

 Then I looked at Xavier, really looked at him, and found myself reacting to him. It had been four years since I saw him, and he looked gorgeous as ever, even hotter. I could see Rayna giving him seductive glances, which Tristan couldn't see, and trying to get his attention.

  “Xavier,” I called out, and he lowered his head in my direction.

 “Who is he, Juniper?! Tell me right now!” He demanded. I was surprised. One, at the fact that he even cared enough to be jealous. Two, at the fact that he didn't recognize Xavier. But that was to be expected. Xavier Callum, alongside members of the Vangough family—which was only my father and I, by the way—belonged to a class that was way out of Tristan's league. And Xavier wasn't one to appear on televisions and magazines, so I couldn't blame Tristan for not clocking the fact that the man in front of him was my betrothed, and was the most powerful man in the younger generation.

  I clicked my tongue. “It’s none of your business.” I retorted.

  “You couldn't even wait until we are officially divorced,” he sneered, and I almost laughed at the hypocrisy. Wasn't he aware that his relationship with Rayna was an affair, an insult to me, his wife?

“You have Rayna, what's your business with me?” I clapped back. His mouth snapped shut, but I could see him boiling with rage. His male ego was bruised and it satisfied me a bit.

  “I’m just ashamed that you settled for nobody in a bid to pay me back.” He mocked. I laughed. I wasn't just staying with Xavier for the sake of my father. It was just a trial and now, it seemed it would work for me.

  “A nobody?” I finally had enough. “You don't even recognize the one who has been signing the checks, and you have the nerve to talk down on my choices?” I snapped. 

  Both of them were immediately amused.

  “Oh, please. Spare us the lies, Juniper. If Xavier Callum was standing in front of us, he wouldn’t be wasting his time with a poor snitch like you.” Tristan curled his lips into a mocking smile, and inwardly, I laughed at their utter stupidity.

 I didn't bother arguing. The truth would hit them tomorrow morning. Then I put on a bit of a show, suddenly feeling loved again.

  “I’m already feeling tired, baby. Carry me.” I cooed to Xavier who surprised me with a flat face. But he didn't hesitate. Without a word, Xavier scooped me up. He didn't just carry me. He protected me with his large hands. As we passed Tristan, Xavier leaned in, his voice like grinding stones. “Investigate me all you want, Mr. Tristan. But remember: the more you find out, the less you’ll have left.”

 Sandalwood and musk drifted across my nose, teasing my senses and making me want to scoot closer to his chest and bury my nose against his chest.

 My reaction startled me. What was I doing? I just came out of a loveless marriage. Even though I agreed to get married to Xavier again, I didn't harbor the thoughts of falling in love with him. Reacting in such a way to him would only hurt me in the end.

 Tristan reacted like he had been bitten. His veins bulged in his forehead and Xavier pressed me against his body.

  “Enjoy it while it lasts. I'm going to find out who this man is, and I'm going to deal with him!” He called out from behind us as Xavier carried me out of the room, and down the stairs.

  “You can put me down now,” I said, my ears turning red, and conscious of his body heat which was inching towards burning. And it was making me react in ways I wasn't used to. Xavier didn't put me down.

  “They’re still watching.” Xavier brushed off my request, climbing down the stairs like it was normal ground and familiar territory, up until we were finally outside. The cool wind hit me squarely, and only then did I notice that he was being careful of my injury. I wondered how he knew.

  “What are you doing here? How did you–” I wanted to ask him how he knew my house, but decided against it.

  He helped me into the car, and rounded over to the driver's seat. When he saw my inquisitive stare, he shrugged. “I decided to drive by myself.”

  I stared out the window, at the starry night and beautiful familiar scenery.

  “You haven't answered my question.”

He focused on driving, not sparing me a glance. “Ellen said you were in danger.” He said.

  Taken aback by his response and solemn tone, I whirled in his direction. Surely, I heard wrong. The arrogant man I knew couldn't possibly bother about me like that, arranged marriage or not.

  “I’m not in danger, I came to pick my things.” I replied.

  “And your husband almost hit you,” he added, and I held my breath, waiting for his judgement and mockery. After all, I abandoned our betrothal for another man. Instead, I sensed the underlying fury. No, not at me. He wasn't furious with me, but with someone else.

  “He’s not my husband.” I said quietly. He finally jerked his head in my direction, lips a bit parted but saying nothing in the end. Uncomfortable silence filled the air, mingling with his aura which he could never seem to hide. It accompanied him everywhere, instilling fear into anyone that dared to cross him. I swallowed hard, hands getting sweaty. I needed a warm bath, and to get some rest too. I shouldn't be moving around this much.

 I didn't know that he noticed how uncomfortable I was, until the car jerked to a stop, and he leaned in towards me, hand resting on my forehead.

  “Ellen mentioned the surgery. Who caused the injury?” He asked, causing the temperature in the car to drop down a few degrees.

  “I–”

 “Don’t lie to me, June,” he addressed me just as fondly as before, and I stared blankly. “You’re not clumsy, the last time I checked. And an accomplished doctor should know more than falling from such a height.” His words betrayed his hidden anger, and I subconsciously shivered.

  “The last time I also checked, doctors can make mistakes.” I retorted, feeling weak to even put up a decent fight.

  He trailed the side of my head, and my throat clenched. The room suddenly felt small, hot—despite the air conditioner—and stuffy. I was torn between getting away from his touch, and leaning into it.

  “June, I let you go because I felt you'd be happier with him, because I'd rather let you go than keep an unhappy you in my home. You're too smart, so I figured you knew what you were doing. Everyday, I checked, to see you withdrawing into your own shell. Does he even know you're Doctor Niper?”

He asked, and not giving me time to respond, he went on.

“I bet he doesn't know that the woman he treated like trash is the woman who gave her all to save him. And before you defend his actions with ignorance, how about those contracts you helped him to get?” Xavier shot at me.

  Shocked, I stared at him. “Were you keeping tabs on me all this time?” I questioned, getting angry.

  “I couldn't help it. I tried to forget about you, get angry at you, and let you go. But I couldn't. And the more I found out how much you were giving up for him, the angrier I got. I rushed down to LA at the news of your injury, and stayed with you while you were unconscious after the surgery.” He revealed, hitting me with another shock. His confession took me by surprise.

  For four years, I never stopped to think for a moment that aside from the arranged marriage, Xavier Callum—powerful and domineering—had a thing for me. That he saw me past the idea of gaining more power through an alliance. He came to LA because of me, stayed with me through the surgery even though I wasn't aware. And the man I pined after for years, was with another woman, playing the good man and hero, and saving her from drowning.

  “I don't know what to say. But I want to make you a proposal. I want us to get married for six months.” I said. That way, my father will be happy, and I'll achieve my goals peacefully.

  Xavier's pretty brow arched. “The betrothal still stands,” he reminded me, and although his expression remained cold, I spotted the brief hurt in his eyes. Perhaps, I was reading too much into it.

  “I know. But I don't want us to make this into what it isn't. I'll be your wife for six months, during which we are not allowed to fall in love with each other. But maybe,” my eyes held his. “We can act just the way a married couple will.”

  “And after six months?” He asked. I took a deep breath.

  “We go our separate ways.” I replied.

 He was silent for so long that I thought he wouldn't agree to my offer. Then he nodded, “Deal.”

 I smiled—my first genuine one since the night started.

 The first step of my plan was already in motion.

  Tristan will crawl and beg for my mercy.