June let out a groan as she opened her eyes. Memories of the previous night came flooding back.
The argument about the marriage.
Amie’s mother claiming Amie in public.
The gunshot.
Amie’s disappearance and the dissolution of the party.
Never in her wildest dreams would she have thought those events were going to happen at the party, and she couldn’t help but be glad that she wasn’t the victim.
It had been a crazy night.
Her baby kicked as if in agreement with her thoughts.
June smiled.
She got ready for the day. It was easier getting herself ready here. It felt more like home than the Vassari mansion ever had.
June’s mouth was already watering as she wondered what sort of delicious meal Fleur was going to prepare for breakfast. And due to the fact that she hadn’t eaten the previous night, she had woken up hungry.
June was all smiles as she moved towards the dining room. It wasn’t until she saw Mrs Salvador Snr, Elena, at the dining table that the smile disappeared from her face.
She had totally forgotten about the older woman, as she was used to being the only one at the dining table with Rauf on occasion.
"Good morning, ma’am," Fleur said, dropping a plate of croissants on the table.
The dining table was already set with scrambled eggs, bacon, sausages, pancakes, croissants, and a bowl of freshly sliced fruit. A pot of coffee sat beside a pitcher of orange juice.
Each plate made June’s mouth water, and instead of withdrawing from the room like she had intended, she pulled out a chair and sat down. ℯ
"Good morning."
Rauf’s voice sounded behind her, completing the whole arrangement.
As June watched him, she couldn’t forget how he had thrown himself over her during the danger the previous night.
"Are you okay?" he asked June, much to his mother’s annoyance.
"I’m also okay, Rauf," Elena responded, picking up the pancakes in front of June and placing them directly in front of herself.
June scowled at her but ignored it as she picked up a sausage and put it in her mouth.
"Fleur, get June another plate of pancakes."
Fleur nodded and hurried back to the kitchen, returning with a smile as she dropped another plate in front of June, making sure it was far from Elena.
Elena scowled as she watched June devour her meal without complaint. She couldn’t help but feel annoyed by June’s presence.
It was wrong that June didn’t even seem like a visitor in the house.
They were about to finish the meal in silence when Fleur came over and whispered something in June’s ear.
Elena strained her ears to catch whatever was being exchanged between them, but when she couldn’t hear anything, she banged her hand on the table.
The table rattled, but thankfully, none of the dishes fell to the floor.
As Fleur hurried away from the dining room, Elena fixed her gaze on June.
"You certainly have made yourself comfortable here."
June lifted the plate she had just finished eating from.
"I live here."
At least for now.
She said that part in her head where Elena wouldn’t hear it.
Elena scowled. "You certainly have no shame."
She was standing now, gripping the edge of the table.
"Living with a married man."
June nodded. "Why would I be ashamed of living with a man I lived with for five years?"
For a moment, Elena was rendered speechless. She looked at Rauf, who sat quietly watching them.
"Don’t mind her, Rauf. Just like I told you yesterday, you’re married to Amie, not this gold digger."
June nodded.
Rauf hadn’t said a word, but his glare made Elena’s throat dry.
He had warned her the previous night, but there was no way she would give up just like that.
Not when something was at stake.
After a while, Rauf pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Mother, you knew June was the woman who married me."
Elena opened her mouth to argue, but Rauf raised his hand, cutting her short.
"You knew Amie wasn’t the woman who stood beside me. You knew she wasn’t the woman who lived with me for five years. Yet you’re standing beside Samir now, using Amie’s name on a certificate to pretend none of those five years happened."
Elena shook her head aggressively.
This certainly wasn’t the direction she intended for the conversation to go.
Just then, Rauf’s phone beeped.
Still glaring at his mother, he brought out the phone and checked the message.
It was a picture of the marriage certificate.
And truly, it had his name and Amie’s on it.
He turned the screen towards his mother.
"Look at this. Whatever you and Samir think this proves, Mother, I’m going to find out exactly what this certificate means legally. Amie’s name might be on it, but she wasn’t the woman who stood beside me that day."
June remained quietly in her chair, her eyes red with unshed tears, but none fell.
She wished she could turn back time to the day Rauf regained his sight.
She wished he had fought for them like this then.
But...
"You can’t be serious," Elena continued. "Amie should be the one here. She should be the one controlling the servants, and she certainly should be the one close to you. Not her."
Rauf nodded.
"Fine. If you want to keep insisting on that, I’ll tell Henson to find you a guest house. You can spend the rest of the days you intend to stay in New Central State there."
Elena remained speechless.
It was hard for her to believe Rauf would throw her out for a woman.
But she couldn’t give up when it was all for the greater good.
Everything she was doing was for his sake.
Rauf stood up, his gaze fixed on June.
"And I promise you, Mother, I’ll make this legal."
He pointed between June and himself.
"I’ll get her name on a legal certificate."