Whenever June’s bowl was empty, Julian was the first to refill it.

The bride, Chloe, was practically dripping with envy.

"Sister, your brother is so good to you. He tears the meat into pieces for you; my husband doesn't have that kind of intuition. How many years have you been married?"

June was momentarily speechless, her face flushing red as she choked on her wine.

"We aren't..."

"I am her big brother; of course I look after my sister."

Julian stepped in naturally to clear the awkwardness and changed the subject, handing June a pot of hot wine.

"What made you decide to travel here?"

Chloe answered sheepishly, "We didn't want to get married in front of relatives who weren't even happy to pay the wedding gift money, so we ran out here where there are fewer people and more freedom."

Julian nodded and offered sincere advice.

"This area is quite far from the city center, and there aren't many tourist spots. Most people don't come here. It’s a bit dangerous; you should head back to the city early tomorrow."

"How could it be?" Chloe dismissed the concern, then suddenly thought of something and laughed.

"On our way here today, we even met a backpacker. He’s been driving around this area alone for several days, saying he’s looking for some lover."

Hearing this, June felt a sudden, inexplicable surge of panic.

But she quickly downed a bowl of wine to steady her nerves, dismissing the thought from her mind.

She must be driven mad by hate to keep thinking of Xavier Thorne.

"Honey, he said himself he was looking for his wife. Don't go exaggerating and turning his deep affection into an affair."

"Right, right, right. He said his wife was most likely on this grassland. He even said if we saw his wife, we had to contact him. His wife's name is... what was it? June! June Rivers!"

The roasting rack collapsed with a crash, and flying sparks burned Julian’s wrist. He didn't even have time to care, focusing his intense attention on June beside him, his heart clenching.

"Julian, are you okay?"

She leaned on a crutch to bring a basin of water for him to soak the burn.

Although she tried to act as if nothing was wrong, just the act of fetching water had soaked her entire hem.

"June, don't be afraid. I’m here. Tomorrow we’ll head east; he won't find us there."

Julian took a deep breath, unable to think of words of comfort, only patting her head as they did when they were children, hoping to give her strength.

The cool sensation from her feet cleared June’s mind.

She shouldn't be afraid.

She had no connection to Xavier Thorne. Even if he found her, no matter how he retaliated, she had done nothing wrong. If she had to do it again, she would still make the same decision.

She said firmly, "I won't be afraid. This is my home, and I won't run away. Everything I did to get revenge on him is what he owed me. Now, we are even. I have no reason to be involved with him anymore."

As soon as she finished speaking, hurried footsteps sounded on the grass.

A familiar voice tore through the night, coming closer.

"June, how can you say we're even?"

Chapter 16

Under the cover of night, Xavier Thorne drew closer like a ghost.

His hair was dry and unstyled, his leisure suit was covered in wrinkles, and a sparse stubble lined his thin, sallow face. If not for his blinking eyes, June Rivers would have thought a corpse was standing before her.

Chloe pulled back the tent curtain, her eyes lighting up at the sight.

"Speak of the devil! Sister, he’s the backpacker we met on the road. He told us so many stories about the love between him and his wife—it was so touching. I can’t imagine what kind of massive fight could drive a woman to leave such a good man."

"Is that so? A good man?"

In the past, people often praised June for having such a doting husband; now, she only felt the sting of irony.

This so-called "good husband" was nothing more than a hypocrite wearing a false mask. His core was selfish and calculating, no different from any other entitled heir of a prestigious family.

Her fists clenched and relaxed repeatedly. Finally, June spoke, her voice dripping with mockery.

"Xavier Thorne, what right do you have to craft such a persona for yourself? A loving husband? You nearly broke my leg, carved a thousand wounds into my flesh, fed my father’s ashes to wild dogs, and even... even stood by while others killed my unborn child."

Even if those wounds had scarred over, they left indelible marks that could never be erased or smoothed away.

"Xavier, I’m the one who ruined your mother’s banquet. I filmed the video. I found Dr. Sterling. I’m right here; you don't need to waste any more effort looking for me to get your revenge."

"June, it’s not like that..."

He hadn't expected their reunion to be so hostile. The hatred June had erected around herself kept him a thousand miles away. He took several hurried steps forward.

"I’m not here for revenge. I was wrong—it was all my fault. I believed that fraud Rosalind and hurt you. I have Rosalind locked away; she is experiencing everything you went through. You can punish her or vent your anger however you like."

Rosalind was a fraud, but the pain inflicted on June was real. She retreated several steps in disgust.

"You betrayed me."

"I... I was deceived by her! She seduced me! June, can we just let it go? I’m here to take you home."

He lowered his posture to the extreme, his tone practically pleading.

But for every step he took forward, she took two steps back.

"Home?"

A home is a place filled with love, not just painful memories.

June let out a sharp laugh, hiding her tears deep in her heart.

"Xavier, that wasn't a home. It was a cage that imprisoned me. We aren't married. The ceremony was fake, your mother was fake—everyone was just an extra you hired. How much longer do you plan to lie to me? I truly thought about spending my whole life with you. During those countless days and nights when Rosalind was torturing me, I told myself to endure it just so I could stay with you. But you? You were lying to me the whole time!"

He knew this lie would eventually be uncovered, but it had still caused this massive rift.

"I had my reasons. I know my mother; she wouldn't have accepted someone of your status immediately. So I hired actors because I loved you too much and didn't want you to be sad. It was a 'white lie.' I wanted to wait until she slowly accepted you before we registered the marriage and I explained everything."

A white lie requires a foundation of sincerity, and June no longer believed he had any.

"A lie from the very start? Then what is real? What else am I supposed to believe? Xavier, your mouth is full of lies."

"No, that was the only thing I lied about. I swear!"

He raised his right hand to take an oath, but June didn't even give him a glance before turning to enter the house.

"None of this has anything to do with me anymore."

Chloe, who had been sighing over Xavier’s "devotion" moments ago, was now incensed on June’s behalf after hearing these fragments of the truth.

"You scumbag! Even hearing this makes me angry! Where was this attitude before? You deserve to be in the 'crematorium' chasing after your wife!"

Yet Xavier remained draped in his mask of false virtue, entrusting them with a respectful tone.

"Miss, please help me persuade my wife. She’s just acting out of anger and saying things she doesn't mean. I don’t matter, but I’m afraid if she keeps this bottled up, she’ll be heartbroken."

If they hadn't seen June’s injuries, everyone would have been fooled by Xavier’s dignified appearance.

Julian couldn't take it anymore and drove the man back toward his car.

"You aren't welcome here. June has finally managed to walk away from the pain; I won't let you hurt her again."

"June?"

Hearing such an intimate nickname immediately knocked over the vat of jealousy in Xavier’s heart.

He drew a dagger he carried with him, his voice full of threats and warning.

"She is mine. A man like you is beneath her—don't even think about taking advantage of her vulnerability!"

The blade flashed in Julian’s eyes. He lunged forward and struck Xavier in the stomach with his elbow, sending the man to his knees in a howl of pain.

Julian truly regretted letting go five years ago.

If he had been brave enough to state his feelings, if he hadn't tried to "fulfill" her happiness, if the person she had fallen for had been him...