"We had a wedding—how does that not count..."

She furrowed her brow and turned her head away; even the sound of his voice filled her with loathing.

"It doesn't count. A fake can never be real. Every injury on my body is thanks to you. I hope that when I wake from the anesthesia, you are no longer in my world."

"Why won't you give me a chance? Why?"

From the time he was a child, everything he had was something he fought for. If he fought and snatched, he would possess it. But June Rivers was the sole exception; he felt she was slipping through his fingers.

He wasn't willing to let go—how could he be!

A sharp pain hit his chest, his blood felt like it was boiling, and the world plunged into darkness as the butler’s frantic voice sounded in his ear: "Mr. Thorne! Mr. Thorne!"

Chapter 19

After June Rivers' surgery, Julian Vane remained by her side in the hospital, caring for her around the clock.

Xavier Thorne likewise refused to leave the hospital, even moving into the room right next to theirs.

"Uncle Chen, leave the door open. I want to hear what they are saying!"

The butler helplessly pushed the door open once more.

"Mr. Thorne, it’s windy tonight. Leaving the door open isn't good for your recovery. Besides, it’s late at night; the mistress is already asleep."

Upon hearing this, Xavier immediately rolled out of bed.

"Then I'll go take a secret look at her."

But as he approached the window of her room, he discovered it had been covered with white paper; he could see nothing.

He desperately wanted to barge in, but the thought that doing so would only earn him June’s further loathing sent him back to his own ward.

The room was cold—so cold that he succumbed to insomnia once again.

In the past, whenever he couldn't sleep at night, June would never force him to. Instead, she would pull him up to do something "crazy" together.

She wasn't like his mother, who would lecture him with cold, cutting remarks.

"Still not sleeping at this hour? What energy will you have to handle things tomorrow? Clear those wicked thoughts from your mind, and only then will you get a good night's rest."

That was his mother. June, however, would say:

"If you can't sleep, you can't sleep. Get up and do something to burn off your energy, then you'll sleep better. The human body is all about balance; once you're tired, sleep comes naturally."

Only she was the spark of heartbeat that existed outside his rigid sense of order.

In two days, it would be June’s twenty-eighth birthday. He could use this opportunity to make amends for his mistakes.

He had to give her a surprise.

Even if it cost him everything, he had to try one more time!

...

On the day June was discharged, which happened to be her birthday, Julian was in the ward packing her things.

"Hiss—"

June accidentally cut herself while peeling an apple. Julian was genuinely startled.

"I’ll go get the doctor."

"It’s nothing, really. Just a small cut."

Since the morning, she had been restless, feeling as though something terrible was about to happen.

Clearly, today was the day she was leaving the hospital and it was her birthday, yet she couldn't understand why she felt so uneasy.

Sensing her mood, Julian waited until now to tell her about the arrangements he had made.

"It’s your birthday today. I’ve invited a couple of friends so we can celebrate together. It’ll be more lively."

"Is it Chloe and her husband?"

He nodded. The gloom on June’s face vanished, replaced by a happy smile.

"I don't want to stay in the hospital a second longer. Let’s go."

She was full of anticipation for the birthday dinner. Yet the moment she stepped into the hotel, all the staff members offered her their blessings in unison, as if they had rehearsed it.

"Happy Birthday, Mrs. Thorne!"

"Happy Birthday, Mrs. Thorne!"

...

"I didn't prepare this."

Julian took her hand, intending to lead her away, but their path was blocked by Xavier and his entourage.

Displeasure leaked through her gritted teeth: "What are you doing? I told you to stop hounding me."

Xavier noticed the tightly clasped hands. He gritted his teeth, yet he maintained a smile on his face.

"I just want to celebrate your birthday. Julian can stay too. Please, don't refuse me again."

Though his words sounded like a plea, his tone carried the weight of a command.

June didn't want a direct confrontation with him, so she decided to agree for the moment and wait for an opportunity to leave.

She entered the banquet hall and realized that the decorations were identical to those of the matriarch’s sixtieth birthday celebration.

There were many people, all offering her their blessings as they encountered her.

Xavier had changed into the formal suit he wore that day and invited her to sit at the head table.

"Mother will be here in a moment. Don't be nervous."

June did not raise her glass. She found all of this utterly ridiculous.

"What is the point of this self-delusion? Hiring a group of actors to live out an imaginary dream? Don't you think this is all too childish? Have you thought about the harsh reality once the dream ends? Xavier, you are only running away from yourself."

He couldn't accept that his mother didn't love him, so he escaped by pretending he didn't crave maternal love.

He couldn't accept that June had left him so easily, so he attempted to use her father’s ashes to control her.

Over the years, evasion had been his only harbor.

Xavier swirled the wine in his glass and smiled, but his smile was laced with tension and anxiety.

"I truly want to celebrate your birthday and apologize. I only want your forgiveness. June, I won't lie to you again. I mean what I say."

Julian Vane, who had just entered, shot a wary glance at Xavier before taking the initiative to greet June.

"Miss Rivers, Happy Birthday. Everything before was a misunderstanding. I hope we can get along well in the future."

Subsequently, the people who were supposed to have appeared that day came over one by one to toast her.

She was slightly stunned.

All of this was real.

What exactly had Xavier done to make everyone cooperate with him in staging this birthday banquet?

"The matriarch has arrived."

Xavier took her hand, patting the back of it rhythmically to comfort her, just as he used to.

"Everything I owe you, I will pay back. June, I won't lie to you anymore."

Chapter 20

"Mother, welcome to June’s birthday banquet."

The matriarch didn't even raise her eyelids. Her lips curled into an extremely faint arc—a smile devoid of warmth. She swept a casual glance over June, as if looking at an insignificant object.

"June Rivers, you certainly know how to make a scene. Xavier asked me to wish you a happy birthday. I hope you can truly remain happy forever."

This was the first time she had met the real matriarch. Although she was as cold as the hired actress had been, the difference was that this woman’s coldness seeped from her very bones.

She didn't like June, and she didn't like her own son either.

June felt she could finally understand—only a mother like this could raise someone as extremely selfish and calculating as Xavier Thorne.

The banquet officially began, and the large screen slowly descended.

From behind a screen came a melodious piano piece. The person emerging on the moving platform was actually Rosalind!

One could see blades standing upright between the black and white keys of the piano. Every time she struck a key, she would suffer a cut. Her fingers were covered in blood, which was already dripping down the side of the piano onto the floor.

"She has experienced everything you once suffered."

It wasn't a lie!

It was too bloody.

June could no longer sit still and slammed her hand on the table.

"Xavier Thorne, you're insane!"

"This is what she deserves. As long as your anger is appeased, I will make her do anything."

When he looked up, his brow arched slightly, and his smile was so shallow it was almost invisible.

"Tell me how you want her punished. We can do it right now. Don't be angry anymore, June. Forgive me, okay?"

In the next second, the woman threw an unhesitating answer in his face.

"No."

The matriarch, who had been sitting silently on the side, let out a cold laugh that chilled Xavier’s pride to the core.

"Xavier, you threatened me with the entire group, so I played along with this farce. But in the end, you've just made me watch a joke. I thought if you could truly beg this wild woman to return, she’d be a spineless creature. Now it seems I actually quite like her. Unfortunately, you are useless."