Chapter 52: Threats.

The food tasted better in June’s mouth. Maybe it was because it was the first meal she was having with them as family, or because Amie wasn’t eating with them.

Though Serena couldn’t see her, June refrained from attacking the food the way she usually did.

"Are you okay?" Chris asked after observing her eating the food slowly.

Having no idea what he was talking about, June turned to him.

"What?"

"I mean, are you okay? You’re not eating the way you usually do."

"Oh! I’m fine. I just don’t feel that very hungry."

Chris stared at her. He could tell she was hungry but didn’t want to put pressure on her when it was her first day here.

"You need to eat well so you can be healthy," Serena said. "Chris, when you’re done, take her around the mansion and introduce her to everyone."

Chris nodded.

"Yes, Mother."

Once they were done eating, Serena excused herself and left in the same direction she usually did.

June watched her until she was out of sight. She wondered what Serena did to pass her time. When Rauf was blind, she was the one who usually read to him. She told him about things happening around them and tried to make everywhere lively for him.

"Come on. Let me show you around," Chris said, cutting her thoughts away from Serena and Rauf.

June stood up and followed beside him. She was used to a big house, having lived in and managed one for five years. But the Vassari mansion was way bigger than the Salvador mansion.

"This is the first living room," Chris said, showing her the room they had passed through to get to the dining room, with a smile plastered on his face.

Soon, he showed her the second living room, the cinema room, the bar room, Serena’s room, Amie’s room, his office, and other places.

By the time they got to June’s room, she was exhausted and wasn’t ready to be introduced to any of the workers.

She wondered what Chris was going to introduce her as, but with her eyes growing drowsy, she didn’t want to bother herself about it.

"Thank you," she told Chris, settling on the bed. She was too tired to look around the room to see how beautiful it was. "I think I don’t mind getting introduced to the staff later."

"Okay," Chris answered before leaving.

Amie watched everything with her hand balled into a fist. After storming off from the dining room, she had expected Serena to come plead with her, but for some strange reason, she remained seated beside June.

Chris looked like he couldn’t care about her feelings at all.

Did he know?

As Chris showed June each room, Amie’s rage intensified. He hadn’t bothered showing her the rooms when she arrived.

In fact, he had been busy doing one thing or another.

Amie picked up her phone and called her father.

"Hello, Dad."

"Amie..." Her father’s voice was hoarse behind the phone. "It’s a good thing you called. I’ll be needing more money."

"What money?" Amie screamed. The urge to smash something overcame her, but she couldn’t. "I just sent you 50 grand two days ago."

"Darling, the deal fell through," he said. "I wanted to do something that would change our lives, and you wouldn’t have to keep staying at Serena’s place. But the deal fell through."

Amie glared at nothing.

"This is the third deal that’s fallen through. I just hope the next won’t fall through again."

And because she needed his help, she couldn’t refuse him.

"I’ll send something to you."

She still had the card Chris had given her.

She could feel her father’s smile through the phone.

"Thank you. You’re a better daughter than that bastard, June. Five years of living as a wealthy man’s wife and she totally forgot about us."

Glad the topic of June was brought up, Amie cut her father off.

"June is here."

"What?"

"I just told you June’s here. She’s living with Serena."

"What?" The disbelief was evident in Samir’s voice. "Do you think they know?"

Amie shook her head while replying.

"I don’t think so. But her son is obsessed with her. I think if it continues like this, they will be aware soon."

"I’ll do something about her. Don’t bother yourself."

Glad to have her father’s assurance, Amie could finally rest.

She dropped the call and went in search of June’s room.

She needed to let her know she shouldn’t be too comfortable here.

She needed to set her boundaries. Just because she had Chris wrapped around her finger didn’t mean she was welcome at the mansion.

Thanks to some of the maids who were starting to take a liking to her, she was able to locate June’s new room. It was different from the guest room she had stayed in the last time she came.

She tried to open the door, but it wouldn’t budge.

Annoyed, she started banging on the door.

Something was pounding in June’s ear.

After Chris left, she had locked the door behind her, hoping to finally get a good rest. But the pounding got louder until she groaned.

Standing up from the bed, she glared at the door as if she could burn a hole through it to the other side.

Slowly, she turned the doorknob until she came face to face with Amie.

June almost rolled her eyes. She already knew Amie was going to come for her. Amie was becoming predictable to her.

Wanting to listen to the gibberish she had come up with this time, June folded her arms across her chest.

"What are you doing here, bitch?" Amie asked June.

June smirked at her.

"Living, of course. Or did the concept of living suddenly become strange to you? Do I have to define it?"

Amie blinked at her. She expected her presence alone to shake June, but replying to her with confidence was what Amie wasn’t expecting.

But Amie wasn’t ready to lose to June.

"You’re nothing but a harlot who is throwing herself at the man she found available. Just because Rauf threw you out, you decided to cling to Chris."

She let out an ugly laugh.

"News flash, you’re not in the same league as Chris. He’s just going to use and dump you."

June continued smiling at her.

"And you aren’t going to be used and dumped? Aren’t you here because you probably couldn’t satisfy Rauf in bed? Instead of being in your husband’s house, you ran to your mother’s place."

Amie flinched.

June had no idea how she had hit the nail on the head. She had only said something back to spite Amie.

But before Amie could come up with something else, a voice interrupted them.

"What’s going on here?"

They turned to see Chris coming towards them.

He stopped in front of them, standing beside June.

"What are you doing here, Amie?" His voice was strong.

Amie stared at him in disbelief, saying the first lie that came to her mind.

"I came to welcome June."

"Are you sure? You didn’t seem like you’re glad to have her in the house a few hours ago."

"Ehn..." She started. "Well... That was before I thought the more, the merrier. Isn’t that right, June?"

June smiled at her.

"It’s true. I love your welcome speech the most."

Chris stared between the two women. He knew whatever speech June was talking about was probably an insult, and he wasn’t interested in it.

"Well, you can leave now. I want to see June."

Before she could object, Chris moved inside June’s room, shutting the door in Amie’s face.

Back inside, June started laughing.

"Oh, the look on her face. I so much love the look on her face before you slammed the door on it."

But Chris didn’t join her in laughing.

"What was she telling you before I arrived? Did she threaten you?"

June waved her hand.

"Amie is nothing. She can do nothing to me."

Chris shook his head.

"I don’t care about Amie. But I know she would be giving her father feedback on everything going on in the mansion. And Samir Trevor is a dangerous man."

At the name of her father, a shiver ran through June. She might not be afraid of Amie, but she was afraid of Samir Trevor.

"I will be damned if I let anything happen to you. And since you insisted on going to work at the clinic, your driver will also serve as your bodyguard."

June wanted to protest, but Chris stopped her.

"Before he brought Amie here as Mother’s daughter, he must have known you’re her real daughter. And he will be willing to do anything to make sure you don’t come in contact with Mother."

June felt her heart race.

"But I’m also his daughter. He won’t do anything to hurt me just because of this."

Chris shook his head.

"I wouldn’t be certain of anything where Samir Trevor is involved. And your safety is a priority."