Chapter 421
“Gabriel, calm down,” Amelie said gently. “Look, even Noah’s crying.” She brushed a soothing hand over the baby’s chest, her voice trembling with worry.
“How am I supposed to calm down?” Gabriel snapped, his voice rough with fury. “How dare June say something like that in front of me? Every word out of her mouth made my blood boil.” His fists tightened. But then, Noah’s cries made him realize that he had to stop acting in that way.
“Noah, Daddy isn’t angry anymore. Don’t cry,” Gabriel murmured as he took the baby from Amelie. He began pacing slowly across the room, patting Noah’s back in a steady rhythm. After a few minutes, the crying softened to little hiccups, then faded altogether.
“I’m sorry, Ame,” he said at last, his voice lower now. “I should’ve kept my temper, but I couldn’t help it. You heard what June said, she’s completely lost her mind p>
“Don’t speak like that in front of Noah,” Amelie chided gently.
Gabriel exhaled reluctantly, and laid Noah carefully in his cradle.
“Da!” Noah chirped, his voice bright and clear. The sound drew a smile to Gabriel’s face. Amelie stepped beside him and brushed her hand along his arm.
“Ma! Ma!” Noah babbled again, kicking lightly in his cradle.
“Yes, baby. Daddy isn’t angry anymore,” Amelie murmured, giving the cradle a gentle push. She watched until Noah’s eyes fluttered closed and his breathing deepened into sleep.
Taking Gabriel’s hand, she led him quietly toward the door. Outside the bedroom, Ashna lingered in the hallway.
“Please stay with Noah,” Amelie said softly. “He’s asleep now p>
Ashna bowed and walked in while Amelie and Gabriel made their way to the grand balcony of the chamber.
Letting go of his hand, Amelie said, “You can’t say that your sister-in-law. Brother Nick loves her. I think something has happened between them. And p>
He cut her off, voice sharp. “That doesn’t matter to me, Amelie. June said something unforgivable. What did she mean, ’Noah isn’t a Sinclair’? Who gave her the right to say that? If it weren’t for you and Noah, I—” He stopped for a second, “I would have killed her right there p>
“Gabriel, don’t say that,” Amelie whispered, shaking her head.
“Dominick loved a very wrong woman,” he went on, pacing a few steps as if he could walk the anger away. “June is going to destroy this family. Mark my words p>
Amelie recalled Flora’s words that Juniper wasn’t who she pretended to be. She brushed it off at that time.
“Noah is a Sinclair,” Gabriel said. “He’s my son. I will never call myself just his stepfather.” He set both hands on Amelie’s shoulders, anchoring himself to her. “I’m sorry you had to hear that. I promised you wouldn’t p>
“You don’t need to apologize,” Amelie murmured, lifting a hand to his cheek. “I know what you are to Noah. What Juniper said was something beyond anyone’s imagination p>
Their conversation was cut short when a servant entered the room and cleared her throat nervously.
“Your Highnesses,” she said, bowing slightly, “Prince Dominick is outside. He wishes to p>
“Let him in,” Amelie interrupted, not waiting to hear the rest.
The servant nodded quickly and left their sights.
“Nick must be here to apologize to you,” Gabriel said.
“Don’t say anything to your brother. It’s not his fault, remember that,” Amelie replied softly.
Gabriel said nothing. He strode ahead, and Amelie let out a quiet sigh before stepping away from the balcony. As she entered the living room, her eyes fell on Dominick, guilt written plainly across his face.
“Amelie,” he began, “I know what Juniper said is unforgivable, but I have to apologize to you p>
“It’s fine, Brother Nick,” Amelie said gently.
“It’s not fine, Nick,” Gabriel cut in sharply, fixing him with a stern gaze. “You better sort it out with your mate.” Then, looking at Amelie, he said, “I’ll see you later. Nick, let’s talk in alone p>
Before Amelie could stop them, they both left the chamber.
They both stopped in the middle of the corridor, which was empty.
“She has a problem with everyone, Nick,” Gabriel said, controlling the anger. “Your mate has been losing her mind ever since she didn’t get what she wanted. June wanted the wedding day to be hers alone. And I still don’t know what the actual hell happened on your honeymoon that left you both in such foul moods and ruined my happiest day. It was the first time Noah spoke, and June destroyed it. I blame you and your mate for this. Amelie is kind, too kind. But I’m not. You know exactly what I would do to anyone who hurts Amelie or Noah p>
Dominick remained silent, clearly absorbing Gabriel’s aggression.
“I had planned an exclusive continental wedding for her,” he said. “But before I could even surprise her, she got angry. I—I was worried. Thinking Casaio might be injured, and then you’d have to work on my behalf, I just reviewed some reports from there. That set her off p>
Gabriel’s glare sharpened. “You two have been together for over six years. Yet there isn’t an ounce of understanding between you. I don’t think Juniper will ever change. You two aren’t fit for each other. I have been losing my mind ever since Juniper said such harsh words to her p>
Bringing a hand to the back of his neck, Gabriel rubbed it wearily. “I don’t want to hurt you, Nick. But you need to start thinking carefully about your choices p>
With that, he turned and walked away, leaving Dominick alone with his thoughts. For a long moment, Dominick stood in silence, his chest tight with guilt and confusion. Then he made his way back to his chamber, only to find Juniper packing her luggage.
“I’m leaving,” Juniper said without looking at him. “Your mother already said she’d throw me out, so I might as well go before she gets the chance p>
“Why are you doing this?” Dominick asked in a pained voice. “We’ve had disagreements before, but you’ve never reacted like this. There were times I barely spoke to you for days when work piled up, and you didn’t get angry. Sometimes I even canceled our dates, and you never minded. I know I’ve made mistakes, Juniper, but I never expected such a sudden change in you, in us p>
“So you think I’m the one at fault here, don’t you?” Juniper’s voice trembled with anger.
“I didn’t say that,” Dominick replied, trying to stay calm.
“Your mother wants to throw me out, and you just stood here doing nothing,” Juniper shot back. “Shouldn’t you be standing up for me? Shouldn’t you fight for me p>
“Of course I will,” Dominick said. “But first, I need to hear her side of the story p>
Juniper let out a sharp laugh, her eyes glistening with frustration. “You don’t trust me, Nick. Look at your brothers. Both of them would go to any lengths for their mates. But you? You think I’m lying. You don’t trust me anymore. You’ve changed p>
Dominick’s patience thinned. “Why are you twisting this, Juniper? My brothers clashed with Mother for real reasons, not over misunderstandings. And I think I know why she said that to you p>
Juniper’s hands curled into fists, her voice dropping to a growl. “I’m leaving. You’re a jerk p>
Dominick’s gaze hardened. “Then leave before I reject you p>
Her head snapped up, eyes wide with disbelief. “What did you just say? You’d reject me?” she whispered in a shock.
“You heard me,” Dominick said, though his voice trembled. “I want to reject you, Juniper. I made a mistake choosing the wrong mate. I’m not the one for you. I can’t meet your expectations. It’s better we end this before we destroy each other.” He turned sharply on his heel.
“I, Dominick Sinclair p>
“Dominick!” Juniper cut him off with a panicked tone. “If you reject me, you’ll regret it. I swear it. I’ll make sure everyone finds out that Zilia was a spy. Don’t you dare do this to me p>
Dominick froze. Tears stung his eyes, not from her threat, but from the confirmation of what he’d feared. He had wanted to test her, to see how far she would go. Now he knew the real Juniper.
He turned slowly, staring at her as if seeing a stranger. ’I really did make a mistake,’ he thought bitterly. ’I never truly knew her p>
Juniper stepped toward him, desperation trembling through her movements. “You—you can’t reject me, Nick. I’m your mate. Your fated mate. I won’t leave this palace, do you hear me? I won’t!
She threw her arms around him, clinging to him as though holding on could undo the words he’d spoken. But Dominick didn’t move. He stood there, rigid and silent, his heart breaking beneath the weight of what their love had turned into.
A tear escaped from the corner of his eye as he felt a strange ache in his heart. It was something one would feel when their matebond would severe.