Chapter 150: A failed persuasion

"Mother, if there is anyone who needs to leave here, it would be you."

Elena stumbled backward. "You don’t mean that, Rauf. You wouldn’t send me out of your house again because of her."

Rauf thought he had already made that point clear when he sent her to the guesthouse, but it seemed his mother was still delusional.

"Mother, June is my wife. She earned the right to stay here as long as she wants. She’s also the mother of my baby. So, no one gets to send her out."

"So, you’ll pick her over me?" Her voice sounded hurt.

Rauf had had enough of her emotional blackmail. He turned toward June.

"What happened?"

June was quick to summarize the event to him. She was already surprised that he didn’t just send her out because of what his mother had said.

Rauf used to worship the ground his mother walked on.

Once she was done, Rauf turned toward his mother.

"Is it true?"

Elena shook her head. "It’s all lies, Rauf. Are you going to believe this bitch over me? Why would I ever hit a pregnant woman?"

If it were before, Rauf would have believed his mother, but ever since she joined hands with Samir, he didn’t know if he could believe the words coming out of her mouth anymore.

"Mother, June would never lie to me."

Elena’s eyes widened as if she were asking him, Am I the liar?

But instead of forcing her to tell the truth, he asked, "Why are you here?"

Elena’s gaze moved to June. "Do we have to speak in her presence?"

Rauf folded his arms across his chest. "I don’t hide anything from June. You can speak in front of her."

Elena scoffed. "Well, I heard you’re trying to get a divorce from Amie. What are you thinking?"

Rauf should have known that was the reason she had come.

He continued staring at his mother as if she were a stranger.

"What does my divorce from Amie have to do with you, Mother? I marry who I want, and I let go of who I want."

His mother’s eyes moved to June.

"Are you planning to marry her?"

Rauf looked at June for a moment. He knew she wasn’t going to like what he was about to say, but he wouldn’t deny it anyway.

"What if I am planning to, Mother?"

"You can’t. Rauf, you can’t. Don’t you remember who she is?"

"Oh, Mother, I also remember who Amie is, and I believe they share the same father. If you want me to remain married to Amie, why can’t I marry June?"

Elena was lost. She had no words to justify herself.

After a while, she stuttered, "It’s different with Amie. Rauf, it’s different..."

"Mother!" Rauf shouted, shutting her off. "There is no difference. And I don’t care about that anymore. June is my choice, and you have no say in it, Mother."

"Rauf..."

"Mother, did Samir put you up to this?"

Elena’s hand tightened around her handbag.

"No, of course not. I just want what’s best for you, Rauf. Is that wrong?"

"Mother, if you want the best for me, you’ll listen to me."

Elena closed her eyes and opened them again, letting out a sigh.

"You don’t listen to me anymore, Rauf, and it’s all because of her."

"Mother, you don’t advise me on things that will benefit me anymore. It’s like I don’t know who you are anymore."

Elena looked between them.

"I just hope you won’t regret your decision, Rauf. I hope you won’t."

Then she stormed out of the house.

Once she was gone, June let out a breath of relief.

"I think my father put her up to this," she said, turning her attention toward Rauf.

Rauf’s gaze moved over her body slowly.

"Are you all right?" he asked, his voice full of concern.

June smiled. "Of course I am. I was able to protect myself and my baby."

"You mean our baby?" Rauf countered.

June didn’t say anything about that. Instead, she repeated what she had said earlier.

"I don’t think Elena is working alone. I think she’s working with my father."

"Yeah, I already feel like she’s working with Samir, especially since she started defending him. But what made you think so?"

"The moment you mentioned his name, her hand tightened around her handbag."

A smile curled on his face.

"I can see my student is putting her lessons into practice."

June chuckled. "Of course. I’m a fast learner."

But instantly, her face became serious again.

"What do you think Samir could have against Elena for her to be following his orders just like that?"

Rauf frowned. He hated the idea of his mother listening to Samir.

Samir was supposed to be their family enemy, so what could have made his mother obey him?

"I don’t know, but I’m working on it. I’ll find out whatever he has against her sooner or later."

"It has to be something big for your mother to obey him because the Elena I know would never bow down to anyone."

Rauf nodded. "That’s true. My mother would never bow to anyone. Well, I don’t care what they’re hiding. I’m going to figure it out, and I’m going to free my mother from Samir’s clutches."

June looked at him, impressed.

"So, after all she’s done, you’re still willing to help her?"

Rauf smirked at her.

"Of course. If Samir is controlling her somehow, I want to help her. She’s still my mother. Family comes before anything, and regardless of what she’s done, she’s still my family."

June smiled, but deep down, she wondered if he also included her and her baby as family.

He had mentioned repeatedly that she was important, but June was afraid of believing in words again.

To cut through the tension, she joked, "So, you’re not as heartless as you pretend to be."

Rauf looked at her. There was no trace of a smile as he said,

"You already know the answer to that."