Chapter 158: An odd request.

"You need to rest, June."

Rauf’s voice came from behind her before she even saw him.

Without turning, June responded, "I will rest when I get the information I need."

Rauf moved closer to her, placing the tray of food he had brought specifically for her on the table.

"I remember the doctor asking you to rest and eat. You don’t have to do anything stressful."

"Typing on the laptop isn’t stressful," she insisted.

"Fine, if you say so."

He opened the plate, revealing the fries he had prepared.

"And I prepared this. I made it for you."

That alone caught June’s attention. She could remember the last time Rauf had prepared a meal for her. It had been burnt eggs.

Immediately, she turned to look at what he had prepared, but the fries were golden brown.

"You prepared this?"

"Yeah. I felt like you deserved something from me. You’ve been working all day."

June stared at the fries as though they were poison. They might look good, but perhaps they weren’t edible. It was hard for her to believe that Rauf could prepare anything worth eating.

She picked up one of the fries and put it in her mouth, chewing slowly. However, the taste was nothing like what she had expected. It was soft and well-seasoned.

She turned back to Rauf, who was staring at her expectantly.

"Do you like it?" he asked.

"You prepared this?" June asked again, her voice dripping with disbelief.

Rauf smiled. "I’ll take that as a yes."

"You really prepared this?" June repeated, staring at him as though looking at him would make him confess to something he hadn’t done.

"Okay, fine. Stop looking at me like that," Rauf said. "I had some help from Fleur, but I did most of the major work."

"Oh, no problem. I wonder how it came out this nice." June smiled.

"But that still counts as me preparing it. I mean, Fleur was just watching me. I did most of it."

"Hmm, whatever you say," June teased.

Then he leaned in to look at her laptop. Beside her sat a notepad and a pen.

"What have you found out?" he asked.

Ever since she had received the invitation, June had been busy trying to find out more about the Monterrios than Rauf had thought she could discover online.

Still picking up the fries and eating them, June suddenly became serious as she pressed a few keys on her laptop.

"Rauf, look at this," she said. "The Monterrio mansion is quite different from the Vassari mansion. From what I’ve gathered so far, the Monterrios usually hold their celebrations or training sessions in a particular hall within their mansion."

Then she pressed a few more keys, bringing up a picture of a building Rauf had never seen before.

It wasn’t very clear, but it was enough to show him what he needed to see.

Rauf didn’t say a word as he listened to her. Even some of his own workers had been unable to gather this sort of information.

"Look at this," she said, tapping on the building. "This was the only picture I could find of the Monterrio mansion, and further down is what I assume will be the hall where the celebration will be held. The hall itself is far from the main building and even farther from the gate. The Monterrio mansion seems to have only one entrance, which could make it harder for anyone to escape."

Rauf stared at the picture carefully, his eyes narrowing as he took in the details of what she had told him.

Then he asked, "What about the security? Were you able to find anything out about it?"

"There isn’t much information about their security online. Maybe it’s something they keep private, but judging from the way Mother handles hers, I would guess that entry will be strictly by invitation."

Rauf nodded. She was correct. If he were to host an event, he wouldn’t post details of his security arrangements online unless someone had obtained the information directly from him or one of his security personnel.

When June started, he had never expected her to go this far. But from what she had discovered so far, it was obvious that the mafia blood ran in her.

She looked up at Rauf.

"Also, I was able to figure out that the old man might have an important announcement to make that day. So, what we’re attending might not just be a birthday celebration but the beginning of something else."

Rauf had pulled up a chair and was now seated beside her. If it wasn’t just a birthday party, that could explain why he had been invited.

"Do you have any idea what it might be?" he asked June.

So far, her judgement hadn’t been wrong, and he wouldn’t mind seeking her assistance.

Not that he was going to say that to her, especially knowing June’s ego.

June shook her head.

"I have no idea, but I believe it’s going to be something massive. We’d better be prepared so we aren’t caught unaware. I was also able to get some hints about the people invited, and most of them are from old-money families."

Rauf nodded.

"Of course. And that reminds me, Henson will be guiding you throughout the party. I don’t want you wandering around without a guard. With so many powerful people around, things can get unpredictable."

June frowned, abruptly stopping what she was doing.

"What do you mean Henson will be guiding me? I can guide myself."

Rauf pinched the bridge of his nose.

Here we go again, he thought.

"This isn’t like any event we’ve attended before. I’ll be more at ease knowing you’re properly guided. Besides, there’s one thing I know: I can’t always be where you are."

June thought about it for a while.

"Fine, but I want a weapon for the party."

Rauf’s lips curled up in amusement.

"What weapon do you want?"

"I would love to have a gun."