Chapter 49: Invitation to the mansion

Andy came back to the office, eager to see more of June’s gifts and ask her what Chris wanted from her. He wondered if Chris was June’s secret admirer.

Chris was proabably the one ready to spoil June with so many expensive gifts.

A small smile tugged at his lips. Compared to the other guy who came, Chris seemed like the better choice.

Yet he couldn’t help the thought that surfaced in his mind, Did he have to be tiptoeing around June now?

But when Andy got back to the office, Chris was settled in a chair like he was one of the employees of Andy’s Pet Clinic. June was busy arranging the medicine table as if Chris sitting on the nearby chair didn’t bother her in any manner.

Andy stepped back, as he stared from June to Chris, then back.

June looked up with a smile.

"Sir, I already arranged everything that needed to be arranged. I checked on the pets that are recovering and fed those that needed to eat. Do you need me to do anything else?"

But Andy was barely paying attention to her. His eyes were on Chris, who crossed his leg and was busy pressing his phone.

He beckoned to June while staring to see if Chris glanced in their direction.

Confused, June stepped closer to him.

"Do you want me to do anything for you?"

He shook his head and dropped it to a whisper.

"When is he leaving?"

June stared back at Chris and couldn’t help the smile on her face.

"You mean Chris. He’s waiting to have lunch with me."

If Andy was surprised before, his eyes widened even more.

"You mean he’s willing to wait here till afternoon?"

June nodded eagerly, her smile getting wider.

Andy stared at her as if she was mad.

Who was she to Chris that he would suspend all his activities and wait to go to lunch with her?

But his eagerness to dismiss Chris from his clinic was huge.

"You know what? You can leave right now."

June blinked.

"What?"

He pushed her shoulder lightly.

"You can take the rest of the day as a break."

June beamed at him.

"Are you sure, sir?"

Andy nodded.

"Of course. I am fine all by myself. Plus, I already posted a vacancy for another assistant."

June looked at him to be certain he meant it, but Andy didn’t stop urging her to leave.

Seeing that he was determined to get her out of the clinic, June nodded.

"Okay, sir. I guess I will see you tomorrow."

Pleased to have Chris out of his office, he continued nodding.

June moved closer to Chris, and soon they were out of the clinic carrying some of the gifts with them. He loaded the gifts into his car and asked June to sit in the front passenger seat.

He wanted to be able to see her at every turn of his head.

"Your boss is very much afraid of me," he said as soon as he started driving away from the clinic.

June chuckled.

"Is there anyone who isn’t afraid of you in the state?"

Chris pretended to be lost in thought.

"Of course. I remember a certain lady who didn’t care about who I was and only cared for my dog."

A small smile tugged at June’s lips.

"That was because the certain lady had no idea who you were. I bet she would be shivering on her knees if she knew who you were then."

"I don’t think so," Chris said with conviction in his voice.

Soon, they were pulling in front of Ellie’s apartment.

"Thank you. I just need to drop all these gifts before we go to lunch."

Chris nodded.

As soon as she got out of the car, he followed behind her, helping with the gifts.

Ellie stood in the living room in something that resembled pajamas and continued staring at them without moving. Her cheeks were burning with embarrassment at the thought that Chris had seen her in that.

June knew what was going on in her head and continued smiling as Chris helped load all the gifts into her room.

When they were done, he turned towards Ellie.

"You must be Ellie. I’m sorry I couldn’t wait the other day. It’s a pleasure to meet you."

He stretched his hand towards her.

But Ellie stared back at June as if to ask if she wasn’t dreaming.

When she didn’t make any move, June moved beside her and pinched her arm.

"Ouch!" she said, then remembered she was supposed to shake Chris’s hand. "Sorry. It’s a pleasure. I’m Ellie, June’s best friend."

Chris nodded.

"I know that. Thank you for all you did for June."

The more he spoke, the more surprised Ellie became and the more speechless she was rendered.

When Chris finally left the house, she couldn’t do anything but stare as their car drove off.

"Everyone around you seems to be bothered by my presence," he said, still smiling.

June shrugged.

"That’s because you’re from a different world from me. I don’t get to move with someone like you."

Instead of the smile she expected to remain on Chris’s lips, his face metamorphosed into a frown.

"I know I don’t have the right to ask, especially since I have been absent from your life forever, but I want to know about you. I want to know everything about June Trevor."

June stared at him as if he had just asked about her heart.

Just as she opened her mouth to speak, he stopped the car in front of a fancy restaurant.

It was the kind of restaurant she would have visited when she was married to Rauf, but at the moment, it was a restaurant she couldn’t afford.

Before they stepped out of the car, a valet was already beside it, ready to help them park.

They were ushered into the restaurant and led to the VIP section, which was more secluded from the main section.

Chris chose a corner where they wouldn’t be seen by others.

If a paparazzo saw them, the headline would be something different.

And he didn’t want to put June in that sort of situation.

After they placed their order, he sat back in his chair.

"About what I said in the car, I don’t mean you should tell me everything now. I mean I am ready to take my time to get to know you better."

June stared at him.

She was still finding it hard to believe the man before her was her brother, but he was ready to take the time to know her.

Her.

The real her.

And not as someone else’s replacement.

It brought tears to her eyes.

But she didn’t shed them.

She was not going to spoil the beautiful moment by crying.

"Are you okay?" Chris asked, a frown marring his beautiful face.

June nodded.

"I am. I just can’t believe I finally have someone to call family."

Just at that moment, they brought their lunch.

The table was filled with different dishes, and there was hardly any space left on the table.

June’s gaze moved from one plate to another before her eyes finally landed on the chicken.

Ever since she got pregnant, chicken was her soul food.

It seemed to calm her down all the time.

Chris lifted the chicken, clearing the table in front of her as he placed it in front of her.

"How did you know?"

Chris smiled.

"I told you I want to know everything about you. I’ve been watching you."

June didn’t say a word.

The feeling was still foreign.

Someone placing her above everything.

They started eating, but Chris was barely eating. His focus was on June as she attacked the chicken with so much enthusiasm.

He had noticed the same thing when she dined with them at the mansion.

Her appetite was above average.

When she looked up and saw Chris staring at her, she stopped.

"Aren’t you going to eat?"

Chris shook his head.

"I love seeing you eat. You eat with so much enthusiasm. It’s nothing like the way Amie ate. I don’t understand how anyone would mistake you for each other."

At that, June tensed.

Does he know?

She shook her head.

He had never mentioned Rauf around her.

There was no way he could know about her and Rauf.

She chuckled.

"Well, regardless of everything, we’re half-sisters and have similar voices."

Chris frowned.

"And that’s where the resemblance ends. You’re nothing like her in every other way."

June didn’t need to be told.

She knew.

Then suddenly, he asked, "What do you think about coming over to the mansion?"

June continued eating her chicken.

"No problem. I don’t mind coming over to the mansion once or twice when I am not busy. I can spend some time with you and Mother."

But Chris shook his head.

"No."

June stopped eating. The chicken she was about to tear with her teeth remained frozen in the air.

"What do you mean?"

"I want you to come and live at the mansion."